A winch assembly including a mount attachable to a vehicle, and a guide attached to the mount; including a winch having a drum for winding and unwinding a line, and a motor for driving the drum about a winding axis, wherein the drum has a helical groove for receiving the line as it is wound. A frame connects to the first and second end of the drum and is adapted to move relative to the guide so as to synchronize movement of the drum along the winding axis so that the line is aligned with the helical groove during winding and unwinding. A rod is attached to the frame and generally parallel to the winding axis, and passes through a hole in the guide, allowing the movement of the drum along the winding axis but preventing the frame from rotating about the winding axis is disclosed.

A hoist includes a cable deployment sensor to sense the length of a cable that is deployed from a cable drum of the hoist. The cable deployment sensor includes a stationary ring and a rotatable ring disposed coaxially on the cable drum axis. A cluster assembly is mounted to rotate about the cable drum axis simultaneously with the cable drum. The cluster assembly includes a cluster gear with a first gear engaging the stationary ring and a second gear engaging the rotatable ring. The second gear drives the rotatable ring about the cable drum axis, and the rotatable ring drives rotation of an input gear for a sensor assembly.

A rescue hoist includes a cable drum that translates along and rotates around a cable drum axis. The rescue hoist includes various components that are supported on the hoist frame and that extend at least partially through the cable drum. A first bellows is mounted to the frame and attached to a first end of the cable drum, and a second bellows is mounted to the frame and attached to the second end of the cable drum. The first bellows and the second bellows expand and collapse as the cable drum translates, such that the first bellows and the second bellows isolate the rescue hoist components from an operating environment as cable drum translates and rotates.

A rescue hoist includes a cable drum that translates along and rotates around a cable drum axis. The rescue hoist includes various components that are supported on the hoist frame and that extend at least partially through the cable drum. A first bellows is mounted to the frame and attached to a first end of the cable drum, and a second bellows is mounted to the frame and attached to the second end of the cable drum. The first bellows and the second bellows expand and collapse as the cable drum translates, such that the first bellows and the second bellows isolate the rescue hoist components from an operating environment as cable drum translates and rotates.

A level wind mechanism includes a first screw and a second screw extending through a block. A shoe is disposed within the block between the first screw and the second screw. The shoe includes a first follower for engaging with and being driven by a thread of the first screw and a second follower for engaging with and being driven by a thread of the second screw. Each thread includes cams at the terminal ends of the thread for causing the shoe to disengage from that thread and to shift to engaging the other thread. In this way, the first screw and the second screw cause the shoe, and thus the block, to translate relative to the first screw and the second screw.

A level wind mechanism includes a first screw and a second screw extending through a block. A shoe is disposed within the block between the first screw and the second screw. The shoe includes a first follower for engaging with and being driven by a thread of the first screw and a second follower for engaging with and being driven by a thread of the second screw. Each thread includes cams at the terminal ends of the thread for causing the shoe to disengage from that thread and to shift to engaging the other thread. In this way, the first screw and the second screw cause the shoe, and thus the block, to translate relative to the first screw and the second screw.

A hoist includes a cable deployment sensor to sense the length of a cable that is deployed from a cable drum of the hoist. The cable deployment sensor includes a stationary ring and a rotatable ring disposed coaxially on the cable drum axis. A cluster assembly is mounted to rotate about the cable drum axis simultaneously with the cable drum. The cluster assembly includes a cluster gear with a first gear engaging the stationary ring and a second gear engaging the rotatable ring. The second gear drives the rotatable ring about the cable drum axis, and the rotatable ring drives rotation of an input gear for a sensor assembly.

A lift assembly comprises a base, a drive mechanism, a flexible drive element extending from the drive mechanism along a fleet axis, and a sheave directing the drive element from the fleet axis to an output axis. The sheave is coupled to the base at a first sheave mount aligned with the fleet axis. The assembly can further include a second sheave mount aligned with the fleet axis and configured to be coupled to the sheave to allow the sheave to be de-coupled from the first sheave mount and coupled to the second sheave mount, resulting in substantially no change in a fleet angle of the fleet axis. Preferably, the sheave is positioned on a first side of the fleet axis when coupled to the first sheave mount, and the sheave is positioned on a second side of the fleet axis (e.g., opposite the first side) when coupled to the second sheave mount.

A lift assembly comprises a base, a drive mechanism, a flexible drive element extending from the drive mechanism along a fleet axis, and a sheave directing the drive element from the fleet axis to an output axis. The sheave is coupled to the base at a first sheave mount aligned with the fleet axis. The assembly can further include a second sheave mount aligned with the fleet axis and configured to be coupled to the sheave to allow the sheave to be de-coupled from the first sheave mount and coupled to the second sheave mount, resulting in substantially no change in a fleet angle of the fleet axis. Preferably, the sheave is positioned on a first side of the fleet axis when coupled to the first sheave mount, and the sheave is positioned on a second side of the fleet axis (e.g., opposite the first side) when coupled to the second sheave mount.

A load handling device is provided for lifting and moving containers stacked in a storage system including a grid framework. The load handling device includes a vehicle body housing a wheel drive mechanism and a wheel assembly. A container lifting assembly comprising a container gripping assembly, a plurality of winch assemblies each includes a rotatable drum and a lifting tether anchored at a first end to the gripping assembly and at a second end to the drum, and a drive assembly configured to drive rotation of the drums to raise the gripping assembly into a container receiving space. Each drum has an outer surface configured to accommodate a plurality of axially displaced turns of the lifting tether across the drum.