EP2962980B1 - Towing winch for air sports devices, and method for operating such a towing winch - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a launching device designed as hanggliders, paragliders or similar unpowered air sports equipment towing winch with at least one drivable by an electric drive cable drum and with a control device for detecting the tensile force of a tow by means of a sensor. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for operating such a towing winch.

In a winch launch, a hang glider, such as a kite or paraglider, is pulled to an optimum height and speed by winding the tow to allow for onward flight upon release of the cable connection between the air sports equipment and the tow. In this way, a flight operation in the lowlands is possible.

The towing winch is usually mobile by being mounted on a vehicle or trailer. When starting, the motor-driven cable drum of the towing winch winds up the previously designed tow rope. To increase the efficiency of pilot launches often several drums of the same towing winch on a vehicle or trailer are arranged side by side.

A generic portable towing winch for the winch launch of air sports equipment, in particular of gliders, for example, is the subject of DE 10 2006 033 859 A1 , In this case, the electric drive is arranged directly on the axis of rotation of the cable drum. This should be dispensed with a complex drive mechanism. The speed or the torque of the electric drive is preferably adjustable. Furthermore, the control device of the towing winch on means for controlling the traction of the towing winch.

In contrast, in practice, for example, usually from the DE 82 33 987 U1 known towing winch used, which has a driven by an internal combustion engine cable drum and a control device for the rope pulling force. The winch driver controls by gas play on the throttle valve of the internal combustion engine, the train on the tow rope from the start to the release of the air sports equipment by the pilot at maximum height.

Between the combustion engine, usually a car four-stroke engine, and the cable drum usually an automatic hydraulic transmission is connected to realize a smooth jerk-free and sliding traction control. The automatic transmission can also be a commercially available transmission specially adapted for a winch start. The cable drums, for example, sit on converted car or truck rear axles. For lateral and height guidance of the tow guide rollers are provided.

The control of the pulling force is, as already described above, taken over by driven by an internal combustion engine cable drums from the winch driver. He must be aware of the given towing speed, climb speed, rope slack, current attitude, wind speed, wind direction, communication with the pilot, as well as sudden gusts, unexpected force peaks and dangerous pilot oversteer maneuvers.

Such towing winches are therefore usually equipped with a mechanical Zugkraftbegrenzungseinrichtung. A Seilkappeinrichtung secures in the event of an abnormal maneuver a separation of the Luftsportgerätes from the rope.

Of the DE 20 2010 015 097 U1 It is an object of the invention to provide an inexpensive and accurate traction indicator for trailing winches driven by an internal combustion engine which allows the winch driver to observe both the pilot and the traction indicator simultaneously. For this purpose, the towing winch has a tension indicator. By being able to grasp the momentary pulling force on the tow rope with a glance at a monitor without losing sight of the pilot, the winch driver can react extremely quickly and safely to necessary control maneuvers. The tensile force can be detected by means of a strain gauge, which is arranged between a fixed stop of the towing winch and its Zugkraftbegrenzereinrichtung. According to one embodiment, the traction force measuring device sends measurement signals to the engine management system for the purpose of its regulation.

Furthermore, it is from the DE 20 2011 107 711 U1 Known to redirect the tow rope at the start of the pilot with a Umlenkrollensystem by 180 °, so that it can start directly in the immediate vicinity and in the field of view of the winch driver next to the winch. The pulley system is equipped with various prescribed safety systems.

The font DE940507 C discloses a towing device designed as a launching device of hang gliders, paragliders or similar unpowered air sports equipment with at least one drivable by a drive cable drum and with a control device for detecting the tensile force of a tow, the towing winch having a cable guide with a pulley, guided by the tow and deflected is, wherein the deflection roller is held at a pivotable about a pivot support and rests against a deflecting roller remote area relative to a stationary support surface, wherein a sensor for detecting the contact force of the carrier relative to the support surface is executed.

The invention has for its object to provide a much improved way for a safe and comfortable towing.

This object is achieved with a device and a method according to the features of claims 1 and 15. The further embodiment of the invention can be found in the dependent claims.

