Abstract: A device for weighing elongated members such as marine lines and ropes includes a hub, a motive wheel which is supported on the hub and is driven by a motor, and a driven wheel which is coupled to and driven by the motive wheel. The motive wheel and the driven wheel respectively form opposite sides of a groove for receiving the elongated member which is being weighed. A thrust ring is fixed to the driven wheel, and the motive wheel lies axially between the thrust ring and the driven wheel. The axial position of the driven wheel relative to the motive wheel is controlled by an idler roll which bears against the thrust ring and is adjustably mounted on the hub.

Abstract: A belt hoist for allowing fixture of a belt to a winding member to be strengthened to improve the reliability, with a simple structure. The winding member around which the belt is wound includes a shaft insertion bore at the center thereof; a belt fixing surface for allowing the belt to be fixed on a winding periphery; and a belt holder fitted on the belt fixing surface to press an end portion of the belt against the belt fixing surface. The belt fixing surface has a width not less than an inner diameter of the shaft insertion bore, and a fixing bore is so bored in the belt fixing surface as to escape from the shaft insertion bore, whereby the end portion of the belt is inserted in and fixed between the belt fixing surface and the belt holder by a fixing member fixed into the fixing bore.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for injecting and retrieving a length of coiled tubing and storing the tubing on a storage spool. An injector reel is pivotally mounted on a frame such that coiled tubing may be angularly injected to shallow, horizontal wells. A hold-down assembly is provided to individually adjust the pressure applied to the coiled tubing as it is injected into or retrieved from a well. The positioning of the injector reel and the storage spool in the injecting mode ensures a greater degree of wrapping of the coiled tubing around the injector reel to improve the control of the injection and retraction of the tubing. A vertically and horizontally adjustable storage spool cradle enables the operator to vary the width and diameter of the storage spools used in the apparatus.

Abstract: A chainless drive winch is provided having a cable cylinder meshing with an orthogonal, cylindrical reduction gearing member. The reduction gearing member may be driven by, for example, an electric motor. A brake is provided operable only when the reduction gearing member is rotated is a direction to lower a load. Limit switches may be provided which are adjustable to alter the distance between them. A trigger finger moving between the limit switches is driven from the cable cylinder. The cable cylinder may be provided with a generally parallel roller to hold turns of cable on the cylinder. The roller may be independently biased at each end so that, when cable is partially unwound from the cylinder, the bias of the roller is enhanced on the remaining turns.

Abstract: A rope traction device has locking units that include a sheave on which a traction rope is wound. The rope traction device is adapted to be moved along with the traction rope and includes a traction rope inlet for feeding the traction rope to the sheave a traction rope outlet for feeding out the traction rope, a traction rope locking device for locking the traction rope when an increase in the speed of the traction rope is detected, and an auxiliary rope locking device provided in the vicinity of the traction rope inlet for detecting relative moving speed of an auxiliary rope suspended from the rope traction device. An interconnection is provided between the traction rope locking device and the auxiliary rope locking device in order to provide simultaneous engagement of the separate locking devices.

Abstract: A sheave for advancing a rope by application to said sheave of rotational forces includes a central hub with opposed sheave surfaces each of the opposed surfaces being provided with alternating projections and valleys. The projections of the first one of the surfaces being aligned with a valley of the opposed second surface, each of the projections having a generally flat outer surface which is provided with rounded edges, the valleys being tapered in width toward the hub of the sheave and having a generally flat floor surface, the center of each the valley having a ridge projecting from the floor surface, the ridges each being of a height extending above its associated valley floor surface that is substantially less than the height of the projections.

Abstract: Apparatus that controls its cable on its cable take-up drum, the apparatus ncluding pressure rollers supported by flexible spring steel members, a flexible spring steel member around each end of the cable take-up drum, two ends of each flexible member being pulled together by a pair of adjustable links, the pressure rollers applying pressure on the cable as the cable is being wound on to or off of the cable take-up drum.

