Patent ID: 9604733
Date: 2017-03-28
CPC Classifications: B64C,B64D,B64F,B66D,F03D,Y02E

Claim:
1. A winch assembly, comprising: a drum, rotatable about a central axis, comprising: a tether comprising a proximate tether end, the main tether body, and a distal tether end, wherein the proximate tether end is located within the interior drum cavity; and a gimbal mount attached to the drum, wherein the gimbal mount constrains a second portion of the main tether body, wherein the drum is configured such that rotating the drum about the drum's central axis in a first direction causes the main tether body to wind onto the drum and rotating the drum about the drum's central axis in a second direction causes the main tether body to unwind from the drum, wherein the drum door is in the closed position and the tether is not wound around the drum, and wherein the gimbal mount and the second portion of the main tether body are disposed and oriented within the interior drum cavity in proximity to the drum door such that when tension is applied to the distal end of the tether, the tensioned tether will push against the drum door causing the drum door to move from the closed position to the open position.