DK2962980T3

DK2962980T3 - TOOLS FOR AIRCRAFT VESSELS AND A PROCEDURE FOR OPERATING SUCH A TOWING GAME

Info

Publication number: DK2962980T3
Application number: DK15401059.9T
Authority: DK
Inventors: Siegfried-W Grunwald
Original assignee: Siegfried-W Grunwald
Priority date: 2014-07-03
Filing date: 2015-06-18
Publication date: 2018-01-08
Also published as: EP2962980A1; DE102014109330A1; EP2962980B1; NO2760515T3; DE102014109330B4; ES2652547T3

Description

The invention relates to a towing winch designed as a launching device for hang gliders, paragliders or similar driveless air sports devices, comprising at least one cable drum which can be driven by an electric drive and comprising a control device for sensing the tensile force of a towing cable by means of a sensor. The invention furthermore relates to a method of operating a towing winch of this kind.

During a winch launch, a hang glider, for example a delta glider or a paraglider, is towed by winding the towing cable to an optimal height and speed, so that once the cable pull connection between the air sports device and the towing winch has been released, onward flight is possible. In this way, flight is possible even on flat terrain.

The towing winch is usually mobile, in that it is mounted on a vehicle or a trailer. During the launch, the motorized cable drum of the towing winch winds up the previously laid out towing cable. In order to improve the efficiency of the pilot launch, multiple cable drums for the same cable winch are frequently arranged alongside one another on a vehicle or trailer . A generic transportable towing winch for the winch launching of air sports devices, in particular of gliders, is the subject matter of DE 10 2006 033 859 Al, for example. In this case, the electric drive is arranged directly on the pivot axis of the cable drum. In this way, the aim is for a complex drive mechanism to be dispensed with. The speed or torque of the electric drive is preferably controllable. Furthermore, the control device of the towing winch has means for controlling the tensile force of the towing winch.

By contrast, a towing winch known from DE 82 33 987 Ul, for example, is customarily used in practice, said towing winch having a cable drum driven by an internal combustion engine and a control device for the cable tensile force. The winch operator controls the tension on the towing cable from launch to the release of the air sports device by the pilot at the maximum height through the accelerator clearance on the throttle valve.

Between the internal combustion engine, usually a passenger car four-stroke engine, and the cable drum an automatic hydraulic gearbox is usually inserted, in order to achieve a continuous, smooth and gradual tensile force control. The automatic transmission may also be a standard transmission specially adapted for a winch launch. The cable drums sit on modified passenger car or commercial vehicle rear axles, for example. Guiding rollers are provided for the lateral and height control of the winch cable.

The control of the tensile force, as already described above, is undertaken by the winch operator in the case of cable drums driven by an internal combustion engine. He must observe the preset towing speed, the climbing speed, the cable sag, the current flight position, the wind speed, the wind direction, communication with the pilot, as well as sudden gusts of wind, unexpected tensile force peaks and generous overdrive manoeuvres by the pilot.

Towing winches of this kind are therefore usually equipped with a mechanical tensile force limiting device. A cable cutting device ensures severing of the air sports device from the cable in the event of an abnormal flying manoeuvre.

The problem addressed by DE 20 2010 015 097 U1 is that of developing a cost-effective, accurate tensile force display device for towing winches driven by an internal combustion engine which allows the winch operator to observe both the pilot and also the tensile force indicator simultaneously. For this purpose, the towing winch has a tensile force display. Because the winch operator is able to sense the current tensile force on the towing cable by looking at a monitor, without thereby losing the pilot from his field of vision, he is able to react to necessary control manoeuvres extremely quickly and safely. The tensile force can be sensed by means of an expansion measuring strip which is arranged between a fixed stop of the towing winch and its tensile force limiting device. According to one embodiment, the tensile force measuring device transmits measuring signals to the engine management for the purpose of controlling it.

In addition, it is known from DE 20 2011 107 711 U1 for the towing cable to be deflected by 180° during the launch of the pilot using a deflecting roller system, so that the pilot can launch right in the immediate vicinity and within the field of vision of the winch operator alongside the winch. The deflecting roller system is fitted with various prescribed safety systems.