Abstract: A vehicle extender is connected to a towing vehicle by way of a towing beam bolted to the normal tow hitch and presenting two ball and socket joints so that the vehicle extender can pitch upwardly and downwardly but cannot yaw from left to right nor roll clockwise or anti-clockwise relative to the vehicle. The vehicle extender has a single castor mounted wheel set so located that even in reversing mode in which by castor action the wheel set swivels to a forward located position the center of gravity of a load in the vehicle extender such as sand still remains forwardly of the horizontal axis of rotation of the wheels of the wheel set providing for security and stability in use. The vehicle extender is very adaptable to different applications.

Abstract: A rope traction device includes a sheave having an annular rope receiving groove and being driven and rotated with a traction rope received in the rope receiving groove to cause the traction rope to be wound on the sheave and the rope traction device thereby moves along the traction rope. The sheave includes a pair of side walls made of an elastic material and formed integrally with the sheave for formaing the rope receiving groove. The interval between inner surfaces of the side walls in a rope holding portion is made smaller than the diameter of the traction rope by a predetermined value. The rope receiving groove may be formed in a U-shaped section, a V-shaped section or a section which is a combination of the U-shaped section and the V-shaped section.

Abstract: A rope traction device includes a sheave having an annular rope receiving groove and being driven and rotated with a traction rope received in the rope receiving groove to cause the traction rope to be wound on the sheave and the rope traction device thereby moves along the traction rope. The sheave includes a pair of side walls made of an elastic material and formed integrally with the sheave for formaing the rope receiving groove. The interval between inner surfaces of the side walls in a rope holding portion is made smaller than the diameter of the traction rope by a predetermined value. The rope receiving groove may be formed in a U-shaped section, a V-shaped section or a section which is a combination of the U-shaped section and the V-shaped section.

Abstract: A shoe for protecting pulleys in a drawing system associated with a heddle frame of a weaving machine. The shoe has an inner portion of concave profile from which a projection extends so as to be receivable within a groove of the pulley. The shoe also includes two outer segments in one of which a groove is provided having a bottom which is oriented tangentially to the groove of the pulley so that the cable guided therein will be directed generally tangentially with respect to the groove of the pulley.

Abstract: A rope traction device used as a winding instrument for a moving scaffold and other construction, loading and unloading and conveying machines, includes a sheave which is rotated by a motor through a speed reduction gear and around which a part of a traction rope is wound, and is movable along the rope by rotating the sheave. The sheave is provided with a rope groove formed by a pair of parallel and planar side plates substantially along the entire circumference of the sheave for receiving a part of the rope therein and resiliently pressing the rope on its side portions. The rope traction device includes an improved brake system according to which slots elongated in the circumferential direction are formed in each clutch member and each slot has a greater depth axially in the central portion thereof than in other portions.

Abstract: A single sheave 4 rope winch 1 particularly suitable for use with an anchor warp 2. The sheave 4 is fixed on a shaft 5 rotatably mounted in a base 3 adapted for mounting on a deck of a vessel. An electric motor 6 operates through a gear-drive 7 to rotate the sheave 4 about a vertical axis. Warp feed-in and feed-out means 8 and 9 direct a warp 2 to and from the sheave 4. Warp guide means 19 control a warp 2 during its tracking about with or through the sheave 4, the guide means 19 including a fixed and shorter section 19a and a longer articulated arm 27 section 19b. The arm 27 is arcuately shaped to extend about a sector of the sheave 4 and is biased by spring 26 radially inward such that an inner face 24 thereof impinges onto a warp 4 tracking in that sector of the sheave 4. In a preferred embodiment the inner impinging face 24 of the arm 27 incorporates a compound curvature, the radius of curvature increasing toward a free end of the arm 27.

