Abstract: A form erection hoist for use with concrete building forms or panels has a support which engages the top or an intermediate rib of an erected form. A column is rigidly attached to the support and extends above and below it. A support for a central and an outboard sheave is mounted on the upper end of the column. A cable reel support is mounted on the lower end of the column and engageable selectively between the sides of an erected form. Cable from the reel extends around the two sheaves and downwardly to engage the handle of a form to be raised into position alongside the previously erected form or to be lowered when no longer needed. The sheave support is shiftable to extend outboard of either side of an erected form. The hoist is lightweight and may be handled and operated by a single person with minimal risk of injury.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a winch and a boat trailer equipped therewith. The winch has a retaining line reel for retaining a boat loaded onto the trailer in a secure position thereon. The winch also has a drum or capstan on the same axle with the retaining reel for advancing the bow line or rope for loading and unloading the boat onto and off said trailer. The winch may be manually driven or it may be power driven.

Abstract: Pulley hoists are disclosed which provide moving anchor hooks that are suspended by two "pulls" of rope, and which may be fabricated by a single part. Anchor hooks are also disclosed which have multiple, independently movable hook portions so that certain large objects may be moved using a sole power unit having said anchor hooks at either end thereof. The anchor hooks of the present invention are also provided with tension indicator apparatuses and safety apparatuses in the event of the overloading of the device. Safety apparatus and sound alarm apparatus are also provided on the power units of the pulley hoists of the present invention in the event of the overloading of the device.

Abstract: A manually operated winch bumper is mountable to the rear of a vehicle. A winch drum is rotatably carried by the bumper and provided with a pair of coaxial shafts projecting in opposite directions from the winch to the ends of the bumper. The winch can be manually operated with a crank from either end of the bumper by insertion of the crank into sockets provided at the outer ends of the shafts. A third socket is provided for one of the shafts adjacent the winch drum such that the winch can also be operated from a position intermediate the ends of the bumper. Placement of the winch at the rear of the vehicle helps in pulling it out of terrain in which it is stuck since the vehicle will be pulled out from the direction it entered. Provision of crank sockets at either end and in the middle of the bumper allows manual operation of the winch even in an environment where shrubbery or other obstacles prevent access to portions of the bumper.

Abstract: A portable winch incorporating at one end a mechanism for providing its suspension from a stabilized support, said frame member having a cable winding drum provided therein, and a handle lever operatively associated with the drum and disposing a ratchet pawl for engagement with the ratchet wheel of the drum, in order to provide for a winding of the cable upon the drum, for lifting or supporting of a load, or for providing its gradual release therefrom. The ratchet pawl of the handle lever capable of manipulating into two positions, one providing for its permanent engagement with the ratchet wheel teeth, or in the alternative, through a maneuvering of its supporting spring, can be shifted out of engagement with the ratchet wheel teeth. A stop pawl operatively associates with the frame member and normally in engagement with the ratchet wheel, to maintain it in its wound position during manipulation of the handle lever.

Abstract: A manual winch which includes two manually operable release levers for the ratchet mechanism both of which must be manually held in retracted position in order to enable free unwinding of a cable from the winch drum. Specifically, a latch structure is provided for the drum ratchet release lever and a pin is provided to hold the retrieving ratchet release lever disengaged thereby enabling an operator to unwind cable from the winch drum without hand holding the release levers in released position. The winch includes a handle for manually winding a cable on a drum with a storage arrangement being provided for the handle to retain it in stored position when not in use.

Abstract: Pulley hoists are disclosed which provide moving anchor hooks that are suspended by two "pulls" of rope, and which may be fabricated by a single part. Anchor hooks are also disclosed which have multiple, independently movable hook portions so that certain large objects may be moved using a sole power unit having said anchor hooks at either end thereof. The anchor hooks of the present invention are also provided with tension indicator apparatuses and safety apparatuses in the event of the overloading of the device. Safety apparatus and sound alarm apparatus are also provided on the power units of the pulley hoists of the present invention in the event of the overloading of the device.