Document DE 940507 C discloses a towing winch designed as a launching device for hang gliders, paragliders or similar driveless air sports devices, comprising at least one cable drum which can be driven by a drive and comprising a control device for sensing the tensile force of a towing cable, wherein the towing winch has a cable guide with a deflecting roller, by which the towing cable is According to the invention, the lever arm is stressed by means of the adjusting means against the sensor in such a manner that only changes in the stressing force due to the tensile force load on the towing cable are sensed, guided and deflected, wherein the deflecting roller is held on a carrier which is pivotally movable about a pivot point and at a region facing away from the deflecting roller bears against a stationary supporting surface, wherein a sensor is designed for sensing the bearing force of the carrier against the supporting surface.

The problem addressed by the invention is that of creating a substantially improved possibility for a safer and more convenient towing operation.

This problem is solved according to the invention with a device and a method in accordance with the features of Claims 1 and 2. The further embodiment of the invention can be inferred from the dependent claims.

In accordance with the invention, a device is therefore provided in which the winch has a cable guide with a deflecting roller, by which the towing cable is guided and deflected, wherein the cable roller is held on a carrier configured as a lever arm which is pivotally movable about a pivot point, which carrier bears with its free end against the stationary supporting surface, so that the sensor senses the bearing force of the carrier against the supporting surface, wherein the carrier can be placed or prestressed by means of an adjusting means of the cable guide with an adjustable force against the supporting surface. In this way, reliable sensing of the tensile force of the towing cable is made possible surprisingly easily, wherein the measurement is performed with the cable guide in stationary mode, so in particular without a relative displacement of the cable guide. For this purpose, although the carrier is pivotally movable about its pivot point in principle, the extent of the deflection of the lever arm actually occurring during operation is negligible. This means that unwanted repercussions for the cable length are ruled out if there is a sudden change in cable tensile force. According to the invention, for this purpose the lever arm is prestressed against the sensor by means of the adjusting means in such a manner that only changes in the prestressing force due to the tensile force load of the towing cable are sensed. In particular, a negative prestressing can therefore also be set as the starting variable, so that even great forces do not lead to a lifting of the lever arm from the supporting surface. In this case, the measurement of the current tensile force on the towing cable, in particular in conjunction with measured values of the speed and direction of rotation, forms the basis for the computer-assisted control of the towing winch. To this end, a looping angle of the towing cable on the deflecting roller of more than 90°, in particular approx. 180°, is suitable for achieving a reliable sensing of measured values, even with different towing situations and height angles . A particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention is also achieved in this case in that the adjusting means is prestressed counter to the restoring force of a spring element. The carrier is thereby supported on the sensor and is prestressed via a pin tensioned by means of the spring element in such a manner that a defined, clearance-free, constant bearing force of the carrier against the sensor is constantly guaranteed based on the principle of an electronic tensile force balance. The sensor in this case may be fixed on the supporting surface or on the carrier.

In principle, any sensor, in particular including a standard sensor, can be used to sense the tensile force. On the other hand, a variant in which the sensor is a force sensor, in particular a pressure sensor, is particularly promising.

In another, likewise particularly appropriate, embodiment of the invention, the towing winch has a sensor for sensing the number of revolutions, rotational speed or rotational direction of the deflecting roller configured as an incremental transducer, for example, so that in this way the cable length of the towing cable that has been delivered can be sensed. For example, the towing winch has for this purpose two or more inductive sensors attached to the carrier of the deflecting roller or another cable roller, which sensors preferably scan a measuring plate. The pulses generated according to the speed and direction of travel are evaluated by the control mechanism. Length information on the towing cable is also calculated from this and presented by means of a display, for example a graphics display. In addition, essential data for the entire launching process and also of environmental conditions, where necessary, are stored and supplied by means of an interface.

