What is Winch?
{{no sources|date=July 2022}} [[Image:Winch.PNG|thumb|300px|Modern self-tailing winch on a sailing boat. Here, the line winched is a [[jib]] or [[spinnaker]] [[Sheet (sailing)|sheet]] which runs from the sail (upper left, not shown) to a [[Block (sailing)|block]] (lower right,not shown) and from there to the lower part of the winch. The handle is detachable to facilitate handling of the line.]] A '''winch''' is a [[mechanics|mechanical]] device that is used to adjust how tight a piece of [[rope]] is. It can also be used to pull something. The rope can be made of natural [[fibre]], but when heavy loads need to be handled, special ropes made of [[iron]] or [[plastic]] are frequently used. <gallery> File:2013-07-14_Bergrettung_Bodenschneid_1018.JPG|A winch is used to lower someone (in a rescue mission, in the mountains) File:Tourniquet_(PSF).png|Principle of a winch: this time it is used for a [[medicine|medical]] application </gallery> [[Category:Tools]] {{stub}}