An improved fiber cable pulling winch attachment for an excavator. The winch attachment has a pair of bucket mounts that are attached to an excavator's bucket. A Y-shaped mount that is mounted on the bucket mounts. A hydraulic motor and spool attachment that is inserted within the Y-shaped mount. And a hydraulic motor and spool that are secured on the hydraulic motor and spool attachment, wherein the spool and the hydraulic motor are operatively connected to each other.

An improved fiber cable pulling winch attachment for an excavator. The winch attachment has a pair of bucket mounts that are attached to an excavator's bucket. A Y-shaped mount that is mounted on the bucket mounts. A hydraulic motor and spool attachment that is inserted within the Y-shaped mount. And a hydraulic motor and spool that are secured on the hydraulic motor and spool attachment, wherein the spool and the hydraulic motor are operatively connected to each other.

A drilling rig includes a base section, a first section, a second section, a third section and a fourth section. For the base section upper region, a fixed pulley block and a guide pulley are installed. Except for the fourth section-crown block section, each section lower region is installed with a lifting lug for a movable pulley block installation for substantially vertical lifting. The crown block section is installed substantially vertical; the subsequent section is located substantially horizontal with the section front pillar upper region connecting to the previous section front pillar lower region. The previous section is substantially vertical lifted to draw the next section skidding into the base section and lifting substantially vertical with the previous section pillar lower region connected to the next section pillar upper region. Dismount the movable pulley block from the previous section and installed the movable pulley block with the adjacent section lifting lug.

A winch boom system and method includes a frame, a shaft supported by the frame, and a winch drum attached to the shaft such that rotation of the shaft about a shaft axis rotates the winch drum. A boom is pivotably coupled to the frame, the boom defining a cavity in which the winch drum is positioned. A winch rope is wound about the winch drum, passing through the cavity of the boom, and extending from the boom at a point distal from the winch drum.

In at least one illustrative embodiment, a winch may include first and second end frames, a drum coupled between the first and second end frames and configured to rotate to wind or unwind a cable, a brake configured to resist rotation of the drum when engaged, a switch configured to cause the brake to engage the drum when the switch is activated, a slack arm frame having a first end engaged with the cable and a second end pivotally coupled between the first and second end frames, where the slack arm frame is configured to pivot between a first position when the cable is taut and a second position when the cable is slack, and a cam coupled to the slack arm frame and configured to rotate with the slack arm frame to activate the switch when the slack arm frame is in the second position.

In at least one illustrative embodiment, a winch may include first and second end frames, a drum coupled between the first and second end frames and configured to rotate to wind or unwind a cable, a brake configured to resist rotation of the drum when engaged, a switch configured to cause the brake to engage the drum when the switch is activated, a slack arm frame having a first end engaged with the cable and a second end pivotally coupled between the first and second end frames, where the slack arm frame is configured to pivot between a first position when the cable is taut and a second position when the cable is slack, and a cam coupled to the slack arm frame and configured to rotate with the slack arm frame to activate the switch when the slack arm frame is in the second position.

A control device of a hydraulic winch includes an engine, a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic motor driving a winch drum, a winch manipulating member, an engine control unit controlling a rotation speed of the engine, a winch load detector detecting a load applied to the winch drum, and a motor capacity control unit controlling a motor capacity of the hydraulic motor so as to decrease a motor capacity of the hydraulic motor in a fuel-saving operation mode to a motor capacity which is smaller than a motor capacity of the hydraulic motor in a normal operation mode. The engine control unit sets an upper limit value of the rotation speed of the engine in the fuel-saving operation mode to a value which is lower than a maximum rotation speed of the engine in the normal operation mode and corresponds to the load detected by the winch load detector.

A control device of a hydraulic winch includes an engine, a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic motor driving a winch drum, a winch manipulating member, an engine control unit controlling a rotation speed of the engine, a winch load detector detecting a load applied to the winch drum, and a motor capacity control unit controlling a motor capacity of the hydraulic motor so as to decrease a motor capacity of the hydraulic motor in a fuel-saving operation mode to a motor capacity which is smaller than a motor capacity of the hydraulic motor in a normal operation mode. The engine control unit sets an upper limit value of the rotation speed of the engine in the fuel-saving operation mode to a value which is lower than a maximum rotation speed of the engine in the normal operation mode and corresponds to the load detected by the winch load detector.

A cable guide device, including a cable with one end attached to an unwinding/rewinding device, another end having structure for accepting applied force, with cable therebetween guided by a cable guide, wherein as force is applied to the cable, the cable guide causes redirection of the applied force eliminating cable binding as cable is rewound. One embodiment is a trunnion-sheave winch-apparatus for object recovery, including: a trunnion-sheave of a pair of sheaves with cable inserted therebetween, one cable end attached to a winch drum with a hook attached to its other end for connection to an object being recovered, wherein as the object is recovered the force applied to the cable is redirected by the trunnion-sheave causing said cable to be maintained at a minimum of 90? contact with the pair of sheaves regardless of the angle of force being applied to the cable causing elimination of cable binding.

This invention relates to an improved component (10) for replacing pipes, in particular underground pipes. The invention also relates to a trenchless method of removing pipes using the improved component, and a kit of parts for use in removing pipes. The improved component (10) is securable to a cable (14) and has a body (30) with a recess (26) to accommodate the end (18) of the pipe (12) in use, the recess being surrounded by a collar (24). The improved component is a two-part component, the first part (20) being securable to the cable (14) and the second part (22) including the body, the two parts being made of different materials. There is also provided a kit of parts including cooperating alignment elements of standard dimensions, and a method of removing an underground pipe.