The towing winch according to the invention is preferably provided, in addition, with a sensor for sensing a portion provided with a metallic insert, in particular an end portion of the towing cable, so that the length of cable delivered in each case can thereby be reliably sensed. This insert which is metallic or can be detected by means of a metal detector and is configured as a metal braid, for example, therefore defines a clear measuring point in the direction of the main extension of the towing cable. This measuring point is detected by the insert, which is preferably arranged for this purpose in an end portion of the towing cable facing the air sports device, initially during the unwinding or extension during preparation for the launch, so that in conjunction with the sensor for determining the number of revolutions or the rotational speed, the actual extension length can be reliably determined. In contrast, the number of revolutions of the cable drum is often still taken as the basis in the state if the art, although this is prone to substantial error influences. Consequently, according to the invention the extension length can be determined for the first time and, moreover, the exact distance of the air sports device from the towing winch can be determined at any time during the launching phase. Moreover, the insert is sensed again during the winding of the towing cable and it is therefore possible to reliably detect when the wound-up end position has been reached.

In order to avoid error influences such as those due to metal adhesions on the towing cable, for example, the towing cable is not only sensed once by means of the sensor, but either continuously over a given duration or multiple times cyclically, so that a clear signal can thereby be generated multiple times over the longitudinal extension of the insert. In this way, a reliable detection of the start of the cable or the end of the cable is achieved.

In this case it has already proved particularly practical for the control device to have a microcontroller and also a motor control unit, so that the sensed measured values can thereby be optimally supplied, in order to control the electric drive.

In this case, measured values in relation to the angle of inclination of the towing cable are also sensed, in that the towing winch has a pair of guiding rollers that can be moved pivotally by means of a lever arm for sensing the inclination of the towing cable in respect of the horizon by means of an elevation sensor. For this purpose, the guiding rollers are arranged on a pivoting device in a jointly pivotally movable manner, wherein the relative orientation and spacing of the guiding rollers relative to one another is invariable during operation. The pivoting device can move in a pivoting range of up to 200°, wherein the end positions in each case are limited by fixed stops. It goes without saying that the contact of the pivoting device at one of these stops can also be sensed by means of a sensor, so that unusual towing positions, in particular, can be quickly detected and, where necessary, a signal for the winch operator can be triggered. By means of the pair of guiding rollers, a simple and reliable angle measurement of the elevation is made possible during operation using the elevation sensor. The signals produced by the elevation sensor are processed along with the current length of the towing cable by the control system and are then available on a display, for example on a graphics display, as height information. It goes without saying that a graphical representation can also be produced, so that possible deviations from the reference profile can be visualised by the winch operator in a quickly comprehensible manner. Furthermore, the current climbing rate in metres per second can be calculated and displayed.

The pivoting device is movably arranged about a substantially horizontal pivot bearing, wherein, moreover, an additional degree of freedom by a further pivot bearing can also be achieved, which pivot bearing is pivotally movable about a substantially vertical axis. A further, likewise particularly promising embodiment of the invention is also achieved in that the cable drum is assigned a winding guide with a slotted guide, so that a uniform winding profile of the towing cable on the cable drum can thereby be achieved. For this purpose, the winding action is overlaid with a coaxial reversing lifting movement in relation to the winding axis of the cable drum. For example, due to the rotational movement of the drive unit, a lifting movement can be mechanically produced for this purpose, in that a belt drive transmits the rotational movement of the drive unit to the winding guide. The reversing lifting movement is achieved in that the slotted guide has a drum, also referred to as a curve roller, with a circumferential groove incorporated in the outer surface. A driver engages with this groove, said driver thereby being moved in the axial direction of the cable drum by a rotational movement of the drum. The lifting movement is converted by means of a roller bearing and a lifting plate into the desired lifting movement with the required movement profile, wherein the lifting plate can be moved by roller-mounted linear guides in the lifting direction. During each revolution of the curved roller, a complete lifting movement with a forward and back stroke of a cable guide of the winding guide is carried out and the desired uniform winding profile of the towing cable is thereby achieved. A planetary gear transmission arranged within the cam roller is preferably used to reduce the rotational speed transmitted by the toothed belt and the corresponding increase in torque. This planetary gear transmission is fixedly connected by its housing flange to the curved roller. As a consequence, the cylindrical curved roller is rotated in respect of the drive unit in a slower fixed rotational speed ratio.

