Patent ID: 8308410

Claim:
A tie down winch comprising: a frame having a base, and a pair of opposing endwalls extending upwardly from the base, each of the endwalls having a passageway formed therethrough; a cylinder member rotatably carried by the frame, the cylinder member comprising: a first end portion having a substantially polygonal cutout formed therein, a medial portion connected to the first end portion, the medial portion having a void within a substantially solid peripheral, sidewall, and a second end portion connected to the medial portion opposite the first end portion, wherein the medial portion of the cylinder member is carried between the endwalls of the frame and the substantially solid peripheral sidewall of the medial portion includes at least one strap-receiving passageway formed therethrough, wherein the first and second end portions of the cylinder member engage the passageways formed through the endwalls of the frame, and wherein the substantially polygonal cutout formed in the first end portion is continuous with the void within the substantially solid peripheral sidewall of the medial portion so that a passageway is defined by the substantially polygonal cutout and the void; a first lock member connected to the second end portion of the cylinder member so that the first lock member is rotatable as the cylinder member rotates with respect to the frame; and a second lock member pivotally connected to the frame adjacent the second end portion of the cylinder member and moveable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, the engaged position being defined as a portion of the second lock member engaging a portion of the first lock member to prevent rotation of the cylinder member, and the disengaged position being defined as the second lock member being spaced apart from the first lock member so that the cylinder member is freely rotatable with respect to the frame.