1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to adjustable load binder securing devices and more particularly to load winches.
2. Description of Prior Art
Load winches are known in the art, especially as employed on vehicles for adjustably securing thereto binders about a load, e.g., as a bed-mounted load-tightening winch on a truck. One conventional form of load winch has a rotatable mandrel (e.g., a barrel, tube or drum) which is "pinned" with one or several pins adapted for engaging a rope or cable securing the load. Another type is "slotted" with a slot cut through the winch drum to receive a web; or alternatively, with an "open" multi-rod drum adapted to engage a web or strand intertwined in the rods. There are also combined "pin/slot" types.
But a "pinned type" load winch can only handle strands (not webs); while a "slotted" type is inherently weak structurally (especially for the wider 4 inch + binder bands which can readily overstress and buckle such a mandrel). The combined "pin/slot" type is not only weakened by the slotting, but is unduly long and bulky, typically.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds