A lifting system for a crane for generating a hoist rope pretension during a travel of a suspension element of the crane is provided. The system includes a separable pretension hook block and a connected auxiliary rope that is supported in a windable and unwindable manner on an auxiliary winch on the crane, and that is guided over a deflection apparatus arranged or installable at a boom of the crane. The pretension hook block comprises two lockable hook block parts that are releasably lockable to one another, that are connected to one another via the auxiliary rope, and of which an upper hook block part has a fastening means for fastening to the suspension element of the crane and a lower hook block part has a pick-up means for fastening a weight.

A method for an operation of a forestry winch, which has a rope drum driven by a drive motor and on which a rope is wound up, and has a rope ejector roller for the rope driven by an additional drive motor, whereby the rope is guided from the rope drum to the rope ejector roller and is deflected on the rope ejector roller. The drive motor of the rope drum and the additional drive motor of the rope ejector roller are operated so that when the rope is unspooled from the rope drum, and when the rope is wound up onto the rope drum, a minimum rope pre-tension, in particular a constant minimum rope pre-tension, is generated in the segment of the rope between the rope drum and the rope ejector roller.

A fairlead for use with a winch is disclosed. The fairlead includes: a device for detecting a speed at which a line is being spooled or unspooled from the winch, a first and second roller adapted to aid in spooling or unspooling a line, a fairlead motor for driving at least the first roller, and a controller connected to the fairlead motor. The controller is in communication with the device for detecting the speed. The controller is configured to direct the fairlead motor to drive at least the first roller at a speed that maintains tension on the line as it is unspooling or spooling. Alternatively, the device measures current drawn by the fairlead motor and the controller directs the fairlead motor to drive the rollers at a speed that maintains a target current draw.

Disclosed is a winch with a spool having an axis of rotation and a helical groove formed thereon and a line around the spool in the helical groove. The winch also includes a motor configured to rotate the spool in a first direction to wind the line on the spool and a second direction to unwind the line from the spool. The helical groove includes a line cradle shaped to carry the line with a portion of the line protruding from the helical groove, and a channel extending below the line cradle. A portion of the channel is not occupied by the line. The winch also includes a line guide adjacent to the spool and configured to move axially along the spool. The line guide includes a tab that engages the channel to cause the line guide to move axially along the spool to wind or unwind the line.

A velocity control device for controlling the velocity of a load on a flexible tension member can include a chassis with a portion of the chassis peripheral surface defining an exit aperture. The device can also include a capstan having a proximal face joined to the chassis and a distal face separated at a distance from the proximal face. A peripheral capstan surface can be tapered from a greatest diameter near the distal face to a smallest diameter near the proximal face. The device can include a throttle attached to the chassis having an interior surface defining an opening through which the tension member can pass. The interior surface is in at least partial contact with the tension member. Heat produced by kinetic energy in the flexible tension member is transferred to the throttle, and the change in system internal energy produces a drag force on the flexible tension member.

A velocity control device for controlling the velocity of a load on a flexible tension member. The device can include a chassis having a chassis peripheral surface, with a portion of the chassis peripheral surface defining an exit aperture. The device can also include a capstan, the capstan having a proximal face joined to the chassis and a distal face separated at a distance from the proximal face. A peripheral capstan surface can be tapered from a greatest diameter near the distal face to a smallest diameter near the proximal face. The device can include a throttle, the throttle being attached to the chassis. The throttle can an interior surface defining an opening through which the tension member can pass with the interior surface being in at least partial contact with the tension member. Heat produced by kinetic energy in the flexible tension member is transferred to the throttle, and the change in system internal energy produces work in the form of a drag force on the flexible tension member.

Described herein are systems, methods, and structures for transferring an object between a ship and an offshore structure, comprising a hoisting mechanism arranged on the offshore structure and adapted to attach to the object, at least one range sensing device adapted to provide data relating to a detected distance from a reference point on the offshore structure to the ship, where the system is adapted to receive the data from the at least one range sensing device and to move the hoisting cable in response to the detected distance, and a motion reference unit adapted to provide data relating to a detected motion of the ship independently of the at least one range sensing device, and wherein the system is adapted to move the hoisting cable in response to the detected motion of the ship.

A winch is disclosed having a drive cylinder, configured to be rotated by an applied force about its longitudinal axis and having at least three drive grooves. The winch also includes an idler with a longitudinal axis spaced apart from the longitudinal axis of the drive cylinder. A line is fed onto the winch by passing it over a first of the at least three drive grooves then around the idler and then around a second of the at least three drive grooves. The line is attached to one of a fixed object or the object to be moved. The winch is attached to the other of the fixed object or the object to be moved. As the applied force is applied to the drive cylinder, the line is gripped by the at least three drive grooves and a length of the line between the fixed object and the object to be moved is shortened, whereby the object is moved.

Disclosed is a system for manipulating an object and providing at least one utility winch. The system includes a motor and a driveshaft having an axis and being coupled to the motor. The system includes a first spool on the driveshaft being rotatable with the driveshaft by the motor and a first line for lifting an object, the first line attached to the first spool. The system also includes a second spool on the driveshaft being rotatable with the driveshaft by the motor, and a second line attached to the second spool, the second line configured to deliver at least one utility selected from electric power, data, and fluid.

A remote controlled lift assembly includes a pair of supports is each mountable to a respective outrigger of scaffolding. A winch unit is positionable on the supports when the supports are mounted on the scaffolding and the winch unit has a cable extending downwardly therefrom. The cable is lowered or lifted when the winch is actuated. A receiver is coupled to the winch unit and the receiver is in electrical communication with the winch unit. A remote control is provided that is carried by a user and the remote control is in wireless electrical communication with the receiver. In this way the user can remotely lift and lower the cable for lifting and lowering cargo.