Patent ID: 7059589

Claim:
A safety device for a winch having a winch line with a hook at one end, the winch mounted to a vehicle, said safety device comprising: a weight, said weight coupled around said winch line when used on said winch; an inside surface of said weight spaced around said winch line allowing said weight to slide on the winch line without releasing therefrom; said weight sliding along said winch line as said winch line is retracted into said winch on said vehicle, said weight held at said hook at said one end in a stowed position on said vehicle when said winch line is fully retracted in said winch; said weight sliding along said winch line, by a user, to a selected region on said winch line when said winch line is extended from said winch and when said hook is hooked to an object so as to be under tension between said object and said vehicle; when said extended winch line suddenly releases from said object, said weight, as said weight drops towards the ground, providing a pivot for the released winch line at said selected region so as to restrict movement of the released winch line.