What is a Ramp gear inside a windlass gearbox

[tudorsailor]

I am having problems with my windlass. Lewmar says that it may be the ramp gear sticking

I quote....

you have a ram gear set up in the gearbox that allows you to manually turn the gypsy to pull your chain in. what can happen is a build-up of friction that means the resistance is enough to allow the ramp gears to slid over each other. This can normally be fixed with a strip down and clean and maybe a little rub down of the solid bearing in the base of the unit.

What is a ram gear or is it ramp gear? What does it look like and/or how does it work???

Google is not much help

Thanks

TudorSailor

 

[RichardS]

Surely they must be talking about the cone clutch?

I have no idea what a ramp gear is.

Richard

 

[capnsensible]

Hey presto, owners manuals!

https://www.windlass-anchor.com/Lewmar-Owner-Manuals-s/2241.htm

Hope this helps.

 

[tudorsailor]

Hey presto, owners manuals!

https://www.windlass-anchor.com/Lewmar-Owner-Manuals-s/2241.htm

Hope this helps.

Thanks. However the manual does not show the internals of the gearbox, only the windlass that is above the motor/gearbox.

I would prefer to know what to expect when opening the gearbox!

TS

 

[Lon nan Gruagach]

My guess is its a pawl and ratchet gear which is part of some Lewmar gearboxes and would allow you to wind in the chain by hand and will cause problems if the pawls get stuck engaged or disengaged due to friction which can be fixed by cleaning.
See around parts 8 and 9, and 12 and 13

 

[RichardS]

My guess is its a pawl and ratchet gear which is part of some Lewmar gearboxes and would allow you to wind in the chain by hand and will cause problems if the pawls get stuck engaged or disengaged due to friction which can be fixed by cleaning.
See around parts 8 and 9, and 12 and 13

Spring-loaded pawls are definitely a feature of winches but I'm not familiar with pawls in windlasses, although mine does have a manual lock which operates a bit like a pawl.

Richard

 

[tudorsailor]

Just heard from Lewmar. They say it is a gear inside of the gearbox that has a ramp on one side , so in one direction it drives, and in the other it slides up the ramp, its part of the manual recovery system inside the gearbox.

I guess I will have to open the gearbox and see what I find! Best done at the end of a trip and not the beginning

TS

 

[Poignard]

Something with teeth like this, I should think. I'd call it a ratchet gear.

 

[vyv_cox]

My old windlass has an arrangement like this would seem to be. It's a shaft bearing that looks like a needle roller but the cage, instead of having two square faces, has one square and one tapered (ramp). In one direction it acts as a bearing but in the other the needles roll up the ramps and lock the shaft.

 

[earlybird]

My old windlass has an arrangement like this would seem to be. It's a shaft bearing that looks like a needle roller but the cage, instead of having two square faces, has one square and one tapered (ramp). In one direction it acts as a bearing but in the other the needles roll up the ramps and lock the shaft.

That sound like a device commonly called a roller clutch.

 

[DownWest]

My old windlass has an arrangement like this would seem to be. It's a shaft bearing that looks like a needle roller but the cage, instead of having two square faces, has one square and one tapered (ramp). In one direction it acts as a bearing but in the other the needles roll up the ramps and lock the shaft.

Also known as a 'roller clutch or freewheel'?

 

[vyv_cox]

That sound like a device commonly called a roller clutch.

Yes but the OP's arrangement is not the same according to the drawing above. But it sounds from his description that the principle is similar.

 

[Poignard]

View attachment 74567

Something with teeth like this, I should think. I'd call it a ratchet gear.

I have something similar in my Lofrans Royal windlass. In the parts list it's described as a 'dog-clutch'.

https://www.svb24.com/en/lofrans-royal-manual-anchor-windlass.html

Part 496