Abstract: A device (10) for stowing away a thick cable (14, 16) composed of several leads, in particular the supply cable of a central energy supply installation for the supply system on board of aircrafts, for example. The device has a rotary winding drum, around which several turns of the cable can be wound, connected in turn by a compensating cable (40) preferably to a fixed connection. The leads of the compensating cable, that lie free at least in sections, extend in the axial direction of the winding drum, so that the compensating cable is more strongly twisted when the connecting cable unwinds from the winding drum and less strongly twisted when the connecting cable is wound on the winding drum. The winding drum (24) itself has a hollow cylindrical bearing body (22) for winding up a single layer of cable (14, 16), within which extends the compensating cable (46). Preferably, the compensating cable (46) or some of its leads are held or fixed in an approximately central position within the bearing body (22).

Abstract: A rope traction device used as a winding instrument for a moving scaffold and other construction, loading and unloading and conveying machines includes a sheave which is rotated by a motor through a speed reduction gear and around which a part of a traction rope is wound, and is movable along the rope by rotating the sheave. The sheave is provided with a rope groove formed by a pair of side plates substantially along the entire circumference of the sheave for receiving a part of the rope therein and resiliently pressing the rope on its side portions. In one aspect of the invention, the rope traction device includes an improved brake system according to which slots elongated in the circumferential direction are formed in each clutch member and these slots have a larger width axially in the central portion thereof than in other portions.

Abstract: A winch for moving loads with a continuous cable over varying distances that consists of a winch drum (10) with a fixed sleeve (26) to maintain proper laydown and separation of cable (34) on the drum (10). The sleeve (26) is helically grooved on its interior surface to form a space for the winch cable (34) to be guided therein. Pull force is mostly the result of the tension adjusted on the endless cable, the friction between the cable (34) and drum (10), the diameter of the drum, and the number of turns of cable (34) on the drum (10). The number of turns of cable (34) on the drum (10) is determined by the length of the drum (10) and sleeve (26) and the number of grooves machined into the sleeve's interior surface.

Abstract: A portable snow skier rope towing system comprises: an endless loop of flexible tow rope; a series of pulleys supporting the endless loop of tow rope for driving about an elongated enclosed path, the elongated path having opposed extreme ends, each extreme end being defined by at least one pulley; a supporting frame; a motor operably mounted relative to the supporting frame, the motor having an output drive; and a winch apparatus operably connected with the motor output drive and relative to the supporting frame, the tow rope passing through the winch at a location within the enclosed path which is displaced from each of the extreme end pulleys, the winch apparatus comprising: a drive wheel mounted for rotation and engagement with the output drive, the drive wheel having a circumference with a tapered groove formed thereabout which receives the tow rope; a rope inlet wheel mounted for rotation adjacent the drive wheel, the inlet wheel having a circumferential groove which receives the tow rope; and a rope out

Abstract: An elevator roped in a triple-wrap configuration has a deflector located near a "pay-on" position to urge the rope to move from one side of a sheave groove to the other side of the groove to minimize the probability that adjacent wraps of the rope contact each other. The deflector may be a fixed comb or a rotatable wheel.

Abstract: A device for operating flexible elements includes a rotating drum around which flexible elements are wound to be advanced, a container of the drum equipped with a series of rubber rollers which hold the flexible elements in adherence with the outer surface of the drum and which has a longitudinal slot which permits passage of the flexible elements from the inside to the outside of the container, and a moving guide for the flexible elements positioned across the drum and which moves with reciprocating movement and facilitates winding or unwinding of the flexible elements on or from the drum.

Abstract: Apparatus for taking up and paying out first and second ends of an endless loop of tape that has an intermediate section. A first reel connected to the first end carries a first coil of the tape. The first coil extends from the first reel and is normally self-expanding and unwinding so as to unwind itself from the first reel. A second reel is connected to the second end for carrying a second coil of the tape. The second coil extends from the second reel and is normally self-expanding so as to unwind itself from the second reel. A drum supports both of the first and second reels for rotation in the same direction. Pulleys guide the intermediate section of the tape from the first reel to the second reel for moving a sludge collector. When the drum is rotated in a first rotary direction, the first coil tends to self-unwind from the first reel and the second coil is wound up on the second reel to move the intermediate section of the tape and the sludge collector.

