Abstract: A human power amplifier includes an end-effector which is grasped by a human operator and applied to a load. The end-effector is suspended, via a rope, from a take-up pulley, winch or drum which is driven by an actuator to lift or lower the load. The end-effector includes a force sensor which measures the vertical force imposed on the end-effector by the operator and delivers a signal to a controller. The controller and actuator are structured in such a way that a predetermined percentage of the force necessary to lift or lower the load is applied by the actuator, with the remaining force being supplied by the operator. The load thus feels lighter to the operator, but the operator does not lose the sense of lifting against both the gravitation and inertial forces originating in the load. The operator has direct contact with the load (through the end-effector) there need be no switches, valves, keyboards, teach pendents, or pushbuttons in the human power amplifier to control the lifting speed of the load.

Abstract: A control device is mounted in association with a hook suspended by a chain from an electrically operated hoist and includes a hand grip fitted with control switches controlling lowering and raising movements of the hook and a mounting device for removably mounting the hand grip horizontally adjacent the hook and for vertical movement therewith.

Abstract: A rope guide for a winch, especially for hoisting gear, with a winding drum which has rope grooves running in opposite directions, including guide means which are provided for the alignment of at least a pair of rope lines and connected with one another via coupling means so as to run in opposite directions. The guide means include guide elements and are drivable by the rope lines, which can be wound on or wound off the winding drum. To facilitate a gentle winding on and winding off of the rope in a compact constructional form which is robust, resistant to impact and maintenance-free, each guide element comprises a rope guide channel which is formed in a channel support and which has, in a first plane disposed at a right angle to the axis of rotation of the winding drum and in a second plane disposed parallel to the axis of rotation of the winding drum, an input contact portion, for a rope and an oppositely located output contact portion for the rope.

Abstract: A powered winch driver is disclosed for operating a winch having a rotatable, typically ratcheted capstan including a socket for receiving a star stub. The driver comprises: a water proof housing having an upper plate including a socket for receiving a manual winch handle and a lower body having an opening therethrough; a battery powered motor connected by an on/off switch to a rechargeable battery contained by the water proof housing; a rotatable shaft mounted for rotation relative to the water proof housing and having a star stub extending through the opening in the lower body of the water proof housing; a water tight seal for sealing the opening in the lower body through which the rotatable shaft extends; and a drive unit connecting the battery powered motor to the rotatable shaft for rotatably driving the shaft when the motor is operated and for locking the shaft against rotation when the motor is stationary.

Abstract: In a spinning reel for fishing, a fishline guide roller is rotatably supported on a bail support arm pivotably mounted on a rotor. The guide roller has a flattened shape such that a ratio of an axial length of the roller relative to a diameter thereof falls within 0.10-0.40. Further, the guide roller is formed with a narrow fishline guide groove so that a ratio of an axial length of the fishline guide groove relative to an axial length of the roller falls within 0.05-0.35. It is possible to make a fishline guide roller small in weight and size and to restrict axial motion of a fishline along the guide roller which, among other advantages, reduces line twist in the fishline.

Abstract: A tail stock for a carpet stretcher includes a generally V-shaped body with a pair of intersecting abutting surfaces which form a V-shaped recess with an included angle therebetween. The tail stock is adapted to engage a flat wall, intersecting corner wall surfaces, a center post and includes a floor hook attachment to directly engage the floor. A pair of end sections having front coplanar surfaces extend outwardly from non-intersecting ends of the V-shaped section. A layer of resilient material is disposed on the co-planar and abutting surfaces and includes a plurality of spaced parallel vertically extending ribs. A pair of spaced flanges extend rearwardly from a top and a bottom of the tail stock forming a recessed area therebetween. A pair of aligned holes are formed in the top and bottom flanges for pivotally mounting a tubular end of a carpet stretcher to the tail stock.

Abstract: A fishing spinning reel with a supporting member for supporting a line roller and a bail mounting member for connecting a bail to the supporting member. The bail mounting member has guide walls that prevent the fishing line from being twined around the bail mounting member and that disengage twined line from the bail mounting member. A hollow space is defined between the guide walls for reducing the weight of the bail mounting member to facilitate balancing of the fishing reel.

Abstract: A pulley comprises a pair of flanges, a rotary roller mounted on a first spindle, and a second flange which oscillates on the first spindle. A jammer is incorporated inside the pulley and comprises a pivotable tumbler on a second spindle between an active locking position and an inactive unlocking position of a rope. The second spindle is tubular and extends parallel to the first spindle, and includes an internal orifice disposed to come into alignment with a hole of the second flange when the second flange reaches a position near to a closed position, so as to enable a snap-hook to be attached through an orifice of the tumbler simultaneously resulting in locking of the second flange in the closed position.

Abstract: An underwater self-aligning fairlead latch device is provided for guiding and securing an anchor chain between an offshore structure and an anchor. The fairlead device includes a latch housing pivotally mounted to a fairlead housing. The latch housing includes one or more latches for securing the anchor chain in place. The fairlead housing includes a bending shoe which guides the anchor chain from its orientation within the bending shoe up the platform column to the deck. The fairlead housing is pivotally mounted to the offshore structure.

Abstract: In a fishing spinning reel, a supporting member having a fishing line guide is swingably supported on an end portion of a rotor so that the supporting member is placed alternately in a line take-up state and in a line let-out state. The outer configuration of the supporting member is formed such that a portion of the supporting member, which is from its base portion to the end portion having the fishing line guide, is inclined towards a spool. The spinning reel is free from the entanglement of the fishing line and is able to maintain the rotation of the rotor balanced.

