Quick-release positive hold for use with

Claim 1

IN A WINCH HAVING A WINDING DRUM FOR A TOW-CABLE AND IMPOSING A TURNING MOMENT FROM SAID DRUM TO A GEAR WHEEL IN RESPOSE TO LOAD-TENSIONING OF THE TOW-CABLE, IN COMBINATION WITH THE GEAR WHEEL, AND A RIGID MOUNTING MEMBER, A LEVER OF THE FIRST ORDER FULCRUMED FROM SAID MOUNTING MEMBER FOR ROCKER MOVEMENT ABOUT AN AXIS SPACED BEYOND THE PERIMETER OF THE GEAR WHEEL AND PARALLELING THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF THE LATTER, THE FORCE ARM AND THE POWER ARM OF SAID LEVER EXTENDING THE FORMER INWARDLY TOWARD AND THE LATTER OUTWARDLY FROM THE GEAR WHEEL, A HOLDING PAWL FOR THE GEAR WHEEL PIVOTED DIRECTLY TO SAID FORCE ARM FOR PIVOTAL MOTION ABOUT AN AXIS OFFSET FROM AND PARALLELING THE ROCKER AXIS OF THE LEVER, A STATIONARY SHOULDER OCCUPYING AN INTERVENING POSITION BETWEEN THE LEVER AND THE GEAR WHEEL, AND STATIONARY MEANS ENGAGED BY THE LEVER LIMITING THE ROCKER MOTION OF THE LEVER TO AN APPROXIMATE 90* TURN IN ONE DIRECTION OF WHICH THE FORCE ARM SWINGS TOWARD THE GEAR WHEEL AND SLIDES THE PAWL OVER SAID SHOULDER INTO RATCHETING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE TEETH OF THE GEAR WHEEL AND IN THE OTHER DIRECTION OF WHICH THE FORCE ARM MOVES FROM THE GEAR WHEEL AND SLIDES THE PAWL OVER SAID SHOULDER OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THE TEETH OF THE GEAR WHEEL, SAID PIVOT AXIS OF THE PAWL BEING SO LOCATED THAT A FORCE LINE REFLECTING A TOW-LOADED TURNING MOMENT OF THE GEAR WHEEL AND PROJECTED FROM THE DOGGING END OF THE PAWL THROUGH SAID PIVOT AXIS IS CAUSED, IN COURSE OF MOVING THE LEVER SO AS TO ENGAGE THE PAWL, TO TRAVERSE THE ROCKER AXIS OF THE LEVER MOVING FROM A POSITION TO THE OUTSIDE TO A POSITION SPACED ONLY A MODERATE DISTANCE TO THE INSIDE OF SAID ROCKER AXIS, SAID LEVER BEING MOVABLE IN ITS OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF ROCKER TRAVEL, SO AS TO FREE THE GEAR WHEEL FROM THE PAWL, BY SHARPLY STRIKING THE POWER ARM OF THE LEVER WITH A MALLET.