Winches

Winches are mechanical tools that are used by people to wind or unwind ropes of different measures. Winches are also used to adjust the ropes' tightness. Winches come in small, medium, and large sizes and have different uses. Winches may often be used in ships and boats or in the backstage area of theaters.

Winches are also being used in elevators and trucks, and in construction sites. Depending on the purpose, winches may be powered by hand or by electricity. Similarly, winches may be activated by pneumatic and hydraulic devices or other usable tools.

Winches have different parts. The most basic parts of winches are the rope spool and the crank which may be turned by a person's hand. Other winches may have solenoid brakes or other device to keep the rope from being unwound or loosened from the spool. Furthermore, winches may have capstans that do not store the ropes.

Using Winches

Using winches has its advantages. One is that winches facilitate easier spooling of ropes. Another is that winches keep ropes tightly and orderly in place, thus also keeping objects being held by ropes in place. Moreover, winches prevent injuries and accidents from occurring when ropes are being wound onto a spool.

Acquiring Winches

Winches that are used in boats and ships are often attached already when the vehicles are purchased. The same may be said of winches found in trucks and construction equipment. However, separate winches may be purchased from hardware stores and home and vehicle equipment shops.

When installing large winches, an electric wrench may be needed to loosen and tighten nuts and bolts. Hand wrenches, in turn, may be used to install small winches.

Winches Articles

Watch a wet winch

MILITARY helicopter search and rescue training including "wet winching" drills will take place today at Shoal Bay.

Oats comes home second with a wet spinnaker

IT WAS appropriate, but not pleasingly so, that a wine glass foiled the SOLAS Big Boat Challenge party for the much-heralded champion 100-footer Wild Oats XI. For Wild Oats XI owner Bob Oatley funds the cost of running the boat from his winery proceeds. But yesterday the wine glass was half..read more

Don't Get Reeled In Dead, Fishermen Urged

THERE is an awful swirl in the pit of Tony Wood's stomach, as violent as the grey sea below him, when the Westpac Rescue Helicopter winches a body out of the water.

Pasha Bulker By Night

Sunday July 1: The Pasha Bulker twists the night away as tugs and winches attached to sea anchors haul its bow around to point towards the sea. 6.20pm - 7.20pm

Tough Life For The Bullocky

MANY years ago a bullocky, Walter Lumby, of Sweetman's Creek, used his team of 14 bullocks to move three five-ton winches from the railway to the pit head of Millfield Colliery. Walter used a sledge to transport the winches and when he arrived at the mine to off-load the..read more