General Machine Products 70530 Adams WG Winch - Manual (Page 17)

Page 17 of 28 www.gmptools.com
7.01 LEVEL WIND INTRODUCTION
The level wind is a chain driven device specifically designed to distribute wire rope coils or wraps evenly across
the winch drum.
Level winding the wire rope onto the drum has several advantages:
1. Increases drum storage capacity
2. Prevents wire rope pile-up
3. Permits smooth, steady pulls
4. Makes accurate alignment of the truck with the pull unnecessary
5. Establishes tight, even wraps preventing the wire rope from cutting down through the lower lays resulting
in damage to the rope and difficulty in unwinding.
7.02 DESCRIPTION
The level wind assembly includes a carriage/roller cage, guide bars, speed reducer, two single width and one tri-
ple width roller chain drive. The carriage is mounted on the two guide bars and is driven back and forth across the
drum by an endless triple width cross chain.
The carriage is connected to the cross chain by a drive pin which projects into a vertical slot in the carriage. As
the cross chain rotates, it carries the drive pin and carriage across the drum. When the drive pin reaches the end
sprocket, it rotates around the sprocket moving up or down in the slot as required.
Accordingly, the carriage/roller cage and wire rope moves to the end of its travel and starts back again across the
drum.
Mounted below the carriage, is a roller cage assembly thru which the rope passes for final storage on the drum.
Since the level-wind is driven directly from the winch drum, the carriage remains properly aligned with the wraps
on the drum. This is consistent regardless of whether the rope is being wound onto the drum under power or off
the drum under free spool conditions.
The speed of the carriage is regulated. For each revolution of the winch drum, the carriage advances across the
drum a distance equal to the diameter of the rope
The Level-Wind is automatic. Although absolute perfection is not necessary when winding, the best results will be
obtained if care is taken to maintain uniformity and compactness of those wraps and lays left on the drum at the
start of the pull.
When operating the level-wind, constant tension must be maintained on the rope. The amount is sufficient to
eliminate "clock-springing" that will lead to loose or tangled wraps and lays.
Under free spool conditions, if the drum has been permitted to over-run, resulting in loose or tangled wraps, it will
be desirable to remove several feet of improperly wrapped rope and rewind, under tension, prior to starting the
actual pull. To insure good operation, the wraps and lays must always be straight and compact.
It should be noted that the winch is furnished with a drag brake. The purpose of this brake is not to hold the load
but to control the drum rotation speed when paying-out wire rope under free-spool conditions. Slowing down and
gradually stopping the drum, with tension on the rope, will prevent backlash, clock-springing and eventual entan-
glement of the rope.
Although the level wind will guide the rope onto the drum from a relatively wide fleet angle, there will be less bend-
ing of the rope at the roller cage assembly if the line of pull is as straight as possible. The use of a universal or
universal swivel sheave on the tail shelf is advisable.
The roller cage assembly has only a suitable amount of clearance for the rope to pass. When pulling-in the wire
rope, it is important that the operator stops drum rotation at a point to keep the spliced eye or quick hook several
feet from the roller cage. Otherwise, the eye and hook will be drawn into the rollers, causing damage to the level-
wind.
7.03
PLACING WIRE ROPE ONTO THE WINCH DRUM
When placing rope onto the drum, rotate the drum until the carriage reaches a position of maximum travel at the
drum end where the rope is to be attached. The extreme end of the carriage travel is when the guide link is on the
outside of the end sprocket and at the mid-point of the vertical slot in the carriage.
Thread the end of the rope through the rollers and attach it to the drum by means of the rope clamp. Drive the
winch forward at a low speed, keeping sufficient tension on the rope. It is extremely important that the first lay of
rope be straight and compact. Slowly increase the drum speed and spool on the remaining rope.
It is suggested that the rope length be less than full drum capacity. This will assist in preventing rope roll-off from
the drum onto adjacent equipment. Whenever possible, a winch line holder should be used to prevent the rope
from unwinding.