Abstract: A cable winding drum is provided with a ring gear having internal gear teeth and external ratchet teeth, and the drum and gear are supported in a housing for rotation in opposite directions about a drum axis to achieve winding and unwinding of a cable relative to the drum. The drum is rotated in opposite directions by an operating mechanism including a crank actuated crank and pinion assembly, a pawl and a pawl actuating lever. The pinion is supported by the housing and engages the internal gear teeth and, during rotation of the crank in the winding direction, the pinion rotates the drum and the pawl engages the ratchet teeth to preclude rotation of the drum in the unwinding direction. Upon rotation of the crank in the unwinding direction during engagement of the pawl with the ratchet teeth, the cam displaces the pawl actuating lever to release the pawl from engagement with the ratchet teeth to release the drum for rotation in the unwinding direction.

Abstract: An overload prevention apparatus includes a geared member with a number of teeth formed thereon, an engagement member including an engagement portion of which dimensions are determined so as to allow the latter to enter the valley on the geared member, a supporting member for turnably supporting the engagement member so as to allow the latter to turn toward and away from the geared member and a resilient member disposed between the engagement member and the supporting member to thrust the engagement portion on the engagement member toward the geared member. Either the geared member or the supporting member is arranged to move relative to the other. The direction of movement of the movable member is determined by the direction of extension of the teeth on the geared member. When hoisting ropes pull the movable member with excessively high force, the geared member is caused to move against thrusting force of the engagement member generated by the resilient member whereby the hoisting ropes are unreeled further.

Abstract: A winch has a drum and drum gear attached thereto. The drum gear is driven by a pinion gear that is attached to an operating shaft which in turn, is attached to an operating handle. The drum side adjacent the drum gear has a plurality of notches which allows the pinion gear to axially slide therethrough to disengage the pinion gear from the drum gear whereby paying out of the rope can be done without spinning of the pinion gear or the operating handle. The pinion gear can remesh with the driving gear by passing through the notch toward its operating position.

Abstract: A cable pulling device includes an anti-reversing clutch between the driving means and capstan to allow the capstan to be rotated by the motor in one direction for cable pulling but preventing rotation of the capstan in the reverse direction by cable loads when driving motor power is interrupted. The anti-reversing clutch prevents breakage of the drive chains and other drive train components.

Abstract: A winch for the spooling of a flexible cord and having a collapsable and storable handle and which may be used in a variety of applications, as for example, in the in-line pulling of a rope in a sailboat. The winch generally comprises a spool which is mounted on a frame such as a spindle for rotatable movement. A handle or crank arm is axially shiftable and storable within a bore in the spool and is capable of shifting outwardly of the spool for use. The crank arm is mounted through a hinge mechanism which permits the same to be located in a plane essentially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the spool. A releasable locking means is provided for releasably locking the crank arm to the spool for causing rotation of the same. A hand grip is hingedly mounted on the crank arm and is telescopically shiftable relative to the crank arm.

Abstract: A cam following roller is one arm while a latching member is the other arm of a two-armed lever. The roller rides on the surface of a cam disk. The latch is supported by a spring in a released position relative to the stopping points of the sprocket as long as the predetermined speed limit of lowering a hoist is not exceeded. The sprocket is formed of two segments which are releasably connected with each other by screws. Brake pressure springs are arranged in the shape of a cup-spring package between the screw head and support surfaces of the sprocket segments.When the lowering speed of the hoist is exceeded, the latch is pressed into one of the stopping points of the sprocket, said sprocket arresting, by way of a brake lining, the brake drum and the cable drum connected therewith.

Abstract: A drum hoist or winch in which at least one circular cam lobe mounted eccentrically on an axle overlapping the axle is interconnected with a like circular cam lobe mounted on a second axle by inboard linkage whereby rotation of one axle will rotate the other axle in unison. A hoist drum mounted concentrically with at least one of the axles can thus be rotated in unison with the other axle to wind or unwind one or more cables thereon.A preferred embodiment has three circular cam lobes mounted eccentrically on each axle 120.degree. angularly out of phase with each other with an inboard link plate interconnecting a cam lobe on each axle in rotatable relation.A brake mechanism mounted on an axle has components normally frictionally engaged which rotate as a unit. Sliding frictional motion to slow down and positively brake the hoist to a stop is provided only when rotary speed of the axle exceeds a predetermined speed.

