The ship's winch mechanism is for the hoisting and lowering of lifeboats or launches suspended from two sets of davits. Two winch drums each have an auxiliary motor and a gearbox which can be driven from a main motor. Each gearbox has two or more drive shafts. With a constant main motor speed the first shaft causes the drum to turn faster than does the second one. Each shaft is coupled by a friction clutch and gear train to the main motor, and the two gearboxes are coupled together. Between the first shaft and a part of the gearbox common to both is a free wheel, while a furthe freewheel is provided between each drive shaft and the drum with an auxiliary motor.
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