The invention relates to a free fall winch comprising a drum, which can be rotationally driven by a winch drive, wherein a free fall brake is provided for braking the drum in free fall operation. According to the invention, a torque acting on the free fall winch, which depends on the free fall braking torque, is detected by means of a detection device, and a brake actuation force with which the free fall brake is actuated is controlled or adjusted by a control device according to the detected torque.

Winch (1) comprising a drum (2), a cable (6) which can be wound around the drum (2), means (7) for fastening the load (20) to the cable (6), a motor (3) with a motor shaft (4), a control (17) for the motor (3) that drives the motor shaft (4) to rotate in two opposite directions, and mechanical transmission means (5) for transmitting the rotational movement of the motor shaft (4) to the drum (2), said means (5) being configured so as to allow, in the state in which the motor shaft (4) is driven to rotate in a first direction D1, the transmission of the rotational movement of the motor shaft (4) to the drum (2) in the direction of winding the cable (6) around the drum (2). In the state in which the motor shaft (4) is driven to rotate in the second direction D2, the mechanical movement transmission means (5) are configured so as to not allow the transmission of the rotational movement of the motor shaft (4) to the drum (2), and at least part of these mechanical means (5) is configured to form, in this second operating mode, a brake preventing the drum (2) from being driven to rotate.

A winch (100, 200) includes a rope (105), an overwinding sensor (106) coupled to the rope (105) where the overwinding sensor (106) is moveable between a first position and a second position upon winding and/or unwinding of the rope (105). The overwinding sensor (106) includes a first electrically conducting member, a contact member (104) having a second electrically conducting member which is contactable by the first electrically conducting member when the overwinding sensor (106) is in the second position. The second electrically conducting member is not contactable by the first electrically conducting member when the overwinding sensor (106) is in the first position. The winch (100, 200) is configured to stop and/or prevent and/or hamper winding of the rope (105) upon establishment of an electrical contact between the first electrically conducting member and the second electrically conducting member when the overwinding sensor (106) is in the second position.

An unmanned aerial vehicle system includes an unmanned aerial vehicle, a user input device, and ground station. The user input device is configured to generate a signal and control the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the generated signal. The ground station is coupled to the unmanned aerial vehicle via a tether assembly. The ground station includes a motorized spool and a controller. The motorized spool is coupled to the tether assembly and configured to electromechanically control spooling and unspooling of a tether of the tether assembly. The controller is configured to control operation of the motorized spool based on an anticipated movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

A line tensioner is disclosed. A winch has a winch drum with at least one groove over which a line is passed. The winch has a line tensioner assembly with a stationary cam surface and a plurality of line tensioners rotating with the winch drum. Each has a line gripping portion and a cam follower. The line gripping portion is brought into and out of contact with the line as the cam follower rides along at least a portion of the cam surface.

In one embodiment the disclosure provides a portable and mountable apparatus and method capable of powering and deploying an illuminable tether to an unmanned robotic device (flying drone, ROV, terrestrial robot, to be referred to as a “URD”) that not only can provide power and command control to the robotic device, but also receive telemetry back from said robotic device's sensor(s) and data gathering instrumentation transferable to an operator's interface.

A load-bearing apparatus (100) comprises a winch apparatus (110), and a load-bearing spoolable medium (120) for connecting to a load, the load-bearing spoolable medium comprising a plurality of load-bearing elements (121-123); wherein at least a portion of the load-bearing spoolable medium is spooled about the winch apparatus. The provision of multiple load-bearing elements may help reduce the diameter appropriate for the winch apparatus, while maintaining the necessary load bearing capacity for supporting, paying in and/or paying out the load. The load-bearing apparatus may comprise a tension control apparatus (151-153) for controlling, applying and/or adjusting the tension of the load-bearing spoolable medium.

The lifting device includes a first drum around which a wire is wound, a first motor that rotates the first drum, a second drum around which the wire fed from the first drum is wound, and a second motor that rotates the second drum. The first motor is driven to rotate the first drum so as to lift the wire, and the second motor is driven to rotate the second drum to lift the wire fed from the first drum.

A method for synchronizing downhole tractor and surface winch deployment includes inserting into a wellbore a tool string connected to a wireline, where the tool string includes a variable speed tractor. The method also includes deploying the tractor, and deploying the wireline from a winch. The method further includes dynamically monitoring, by a device disposed downhole, a wireline tension as an indicator of synchronization of the tractor and winch.

A reactive tether spool comprises a drum, a signal cable, a drum actuator, a tension sensor, and a controller. The signal cable transports power and a control signal to a UAV. A controller receives a tension measurement from the tension sensor and controls the drum actuator to maintain a determined tension on the signal cable while performing at least one of the following: dispensing the signal cable; holding the signal cable steady; and collecting the signal cable.