A winch with handheld battery powered tensioning and payout unit provides uniform loading of all winches and allows for safe easy loading and payout. A method and apparatus is provided for retrofitting manual winches, in particular manual marine winches, to be operable with a handheld battery powered tensioning and payout unit.

The invention relates to an electric winch crank (1) comprising a main body (3) which includes an electric motor (32); a gripping handle (2) arranged at one end of the main body (3) and able to pivot on same with respect to said main body (3); coupling means (4) to a winch (100), arranged at the opposite end of said main body (3); a transmission mechanism driven by the output shaft of the motor (32) and enabling rotation of the coupling means (4); a mechanical reducer (34) interposed between the output shaft of the motor (32) and the coupling means (4), said crank further comprising a braking system (35) mounted on the output shaft of the motor (32); a control member (23) located on said gripping handle (2) for actuating said braking system (35) via said electronic circuit (31) and a rotating collector (29) comprising a first portion (291) rigidly attached to the gripping handle, connected to said control member, and a second portion (292) rigidly attached to the main body electrically connected to an electronic circuit.

A winch with handheld battery powered tensioning and payout unit provides uniform loading of all winches and allows for safe easy loading and payout. A method and apparatus is provided for retrofitting manual winches, in particular manual marine winches, to be operable with a handheld battery powered tensioning and payout unit.

The invention relates to an electric winch crank (1) comprising a main body (3) which includes an electric motor (32); a gripping handle (2) arranged at one end of the main body (3) and able to pivot on same with respect to said main body (3); coupling means (4) to a winch (100), arranged at the opposite end of said main body (3); a transmission mechanism driven by the output shaft of the motor (32) and enabling rotation of the coupling means (4); a mechanical reducer (34) interposed between the output shaft of the motor (32) and the coupling means (4), said crank further comprising a braking system (35) mounted on the output shaft of the motor (32); a control member (23) located on said gripping handle (2) for actuating said braking system (35) via said electronic circuit (31) and a rotating collector (29) comprising a first portion (291) rigidly attached to the gripping handle, connected to said control member, and a second portion (292) rigidly attached to the main body electrically connected to an electronic circuit.

An electric winch crank having a main body which includes an electric motor; a gripping handle arranged at one end of the main body and able to pivot on same with respect to the main body; a coupling means to a winch, arranged at the opposite end of the main body; a transmission mechanism driven by the output shaft of the motor and enables rotation of the coupling means; a mechanical reducer interposed between the output shaft of the motor and the coupling means, the crank further comprising a braking system mounted on the output shaft of the motor; a control member located on the gripping handle for actuating the braking system via the electronic circuit and a rotating collector having a first portion rigidly attached to the gripping handle, connected to the control member, and a second portion rigidly attached to the main body and electrically connected to an electronic circuit.

A power assist system for a manually operated winch includes a winch having a central winch shaft, an electric motor with a drive shaft and a motor control unit, a winch handle adjusted for manually operating the winch, and a control input device. The electric motor and the drive shaft are connected to the winch and the central winch shaft through a connection module placed below said winch. The winch handle is arranged to temporarily and mechanically connect with an upper end of the central winch shaft to allow manual operation of the winch. The control input device includes one or more electronic unit(s), built into, or mounted onto said winch handle. The control input device is further arranged to send wireless control signals through radio transmitter and receiver to the motor control unit. The wireless control signals are arranged to be temporarily but uniquely linked to the motor control unit to selectively control the winch that the winch handle is temporarily connected to. The control input device is adjusted to send different wireless control signals to the motor control unit depending on the direction the winch is manually operated in. The winch handle is adjusted to generate and/or store the energy needed to operate the control input device.

An electric winch crank having a main body which includes an electric motor; a gripping handle arranged at one end of the main body and able to pivot on same with respect to the main body; a coupling means to a winch, arranged at the opposite end of the main body; a transmission mechanism driven by the output shaft of the motor and enables rotation of the coupling means; a mechanical reducer interposed between the output shaft of the motor and the coupling means the crank further comprising a braking system mounted on the output shaft of the motor; a control member located on the gripping handle for actuating the braking system via the electronic circuit and a rotating collector having a first portion rigidly attached to the gripping handle, connected to the control member, and a second portion rigidly attached to the main body and electrically connected to an electronic circuit.