Patent ID: 7588233
Filing Date: 2009-09-15
Classification: B66D,F16D

Abstract:
1. A winch assembly comprising: a housing member; a drum rotatably coupled to said housing member; a drive shaft extending through said drum and into said housing member, a first end of said shaft fixed for rotation with a drive input and axially displaceable relative to said drive input; a gear train located within said housing member and in a driven engagement with said drive shaft; a coupling member axially fixed to said drive shaft; and a clutch assembly including a clutch knob rotatably coupled to said housing member for rotation in first and second rotary directions, said clutch knob including an axially extending ramped surface that axially displaces said drive shaft in a first axial direction when said clutch knob is rotated in said first rotary direction and rotationally couples said drum to said gear train through engagement with said coupling member, said ramped surface axially displacing said drive shaft in a second axial direction generally opposite said first axial direction when said clutch knob is rotated in said second rotary direction and disengages said drum from rotational engagement with said gear train.