Winch or hoist system with clutch adjustment

Abstract

A clutch comprises an input shaft, an output shaft, a biasing member and a plunger. The biasing member is arranged to provide a biasing force that allows torque transfer from the input shaft to the output shaft via one or more input friction plates and one or more output friction plates. Axial displacement of the plunger relative to the output shaft may cause the biasing force to vary to adjust the maximum torque setting of the clutch during reeling-in or reeling-out of a winch cable around a winch drum. A winch assembly may be provided that includes an arm in operable connection with a winch drum. The arm is displaced as the effective radius of the drum varies during reeling in or reeling out. Displacement of the arm can be communicated to the plunger to provide the axial displacement thereof.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.