Abstract: Disclosed here is a system and method to control multiple eversion-based actuators using a single motor, or no motor, thereby reducing the size and cost of the multiple eversion-based actuators. An activation mechanism can include a motor rotating in an expansion direction, rotating shaft, clutch, brake, pressure source under high pressure, and/or valve. The activation mechanism can cause the actuators including a wound reel of material to unwind and lengthen. A retraction mechanism can include a motor rotating in a contraction direction opposite the expansion direction, rotating shaft, clutch, pressure source having low pressure, valve associated with the pressure source, and/or the passive retraction system. The retraction mechanism can cause the actuators to rewind and shorten.

Abstract: Apparatuses for controlling payload descent are described herein. For example, in one embodiment, a puck is provided that includes a top planar surface, a bottom planar surface opposite the top planar surface and an inner peripheral surface that is substantially perpendicular to the top planar surface and the bottom planar surface. The inner peripheral surface, the top planar surface and the bottom planar surface define a centrally located bore that is substantially perpendicular to the top planar surface and the bottom planar surface. Puck teeth are located on the inner peripheral surface. An outer peripheral surface bounds the top planar surface and the bottom planar surface. An exit port surface is substantially perpendicular to the top planar surface and the bottom planar surface. The exit port surface is between the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface and couples the top planar surface to the bottom planar surface.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for the storage and traction of a cable, in particular a synthetic cable fitted to an offshore crane. The storage/traction system includes a frame that carries in particular a storage device including a support carrying a storage reel through an assembly defining an axis of rotation. Between the storage reel and the support, the assembly includes of a single slewing ring including two rings that are free to rotate with respect to each other: —a fixed ring that is fastened to the support; and —a moving ring that is, on the one hand, fastened to the storage reel and, on the other hand, rotated by a motorization.

Abstract: A small, portable, powered winch that may employ a power drill or socket wrench.

Abstract: A hoist security arrangement for avoiding dropping of the load when the chain or cable breaks includes a longer redundant auxiliary chain or cable disposed alongside the main chain or cable and which is raised and lowered synchronously with the slightly shorter main chain or cable so that the main chain or cable normally supports the entire weight of the load. If the main chain or cable breaks, the load drops slightly until the slack in the redundant auxiliary chain or cable is eliminated to hold the load solely by tensioning the auxiliary chain or cable. The extent of slack is set to insure that slight lengthening of the main chain as caused by wear does not result in loading of the auxiliary chain or cable.

Abstract: The invention relates to a subsea marine load raising and lowering system (1) for use on a vessel, preferably a vessel for laying an offshore pipeline, which system comprises first and second winches (2, 6) for raising or lowering first and second cable portions (4, 8) connected via an equalizing sheave (11), to the axle (12) of which a load connector (13) is connected. The system comprises operating means to perform synchronous raising or lowering of the cable portions. The system further comprises overload protection systems provided at both winches, and a safety assembly (15) preventing any substantial further movement of the cable portions (4, 8) in case the cable portions do not operate synchronously, comprising a structure (15a) mounted to the axle (12) of the equalizing sheave (11) having passages (15c) for the cable portions and further comprising stops (15b) arranged on each cable portion above and in the vicinity of the structure (15a).

Abstract: A winch with adjustable arms allowing the length to be adjusted. The winch can have a very thin drum to allow it to fit in confined spaces.

Abstract: A lift system for raising and lowering a load including a rigid platform, four spaced fixed supports positioned around corners of the platform, and a power source connected to a first of the supports. First and second inextensible lines are each preferably fastened at one end to a third support diagonally opposing the first support, and at another end thereof to the power source. The first line preferably extends from the power source to the third support, passing to a plurality of four pulleys each attached to a corner of the platform and over a pulley attached to the second support. The second line preferably extends from the power source to the third support, passing to a plurality of four pulleys each attached to a corner of the platform and over a pulley attached to the fourth support. The lift system produces a mechanical advantage of four.

