Patent ID: 7891641

Claim:
A clutch for use with a winch of the type having a drum on which a cable is wound and unwound, comprising: a drive shaft adapted for powering the winch; a housing in which clutch components are contained; a clutch mechanism having a locking plunger moveable to a first position for allowing torque to be coupled from said drive shaft to said cable drum, and movable to a second position for allowing said cable drum to free wheel; an actuator manually movable from a rest position in which the clutch mechanism is engaged to an actuated position in which the clutch mechanism is disengaged, said actuator connected to said to locking plunger so that when said actuator is in the rest position said locking plunger allows torque to be coupled to said cable drum, thereby allowing the drive shaft to drive the cable drum, and when said actuator is moved to said actuated position the cable drum is disconnected from said drive shaft and can be free wheeled; and a striking member rotatable by said drive shaft, said striking member engageable with said actuator to move the actuator from the actuated position to the rest position to thereby automatically engage said clutch mechanism when the drive shaft is rotated.