# US 5,702,088 A · Winch handle

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- Number: US 5,702,088 A
- Document ID: US5702088A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/547,569
- Filed: 1995-10-24
- Granted: 1997-12-30
- Earliest claimed: 1995-10-24
- Inventors: Paul Roberge
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5702088A

## CPC

- B66D 1/7468: {Handles}
- B66D: CAPSTANS; WINCHES; TACKLES, e.g. PULLEY BLOCKS; HOISTS (winding or unwinding ropes or cables for feeding or storage purposes B65H; rope or cable winding or unwinding mechanisms for lifts B66B)

## Abstract

A method of attaching a handle to a halyard winch on a sail boat in order to increase the mechanical advantage of the handle. The method comprises removing the standard halyard winch handle, removing the standard ship's wheel, and placing the ship's wheel on the halyard winch in place of the halyard winch handle. Also, a device is used to attach the ship's wheel to the halyard winch which has a first end inserted into the halyard winch and a second end for securing the ship's wheel thereto. Turning the ship's wheel will turn the halyard winch, and since the ship's wheel is larger than a normal winch handle, a mechanical advantage will be realized.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for increasing the mechanical advantage of a halyard winch on a ship, the halyard winch having a socket attached thereto and a halyard winch handle having a first length received in the socket, said ship having a ship's wheel for steering said ship, said ship's wheel being attached to a steering mechanism by a retainer nut, said ship's wheel having a diameter which is larger than said first length of said halyard winch handle, and means for attaching said ship's wheel to said socket, said means having a first end and a second end, said method comprising:
inserting said first end of said means for attaching said ship's wheel into said socket attached to said halyard winch,
placing said ship's wheel on said second end of said means, and
securing said ship's wheel to said means by placing a nut on said second end, thereby securing said ship's wheel to said means,
whereby since said ship's wheel has a diameter larger than said first length of said halyard winch handle, said halyard winch will have a mechanical advantage that will allow said halyard winch to move heavier objects.

### Claim 2

A device for attaching a ship's wheel to a halyard winch, said halyard winch having a socket, said device comprising:
a body having a first end and a second end,
said body having a plurality of spaced splines on said first end and an externally threaded portion adjacent said second end,
locking means for locking said body into said socket,
said body having a portion between said first and second ends, adapted to receive a ship's wheel, and
means cooperating with said externally threaded portion for holding a ship's wheel on said body.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The device for attaching a ship's wheel to a halyard winch as claimed in claim 2, wherein said body has a projection means for engaging said ship's wheel for preventing relative rotation between said body and said ship's wheel.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The device for attaching a ship's wheel to a halyard winch as claimed in claim 2, wherein said locking means comprises a disk having a plurality of splines around its circumference,
said splines being equal in number to said splines on said first end of said body,
said splines on said disk and said splines on said body each have a width defined by a plurality of sides,
a shaft connecting said disk with said body,
a spring means connecting said disk to said body to normally hold said sides on said splines on said disk out of alignment with said sides on said splines on said body by a spring means,
means for turning said disk to align said sides on said splines on said body with said sides on said splines on said disk,
whereby said first end of said body is adapted to be inserted into said socket on said halyard winch with said splines aligned and then said splines are allowed to become unaligned by said spring means thereby securing said body into said socket on said halyard winch.