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.

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.

A system for servicing a pulverizer includes a pulverizer having a housing, a journal assembly pivotally connected to the housing, a grinding mechanism operatively connected to the journal assembly, and an opening within the housing adjacent to the journal assembly and providing an access point to an interior of the housing, and a hoist apparatus mounted to the housing. The hoist apparatus includes a frame assembly received about the opening in the housing, a sheave assembly including a plurality of sheaves supported by the frame assembly, a motor operatively connected to one of the plurality of sheaves, and a cable received by the sheave assembly. The motor is operable to at least one of retract the cable through the sheave assembly to rotate a component out of the pulverizer through the opening and controllably let out the cable to rotate the component into the pulverizer through the opening.

Described herein are methods and systems to dampen oscillations of a payload coupled to a tether of a winch system arranged on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). For example, the UAV's control system may dampen the oscillations by causing the UAV to switch to a forward flight mode in which movement of the UAV results in drag on the payload, thereby damping the oscillations. In another example, the control system may cause the UAV to reduce an extent flight stabilization along at least one dimension, thereby resulting in damping of the detected oscillations due to energy dissipation during movement of the UAV along the dimension. In this way, the control system could select and carry out one or more such techniques, and could do so during retraction and/or deployment of the tether.

A winch is disclosed having a motor, a spool rotated by the motor, and a line carried by the spool. Rotating the spool in a first, or winding direction causes the line to wind around the spool, and rotating the spool in a second, or unwinding direction causes the line to unwind from the spool. The winch also includes a tensioning device spaced apart from the spool, which tensioning device comprises a tensioning wheel that engages the line and is configured to apply tension to the line as it is being unwound.

A system for servicing a pulverizer includes a pulverizer having a housing, a journal assembly pivotally connected to the housing, a grinding mechanism operatively connected to the journal assembly, and an opening within the housing adjacent to the journal assembly and providing an access point to an interior of the housing, and a hoist apparatus mounted to the housing. The hoist apparatus includes a frame assembly received about the opening in the housing, a sheave assembly including a plurality of sheaves supported by the frame assembly, a motor operatively connected to one of the plurality of sheaves, and a cable received by the sheave assembly. The motor is operable to at least one of retract the cable through the sheave assembly to rotate a component out of the pulverizer through the opening and controllably let out the cable to rotate the component into the pulverizer through the opening.

Disclosed is a motorized winch system having a frame, a motor, and a drum with a first end and a second end connected to the motor. The system has a winch cable configured to wind around the drum with a first end connected to the drum, having a winding portion and a distal portion. The system has a winch cable locator assembly with a cam bar rotatably mounted to the frame, a cam follower connected to the cam bar such that the cam follower slides from the first end to the second end of the drum and reverses to slide back to the first end of the drum, and a cable guide coupled to the cam follower, configured to guide the cable onto the drum. The system has a removable cam gear with an operating position operably connected to the motor, and a manual position disconnected from the motor.

Described herein are methods and systems to dampen oscillations of a payload coupled to a tether of a winch system arranged on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). For example, the UAV's control system may dampen the oscillations by causing the UAV to switch to a forward flight mode in which movement of the UAV results in drag on the payload, thereby damping the oscillations. In another example, the control system may cause the UAV to reduce an extent flight stabilization along at least one dimension, thereby resulting in damping of the detected oscillations due to energy dissipation during movement of the UAV along the dimension. In this way, the control system could select and carry out one or more such techniques, and could do so during retraction and/or deployment of the tether.

The invention relates to an abseiling device comprising a bidirectionally rotatable guiding arrangement (25) for guiding a pulling means (26); further comprising a braking mechanism (30) that is coupled to the guiding arrangement (25); a driving means (34; 35) can be connected to the guiding arrangement (25) so as to actuate the guiding arrangement (25). In order to create an abseiling device that prevents an individual from being injured or parts of the abseiling device from being damaged during rescue operations in particular of people, a mechanical torque limiter (33) decouples the driving means (34; 35) and the guiding arrangement (25) or the pulling means (26) when the torque exceeds a certain threshold value.

A supply system for connecting a first vehicle has a platform, a first vehicle, a bendable connection element with one end connected with the first vehicle and another end connected with the platform and at least one floating unit for lifting the bendable connection element at least partly over a minimum floating height. The at least one floating unit is attachable to the bendable connection element distant from the first vehicle.