A winch assembly includes a lower body having a base, first and second sides, first and second upper body sides, a spacer positioned between the first and the upper body second sides, a first shaft extending through the upper body sides, the first shaft supporting first and second gears, a winding bar supported and rotated by the first shaft and attached to a first end of a strap, a second shaft extending through the first and second upper body sides and supporting first and second ratchet gears, the first ratchet gear meshing with the first gear and the second ratchet gear meshing with the second gear, a pawl for engaging one of the first and second ratchet gears, and a handle attached to the second shaft for rotating the second shaft, wherein rotation of the second shaft imparts rotation of the first and second ratchet gears and the first and second gears.

The present disclosure may be embodied as a rotary actuator for lifting a load against gravity. The actuator includes a housing and a drive motor attached to the housing. The drive motor has a drive shaft. The drive shaft may be configured to be manually operated. A rotatable output shaft is attached to the housing and in mechanical communication with drive shaft. The actuator includes at least one spring which is configured to act on the output shaft to at least partially offset a weight of the load. The at least one spring may be a torsion spring. The at least one spring may be configured to unwind when the motor is driven to lift the load, and may be configured to be wound when the motor is driven to lower the load. The at least one spring may comprise a plurality of springs, such as torsion springs.

A method for mounting or dismounting components of a wind turbine is provided. The mounting or dismounting is accomplished by fastening at least one retaining rope or guide rope to a component to be mounted by fastening the retaining rope or the guide rope to a rope winch unit and by raising or lowering the component to be mounted or to be dismounted by means of a crane. The component to be mounted or to be dismounted is held or guided by means of the retaining rope or guide rope. The rope winch unit comprises a base, a pivot arm and a retaining unit. The pivot arm is pivot-ably coupled to the base at its first end. A rope winch for receiving the retaining rope or guide rope is provided at its second free end. The retaining unit is pivotably coupled to the pivot arm. The base comprises a plurality of latching units for receiving a first end of the retaining unit.

A manhole guard, methods of assembling the same, and methods of using the same, are described. The manhole guard generally includes a plurality of sections connected for movement, the sections being capable of being locked into a fixed rigid structure through the use of a first arm and second arm that act independently of each other. The manhole guard may include a safety net attached to one or more sections of the manhole guard. The manhole guard may include attachable mounting brackets designed to facilitate the attachment of a first hoist device and/or first winch and include attachable mounting members designed to facilitate the attachment of a second hoist device and/or second winch.

A winch engagement apparatus that is configured to be operably coupled to a strap winch on a flatbed trailer wherein the present invention provides a technique to rotationally move the shaft on the strap winch so as to tighten a strap. The present invention includes a housing wherein the housing has a first side and a second side. A passage is present through the housing and extends between the first side and the second side having openings at each end thereof. The passage is configured to surroundably mount a portion of a shaft present on the strap winch. Engagement levers are present wherein the engagement levers are pivotally secured to the housing. The engagement levers includes a hole engagement edge that is operable to penetrate a hole formed on the shaft portion in order to operably lock the housing into position so a rotational force can be applied.

A winch engagement apparatus that is configured to be operably coupled to a strap winch on a flatbed trailer wherein the present invention provides a technique to rotationally move the shaft on the strap winch so as to tighten a strap. The present invention includes a housing wherein the housing has a first side and a second side. A passage is present through the housing and extends between the first side and the second side having openings at each end thereof. The passage is configured to surroundably mount a portion of a shaft present on the strap winch. Engagement levers are present wherein the engagement levers are pivotally secured to the housing. The engagement levers includes a hole engagement edge that is operable to penetrate a hole formed on the shaft portion in order to operably lock the housing into position so a rotational force can be applied.

A man over board rescue system 100 may comprise a main body 200 with the main body quickly and easily being attached and detached to a ship's bitt. Thus, the system may be quickly set up prior to departing and quickly put away at the end of a voyage. The system allows for the fast and efficient rescue of a person overboard without need for a rescuer to enter the water or to risk bodily injury in retrieving a person in the water. The system provides secure mechanical means allowing for a winch to be used in the support of a person which is a significant departure from the prior art.

A man over board rescue system 100 may comprise a main body 200 with the main body quickly and easily being attached and detached to a ship's bitt. Thus, the system may be quickly set up prior to departing and quickly put away at the end of a voyage. The system allows for the fast and efficient rescue of a person overboard without need for a rescuer to enter the water or to risk bodily injury in retrieving a person in the water. The system provides secure mechanical means allowing for a winch to be used in the support of a person which is a significant departure from the prior art.

A method for creating a composite cable having at least one advanced termination on at least one end. An advanced termination is added to an end of a short synthetic tensile strength member. The strength of the tensile strength member and termination is then tested. Once tested satisfactorily, the short cable is spiced onto a long cable of the same type using prior art splicing techniques. The union of the short cable and the long cable creates a “composite” cable having a advanced termination on at least one end. In most applications it is preferable to set the length of the short cable so that the interwoven splice will exist at a desired location.

A winch mounting kit includes a first mount that may be removably coupled to a stanchion. The first mount may have a winch is removably attached thereto such that the winch is secured on the stanchion. A second mount is provided that may be removably coupled to a horizontal support. The second mount may have the winch being removably attached thereto such that the winch is secured on the horizontal support. A third mount is provided that may be removably coupled to a vertical support. The third mount may have the winch being removably attached thereto such that the winch is secured to the vertical support.