According to the invention, a device is provided in which the winch has a cable guide with a deflection roller through which the tow is guided and deflected, the pulley is held on a pivotable about a pivot point, designed as a lever arm carrier, with its free end opposite abuts a stationary support surface, so that the sensor detects the contact force of the carrier relative to the support surface, wherein the carrier by means of an adjusting means of the cable guide with an adjustable force against the support surface can be applied or prestressed. As a result, a reliable detection of the tensile force of the tow is made possible in a surprisingly simple manner, in which the measurement is carried out in the stationary operation of the cable guide, in particular without a relative displacement of the cable guide. For this purpose, although the support is basically pivotable about its pivot point, however, the actually occurring in operation deflection of the lever arm forms a negligible size. As a result, unwanted repercussions are excluded in a sudden change in the cable pull on the rope length. According to the invention, the lever arm is biased by means of the actuating means against the sensor so that only changes in the biasing force due to the tensile load of the towing rope are detected. In particular, therefore, a negative bias can be set as the output, so that even high forces do not lead to a lifting of the lever arm of the support surface. Here, the measurement of the current traction on the tow rope forms especially in connection with measured values of the speed and the direction of rotation the basis for the computer-aided control of the towing winch. For this purpose, a wrap angle of the tow rope on the deflection roller of more than 90 °, in particular approximately 180 °, is preferably suitable in order to achieve reliable measured value detection even under different tow situations and elevation angles.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention is also achieved in that the adjusting means is biased against the restoring force of a spring element. The carrier is thus supported on the sensor and is biased by a tensioned by means of the spring element pin such that always a defined, backlash-free constant contact force of the carrier with respect to the sensor is ensured according to the principle of an electronic traction scale. The sensor can be fixed to the support surface or on the carrier.

In principle, any, in particular commercially available sensor can be used to detect the tensile force. In contrast, a variant in which the sensor has a force sensor, in particular a pressure sensor, is particularly promising.

In another, also particularly useful embodiment of the invention, the towing winch has a sensor designed, for example, as an incremental sensor for detecting the rotational speed, rotational speed or direction of rotation of the deflection roller, in order to detect the issued cable length of the tow rope in this manner. For example, the towing winch has for this purpose two or more inductive sensors mounted on the carrier of the deflection roller or another pulley, which preferably scan a measuring disk. The pulses generated depending on the speed and direction are evaluated by the controller. From this, the length information about the tow rope is calculated and displayed by means of a display, for example a graphic display. In addition, essential data of the entire starting process and, where appropriate, environmental conditions are stored and provided by means of an interface.

Preferably, the towing winch according to the invention is also equipped with a sensor for detecting a provided with a metallic insert portion, in particular an end portion of the tow so as to reliably detect each issued rope length can. This metal insert, which is for example embodied as a metal strand or detectable by means of a metal detector, thus defines an unambiguous measuring point in the direction of the main extension of the tow rope. This measuring point is first detected by the insert, which is preferably arranged in an end facing the air sports device end of the tow rope during unwinding or undressing during the preparation for the start, so that in connection with the sensor for detecting the speed or rotational speed, the actual Extract length can be reliably determined. In contrast, the State of the art often still based on the number of revolutions of the cable drum, but this is subject to considerable error influences. Thus, according to the invention can be determined for the first time the extension length and beyond at any time during the starting phase of the exact distance of the air sports equipment from the towing winch. In addition, the insert is detected again when winding the tow and thus reliably detects the achievement of the wound end position.

To avoid faulty influences, such as by metallic adhesions to the tow, the tow rope is detected not only once by means of the sensor, but recorded either continuously or cyclically repeatedly during a certain period, so as to multiply a clear signal over the length of the insert to generate. In this way, therefore, a reliable detection of the rope beginning or the rope end is achieved.

In this case, it has already proved to be particularly practical if the control device has a microcontroller and an engine control unit so as to be able to optimally provide the detected measured values for controlling the electric drive.

In this case, measured values with respect to the inclination angle of the tow rope are detected by the towing winch having a pair of guide rollers pivotally movable by means of a lever arm for detecting the inclination of the tow rope relative to the horizontal by means of an elevation sensor. For this purpose, the guide rollers are pivotally mounted together on a pivoting device, wherein the relative orientation and the distance between the guide rollers is invariable in operation. The pivoting device can move in a pivoting range of up to 200 °, wherein the respective end positions are limited by fixed stops. Of course, the contact of the pivoting device can be detected at one of these stops by means of a sensor, so as to quickly detect in particular unusual trajectory situations and possibly trigger a signal for the winch driver. By means of the guide roller pair, a simple and reliable angle measurement of the elevation with the elevation sensor is made possible during operation. The signals generated by the elevation sensor are processed by the controller together with the current length of the towing cable and are then available in a display, for example on a graphic display, as height information. Of course, a graphical representation can be generated to the winch leader in a quickly detectable To be able to visualize possible deviations from a desired course. Furthermore, the current climb rate in meters per second can be calculated and displayed.

