Patent ID: 6085368
Filing Date: 2000-07-11
Classification: A61G,B66D,Y10T

Abstract:
A person handling system comprisinga) an overhead track component comprising a trackb) a trolley component comprising a carriage andc) a person lowering and raising winch assembly connected to said carriage said overhead track component and said trolley component being configured such that said carriage engages said track such that said carriage is able to glide along said track, said person lowering and raising winch assembly comprisinga support structurea worm drive gear,an electric motor connected to said worm drive gear for urging the worm drive gear to rotate, said worm drive gear, when said motor is in a non-energised state, being displaceable between a working position and a non-working position,a flexible elongated support member connected to a reel component for unwinding and winding up said flexible elongated support member, said reel component being connected to said support structuregear means coupled to said reel component for urging said reel component to rotate, said gear means being provided with a plurality of peripheral worm gear teeth configured to mesh with and be driven by the worm drive gear,a spring element biassing the worm drive gear in said working position,a worm gear displacement component for releasably displacing said worm drive gear from said working position to said non-working position andwherein when the worm drive gear is in said working position, the worm drive gear engages said worm gear teeth for rotation of said reel component when said electric motor is in an energised state and wherein when said worm drive gear is in said non-working position the worm drive gear is disengaged from said worm gear teeth and the flexible elongated support member is able to be manually unwound from the reel component.