Abstract: A power operated winch mechanism for handling the running rigging lines of a sailing yacht. The winch includes a winding drum, which winds and stores the line during line retrieving operations and controllably releases the line when desired. A pair of the new winches can be controllably operated using a portable or fixed control device, with one winch controlled to retrieve one line while another winch controllably releases line in a coordinated procedure. Among other things, such coordinated operations can be useful in carrying out tacking and gybing maneuvers without crew involvement in line handling operations. Novel level wind features enable the lines to be appropriately tensioned during retrieval, and positively drawn from the drum when the line is not under load. Significant improvement in the safety and convenience of the crew is enabled.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention is directed to a system having a pulley attached to a building. A closed loop of cable is installed around the pulley. The loop is of sufficient length so as to reach, when deployed outside of the building, below the pulley to where emergency personnel gather in an area next to a base of the building (when responding to a disaster situation in the building). A winch around which the loop is to be operatively installed is located in the area next to the base. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: A winch with adjustable arms allowing the length to be adjusted. The winch can have a very thin drum to allow it to fit in confined spaces.

Abstract: A power or manually operated winch mechanism for handling the running rigging lines of a sailing yacht. The winch includes a winding drum, operating in conjunction with a level wind mechanism, which winds and stores the line during line retrieving operations and controllably releases the line when desired. Novel level wind features enable the lines to be appropriately tensioned during retrieval, to assure proper windup of the line in organized coils on the drum. During line release, the line is placed under tension by the level wind mechanism and thus positively drawn from the unwinding winch drum even when the line is not under load from the sail to which it is attached. The arrangement enables lines to be automatically released from one winch and retrieved on a second which, under a common control, as when tacking or resetting the sails of a yacht, all without the necessity of any physical line handling by crew members, resulting in a significant improvement in the safety and convenience of the crew.

Abstract: A system and method retracts and lets-out a laterally extending flexible bow seal on an air cushion vehicle having a bow ramp. Attachment loops on the forward outside surface of the bow seal receive a skirt cable. A separate cable routing system is connected to opposite ends of the skirt cable for selectively retracting and letting-out the bow seal. The cable routing systems also include ramp cables connected to the bow ramp to raise or lower the bow ramp. The cable routing systems retract the bow seal with the skirt cable simultaneously as the bow ramp is lowered by letting out the ramp cables, and the cable routing systems let-out the bow seal with the skirt cable simultaneously as the bow ramp is raised by drawing in the ramp cables.

Abstract: A cable guide of a cable winch, such as a cable hoisting winch, includes a cable drum having at least one cable groove and a cable guide having at least two base segments expanding into a ring. The two base segments are guided in the cable groove by at least one engaging element and are supported against the cable winch by at least one torque support. Elements for guiding and holding down a cable are arranged on the base segments. To create a simplified and optionally modular design of a cable guide, the base segments may be configured such that at least one torque support and at least one add-on element for guiding and holding down a cable can be secured in a desired arrangement on the base segments.

Abstract: Apparatus for use in handling a load where a load-bearing rope and a service cable are inter-wound as they are being paid out, having a wrapping device for wrapping a securing member around the service cable and the load-bearing rope, and to unwrap the securing member from the service cable and load-bearing rope as either of them is recovered. The securing member is wound around the service cable and the hoist rope, to hold the service cable relative to the load-bearing rope and to reduce the extent of creeping of the service cable down the load-bearing rope. The securing member can be planar, in the form of a strip, tape or ribbon, or can have a circular cross-section, in the form of a rope. In preferred embodiments, the securing member is resilient and is applied to the rope in tension.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for use in handling a load includes a load-bearing rope, and a mechanism for paying out and recovering the rope. There is also a drum for holding a service cable with a length of the service cable extending from the drum. A wrapping device rotates the length of service cable around the rope as the rope is payed out to wrap the service cable around the rope, and to unwrap the service cable from the rope as the rope is recovered.

Abstract: A shock absorbing device is provided for use on a hoist of the type generally used for safety of personnel entering a manhole or the like which has a base for mounting on a support surface at the hole and a jib portion. A winch is mounted at one position on the hoist for paying out and pulling in a first cable which passes over the jib portion to a pulley at the jib end. A fall restraint device with a second cable is mounted at a different location on the host with the second cable extending upwardly from the hoist to a second pulley at the jib end. The shock absorbing device for the pulleys includes a common mounting member pivotally attached to the mounting element at the jib end for pivotal movement relative thereto about a horizontal axis with a shock absorbing brake arranged to resist said pivotal movement up to a predetermined load limit such that a downward shock force from the load on at least one of the first and second pulleys causes the common member to pivot downwardly in a shock absorbing action.