The pivoting device is arranged to be movable about a substantially horizontal pivot bearing, wherein in addition also an additional degree of freedom can be achieved by a further pivot bearing, which is pivotable about a substantially vertical axis.

Another, also particularly promising embodiment of the invention is also realized in that the cable drum is associated with a winding guide with a slotted guide, so as to achieve a uniform winding pattern of the tow on the cable drum. For this purpose, the winding process is superimposed with a coaxial with respect to the winding axis of the cable drum reversing stroke movement. For example, this can be generated mechanically due to the rotational movement of the drive unit, a lifting movement by a belt drive transmits the rotational movement of the drive unit to the winding guide. The reversing stroke movement is realized in that the slotted guide has a drum, also referred to as a cam roller, with a peripheral groove incorporated in the lateral surface. In this groove engages a driver, which is so moved due to a rotational movement of the drum in the axial direction of the cable drum. The lifting movement is converted by means of a roller bearing and a lifting plate in the desired lifting movement with the required movement profile, the lifting plate is movable by roller bearings linear bearings in the stroke direction. For each revolution of the cam roller a complete lifting movement is preferably performed with a return stroke of a cable guide the winding guide for the tow and so the desired uniform winding image of the tow reaches.

Preferably, a planetary gear arranged within the cam roller serves to reduce the speed transmitted by the toothed belt and the corresponding increase in the torque. This planetary gear is connected with its housing flange fixed to the cam roller. As a result, the cylindrical cam roller rotates at a slower fixed speed ratio with respect to the drive unit.

Of course, the reversing, sinusoidal lifting movement could also be generated by a connecting rod. On the other hand, it is particularly practical if the helical formation in the end regions facing the end faces has a pitch deviating from a central region enclosed by the end regions, so that the pitch, ie the amount of axial movement in relation to the Rotary movement, determined in a simple manner by the course of the molding and can be designed according to different. By namely, the slope is greater in the axial end portions than in the other areas, the lifting speed of the cable guide in the end regions is also increased, thus avoiding the inevitable accumulation of the tow rope in the region of the frontal boundary surfaces of the cable drum according to the prior art. Rather, it is possible according to the invention to keep the number of turns of the winding over the entire axial extent of the cable drum almost constant. The preferred inharmonic lifting movement so a uniform winding image is achieved without unwanted rope accumulations.

Another, also particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention is realized 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 against excessive load. As a result, when an optionally adjustable maximum load is exceeded, the 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 controller detects a disproportionate deviation in the number of pulses, an error message is displayed in the graphic display.

According to a preferred development of the invention, the towing winch has a cable cutting device intended for separating the tow rope with a knife wheel and at least one cutting blade arranged on the circumference of the knife wheel and with a roller as support for the tow rope and abutment for the forces occurring during cutting. The Seilkappvorrichtung serves the rapid separation of the flying sports device from the towing winch by capping the tow rope in emergency situations. The tow is guided for this purpose by the Seilkappvorrichtung. During normal operation, the rotatably mounted blade wheel is in a mechanically locked position, so that the tow rope is passed without touching the blade wheel on the Seilkappvorrichtung. The drive of the cutter wheel is effected by a friction wheel by means of a gear transmission such that the cutter wheel and the friction wheel are driven with the same direction of rotation and preferably matching speed. Due to a manual or by the control device prepared release friction wheel and knife wheel are unlocked together. Thus, the friction wheel and the cutter wheel are rotatable and at the same time the friction wheel is biased by the biasing force of a spring element relative to the tow with the aid of a pressure roller as an abutment. The movement of the tow is thereby transmitted to the friction wheel and so at the same time driven the knife wheel. As soon as one of the cutting knives on the knife wheel touches the tow rope, the cutting process begins. The knife pushes the tow rope against the roller as an abutment until the tow rope is completely separated. Due to the defined cutting support of the cutting blade against the roller, the blade wear is very low. The cutting process is triggered either purely mechanically by operating a handle or electrically by a driving lever. By only the traction of the tow is used for the separation process, the Seilkappvorrichtung is fully functional at any time even in case of failure of the electrical power supply. The tow can be separated equally during winding or unwinding. Preferably, the knife wheel is equipped with two radially projecting cutting blades on the circumference, which can also be arranged interchangeable on the cutter wheel. If the cutting process was not completed by the first cutter, the second cutter will engage the tow rope. In the completely outlandish case that this too has not successfully led to the separation of the tow rope, the remaining fibers of the tow rope are separated in a short time by the renewed engagement of the cutting blade.

