Winch handle retention system
OwnerPaul K. Tomitainventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sailboat winch handle system has a locking plate that is mounted in a fixed configuration to the bottom of the winch handle plug and prevents the accidental removal of the winch handle from the socket of a winch. Normally, only downward and rotational forces are applied to the winch handle. The locking plate engages an interior surface of the winch socket when an upward force is excerpted upon the winch handle preventing the winch handle form accidentally being dislodged from the winch socket.
Claims17
A winch handle apparatus comprising:
- an arm;
- a grip attached to the first end of the arm;
- a plug attached to a second end of the arm having a substantially rectangular cross section and a cut away section along a portion of the plug;
- and
- a locking plate attached in a fixed relationship to the bottom of the plug;
- wherein the locking plate can releasably engage an interior surface of the socket when the plug is rotated within the socket about an axis of rotation that is substantially perpendicular to the length of the plug.
A winch handle apparatus comprising:
- an arm;
- a grip attached to a first end of the arm having a plurality of splines aligned along the length of the plug and a cut away section along a portion of the plug;
- and
- a locking plate attached to the bottom of the plug in a fixed relationship;
- wherein the locking plate can releasably engage an interior surface of a socket when the plug is rotated within the socket about an axis of rotation that is substantially perpendicular to the length of the plug.
A method of preventing the accidental removal of a winch handle from a winch, comprising the steps of:
- providing a winch handle having an arm, a splined plug and a locking plate, wherein the arm is mounted on one end of the splined plug and the locking plate is mounted at a second end of the splined plug and the arm, splined plug and locking plate are in a stationary relationship to each other;
- providing a winch having a splined socket and an interior edge;
- aligning the splined plug with the splined socket;
- inserting the splined plug into the splined socket;
- applying an upward force upon the winch handle;
- rotating the plug within the socket such that the locking plate engages the interior edge of the splined socket preventing the removal of the plug from the socket.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.