It goes without saying that the reversing, sinusoidal lifting movement could also be produced by a connecting rod. It is particularly practical, on the other hand, for the helical formation to have in the end regions towards the outside faces an inclination differing from a middle region that is enclosed by the end regions, so that the inclination, in other words the amount of axial movement in relation to the rotational movement, is easily determined by the profile of the formation and can be differently configured accordingly. Since the inclination in the axial end regions is in effect greater than in the other regions, the stroke speed of the cable guide in the end regions is likewise increased and the build-up of towing cable in the region of the limiting surfaces of the cable drum on the outside faces which is unavoidable in the state of the art can be prevented. Instead, it is possible according to the invention for the number of coils of the winding to be kept virtually constant over the entire axial extension of the cable drum. The preferred inharmonious lifting movement means that a uniform winding profile without an unwanted cable build-up is achieved.

Another likewise particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention is achieved in that the cable drum is connected to the drive by means of an overload friction clutch by which the components of the winding drive are protected from excessive loading. In this way, if a maximum load which can also be set if necessary is exceeded, the rotational speed of the winding drive is reduced or the drive is temporarily interrupted. An electronic sensor is used to monitor the overload friction clutch. As soon as the control system detects a comparatively large deviation in the number of pulses, an error message to this effect is shown in the graphics display.

According to a preferred development of the invention, the towing winch has cable cutting device intended for severing the towing cable and having a blade wheel and at least one cutting blade arranged on the circumference of the blade wheel and having a roller as a support for the towing cable and an abutment for the forces occurring during the severing. The cable cutting device is used for the rapid severing of the air sports device from the towing winch in emergency situations by cutting the towing cable. The towing cable is conducted through the cable cutting device for this purpose. During normal operation, the rotatably mounted blade wheel is located in a mechanically locked position, so that the towing cable is guided past without making contact with the blade wheel on the cable cutting device. The blade wheel is driven by a friction wheel by means of a gear transmission in such a manner that the cutting wheel and the friction wheel are driven in the same rotational direction and preferably at a matching rotational speed. Due to a manual activation or one triggered by the control device, the friction wheel and blade wheel are jointly unlocked. In this way, the friction wheel and the blade wheel are rotatable and, at the same time, the friction wheel is prestressed by the prestressing force of a spring element in respect of the towing cable with the assistance of a pressure roller acting as the abutment. The movement of the towing cable is thereby transmitted to the friction wheel and, as a result, drives the blade wheel at the same time. As soon as one of the cutting blades located on the blade wheel comes into contact with the towing cable, the cutting process begins. This involves the blade pressing the towing cable against the roller which acts as an abutment, until the towing cable is completely severed. Due to the defined cutting support of the cutting blade against the roller, the blade wear during this process is extremely low. The cutting action is either triggered purely mechanically through actuation of a handle or electrically by a control lever. Because only the tensile force of the towing cable is used for the severing action, the cable cutting device is fully functional at all times, even if the supply of electrical energy should fail. The towing cable may in this case be uniformly severed during winding and unwinding. The blade wheel is preferably equipped with two cutting blades projecting radially on the circumference, which cutting blades may also be arranged in an exchangeable manner on the blade wheel. If the severing action is not completely carried out by the first cutting blade, the second cutting blade engages with the towing cable. In the almost inconceivable case that even this has not resulted in the successful severing of the towing cable, the remaining fibres of the towing cable are quickly severed by the re- engagement of the cutting blades.

The towing operation of the towing winch can preferably only be performed with an existing cable cutting device on standby. The actuation of at least one cable cutting device is sensed by means of sensors and visualized on a display for the winch operator .

