Patent ID: 6092790
Filing Date: 2000-07-25
Classification: B62D,B66D

Abstract:
A winch assembly comprising:a winch for letting out and taking up a flexible member which moves a load from a stored position to an accessible position;a solitary mounting bracket having a top and a bottom to be fastened directly to an undercarriage of a vehicle;a latch tube affixed to said mounting bracket and extending away from the bottom of said mounting bracket;said winch being affixed to said mounting bracket proximate the latch tube;a biased latch mounted on the latch tube and being moveable away from and toward said latch tube, said biased latch having a first detent disposed on the biased latch adjacent said latch tube;the winch assembly having a carrier for carrying the load, said carrier being engaged with the flexible member, the carrier having a second detent which is positioned in a safety position with respect to the first detent of said latch when the load is at the stored position;wherein when said load is moved to the stored position the first detent is moved into engagement with the second detent of the carrier to prevent loss of the load at the safety position, thus ensuring that should the flexible member break that the latch will retain the load proximate the stored position.