Preferably, the towing operation of the towing winch can only be accommodated with an existing and functional cable cutting device. By means of sensors, the triggering of at least one Seilkappvorrichtung is detected and visualized the winch operator on a display.

Another, also particularly advantageous embodiment of the present invention is achieved in that the towing winch is equipped as a particular mobile unit with an electrical energy storage and / or an electric generator. In addition, the towing winch is preferably equipped with a power connection, which serves primarily the supply of energy in the electrical energy storage. As long as the state of charge of the storage batteries is sufficient, the towing winch can thereby be operated independently of a power connection. The charge is transferred to the batteries automatically via the built-in chargers. Alternatively or additionally, an electric generator, for example a power generator with an internal combustion engine, can also be used for the power supply. Also conceivable is the supply by an electric or hybrid vehicle. In this sense, the towing winch is preferably designed for mobile use, so that it is designed as a transportable for example on a cargo bed of a motor vehicle assembly and, for example, with a chassis, for example, for a trailer operation, equipped. Particularly promising is a variant of the invention in which the towing winch is designed to generate electrical energy due to the transmitted from the pull cable to the cable drum tensile force. For this purpose, the towing winch may for example be equipped with an additional generator or the electric drive allows a generator operation. In this way, the transferred during unwinding of the tow for the purpose of starting preparation on the pull rope tensile force can be converted into electrical energy and used by recuperation. But even during the towing process when starting the Luftsportgerätes a controlled unwinding of the tow rope could be required, for example, when suddenly increasing wind strength, which also allows a short-term generator operation.

If according to a further advantageous embodiment, the towing winch has a cable guide with laterally projecting flanged wheels, which includes an annular gap with a guide, which is designed substantially lower than the diameter of the tow, the towline is particularly gentle and thus low-wear within the towing winch. Lateral contact or friction is thereby significantly reduced or eliminated. Each of the preferably several guide rollers is bounded laterally by two protruding flanged wheels with a very small annular gap. The rope thereby slides, even if it temporarily resting stress-free on the cable guide, with a re-acting tensile force reliable in the desired position in the pulley, which may additionally have a V-shaped guide groove on the circumference. The contact area of the towline can be provided with a curve, so that the towline retains its circular cross-section even under great tensile load and is not deformed.

Fig. 1

eine erfindungsgemäße Schleppwinde in einer Seitenansicht;

Fig. 2

eine Seilführung mit einer Umlenkrolle für ein Schleppseil einer Schleppwinde;

Fig. 3

eine Wickelführung mit einer Kulissenführung;

Fig. 4

ein Führungsrollenpaar zur Erfassung der Neigung des Schleppseiles;

Fig. 5

das in Figur 4 gezeigte Führungsrollenpaar in einer vergrößerten Darstellung;

Fig. 6

eine Führungsrolle mit seitlich überstehenden Bordscheiben;

Fig. 7

eine Seilkappvorrichtung zum Trennen des Schleppseiles in einer Ruheposition;

Fig. 8

die in Figur 7 gezeigte Seilkappvorrichtung in einer Bereitschaftsposition;

Fig. 9

die in den Figuren 7 und 8 gezeigte Seilkappvorrichtung in einer Schneidposition;

Fig. 10

einen Sensor zur Erfassung eines Seilabschnittes des Schleppseiles.

The invention allows for various embodiments. To further clarify its basic principle, one of them is shown in the drawing and will be described below. This shows in

Fig. 1

a towing invention according to the invention in a side view;

Fig. 2

a cable guide with a pulley for a tow of a towing winch;

Fig. 3

a winding guide with a slotted guide;

Fig. 4

a pair of guide rollers for detecting the inclination of the tow rope;

Fig. 5

this in FIG. 4 shown guide roller pair in an enlarged view;

Fig. 6

a guide roller with laterally protruding flanged wheels;

Fig. 7

a Seilkappvorrichtung for separating the tow rope in a rest position;

Fig. 8

in the FIG. 7 shown Seilkappvorrichtung in a standby position;

Fig. 9

in the FIGS. 7 and 8th shown Seilkappvorrichtung in a cutting position;

Fig. 10

a sensor for detecting a cable portion of the tow rope.