Abstract: On the frame of the apparatus are pivoted the upper ends of two lateral levers of which the lower ends are respectively pivoted at the two ends of an intermediate horizontal lever, these levers defining three sides of a deformable parallelogram. Three rollers ar carried on a lever which rollers are adapted for clamping the strap circulating around the periphery of a pulley, while another lever carries a deflector roller which co-acts with the loaded strand of the strap for applying the rollers against the pulley. Besides the deflector roller are mounted two guide rollers which are urged by a spring. The loaded strand is guided between the deflector roller and one guide roller while the other strand, which is clamped between the guide rollers, is driven at a speed identical to the speed of the loaded strand but of opposite direction.

Abstract: An improved cable hoist apparatus has a sheave movably connected relative to a frame to bias the cable in a circumferential groove in the sheave. A biasing means on the frame compresses the cable in the sheave groove with the amount of force depending upon the tension in the cable. In this regard, the sheave is positioned relative to the frame as a function of the cable tension such that the greater the cable tension, the greater the biasing force on the cable. However, the biasing means can include a plurality of rollers to regulate the biasing force. A reeving spring can be used in conjunction with the biasing means to allow reeving of the hoist when the cable is unloaded. The hoist apparatus optimally incorporates certain advantageous safety features. These include a cable brake activated and released depending upon the position of the sheave and a motor shutoff as a function of overload and/or underload.

Abstract: Apparatus is described for pulling on a line, such as a wire cable. The apparatus has a driving pulley with a circumferential groove in which a loop of the load run of the line is held. A pressure application unit is provided to press the line into the line groove towards the end of the loop. This unit has a guide piece around which a chain runs, with a running surface shaped to run parallel to the line groove which it opposes. Means are provided to press the guide unit and chain bodily onto the edge of the driving pulley, so that pressure elements spread along the chain press on the line loop. The pressure elements roll on rollers along the guide unit running surface, which is at least as long as two pressure elements so as to provide an even force on the line.

Abstract: A windlass for offshore structures comprises power mechanism (18) for rotation of a chain wheel (13) about a horizontal axis (24a) during maneuvering of an anchor chain (14) extending between an anchor and a chain box (15). The chain wheel (13) is rotatably supported in a wheel housing (24) which is pivotable about a vertical shaft (22) below the operating water line (OD) of the structure and on the outside of its planking.

Abstract: An end face of the cable drum is provided with a straight groove into which the cable end is clamped either directly by screws or by a screw fastened holding block. The groove merges through curved portions on one or both ends with a cable receiving grooves on the drum's periphery. A two arm cable guide or a cable hold down device is provided.

Abstract: A cable drive system for driving a cable includes a rotatable inflatable member. Sets of guide rollers are positioned about the periphery of the inflatable member, and each of the sets of rollers includes at least two rollers for guiding the cable to maintain the cable substantially in contact with the inflatable member, and to cause the cable to be wound helically about the inflatable member. A fluid supply is used to inflate or deflate the inflatable member to vary the normal force applied to the cable. The inflatable member may be similar to an automobile tire and supported on a wheel through which the inflatable member is rotatably driven. During deployment or retrieval of the cable, the frictional drive force on the cable can be controllably varied by inflating or deflating the inflatable member to vary the normal force applied to the cable.

Abstract: A tensioning device for use with an endless traverse which is longitudinally adjustable in both directions responsive to a rotational drive. The rotational drive includes two driving gears which are each selectively coupled with a drive shaft so that when one of the driving gears is positively driven, the other driving gear is permitted to rotate freely. The traverse changes from one driving gear to the other by passing from between a pair of overlying side walls and over a flange. Elongation resulting from strain of the traverse is continuously led out of the system so that blocking or braking of the traverse is avoided. The tensioning device is especially suitable for the operation of strip curtains or conventional curtains, as well as for curtain systems with large and heavy traverses.

