Abstract: A lace tightening apparatus including a handle and a gripping platform. The gripping platform is adapted to travel up into the interior of the handle upon a compression force being applied thereto. An anvil is rigidly attached to the handle projecting downward from the underside. One or more springs are disposed within the interior, with the first end of the spring anchored to the handle within the interior and the second end connected to the gripping portion. A stylus is attached to the gripping portion having a post and an L-shaped portion including a lip. The lip is exposed outside of the anvil and projects downward away from the anvil. Therefore, when the compression force is applied to the gripping platform, the lip travels upward toward the bottom surface of the anvil such that a lace can be pinched between the lip and the bottom surface.

Abstract: A winch is provided for taking or winding ropes, cables, and the like. The winch has a drum, a lower crown, a rope groove and an upper crown having a socket which has a fluted cavity. The fluted cavity is configured to cooperate with a pin of a winch handle, which when turned rotates the drum. In an embodiment, the fluted cavity has a groove having a canted coil spring positioned therein. The pin on the winch handle has a groove placed to correspond with the depth of the groove when placed into the socket. The combination allows the winch handle to latch to the winch and to resist unintended separation between the two.

Abstract: A portable hoist assembly is provided for lifting a hitch to be installed on the underside of a vehicle platform. The hitch has a hitch ball hole and the vehicle platform has a hole to be aligned with the hitch ball hole when the hitch is installed. The hoist assembly includes a hoist frame and a winch for paying out and drawing in a cable. The winch is supported by the frame above the vehicle platform hole. An elongated member is attached to the cable. The elongated member can be oriented in a first position wherein it can pass through the vehicle platform hole and the hitch ball hole. Also, the elongated member can be oriented in a second position wherein it cannot pass through the hitch ball hole. The elongated member can be lowered through the vehicle platform hole and the hitch ball hole in the first orientation and can secure the cable to the hitch in the second orientation.

Abstract: A hand operated tool for extracting an embedded elongated object, includes: a) an elongated, movable first handle member with a first, upper end portion divided into two matching legs separated by an opening; b) a corresponding second handle member with a first jaw member and a first, upper end extending through the leg opening, the second handle member being pivotally attached to both legs; c) a floating head portion pivotally attached to the first and second legs, the floating head portion including a second jaw member and an adjacent, upper curved edge; and d) two matching lever bars facing one another from opposite sides of the tool, each being pivotally connected to the second handle member and to the floating head portion; and wherein the second jaw member is engaged against the first jaw member in a closed tool position, and disengaged from the first jaw member in an open tool position.

Abstract: A device and method of replacing an electronics module in a seismic cable on the open sea, where the replacement is carried out with the aid of a small boat equipped with cable rollers, the method including positioning the part of the cable including the electronics module on a first and a second cable roller respectively in such a way that the electronics module and its couplings are located between the two rollers, clamping the sections of cable on either side of the electronics module in a first and a second clamping arrangement, respectively, with the clamping arrangements connected together via a mechanical tensioning device, moving the clamped sections of cable towards each other using the tensioning device in such a way that the tension in the seismic cable is taken up by the tensioning device, after which the electronics module can be removed and replaced after which the tensioning device is slackened slightly and the clamping arrangement is released from the sections of cable before the part of the s

Abstract: A pulling or lifting apparatus for a flat, flexible strap connected to a load operates with two pairs of reciprocating jaws. The pairs of jaws have flat gripping surfaces corresponding to the flat faces of the flexible flat-profiled strap. Two guide members are disposed along each of the two broad faces of the strap and follow its longitudinal direction in order to prevent the strap from moving to form a fold or loop between the two pairs of jaws when these approach one another.

Abstract: A cable gripping block is provided with sectional cover plates for easy and quick removal, where the cover plates are secured to the cable gripping block by cylindrical tenons projecting from the cable gripping blocks, through cavities in the sectional cover plate. The tenons absorb any transverse forces generated by the clamping action of the cable gripping block.

Abstract: A cable winch having a pair of cable-gripping assemblies movably mounted on a support member adapted to be secured to a fixed point. An operating handle is pivoted to the support member, and linkages interconnect the handle with each of the assemblies to effect movement of the assemblies on the support member. A cable is winched by the assemblies alternately gripping, pulling, releasing and re-gripping the cable as the handle is operated. A kicker bar is pivotally supported adjacent to one of the gripping assemblies and coacts therewith to ensure that the movable gripping surface of the assembly positively releases its grip on the cable to ensure passage of the cable therethrough, while the remaining gripping assembly maintains its grip on the cable.

Abstract: A traction block is provided comprising an elongate frame with U shaped cross section having a flat web and two spaced apart lateral flanges perpendicular to the web, two clamping blocks of elongate shape which are mounted for movement between the lateral flanges of the frame so that a relative longitudinal movement between each movable clamping block and the adjacent flange of the frame causes a transverse movement of the respective movable clamping block, and a flat cover plate parallel to the web of the frame and detachably fixed thereto, said lateral flanges of the frame being provided with tenons which project from their end faces facing towards the cover plate and which are tightly fitted in corresponding cavities in the cover plate.

Abstract: The tractive apparatus has two clamping grippers each comprising a pair of jaws actuated by clamping links connected to an operating lever through connecting links pivotably mounted on this lever on each side of a pivot pin of the lever situated in the extension of a guide bar on which one of the two jaws of each gripper slides, the two grippers moving in opposite directions while being clamped in one of the two directions of movement. The guide jaw of each gripper is formed by a hollow body which serves as housing and bearing point for one of the ends of a pre-clamping spring whose other end exerts its action on a clamping link actuating the other jaw of the same gripper.

Abstract: An apparatus for clamping and longitudinally moving an elongate tension or traction means such as a wire rope relative to a casing of a lifting apparatus is provided with two pairs clamping jaws operated by clamping levers. Pairs of clamping jaws are alternately closed against the rope to move the rope in the direction of traction. In order to avoid subjecting the rope to compressive loads in the longitudinal direction during clamping, the clamping jaws are interconnected so that they are immovable in relation to one another in the longitudinal direction of the wire rope. Clamping keys for generating the clamping pressure are irrotationally connected to the clamping levers and pivotally mounted in circular apertures of one of the clamping jaws. These clamping keys slidably press onto the other clamping jaw directly or indirectly such that they cannot apply a compressive force in the longitudinal direction of the wire rope to the clamping jaw.

Abstract: Each half-case of the apparatus comprises a main half-case of pressed steel sheet provided with two chimneys on which is mounted a reinforcement piece, also of pressed steel sheet, having openings corresponding to the chimneys. The main half-case and the reinforcement piece separately each receive an anti-corrosion coating. Two symmetrical half-cases are finally fitted together along a longitudinal plane.

Abstract: This traction apparatus for hauling in and out a rope, of the type comprising a linkage mechanism adapted to actuate by turns two self-clamping pairs of jaws performing alternate to-and-fro movements, comprises a safety release device coupled to one of the levers of the mechanism, this device comprising essentially a push knob for releasing a two-armed strap normally held in locking engagement with the edges of apertures formed in the half-casings of the apparatus, push members associated with the outer bent arms of this strap and a U-shaped rod surrounded by pre-clamping springs and operatively connected to the strap, so that the rope cannot be released by the clamping jaws unless the operator pushes with both hands the push members subsequent to the depression of the push knob.