Abstract: An idling device is able to bring into an idling condition a lever hoist including a change gear provided on driving member threadedly engaged on a driving shaft for driving a sheave winding-up thereabout a chain or rope for a load, an operating lever rockably driven by a hand, winding-up and winding-off driving pawls engageable with teeth of the change gear and changeable in response to the purpose of hoisting or lowering the load, and a braking assembly for preventing the change gear from being driven by a gravity of the load and adapted to be clamped and released by rotative movement of the driving member relative to said driving shaft.

Abstract: A safety device for preventing injuries to a worker as a result of a fall includes a housing which is intended to be supported at an elevated position where the worker is working and a cable which is adapted to be connected to a harness or belt worn by the worker. The housing includes a spring driven drum therein which normally keeps the cable wound thereon but which allows the same to be withdrawn slowly from the housing as more cable is needed by the worker. A centrifugally operated brake senses an initial quick withdrawal of the cable from the housing which results from the worker falling and stops further withdrawal therefrom to thereby prevent the worker from falling further. A hand operated winch mechanism carried by the housing allows a fellow worker to raise the fallen worker to safety.

Abstract: A hinged pawl and an emergency pawl release system for heavy duty winches such as those used to anchor semi-submersible drilling rigs. The pawl includes two sections hinged together at an overcenter knuckle joint and provided with flat bearing surfaces which hold the pawl in a rigid position engaged with a ratchet wheel on the winch drum. The pawl is normally engaged and released by a pneumatic cylinder. In an emergency situation involving a loss of electric power while the winch is heavily loaded, the pawl is collapsed about the knuckle joint by an air operated explosive actuator which applies an explosive release force to the pawl. The pneumatic control system for the explosive actuator releases both the clutch and the brake of the winch when the actuator is fired.

Abstract: An idling device is able to bring into an idling condition a lever hoist including a change gear provided on driving member threadedly engaged on a driving shaft for driving a sheave for winding-up a chain or rope for a load, an operating lever rockably driven by a hand, winding-up and winding-off driving pawls engageable with teeth of the change gear and changeable in response to the purpose of hoisting or lowering the load, and a braking assembly for preventing the change gear from being driven by a gravity of the load and adapted to be clamped and released by rotative movement of the driving member relative to said driving shaft.

Abstract: A lashing device for securing objects on ship's decks. The lashing device comprises a U-shaped frame member having two legs and an attachment part. Between the frame member legs extend a strap winding-on drum and a spring-biased shaft, and a holding pawl member is attached on the shaft portion that projects laterally beyond one of the frame member legs. The pawl member engages with a cogged ratchet wheel on the winding-on drum and prevents the strap from being unwound from the latter.The shaft is movable in a direction coinciding with the rotational direction of the winding-on drum. Owing to this arrangement the holding pawl member is pressed out of its engaged holding position upon actuation of said shaft, preferably effected by impact thereon by means of a ratchet wrench, and when the holding pawl is thus in its disengaged position the strap may be unwound from the drum through the action of the tension in said strap.

Abstract: An idling device is able to bring into an idling condition a lever hoist including a change gear provided on driving member threadedly engaged on a driving shaft for driving a sheave for winding-up a chain or rope for a load, an operating lever rockably driven by a hand, winding-up and winding-off driving pawls engageable with teeth of the change gear and changeable in response to the purpose of hoisting or lowering the load, and a braking assembly for preventing the change gear from being driven by a gravity of the load and adapted to be clamped and released by rotative movement of the driving member relative to said driving shaft. According to the invention the idling device comprises a stopper fixed to the driving shaft and a manually operatable knob fitted on and rotatably and axially slidably relative to the driving shaft between the stopper and the driving member and provided with engagement protrusions adapted to be engaged in recesses formed in the driving member.