Abstract: A pulling apparatus includes a frame having a securing stirrup for securing a beam. The beam is provided at one end with a return pulley. Due to the structure of the securing stirrup, the tractive forces are transferred completely to the beam and the frame so that the means for securing the apparatus to the ground can be minimized. Such a design easily allows the beam to be set at an angle when the pipe is off center. The apparatus may also be easily placed in a cable chamber for operation.

Abstract: A power sailboat winch mechanism for the high speed gathering of running rigging line under initial low tension with final slow speed gathering of the same line under final high tension combined with line storage is disclosed. The winch mechanism includes two drums handling the line in series, these drums constituting a winding drum and a high torque drum. The winding drum is provided threaded to the bitter end of the line with a level wind for even distribution of the line along the drum. This winding drum provides initial rapid line take-up, tailing force to a high torque winch drum and line storage for the requisite amount of line used in the particular running rigging handled by the winch. A conventional high torque winch drum is provided between the winding drum and line load. This high torque winch is provided with surfaces to induce line climbing of the drum by conventional crowd climbing over the drum surface.

Abstract: A hoist that includes a winding drum for a load-lift cable mechanism. The um has two drum sections of slightly different diameter; end portions of the cable are wound in different directions on the drum sections, so that one cable section winds onto a drum section while the other cable section winds off the other drum section. The effect is to provide a very slow net cable motion related to the difference in drum section diameters. The hoist includes a latch mechanism adapted to suspend the load from the boom during certain periods of a load transfer operation.

Abstract: Material is supported on rotatable reel means with one end extending therefrom for connection with a well string for a well bore. Movable means support the portion of material extending between the reel means and well string. Means lower and raise the movable means whereby some of the supported material may be selectively moved into the well bore or removed therefrom along with the well string, if desired, without rotating the reel means on which it is supported during the lowering or removing procedure. Means rotate the reel support means to selectively pay out additional material for movement into the well bore or to reeve material removed from the well bore thereon. Control and actuating means effect operation of the various means as desired. Means support the well string and the material to enable the lowering of the well string and material into, and removal thereof, from the well bore.

Abstract: An obstacle detector is disclosed, being designed to automatically brake a descending or ascending load suspended on at least two spaced cables, should an obstacle be encountered in the path of the load. The detector comprises at least two winch drums and a rotatable horizontal rod having at least two laterally-spaced levers projecting radially therefrom and inclined on opposite sides of the rod. One end of each cable is secured to a drum, passes through a pulley supporting the load and is secured to a corresponding lever at its other end. A change in the tension of one of the cables, due to an obstacle, results in a small rotation of the rod, thus activating an electric sensing device which effectively shuts down the motor driving the winch drums.

Abstract: A suspension structure is disclosed for use in running well hardware such as a pumping assembly by cable into a well and pulling the hardware from the well, the structure including two suspension masts. One of the masts is a lightweight mast having a working height sufficient to suspend the hardware above a well platform or the like on which the masts are mounted but not having a load capacity sufficient to withstand the forces required to pull the hardware from the well. The other mast is a short mast of high-load capacity capable of withstanding such forces but not of sufficient height to suspend the hardware. The two masts are used alternatively for running and pulling operations.

Abstract: A downcrowding device for an earth boring apparatus has an improved take-up device for taking up slack in the downcrowding cable. The downcrowding device is of the type having a rotatable drum, hydraulic rams for moving the drum downwardly, a brake for preventing rotation of the drum while moving downwardly, and a downcrowding cable that is connected directly to the top of the kelly and wrapped around the drum. The take-up device includes a take-up sheave that is suspended from the mast. A take-up cable is wrapped around the drum for rotating the drum in the opposite direction to the downcrowding cable. The take-up cable is reeved over the take-up sheave and is connected to the top of the kelly. The cable tensioner is located between the mast and the take-up sheave for allowing the sheave to move downwardly with respect to the mast as the kelly and drum move downwardly during drilling.