A cable pulling device (1) having a capstan (6) extending from one side of a housing (11) that attaches to a boom (10) of a backhoe (5) via a quick coupling (8). The capstan is located on an external side of the housing in an offset and exposed manner that allows a rope (19) to be wrapped over and/or around the capstan. By pulling on the rope, an operator is able to control tension on the capstan, thereby allowing the capstan to provide a pulling force on the cable or one or more electrical wires being pulled through the conduit.

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.