Manually-controlled winding device of a winding element, such as a tarpaulin, about a winding shaft, said device comprising: - a drive axle, - a fixed support whereon is mounted revolving said drive axle, - a manoeuvring member comprising a first lever with a handle function and a second lever articulated, on the one hand, to said first lever along a first pivot axle, and on the other hand, to said drive axle along a second pivot axle with an axle confounded with the axle of said drive axle, - a ratchet mechanism able to allow for the rotation of said drive axle in a single direction during the putting into oscillation of said manoeuvring member, with said ratchet mechanism comprising: - a toothed wheel integral in rotation with said drive axle, - a tooth rigidly integral with said first lever, able to mesh with the gearing of said toothed wheel in a first relative position of said first lever with respect to said second lever, referred to as engagement position of the first lever, in order to provoke the rotation of the drive axle according to a first actuating direction of the manoeuvring member, said tooth being able to escape the gearing of the toothed wheel in a second relative position of said first lever with respect to said second lever, referred to as disengaged position of said first lever, in a second actuating direction of the manoeuvring member, - a pawl, with an anti-return function, integral with said fixed support, able to slide on said toothed wheel during the actuating of the manoeuvring member in the first direction of actuation, and able to engage with the gearing of the toothed wheel in order to retain the drive axle when the manoeuvring member is actuated in the second direction of actuation; said manoeuvring member has a position of least encumbrance for which said manoeuvring member is folded back on said fixed support in a position wherein the tooth of said first lever engages with the gearing of said toothed wheel, and in that the device comprises a mechanism for disengaging said ratchet mechanism comprising: - a mean for manually controlling said pawl, able to actuate said pawl in an escaping position wherein said pawl escapes the gearing of the toothed wheel, - a cam actuated by said means of manually controlling said pawl, able, in said position of least encumbrance of the manoeuvring member, to engage with said first lever in order to provoke the escaping of the tooth from the gearing of said toothed wheel, in such a way that in said position of least encumbrance of the manoeuvring member, the actuating of said means of manually controlling said pawl jointly provokes the escaping of the tooth and of the pawl from the gearing of the toothed wheel in such a way as to release the drive axle in rotation. - a drive axle, - a fixed support whereon is mounted revolving said drive axle, - a manoeuvring member comprising a first lever with a handle function and a second lever articulated, on the one hand, to said first lever along a first pivot axle, and on the other hand, to said drive axle along a second pivot axle with an axle confounded with the axle of said drive axle, - a ratchet mechanism able to allow for the rotation of said drive axle in a single direction during the putting into oscillation of said manoeuvring member, with said ratchet mechanism comprising: - a toothed wheel integral in rotation with said drive axle, - a tooth rigidly integral with said first lever, able to mesh with the gearing of said toothed wheel in a first relative position of said first lever with respect to said second lever, referred to as engagement position of the first lever, in order to provoke the rotation of the drive axle according to a first actuating direction of the manoeuvring member, said tooth being able to escape the gearing of the toothed wheel in a second relative position of said first lever with respect to said second lever, referred to as disengaged position of said first lever, in a second actuating direction of the manoeuvring member, - a pawl, with an anti-return function, integral with said fixed support, able to slide on said toothed wheel during the actuating of the manoeuvring member in the first direction of actuation, and able to engage with the gearing of the toothed wheel in order to retain the drive axle when the manoeuvring member is actuated in the second direction of actuation; - a mean for manually controlling said pawl, able to actuate said pawl in an escaping position wherein said pawl escapes the gearing of the toothed wheel, - a cam actuated by said means of manually controlling said pawl, able, in said position of least encumbrance of the manoeuvring member, to engage with said first lever in order to provoke the escaping of the tooth from the gearing of said toothed wheel,