Patent ID: 6659430
Filing Date: 2003-12-09
Classification: B66D

Abstract:
A winch comprising:a drum rotatably mounted on a housing for winding a cable thereupon; a motor attached to the housing, the motor supplying torque through a motor shaft; an augmented stage of planetary gears mounted to the housing for transmitting torque between the motor shaft and the drum, the augmented stage of planetary gears including a sun gear for receiving torque, a carrier/clutch unit and an annular ring gear encircling the carrier/clutch unit; the carrier/clutch unit including a frame rotatably mounted to the housing and having walls defining a cavity therein; at least one circumferentially-spaced planet gear rotatably mounted on the frame for simultaneously engaging the sun gear and the ring gear; a selectively engagable clutch mounted within the cavity of the frame; an output member which, when the clutch is engaged, can receive useful torque from the frame and, when the clutch is disengaged, cannot receive useful torque from the frame and a static brake assembly including a over-riding clutch and a multi-disc brake, the static brake assembly being operably connected to the motor shaft.