Another likewise particularly advantageous embodiment of the present invention is achieved in that the towing winch, as a unit that is in particular a mobile unit, is provided with an electrical energy store and/or an electrical generator. Moreover, the towing winch is preferably fitted with a power connection which is predominantly used for supplying energy to the electrical energy store. Provided the storage batteries are sufficiently charged, the towing winch can thereby be operated independently of a power connection. The supply of charge to the batteries takes place automatically via the built-in charging devices. Alternatively or in addition, an electrical generator, for example an electricity generator with an internal combustion engine, can be used to supply power. It is also conceivable for power to be supplied by an electrical or hybrid vehicle. In this sense, the towing winch is preferably designed for mobile deployment, so that it is designed as a component that can be transported on a loading surface of a motor vehicle, for example, and may also be fitted with a chassis, for example for trailer operation, for example .

Particularly promising in this case is a variant of the invention in which the towing winch is designed for the generation of electrical energy on the basis of the tensile force transmitted from the towing cable to the cable drum. For this purpose, the towing winch may be fitted with an additional generator, for example, or the electric drive allows generator operation. In this way, the tensile force transmitted to the towing cable during the unwinding of the towing cable for the purpose of launch preparation can be converted into electrical energy and used through recuperation. However, even during the towing action when the air sports device is launched, a controlled unwinding of the towing cable may be necessary if the wind suddenly became stronger, for example, which likewise allows short-term generator operation.

If, according to a further advantageous embodiment, the towing winch has a cable guide with laterally projecting flanged wheels which encloses an annular gap with a guiding roller, said annular gap being substantially smaller in design than the diameter of the towing cable, the towing line is guided particularly carefully and therefore with a small amount of wear within the towing winch. Lateral contact or friction is thereby substantially reduced or precluded. Each of the preferably multiple guiding rollers is laterally limited by two laterally projecting flanged wheels with a very small annular gap. With a renewed tensile force, the cable slides through said gap, even if it temporarily lies on the cable guide in a stress-free manner, and reliably into the desired target position in the cable roller which may, in addition, have a V-shaped guide groove. The bearing region of the towing line may be provided with a curve, so that the towing line retains its circular cross section, even under a large tensile load, and does not become deformed.

The invention allows of various embodiments. For further clarification of its basic principle, one of these is depicted in the drawing and described below. In the figures:

Fig. 1 shows a towing winch according to the invention in side view;

Fig. 2 shows a cable guide with a deflecting roller for a towing cable of a towing winch;

Fig. 3 shows a winding guide with a slotted guide;

Fig. 4 shows a pair of guiding rollers for determining the inclination of the towing cable;

Fig. 5 shows the pair of guiding rollers shown in Figure 4 as an enlarged representation;

Fig. 6 shows a guiding roller with laterally projecting flanged wheels;

Fig. 7 shows a cable cutting device for severing the towing cable in an inoperative position;

Fig. 8 shows the cable cutting device shown in Figure 7 in a standby position;

Fig. 9 shows the cable cutting device shown in Figures 7 and 8 in a cutting position;

Fig. 10 shows a sensor for sensing a cable portion of the towing cable.

The invention relates to a towing winch designed as a launching device for paragliders or similar driveless air sports devices which are not shown, comprising at least one cable drum 18 which can be driven by an electric drive motor and which can be seen in side view in Figure 1. During the launching phase of the air sports device, the towing cable 1 which has been previously unwound in a manner known per se and is directly connected, wherever possible, to the air sports device or the pilot is wound and thereby implements the launching phase. To this end, the towing winch is provided with a control device for sensing the tensile force of a towing cable 1 by means of different sensors 6, 29.

