A portable winch and method of use is shown. One advantage of winches shown includes an ability to lower a boom or boom sections into limited access exit pit for winching operations such as pipe bursting. Sectional boom designs shown provide the ability to easily raise and lower a boom large distances without the need for a single long boom. Selected winch designs shown include flexible inserts between the boom and the winch frame that help resist damage from unforeseen shifting of the device during operation. Designs and methods shown also include multiple pulleys on a boom end unit. Fasteners are shown that reduce build up of debris.

A portable winch and method of use is shown. One advantage of winches shown includes an ability to lower a boom or boom sections into limited access exit pit for winching operations such as pipe bursting. Sectional boom designs shown provide the ability to easily raise and lower a boom large distances without the need for a single long boom. Selected winch designs shown include flexible inserts between the boom and the winch frame that help resist damage from unforeseen shifting of the device during operation. Designs and methods shown also include multiple pulleys on a boom end unit. Fasteners are shown that reduce build up of debris.

A suspension work platform hoist system for raising and lowering a work platform is provided. The system incorporates at least one hoist attached to the work platform and in electrical communication with a hoist control system having a monitoring and diagnostic system to monitor and record at least one of a plurality of operating characteristics of the hoist. The hoist control system may further include a safety lock out system that requires authentication of an operator prior to the hoist control system causing movement of the hoist system.

A cable drive system having a cable drum housing, a cable drum unit mounted therein for rotation by a drive motor, a first control cable and a second control cable. The first and second control cables are each windably held on the cable drum unit for the purpose of driving the protection device. The first control cable is guided out of a first housing part of the cable drum housing along a first direction, and the second control cable is guided out of a separate, second housing part of the cable drum housing along a second direction. Different mounting positions of the first housing part are provided in which the first housing part is in different rotational positions relative to the second housing part, with the result that the first guidance direction has a different orientation than the second guidance direction in the different mounting positions.

A removable winch handle assembly for engaging a winch gear within a gearbox comprises: a handle receiver having at least a portion thereof exposed outside the gearbox, a seal between the handle receiver and the gear box, an engagement mechanism in the gearbox, the engagement mechanism coupled to the handle receiver to rotate with the handle receiver, wherein rotation of the engagement mechanism engages the winch gear, and a winch handle selectively coupled to the handle receiver, wherein, rotation of the winch handle causes rotation of the handle receiver when attached, the winch handle detachable from the handle receiver, wherein the gearbox opening is sealed by the seal when the winch handle is detached from the handle receiver.

This disclosure relates to an endless cable winch including a drive unit having an engine configured to generate a torque. The endless cable winch further including an output unit connected to the drive unit, the output unit including a power transmission assembly coupled to the drive unit, the power transmission assembly configured to apply a driving force to a cable. The endless cable winch further including a lifting force limiting device configured to stop the drive unit as soon a predetermined driving force is exceeded. In doing so, this system is also transferable to winches with multiple engines. The engine and the output unit can be movable relative to one another, and the lifting force limiting device can be configured to stop the drive unit based on the relative movement of the drive unit and the engine.

A drum is rotatably mounted on a carriage. A cable is configured to: transport power, connect with a drum connector disposed on the drum, and connect with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) via a UAV connector. A drum actuator is configured to rotate the drum. A UAV feed is configured to align the cable as it exits the device towards the UAV. A tension sensor is configured to measure a tension of the cable. A controller receive as tension measurement from the tension sensor; and controls the drum actuator to maintain a determined tension on the cable while: dispensing the cable; holding the cable steady; or collecting the cable.

A UAV tether management system comprising: a tether-wound spool rotatably mounted on a base station, a free-pivoting angle arm, and an angle arm encoder, wherein the tether is configured to transfer power from the base station to the UAV while the UAV is in flight, and the angle arm comprises a tether guide mounted to a proximal end of the angle arm such that the tether passes through the tether guide as the tether pays out of, or is taken up by, the spool, wherein the angle arm further comprises a counter weight mounted to a distal end of the angle arm such that a center of mass of the angle arm is aligned with the spool's axis of rotation, and wherein the angle arm encoder is configured to measure an offset angle of the angle arm.

This invention relates to a forestry winch that has a rope drum driven by a drive motor and an ejector roller driven by an additional drive motor, wherein a rope runs from the rope drum to the ejector roller and is guided over the ejector roller. The rope is pressed against the ejector roller by means of a pressing device. The pressing device has at least three pressing elements which are distributed around the periphery of the ejector roller.

The invention relates to a winding, particularly a winch, arrangement (100) comprising a two speed manually operable winding member (10) and a drive unit (20) comprising a motor (21). The drive unit (20) comprises a transmission arrangement connected to a motor shaft (25), an outgoing shaft (22) with an outer gear wheel (23). The transmission arrangement is adapted to allow the outgoing shaft gear wheel (23) rotate in the same direction but at different speeds depending on rotational direction of the motor (21). The manual winch (10) is adapted for reception of the outgoing shaft (22) allowing the winch drum (1) to be motor (21) driven. The drive unit (20) comprises means (67,68) allowing engagement/disengagement of the outgoing shaft gear wheel (23) from the manually operable winding member (10) and the winding arrangement can be used as a two-speed manual or a two speed motor driven winding arrangement.