The invention relates to a launching device of not shown paragliders or similar unpowered air sports equipment running towing winch with at least one drivable by an electric drive motor cable drum 18, the FIG. 1 can be seen in a side view. During the starting phase of the air sports device, the tow rope 1, which has previously been developed in a manner known per se and is designed as directly as possible in connection with the air sports device or the pilot, is wound up, thereby realizing the starting phase. For this purpose, the towing winch is equipped with a control device for detecting the pulling force of a tow 1 by means of various sensors 6, 29.

As in the FIGS. 1 and 2 to recognize, the towing winch on a cable guide 2 with a guide roller 3 through which the tow rope 1 is guided and deflected. In this case, the deflection roller 3 is held at a pivotable about a pivot point 4 lever arm 5. A sensor 6 designed as a pressure sensor serves to detect the contact force F _{A of} the lever arm 5 relative to a support surface 7. In addition, the lever arm 5 has an actuating means 8 which can be acted upon by a force, by which the lever arm 5 can be set with an adjustable, for example, negative preloading force F _V is biased against the support surface 7. Even high forces acting on the tow rope 1 and thereby on the deflection roller 3 do not lead to an undesirable interruption of the contact of the lever arm 5 and the support surface. 7

In FIG. 3 a winding guide 9 is shown for the tow 1, which is equipped with a slotted guide 10. The winding guide 9 has for this purpose a rotatably drivable drum 11 with a helical or helical, groove-shaped Forming 12. By a link guide 13 for the tow 1 moving link guide 10 has a realized by a projection driver 14 which engages the groove-shaped formation 12, the cable guide 13 in the direction of arrow 16 parallel to a rotation axis by the rotational movement 15 of the drum 11 17 of the cable drum 18 shown only hinted reversely driven translationally. In this way, a uniform winding image of the tow 1 on the cable drum 18 is achieved.

A particular for detecting the inclination of the tow 1 relative to the horizontal guide roller pair is based on FIGS. 4 and 5 explained in more detail below. Two guide rollers 19 serve to detect an angle of inclination α of the tow 1 relative to the horizontal. For this purpose, the unchangeable in their relative position guide rollers 19 are arranged together by means of a pivoting device 20 pivotally. The pivoting device 20 allows a pivot angle β of about 190 °. As a result, a simple and reliable angle measurement of the elevation is made possible in operation, from which in conjunction with the extension length of the tow 1, the height can be calculated.

In addition is in FIG. 6 nor a cable guide 31 by means of a guide roller designed as a guide roller with laterally projecting flanged wheels 32, which includes an annular gap s with the guide roller, which is designed substantially smaller than the diameter of the tow 1. Lateral contact or friction is thereby significantly reduced or eliminated. The tow rope 1 thereby slides, even if it temporarily rests stress-free on the cable guide, with a re-acting tensile force reliably in the desired position in the pulley, this additionally has a V-shaped guide groove 33 on the circumference, said serving as a support area groove bottom a has circular arc shape, so that the tow rope 1 retains its circular cross section even under high tensile load.

In order to be able to interrupt the connection between the air sports equipment or the pilot and the towing winch quickly in emergency situations, this is equipped with a Seilkappvorrichtung 21, whose operation on the basis of FIGS. 7 to 8 is clarified in more detail. Starting from the in FIG. 7 shown rest position due to a manual or electrical operation of Seilkappvorrichtung 21 in FIG. 8 shown standby position and then the in FIG. 9 reached shown cutting position. As in FIG. 7 To recognize the tow 1 is guided under normal operating conditions without contact by the Seilkappvorrichtung 21. The fundamental constructive Structure comprises four pairs of rollers, of which a first, formed by a friction wheel 22 and a pressure roller 23 roller pair for generating a drive power for a knife wheel 24 which forms a second pair of rollers together with an abutment during the forming roller forming 25. Once the in FIG. 8 shown standby position is achieved by unlocking a pawl 26, the tow rope 1 between the friction wheel 22 and the pressure roller 23 is clamped with a biasing force F _R , so due to a movement of the tow 1 torque on the friction wheel 22 and from there by means of a gear 27 on the knife wheel 24 is transmitted. Once one of the circumference of the cutting wheel 24 radially projecting cutting blade 28 touches the tow 1, begins due to the rotational movement of the cutting process, as in FIG. 9 is recognizable. The cutting blade 28 presses the tow rope 1 against the roller 25 until the tow rope 1 is completely separated.