As can be seen in Figures 1 and 2, the towing winch has a cable guide 2 with a deflecting roller 3 through which the towing cable 1 is guided and deflected. In this case, the deflecting roller 3 is held on a lever arm 5 which is pivotally movable about a pivot point 4. A sensor 6 configured as a pressure sensor is used in this case to sense the bearing force Fa of the lever arm 5 against a supporting surface 7. In addition, the lever arm 5 has an adjusting means 8 that can be subject to a force by which the lever arm 5 is prestressed by an adjustable, for example also a negative, prestressing force Fv against the supporting surface 7. Even great forces acting on the towing cable 1 and, as a result, on the deflecting roller 3 do not lead to an unwanted interruption in contact between the lever arm 5 and the supporting surface 7. A winding guide 9 for the towing cable 1 is depicted in Figure 3, which winding guide is provided with a slotted guide 10. The winding guide 9 has a drum 11 which can be driven in a pivotally movable fashion for this purpose, with a helical or coiled, groove-shaped formation 12. Because the slotted guide 10 moving a cable guide 13 for the towing cable 1 has a catch 14 made by a projection, which catch engages with the grooveshaped formation 12, the rotational movement 15 of the drum 11 means that the cable guide 13 is driven in a reversing translational manner parallel to an axis of rotation 17 of the cable drum 18 which is only depicted by way of suggestion. A pair of guiding rollers intended to sense the inclination of the towing cable 1 with respect to the horizontal is explained in greater detail below with the help of Figures 4 and 5. Two guiding rollers 19 are used to sense an inclination angle a of the towing cable 1 with respect to the horizontal. For this purpose, the guiding rollers 19 which are invariable in terms of their relative position are arranged in a jointly pivotally movable manner by means of a pivoting device 20. The pivoting device 20 allows a pivoting angle β of approx. 190°. As a result of this, a simple and reliable angle measurement of the elevation during operation makes it possible for the height to be calculated in conjunction with the extension length of the towing cable 1.

In addition, a cable guide 31 is depicted in Figure 6 by means of a guiding roller configured as a deflecting roller with laterally projecting flanged wheels 32, which cable guide encloses an annular gap s with the guiding roller, said annular gap being substantially smaller in design than the diameter of the towing cable 1. Lateral contact or friction is thereby substantially reduced or precluded. With a renewed tensile force, the towing cable 1 slides through said gap, even if it temporarily lies on the cable guide in a stress-free manner, and reliably into the desired target position in the cable roller which has, in addition, a V-shaped guide groove 33 on the circumference for this purpose, wherein the groove base acting as the support region has an arcuate form, so that the towing cable 1 retains its circular cross portion, even under great tensile loading.

So that in emergency situations the connection between the air sports device or else the pilot and the towing winch can be quickly broken, it is provided with a cable cutting device 21, the operating mode whereof is explained in greater detail with the help of Figures 7 to 8. Starting with the inoperative position shown in Figure 7, due to a manual or electrical actuation of the cable cutting device 21, the standby position shown in Figure 8 and subsequently the cutting position shown in Figure 9 is reached. As can be seen in Figure 7, the towing cable 1 is guided under customary operating conditions in a contact-free manner through the cable cutting device 21. The theoretical structural design comprises four rollers arranged in pairs, whereof a first pair of rollers created by a friction wheel 22 and a pressure roller 23 is used to produce a drive output for a blade wheel 24 which forms a second pair of rollers along with a roller 25 creating an abutment during the cutting action. As soon as the standby position depicted in Figure 8 is reached by unlocking a ratchet 26, the towing cable 1 is inserted between the friction wheel 22 and the pressure roller 23 with a prestressing force FR, so that due to a movement of the towing cable 1, a torque is transmitted to the friction wheel 22 and from there to the blade wheel 24 by means of a gear transmission 27. As soon as one of the cutting blades 28 attached in a radially projecting manner on the circumference of the blade wheel 24 comes into contact with the towing cable 1, the cutting action begins as a consequence of the rotational movement, as can be seen in Figure 9. The cutting blade 28 in this case presses the towing cable 1 against the roller 25 until the towing cable 1 is completely severed.

