| 摘要 |
A multi-speed winch is attached to a motor vehicle and is hydraulically powered by the vehicle's power steering system or other hydraulic source innate to the host vehicle. The winch operates in either a low-speed, high-torque mode for moving heavy loads, a high-speed, low-torque mode for quickly releasing or retrieving cable, a free-spooling mode for manually releasing cable, and a brake mode for holding the cable and load at a fixed position. The high-speed mode is enabled by coupling the drive shaft directly to the winch drum. The low-speed mode is enabled by coupling the drive shaft to the winch drum through a planetary gear assembly. In an alternate embodiment, high-speed mode is enabled by coupling the drive shaft to the winch drum through one of two planetary gear assemblies. Free-spooling mode is achieved by disengaging the drive shaft from the winch drum, and brake mode is achieved by engaging both the direct drive coupling and the sun and planet gear arrangement. The four operational modes are selected by four different combinations of positions of a direct drive selector handle (which determines the position of the coupling plate) and a gear reduction handle (which determines the position of the locking pin). In an alternative embodiment, the four operational modes are selected by four different combinations of positions of a direct drive solenoid and a gear reduction solenoid. A four-way, dual solenoid-operated valve controls the flow of pressurized hydraulic fluid to the winch motor.
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