Abstract: Rope hoist apparatus comprising a single driven drive pulley (15) in which the rope (11) is pressed by a spring-loaded lever (32) by two pressure rollers (29 and 30) into the rope groove (19). The pressure rollers (29 and 30) are so arranged that the rope tip (41) of the rope (11) can easily be pushed beneath the pressure rollers (29 and 30). The rope (11) is conducted after being lifted out of the rope groove (19) via a lateral ramp (60) onto a running face (21) of the drive pulley (15) which is disposed adjacent the rope groove (19) and over which the slack run (13) is conducted in a manner preventing damage parallel to the load run (12).

Abstract: In such an arrangement a faultless clamping of the rope in the traction sheave is necessary. For that purpose two-piece traction sheaves are known whose sheave halves can be pressed together. Further, seat grooves are known wherein the ropes are radially pressed down into the seat grooves. In the so-called V-shaped grooves clamping of the ropes takes place by means of counterweights at the unloaded rope ends. Disadvantages of the known types of construction are unnecessary loads, considerable wear, high weights, bulky arrangements and poor efficiency. For doing away with these disadvantages, two sheaves halves 7, 14 are now mounted parallel to one another and are provided with a common peripheral V-shaped groove. The sheave halves 7, 14 are spring-loaded pressed together and at the periphery of the V-shaped rope groove, rope-supporting elements 20 are fixedly mounted. Thereby a simple construction is achieved, safety has increased and the operation is simplified by requiring no maintenance.

Abstract: A single head capstan winch comprises a capstan head which is movably arranged on a supporting frame for being guided relative to a pressing roller and is also rotatably arranged on this supporting frame and provided with a dynamically balanced surface of a shape that complements the enveloping surface of a multiplicity of windings of a cable or rope of the winch to thereby obtain a load-controlled clamping force necessary for the hauling-in of a load by means of the forward extending portion of the cable or rope the rearward extension of which runs off free of any load from the capstan head.

Abstract: A self-threading capstan drive includes two sheaves mounted in a frame, each having a spiral groove with approximately three turns. The sheaves are slightly misaligned so that an elongated sonar array is directed from one sheave to the next without lateral bending. A pair of containment troughs are aligned with the top and bottoms of the sheaves to direct the sonar array between the sheaves. At least one of the sheaves is motor-driven such that its direction of rotation is reversible, the sonar array being reeled onto and off of a storage reel. Each of the sheaves and the containment troughs includes a groove with an inner channel whose dimensions accommodate the sonar array and an outer channel of larger diameter accommodating an endless tubular belt which recirculates over both sheaves and makes contact throughout most of its length with the sonar array, positively driving and carrying the sonar array in either direction.

Abstract: The illustrated embodiment which is in the form of a winch (or hoist) comprises a reel including a spool and embodying a portion thereof through which it may be driven for its raising and lowering functions. The reel mounts in bearing relation to a drive shaft between parallel relatively closely spaced side walls of its housing. This embodiment features an overload clutch including a drive plate mounted for rotation with said shaft within said housing. The drive plate nests within a shallow cup-shaped plate firmly and resiliently coupled by springs, parts of which have an interfit relation with portions of the bounding wall. Upon rotation of the shaft the nature and direction thereof is transmitted through the clutch and successive drive transmission elements to the portion of the reel provided for this purpose.