Finally, in FIG. 10 a sensor 29 of the towing winch for detecting a cable portion of the tow rope 1 shown in order to reliably detect each unwound cable length and a specific cable section of the tow rope 1 can. This metallic insert, for example, which is embodied as a metal strand or insert detectable by means of a metal detector thus defines an unambiguous measuring point in the direction of the main extension of the tow 1. This measuring point is uniquely localized by the insert 30 by means of the sensor 29 surrounding the tow 1 as a ring sensor. Thus, the extension length and from there the distance of the air sports equipment from the towing winch and its height can be determined. To avoid faulty influences, such as by metallic adhesion to the tow rope 1, the tow rope 1 is detected by means of the sensor 29 not only once, but either for a certain period continuously or cyclically several times. As a result, for example, the exact length of the insert 30 or at least a minimum length L can be detected so as to reliably exclude an erroneous activation of a signal. In addition, so different cable sections can be reliably distinguished due to their different lengths.

Claims (15)

1. Towing winch designed as a launching device for hang gliders, paragliders or similar driveless air sports devices, comprising at least one cable drum (18), which can be driven by a drive, in particular an electric drive, and comprising a control device for sensing the tensile force of a towing cable (1), wherein the towing winch has a cable guide (2, 13) with a deflecting roller (3), by which the towing cable (1) is guided and deflected, wherein the deflecting roller (3) is held on a carrier (5), which is pivotally movable about a pivot point (4) and at a region facing away from the deflecting roller (3) bears against a stationary supporting surface (7), wherein a sensor (6) is designed for sensing the bearing force (F_A) of the carrier (5) against the supporting surface (7), and characterized in that the cable guide (2, 13) has an adjusting means (8), by which the carrier (5) can be placed or prestressed with an adjustable force (F_R) against the supporting surface (7).
2. Towing winch according to Claim 1, characterized in that the adjusting means (8) is prestressed counter to the restoring force of a spring element.
3. Towing winch according to either of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the sensor (6) is a force sensor, in particular a pressure sensor.
4. Towing winch according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the towing winch has a sensor (6) for sensing the number of revolutions, rotational speed and/or rotational direction of the deflecting roller (3).
5. Towing winch according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the towing winch is provided with a sensor (29) for sensing a portion provided with a metallic insert (30), in particular an end portion of the towing cable (1).
6. Towing winch according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control device has a microcontroller and also a motor control unit.
7. Towing winch according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the towing winch has guiding rollers (19) arranged in pairs on a pivoting device (20) for sensing the inclination (α) of the towing cable (1) with respect to the horizontal.
8. Towing winch according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cable drum (18) is assigned a winding guide (9) with a slotted guide (10).
9. Towing winch according to Claim 8, characterized in that the winding guide (9) has a drum (11) with a helical formation (12) and the slotted guide (10) has a cable guide (2) for the towing cable (1), wherein a catch (14) of the cable guide (2) is connected to the formation (12) and is movable in a reversing translational manner parallel to the axis of rotation (17) of the cable drum (18) by the rotational movement of the drum (11).
10. Towing winch according to Claim 9, characterized in that the helical formation (12) has in the end regions towards the outside faces a slope differing from a middle region that is enclosed by the end regions.
11. Towing winch according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cable drum (18) is connected to the drive by means of an overload friction clutch.
12. Towing winch according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the towing winch has a cable cutting device (21), intended for severing the towing cable (1) and having a blade wheel (24), which bears at least one cutting blade (28) arranged on the circumference of the blade wheel (24), and having a roller (25) as an abutment for the forces occurring during the severing of the towing cable (1).
13. Towing winch according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized 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 for generating electrical energy on the basis of the tensile force transmitted from the tension cable (1) to the cable drum (18).
14. Towing winch according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the towing winch has a cable guide (31) with laterally projecting flanged wheels (32), which with a guiding roller encloses an annular gap (s), which is made much smaller than the diameter of the towing cable (1).
15. Method for operating a towing winch designed as a launching device for hang gliders, paragliders or similar air sports devices according to at least one of the preceding claims, comprising at least one cable drum (18), which can be driven by a drive, in particular an electric drive, in which the tensile force of a towing cable (1) is sensed by a control device, wherein the deflecting roller (3) is held on a carrier (5), which is pivotally movable about a pivot point (4) and at a region facing away from the deflecting roller (3) bears against the stationary supporting surface (7), wherein the bearing force (F_A) of the carrier (5) with respect to the supporting surface (7) is sensed by the sensor (6), wherein the carrier (5) is placed or prestressed with an adjustable force (F_R) against the supporting surface (7) and that the tensile force of the towing cable (1) is controlled on the basis of the sensed measured values, in particular a constant tensile force is set.

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