The invention relates to a cable winch (100) for an aircraft or vehicle. The cable winch (100) has a central module (110), which can be or is attached to the aircraft or vehicle. The central module (110) is shaped in such a way that the central module can he or is mechanically connected to at least one further module (120, 130, 150, 160) of the cable winch (100) in a manually detachable manner by using at least one fastening device. The cable winch (100) also has a capstan drive module (120) for drawing a cable into the cable winch (100) and for letting the cable out of the cable winch (100). The capstan drive module (120) is shaped in such a way that the capstan drive module can be or is mechanically connected to the central module (110) in a manually detachable manner by using the at least one fastening device. The cable winch (100) also has a cable-winding module (130) for holding the cable by winding and unwinding the cable. The cable-winding module (130) is shaped in such a way that the cable-winding module can be or is mechanically connected to the central module (110) in a manually detachable manner by using the at least one fastening device.

A spooling apparatus (40) for spooling and regulating the pull of a rope (12) or a cable that shall be spooled onto or out from a winch drum (22), comprising a spooling sheave (42) onto which the rope (12) is guided before it is spooled onto the winch drum (22), where the spooling apparatus (40) comprises a linearly moving slide (44) and that the spooling sheave (42) is mounted in the slide (44) so that it can be tilted sideways. Also described is a system for the spooling in of a rope (12) or a cable that shall be spooled onto or out from a winch drum (22) comprising a winch (20) with said winch drum (22) and a traction unit (26) for the tension on the rope (12), and also a spooling apparatus (40).

A load handling device is for lifting and lowering a load. The load handling device includes an elongated member adapted to be connected to a load and a capstan, including one or more sheaves, through which the elongated member is running, the capstan defining a low tension side and high tension side of the elongated member. The load handling device further comprises a tension regulating member adapted to operate at the low tension side of the elongated member. A method is for lifting and lowering a load via a load handling device.

A method for a winch system includes receiving, from a controller, instructions to spool a payload line, the payload line comprising a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to a main reel of the winch system and the second end configured to couple to a payload. The method further includes operating, based on the instructions, one or more of a first motor of the winch system and a second motor of the winch system, wherein the one or more of the first motor and the second motor are operated in order to control a position of the second end of the payload line.

A cable winch having a receiving unit for accommodating a cable drum that includes a cable wound about an axis of the cable drum. The receiving unit includes a quick mounting mechanism for attaching the cable drum in a manually detachable manner to the cable winch.

A method for controlling operation of a winch, which has a capstan drive unit for hauling a cable into the winch and for paying the cable out of the winch, a main drive for driving the capstan drive unit, a cable drum for receiving the cable by winding up and unwinding the cable, a drum drive for driving the cable drum, wherein the drum drive and the main drive are operable independently of one another, and a rotational speed measuring device which is arranged in a cable inlet portion of the winch. The method has a step of reading a first rotational speed from the main drive and a second rotational speed from the rotational speed measuring device. In addition, the method has a step of determining a torque value for setting a torque of the drum drive depending on the first rotational speed and the second rotational speed.

A rope drum for drawing and releasing a rope under tensile stress. Support segments are arranged to provide a number of grip sections for supporting the rope through the grip sections as a continuous spiral surrounding the rotated drum part by at least two rounds so that, when the drum part is rotated, a number of grip sections move due to the guidance of the support segments along the drum part depending on the rotation direction of the drum part towards the first end of the drum part or towards the second end. Prevention grooves or ridges together with the support segments restrict the movement of the grip sections supporting the rope on the drum part with regard to the drum part in the direction of the perimeter to a maximum that is defined by the mutual geometry of the prevention grooves and ridges and the support means.

A winch system for controlling the elevation of an aerostats restrained by a cable is provided. The system includes a capstan arrangement configured for reducing the tension in a segment of a cable extending between an aerostats side and a drum side thereof; a spool drum configured for wrapping therearound a segment of the cable extending from the drum side of the capstan arrangement; a first drive mechanism configured to selectively activate the capstan arrangement in a released mode, in which the cable is let out towards the aerostats, and a pulling mode in which the cable is pulled in towards the spool drum; and a second drive mechanism configured to rotate the spool drum in the released mode and in the pulling mode such that the segment of the cable extending from the drum side of the capstan arrangement is pulled in a counter direction to the direction of the tension exerted on the cable.

A method for influencing a cable winch force acting on a cable drive, comprises the method steps providing a cable drive with a drivable winch and with a cable that can be wound on the winch, providing a device for producing a traction sheave cable force on the cable, determining an outer cable force, predetermining a cable drive operating state, providing a control-regulating unit to influence the traction sheave cable force, producing a control-regulating variable by means of the control-regulating unit depending on the outer cable force and the predetermined cable drive operating state, producing the traction sheave cable force by means of the device and influencing the traction sheave cable force by means of the control-regulating unit in such a way that the cable winch force acting on the cable drive can be controlled depending on the respective cable drive operating state and the outer cable force, wherein the device is a traction sheave drive, wherein a four-quadrant operation of the traction sheave drive is reproduced by means of the control-regulating unit, and wherein the four traction sheave drive operating states are no-load lifting, no-load lowering, load lifting and load lowering.

A lift system comprises a drum that rotates about an axis, an elongate member that winds around the drum when the drum rotates in a first direction and that unwinds from the drum when the drum rotates in a second direction, a drive mechanism operable to rotate the drum, and a braking mechanism adapted to inhibit rotation of the drum. The braking mechanism includes a brake disk rotatable with the drum, a movable brake pad, and a ramp that guides movement of the movable brake pad. A method of operating the lift system comprises rotating the drum in a first direction to wind the elongate member onto the drum, rotating the drum in a second direction to unwind the elongate member from the drum, and moving the brake shoe along the ramp to thereby cause the movable brake pad to be compressed against the brake disk.