Abstract: This scaffold hoist uses a transmission mechanism whose output shafts are fastened to the hoist housing, and whose case rotates, carrying a sheave which impels the mechanism along the cable. The transmission mechanism is advantageously a quadrant drive for extremely high torque-to-weight ratio.The sheave has a peripheral groove, tapered and deep enough to seat a cable having any of three different diameters, at different depths in the groove.The cable wraps around three-fourths of the sheave. Around five-eighths of the sheave, a chain presses the cable into the groove. The chain rollers enter the groove deeply enough to engage even the smallest-diameter cables of interest, while clearing the sheave periphery. The chain side bars ride along the sides of the sheave, holding the chain and cable in position.A resettable overspeed brake uses a rotary cam that jams a cable of any of the three sizes, at correspondingly various cam angles.

Abstract: A cable drive mechanism wherein a cable member comprising a plurality of individual cables disposed in side by side relation to form a flat member is successively wrapped around at least one cable wheel in one rotational direction and around at least one tension wheel in an opposite rotational direction, the tension wheel being mounted on pivot arms and connected to drive motors such that rotation of the tension wheel induces an angular moment in the pivot arms to urge the tension wheel toward the cable wheel in order to provide gripping friction on the cable member between the cable wheel and the tension wheel sufficient to overcome the inertia of the cable during start-up.

Abstract: This scaffold hoist uses a transmission mechanism whose output shafts are fastened to the hoist housing, and whose case rotates, carrying a sheave which impels the mechanism along the cable. The transmission mechanism is advantageously a quadrant drive for extremely high torque-to-weight ratio.The sheave has a peripheral groove, tapered and deep enough to seat a cable having any of three different diameters, at different depths in the groove.The cable wraps around three-quarters of the sheave. Around five-eighths of the sheave, a chain presses the cable into the groove. The chain rollers enter the groove deeply enough to engage even the smallest-diameter cables of interest, while clearing the sheave periphery. The chain side bars ride along the sides of the sheave, holding the chain and cable in position.A resettable overspeed brake uses a rotary cam that jams a cable of any of the three sizes, at correspondingly various cam angles.

Abstract: An apparatus for pulling an electric cable or wire between two locations such as along the length of a pipeline is described including an engine mounted in the box of a truck and having a pinch wheel operatively connected thereto. A torque balanced pulling rope is extended around the pinch wheel and passes through spaced-apart sheaves mounted on the pipeline. The free end of the rope is connected to the electric cable which is to be pulled along the length of the pipeline. The rope passes from the pinch wheel to an automatic rope tender mounted on a trailer positioned rearwardly of the truck. The automatic rope tender is operated at a slightly greater grade than the sheave wheel and deposits or drops the rope into a storage container. The automatic rope tender includes means for lifting the storage container from the ground to enable the container to be moved from one location to another.

Abstract: A remote controlled slack pulling log skidding carriage is provided for feeding a slack drag line toward a log to be skidded. A drive sheave rotatably mounted in the carriage is operated by a hydraulic motor. The fluid to operate the hydraulic motor is stored in one or more accumulators, and a radio controlled valve starts and stops the flow of fluid to the motor. A mechanically operated hydraulic pump also is provided to recharge the accumulators during a skidding operation.

Abstract: The presser wheel support comprises a depending support arm pivotally connected to the end of a cantilevered arm projecting at a downward slope in the tailing direction from a net hauler sheave frame member preferably in the form of a transverse suspension plate overlying the net hauler sheave. A fluid operated jack interacting between the hauler sheave frame and the support arm generally in the common plane of the hauler sheave and presser wheel urges the wheel yieldably against netting descending in the main hauler sheave groove so as to increase the hauling traction and hauling force exerted on the netting to avoid slippage and damage of netting.

Abstract: The hoisting apparatus comprises a device for pressing a roller or a train of rollers against a cable section engaging a driving pulley in order to improve the adherence of the cable to the pulley groove which is caused by the load; this device comprises a linkage fulcrumed at one or more points to the main support of the driving pulley, one end of the linkage carrying the roller or train of rollers while the other end is utilized for anchoring the load to the support.