Abstract: A dual-handled manual winch has a ratchet wheel meshing constantly with a pawl and which is automatically frictionally locked to a drive pinion for the winch drum when the drum starts to overrun. The drive pinion is threaded into a drive shaft on the ends of which the handles are mounted in diametrically opposite relation and on which the ratchet wheel and a pair of friction washers are sleeved to be engaged between the pinion and the ratchet wheel, and between the ratchet wheel and a stop collar on the shaft, responsive to axial movement of the drive pinion in the shaft toward the ratchet wheel.

Abstract: A spare wheel carrier for a motor vehicle, especially a truck, comprises a rotatable spindle 1 carrying a cable 6 the free end of which passes through the center of the wheel 8 and is attached to a cross-bar 7 bolted to the wheel 8 and a supporting beam 9 which is in turn normally bolted to the underside of the vehicle. The wheel is lowered with the beam 9 and cross-bar 7 by unwinding the cable 6 from the spindle 1. Unwinding is controlled by an escapement comprising a ratchet wheel 12 and an anchor plate 19 which is reciprocated by a jack handle inserted in an aperture 23 in the anchor plate.

Abstract: A drive train for a winch from a continuously rotating input source to an intermittently rotated drum in which the drive train is through a clutch, then to a shaft, then through a continuously driven internal brake which forms a part of the drive train from the shaft, then to the drive train to the drum, with the shaft being provided with a one-way clutch so that the brake automatically is engaged for lowering the load by reversing the drum. A free-spool circuit is provided which can be operated only in the brake release position for safety and is operated off the brake release hydraulic control fluid pressure. A static or manual pump control fluid circuit is provided for operating the clutch, brake and/or free spool. A combination driving clutch and drag clutch are energized by opposite directional movement of a single piston for coupling an input to an output or stopping movement of the output.

Abstract: A load handling device for arborists attachable temporarily to a tree trunk for lowering severed tree limbs and main stems including a base having a cross member and a vertical member. An elongated leg protrudes from the cross member and frictionally engages the tree trunk. A cylindrical member is mounted on the vertical member above the elongated tree gripping leg and is positioned with its longitudinal axis generally at right angles to the base member. The rope used to lower the severed tree limb is wrapped about the cylindrical member. An upper flange is connected to the vertical member above the cylindrical member and protrudes from the base a greater distance than the tree gripping leg so that the cylindrical member is tipped with its longitudinal axis at an angle below a horizontal plane. The device is frictionally held to the tree trunk by an elongated flexible member such as a strap. Cinching means mounted on the cross member holds the flexible member securely to the tree.

Abstract: An automotive parking brake operating device in which, when the brake handle is pulled up a locking mechanism which moves with the brake handle rotates a rotating member to wind the brake cable around the winding portion of the rotating member, and when the brake handle is lowered the rotating member is kept locked by another locking mechanism. By repeating the above operation of the brake handle, the rotating member is intermittently rotated until necessary length of the brake cable is wound up to effect firm locking of the parking brake. In disengaging the brake, the cable is loosened by turning the rotating member in the reverse direction by combined operation of the locking mechanism and the brake handle.

Abstract: A winch arrangement having a feed wheel for feeding a hauling line, such as a line through the winch. The wheel is driven in the feed direction by means of a reciprocatingly movable member, such as a pivotable lever. The lever is pivoted with the aid of the outgoing part of the line, by effecting a pumping movement therewith.

Abstract: A device for use by arborists for handling heavy tree limbs and main stems including a base for attachment to the tree trunk and a cylindrical member for receiving a rope mounted on the base. In an alternate form of the invention, the cylindrical member is mounted on an axle which is attached to the base and ratchets permit selective rotation of the cylindrical member in at least one direction. In still another form of the invention, a lever is attached to the cylinder to give an operator great mechanical advantage so that the device may be used to raise heavy loads by turning the cylindrical member.

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: A bollard used in vessel mooring and like operations includes a bollard drum around which the line or hawser is wrapped several times to reduce the line tension at the free length behind the drum. A cleat is provided for holding fast the free length of the hawser at the reduced tension. The hawser may be quickly released from the bollard during emergency situations by simultaneously unlatching the cleat and releasing a lock on the bollard allowing it to rotate as the hawser is pulled off and finally lifted out of the cleat.