Abstract: A manually powered winch has two geared drive trains. Both originate from a simple set of gear teeth (7) formed into the diameter of a drive input shaft (5). The final drive, common to both gear trains, to an internal gear track (18) on the drum (3) of the winch is one part (12) of a two-part gear (8,12). The part (12) is directly borne by a hub (20) on an axle (10) in the winch. Its gear teeth are on the outer face of an annulus (22) on the inner face of which are ratchets (14) of a pawl-and-ratchet uni-directional drive (14,16) between the two parts (8,12). The other part (8) of the two-part gear is preferably borne not directly on the axle (10) but on the hub (20) of the part (12).

Abstract: A manually powered winch has two geared drive trains. Both originate from a simple set of gear teeth (7) formed into the diameter of a drive input shaft (5). The final drive, common to both gear trains, to an internal gear track (18) on the drum (3) of the winch is one part (12) of a two-part gear (8,12). The part (12) is directly borne by a hub (20) on an axle (10) in the winch. Its gear teeth are on the outer face of an annulus (22) on the inner face of which are ratchets (14) of a pawl-and-ratchet unidirectional drive (14,16) between the two parts (8,12). The other part (8) of the two-part gear is preferably borne not directly on the axle (10) but on the hub (20) of the part (12).

Abstract: A distributor for independent plural drive inputs (14,15) to plural drive outputs (12,13), especially for sailing craft, enables permutation of drives e.g. both to one output, both to the other or independently to each. Dog clutches (34-37) are engageable with both sides of the drive input sprockets (14,15) in various combinations. They are controlled by rotational setting of a cam shaft (20) with a plurality of face cams (21-24) respectively interacting with cam-follower discs (30-33) on the dog clutches.

Abstract: A winch has four drive trains of progressively increasing mechanical advantage between its drive shaft (3) and drum (8). If a selector (40) is engaged, rotation of the shaft in successively opposite senses will cause automatically engagement of the first third and fourth trains in sequence. If the selector (40) is not engaged and an override control (80,81,82) is appropriately set, the sequence second, third, fourth trains is followed. But the override may be locked so that only second and third trains are engaged alternately.

Abstract: The channel of a self-tailing winch is made up of two jaw members (5,17) interlinked by an arrangement such that when there is relative rotation between the jaws a relative axial displacement is imposed upon them by that relative rotation. Cam following studs (20) associated with one jaw engage in inclined camming slots (22) associated with the other. The inclination of the slots is preferably "positive" i.e. such as to cause closer axial approach of the jaws when there is any slippage.

Abstract: A manually powered multi-speed winch has an automatic drive disengagement upon drive reversal which is provided by an axially movable member in one drive train which in a first axial position is engageable for drive transmission through a pawl and ratchet unidirectional drive means. The drive means in its drive-transmitting condition prevents movement of the member away from that first position. Upon drive reversal the unidirectional drive means is ineffective either to transmit drive or to maintain the member in its first position and it moves axially to a second position in which the drive means are disengaged. The member is biased towards that second axial position but is manually movable to the first by a control button accessible at the outside of the winch. The button may be lockable to override the automatic disengagement.

Abstract: The jaws of a self-tailing channel of a winch are each provided with teeth in the form of ribs or ridges, the teeth being on a skew and being staggered so that a tooth on one of the jaws is not opposite to a tooth on the other of the jaws. In the embodiments shown the teeth are staggered by half their pitch; in one embodiment the teeth are straight and skewed and in another are arcs on a center of curvature spaced from the central axis of the jaw. This disposition of teeth enables the jaw to accommodate to a variety of widths of rope and also provides very positive gripping of that rope without however resistance to it being stripped when desired.The disclosure also includes a novel arrangement of stripper tongue and line guide in which the stripper tongue is provided on a stationary slip ring which forms the base of the tailing channel and where the line guide entraps an end portion of the tongue and may be radially supported by it.

Abstract: A self tailing winch has a tailing channel defined by a pair of jaws one of which rotates with the drum of the winch but one of which is non-rotatable. A line guide and stripper element are associated with the non-rotatable jaw, preferably being integrally formed with it, in one piece.

Abstract: A marine shackle has a body with an integral post projecting from it, the integral post having an integral enlarged head. Retaining means for the shackle is an eye part an aperture in which can be passed freely over the head of the post. To retain the eye in the shackle a split collar is placed around the post between the aperture of the eye and the head of the post which is of dimensions such that the aperture is now not free to pass back over the head of the post. A spacer may be then positioned between the aperture of the eye and the body of the shackle to maintain the eye part permanently around the split collar. A particular conformation of latch for the closable/openable loop of the shackle is also disclosed.

Abstract: A manually powered multi-speed winch has an automatic drive disengagement upon drive reversal which is provided by an axially movable member in one drive train which in a first axial position is engageable for drive transmission through a pawl and ratchet unidirectional drive means. The drive means in its drive-transmitting condition prevents movement of the member away from that first position. Upon drive reversal the unidirectional drive means is ineffective either to transmit drive or to maintain the member in its first position and it moves axially to a second position in which the drive means are disengaged. The member is biased towards that second axial position but is manually movable to the first by a control button accessible at the outside of the winch. The button may be lockable to override the automatic disengagement.