Winch gear question

[bmwpower]

This is the winch that raises/lowers my press platform. I've never used it since I never had the handle for it. Finally got a handle I might use for it, so I decided to take a look at how it works to make sure it wasn't busted or something. Maybe it's me, but I don't see how this is supposed to work compared to a "normal" winch. By normal, I mean it should have a spring loaded clasp that locks the gear system in place so it doesn't let the line out.

Well, on the original winch from the press it doesn't seem to be setup that way. There is a drive gear that drives the spool/pulley (attached to the handle shaft). Then, there's another gear that is separate from the shaft and it's kept from moving in one direction by a metal clasp. BUT, there's this fiber washer of sorts separating the gears. Therefore, when turning the handle on the winch, there's nothing keeping the winch from letting loose. How is this supposed to work? Is it broken or missing something else? Or is friction (supplied by the fiber washer?) supposed to keep things from letting the line come undone. If so, it doesn't seem to be working when testing it on my benchtop. Any info?

 

[bmwpower]

Stump y'all?

 

[skiingman]

Stump y'all?

The fiber washer is a clutch. There is a heavy thread the locking gear is screwed onto clamping that clutch to the drive gear. The winch won't appear to work on the bench...it'll appear to freewheel. Needs enough load on it to jam the clutch closed.

At least that's how all the Fulton's I've fiddled with have worked.

 

[Lotek]

Brake winch, the handle should be threaded so that it clamps down on the clutch as Skiingman said, locking the shaft to the gear with the pawl and the whole thing rotates, winding the cable to lift the press table. When you turn the handle the other way, you release the brake, and the cable unwinds, but only until the shaft screws into the handle locking the clutch. The idea is that if you let go of the handle the table stops, the winch handle doesn't wildly freewheel as the heavy table crashes to the floor as it would with a reversible pawl winch. They use the same kind of winch on a swing keel sailboat keel winch where the handle getting away from you could send 600lbs of keel crashing down as the handle spins around breaking your hand and possibly ripping the keel out of the boat. Dutton Lainson makes them and may have spare parts that will fit your press.

 

[bmwpower]

The fiber washer is a clutch. There is a heavy thread the locking gear is screwed onto clamping that clutch to the drive gear. The winch won't appear to work on the bench...it'll appear to freewheel. Needs enough load on it to jam the clutch closed.

At least that's how all the Fulton's I've fiddled with have worked.

Brake winch, the handle should be threaded so that it clamps down on the clutch as Skiingman said, locking the shaft to the gear with the pawl and the whole thing rotates, winding the cable to lift the press table. When you turn the handle the other way, you release the brake, and the cable unwinds, but only until the shaft screws into the handle locking the clutch. The idea is that if you let go of the handle the table stops, the winch handle doesn't wildly freewheel as the heavy table crashes to the floor as it would with a reversible pawl winch. They use the same kind of winch on a swing keel sailboat keel winch where the handle getting away from you could send 600lbs of keel crashing down as the handle spins around breaking your hand and possibly ripping the keel out of the boat. Dutton Lainson makes them and may have spare parts that will fit your press.

Ah-ha. Thanks gents.
Of course the handle I got doesn't screw onto this winch. I was going to fab something up to make it work, but now that I know if has to thread onto the shaft, I guess I have to get the proper winch handle. This one is a Fulton. I already called OTC and they don't sell just the handle. And a replacement winch from them will be cost prohibitive. I guess I will try to find a handle or another brake winch, now that I know what to look for.