Abstract: In this cable hoisting apparatus at least two pulleys disposed in a common plane have in the one a semi-circular-sectioned groove and in the other a V-shaped groove section, the first pulley receiving the load and the other pulley being responsive to the tightening mechanism controlled by the load. Thus, the pulley having a semi-circular sectioned groove will not damage the cable and the cable is retained therein by adherence, thus reducing as much the load exerted on the cable section engaging the second pulley, whereby a lesser retaining effort is exerted on this second pulley; when a pressure mechanism is provided for tensioning the cable in proportion to the load, said mechanism is associated with the pulley having the V-shaped groove.

Abstract: An apparatus for unwinding underground cables includes a framework chassis which is open ended and open bottomed and rests on the ground such as a trench bottom. Mounted on the chassis are horizontal support rollers which support the horizontal cable as it is propelled through the chassis by a peripherally grooved driven pulley applied against the upper side of the cable. The pulley is driven about a horizontal axis by an electric motor via a gearbox. The chassis carries vertical guide rollers on either side of the cable to constrain it to a given path. The guide rollers on one side are movable to permit release of the cable from that path when a support arm carrying the pulley, gearbox and motor is pivoted upwardly, by manual action on a pivotable handle, to lift the pulley off the cable.

Abstract: A self-powered, cable-mounted trolley for moving the load along a cable includes a housing, pulleys including at least one driven pulley journaled for rotation in the housing for frictionally engaging the cable passing therethrough and a motor and transmission to supply power to the driven pulley. Means are provided for attaching the load to the housing.The trolley is useful in a building rescue system for moving a load upwardly and downwardly on a tensioned cable attached to an upper portion of the building and extending downwardly to a safe location.

Abstract: An improved airborne hoist for use in lifting a load, particularly by means f a helicopter, comprising a pair of rotatable drums, each drum being rotatable in an opposite direction, a drive unit intergeared through a series of shafts for providing rotation to the drums, a cable holding device, in the configuration of a supplemental drum surrounding each of the first said drums, and each cable holding device provided for rotating simultaneously in unison with the rotation of its respective drum, while at the same time being axially shiftable for providing a winding or unwinding of its held cable from a constant location. The pair of drums each hold, respectively, its own cable, thereby providing a pair of cables that furnishes an inherent safety factor in that a single mechanical failure of a drum does not result in a loss of its held load.

Abstract: A deck winch for sailing craft provides a direct drive from main shaft to drum and has a self-tailing capability. Pawls mounted in the drum near its upper end extend through an arcuate opening in a stationary extended base member to engage the shaft intermittently. The base member affords a fixed mount at its upper end for the line lifter of a self-tailing device and comprises a cylindrical sleeve whose axis is offset from the axis of the main winch shaft. As a crank turns the shaft, each pawl progressively projects through the base member opening to drivingly engage the shaft for a portion of a revolution and then is cammed outwardly out of engagement as the next pawl takes over. The invention provides a relatively simple winch having both direct drive and self-tailing capabilities.

Abstract: My invention is a device for pulling and securing rope. It includes a power driven disk with annular groove having a V-shaped cross section. Bearing surfaces are transversally spaced around the periphery of the inner faces of the grooves. Gripping, without slippage occurs when a taut rope wedges into the groove and against the bearing surfaces.

Abstract: The illustrated embodiment which is in the form of a winch (or hoist) comprises a reel including a spool and embodying a portion thereof through which it may be driven for its raising and lowering functions. The reel mounts in bearing relation to a drive shaft between parallel relatively closely spaced side walls of its housing. This embodiment features an overload clutch including a drive plate mounted for rotation with said shaft within said housing. The drive plate nests within a shallow cup-shaped plate firmly and resiliently coupled by springs, parts of which have an interfit relation with portions of the bounding wall. Upon rotation of the shaft the nature and direction thereof is transmitted through the clutch and successive drive transmission elements to the portion of the reel provided for this purpose.