Abstract: A spinning reel has a rotary frame which is rotated around a spool and has two support arms for supporting a bail arm via a bail arm holder and a bail arm lever. In order to improve static and dynamic balances of the rotary frame, the bail arm holder is supported on the support arm so that a portion, on the opposite side of the bail arm in its winding position with respect to a reference plane of the bail arm holder is heavier than a portion, on the side of the bail arm of the bail arm holder, balancing means are integrally provided on the rotary frame, or the support arms are extended obliquely with respect to the reference plane.

Abstract: A multi-speed winch is attached to a motor vehicle and is hydraulically powered by the vehicle's power steering system or other hydraulic source innate to the host vehicle. The winch operates in either a low-speed, high-torque mode for moving heavy loads, a high-speed, low-torque mode for quickly releasing or retrieving cable, a free-spooling mode for manually releasing cable, and a brake mode for holding the cable and load at a fixed position. The high-speed mode is enabled by coupling the drive shaft directly to the winch drum. The low-speed mode is enabled by coupling the drive shaft to the winch drum through a planetary gear assembly. In an alternate embodiment, high-speed mode is enabled by coupling the drive shaft to the winch drum through one of two planetary gear assemblies. Free-spooling mode is achieved by disengaging the drive shaft from the winch drum, and brake mode is achieved by engaging both the direct drive coupling and the sun and planet gear arrangement.

Abstract: A fishing reel is provided having a frame with first and second laterally spaced parts between which a line storage space is defined, a spool upon which a supply of line can be wrapped, first structure cooperating between the spool and frame to allow the spool to be moved laterally through one of the first and second frame parts selectively between a) an operative position wherein the spool is supported for rotation about a first laterally extending axis and b) a separated position, a side cover assembly, and second structure cooperating between the side cover assembly and frame for mounting the side cover assembly to the frame for movement relative to the frame between a) a first position and b) a second position. The side cover assembly in a first position maintains the spool in an operative position and the second position allows the spool to be moved from the operative position to the separated position.

Abstract: A fishline guide mechanism for a spinning reel, in which a fishline is guided within a narrow groove formed in a rotatable guide roller which may be supported on a bail support member so as to be tiltable about its rotational axis depending on a direction of force applied to the fishline. The line roller is configured to restrict rolling and sliding of the fishline in the lateral direction (along the roller axis) when the fishline is guided by the roller, to thereby reduce twisting and tangling of the fishline.

Abstract: A double bearing fishing reel includes: a reel body; and a level winding device adapted to wind a fishing line parallel on a spool which is rotatably supported between the right and left side boards of the reel body. In the fishing reel, the traverse shaft of the level winding device which is adapted to reciprocate a fishing line guide body of the level winding device right and left, and is turned in association with a handle is provided in the reel body together with the handle shaft secured to the handle in such a manner that it is located at the rear of the spool. The double bearing fishing reel is high in operability.

Abstract: Backlash in a fishing reel is eliminated by automatically matching the reel discharge speed to the line speed. The drag on the reel is automatically adjusted so that the reel discharge speed does not exceed the line speed. The invention includes a reel, a mechanism for measuring the relationship between the line speed and the reel discharge speed, an electronically controlled braking device and a microprocessor for controlling the braking device in response to the relationship between the line speed and the reel discharge speed. When the reel discharge speed exceeds the line speed additional braking is applied. One alternative embodiment of the invention intermittently applies a very short pulse of braking action to the reel. The response to this pulse of braking action is detected and used to determine if the reel discharge speed exceeds the line speed.

Abstract: A double throw crank handle for a nautical winch has a first lever extending radially out from a winch axis and having a first grip at the outward end. A second lever is connected to the outward end of the first lever and extends parallel back over the winch axis to locate an opposite end a similar radially offset distance from the winch axis. A second grip extends up from the second lever opposite end. A locking mechanism to hold the crank handle in the winch socket is mounted below the first lever plug end. Counterbalanced two handed cranking about a winch axis is executed in winding the winch using the double throw crank handle.

Abstract: A rope guide for a winch including a rotatably supported winding drum defining an axis of rotation and having helical cable or rope grooves defined about the drum periphery and which spiral inward from the drum distal edges toward the drum center. Two guide elements are provided to align a corresponding pair of rope lines as the lines are wound onto and from the rotating winding drum. Coupling means affixed to the guide elements movably connect the guide elements for movement along the tracks of an elongated rail and parallel to the axis of rotation of the winding drum as the rope lines are wound onto and from the drum. The coupling means are constructed as longitudinal coupling supports that are concurrently movable in opposite directions longitudinally along the rail and are guided in the respective tracks and supported at at least two spaced apart points. The combination of each longitudinal coupling support and guide element is preferably guided and supported via the guide element in different tracks.

Abstract: In a fishing spinning reel comprising a spool reciprocating mechanism adapted to convert rotation of the handle into linear reciprocating motion of the spool shaft, a non-circular part of the rear end portion of the spool shaft is locked to a slider of the spool reciprocating mechanism in such a manner that the non-circular part confronts the handle shaft. The spool shaft is non-rotatably retained, and a gap between the handle shaft and the spool shaft is minimized, whereby the reel body is decreased in size and in weight relative to conventional reels. Also transmission efficiency of transmitting drive power provided by the rotation of the handle is improved.

Abstract: In a double-bearing type fishing reel, a front finger-placing section (50) is provided between the side boards (2a, 2b) of the reel body (1) above the spool (3) in such a manner that, when an angler grips the reel body (1), the thick part of the end portion of the thumb abuts against the front finger-placing section. A rear finger-placing section (55) is provided between the side boards (2a, 2b) of the reel body (1) behind the spool (3) in such a manner that the base of the thumb abuts against the rear finger-placing section (55). The double-bearing type fishing reel is exhibits an improved reel gripping characteristic.