Finally, a sensor 29 of the towing winch for sensing a cable portion of the towing cable 1 is shown in Figure 10, so that the cable length unwound in each case and also a given cable portion of the towing cable 1 can be reliably sensed. This insert 30 which is metallic or can be detected by means of a metal detector and is configured as a metal braid therefore defines a clear measuring point in the direction of the main extension of the towing cable 1. This measuring point is clearly located by the insert 30 by means of the sensor 29 enclosing the towing cable 1 at the circumference as the ring sensor. Consequently, the extension length and, from this, the distance of the air sports device from the towing winch and its height can be determined. In order to avoid error influences such as those caused by metallic adhesions on the towing cable 1, for example, the towing cable 1 is not only sensed once by means of the sensor 29, but either continuously over a given duration or multiple times cyclically. In this way, the precise length of the insert 30 or, at least a minimum length L, can be sensed, so that a defective activation of a signal can be reliably precluded. In addition, different cable portions can thereby also be reliably distinguished on account of their different lengths.

Claims

A towing device, as a take-off device for kites, paragliders or similar motor-powered aircraft, with at least one drum (18) driven by a particularly electric drive and with a control device for recording the traction of a tow (1), the towing device having a wire guide (2, 13) with a guide pulley (3), by means of which the tow wire (1) is guided and guided, the guide pulley (3) being held on a swing movable carrier (5) about a pivot point (4) to an area facing away from the guide pulley (3) towards a stationary support surface (7), a sensor (6) for detecting the bearing force (FA) of the carrier (5) relative to the support surface (7) is provided, and characterized in that the wire guide (2, 13) has an adjusting means (8) by means of which the carrier (5) can be applied or prestressed with an adjustable force (Fr) relative to the supporting surface (7).

Towing winch according to claim 1, characterized in that the adjusting means (8) is biased against the reset force of a spring element.

Drag game according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the sensor (6) has a force sensor, in particular a pressure sensor.

Towing game according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the towing game has a sensor (6) for recording the speed, speed and / or direction of rotation of the guide pulley (3).

Towing game according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the towing game is equipped with a sensor (29) for detecting a section provided with a metallic insert (30), in particular an end section of the towing wire (1).

Drag game according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control device has a micro-controller as well as a motor control device.

Towing winch according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the towing winch on a swinging device (20) has paired guide rollers (19) for registering the inclination (ex) of the towing wire (1) relative to the horizontal plane.

Drag game according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a coil guide (10) is allocated to the wire drum (18) with a backing guide (10).

Towing winch according to claim 8, characterized in that the spool guide (9) has a drum (11) with a helix-shaped design (12) and the backing guide (10) has a wire guide (2) for the tow wire (1), a carrier ( 14) on the wire guide (2) is connected to the configuration (12) and, by means of the rotational movement of the drum (11), can be moved reversibly translationally parallel to the axis of rotation (17) of the wire drum (18).

Drag game according to claim 9, characterized in that the helix-shaped configuration (12) in the areas facing the end sides has a deviating increase relative to one of the end regions enclosed in the central region.

Towing winch according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wire drum (18) is connected to the drive by means of an overload friction clutch.

Towing winch according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the towing winch has a wire cutting device (21) for separating the tow bar (1) with a knife wheel (24) which carries at least one cutting knife (24). on the circumference of the knife wheel (24), and with a roller (25) to counteract the forces acting at the separation of the tow (1).

Towing game according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the towing game, as a special mobile unit, is equipped with an electrical energy storage device and / or an electric generator for generating electrical energy on the basis of the wire (1) to the wire drum (18) transmitted traction.

Tug winch according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tug winch has a wire guide (31) with edge washers (32) overlapping in the side, which with a guide roller comprises a ring slot (s) which is substantially smaller than the diameter on the tow wire (1).

A method of operating a towing device, as a launching device for kite aircraft, paragliders and similar motorless aerial vehicles crafted in accordance with at least one of the preceding claims, with at least one wire drum (18) driven in particular by a powered electric drive. control unit detects the traction force of a tow bar (1), holding the guide pulley (3) on a pivotal carrier (5) about a pivot point (4) which is adjacent an area away from the guide pulley (3) relative to the stationary support surface (7) sensing the bearing force (Fa) relative to the support surface (7) relative to the support surface (7) by the sensor (6) being applied or biased by an adjustable force (Fr) relative to the supporting surface (7), and that the traction force (1) of the towbar is adjusted on the basis of the recorded measurement values, in particular that a constant tractive force is set.