instance_of windlass
For the tool used to raise paddle gear on ___MASK77___ locks , see Windlass ( `` lock ___MASK74___ '' ) The windlass is an apparatus for moving heavy weights . Typically , a windlass consists of a horizontal cylinder ( barrel ) , which is rotated by the turn of a crank or belt . A winch is affixed to one or both ends , and a cable or rope is wound around the winch , pulling a weight attached to the opposite end . A rope is a ___MASK51___ of yarns , plies , or strands that are twisted or braided together into a larger and stronger form . Ropes have tensile strength and so can be used for dragging and lifting , but are too flexible to provide compressive strength . As a ___MASK60___ , they cannot be used for pushing or similar compressive applications . Rope is thicker and stronger than similarly constructed cord , line , ___MASK48___ , and twine . ___MASK50___ rope is made from ___MASK50___ , whereas wire rope is made from wire . A solenoid ___MASK13___ is an electrically controlled ___MASK13___ . The ___MASK13___ is turned on and off by an electrical solenoid . Typically a spring engages the ___MASK13___ when unpowered , and the solenoid releases it when powered . A tow ___MASK7___ ( also called a wrecker , a breakdown ___MASK7___ , recovery ___MASK25___ or a breakdown lorry ) is a ___MASK7___ used to move disabled , improperly parked , impounded , or otherwise indisposed motor vehicles . This ___MASK99___ involve recovering a ___MASK25___ damaged in an accident , returning one to a drivable surface in a mishap or inclement weather , or towing or transporting one via flatbed to a repair shop or other location . A steam shovel is a large steam - powered excavating ___MASK43___ designed for lifting and moving material such as rock and soil . It is the earliest type of power shovel or excavator . They played a major role in public works in the 19th and early 20th century , being key to the construction of railroads and the Panama Canal . The development of simpler , cheaper diesel - powered shovels caused steam shovels to fall out of favor in the 1930s . A winch is a mechanical ___MASK94___ that is used to pull in ( ___MASK24___ up ) or let out ( ___MASK24___ out ) or otherwise adjust the " tension " of a rope or ___MASK55___ rope ( also called " cable " or " ___MASK55___ cable "). In its simplest form it consists of a spool and attached hand crank . In larger forms , winches stand at the heart of machines as diverse as tow trucks , steam shovels and elevators . The spool can also be called the winch drum . More elaborate designs have gear assemblies and can be powered by electric , hydraulic , pneumatic or internal combustion drives . Some ___MASK99___ include a solenoid brake and / or a mechanical brake or ratchet and pawl ___MASK94___ that prevents it from unwinding unless the pawl is retracted . An ___MASK1___ ( US and Canada ) or lift ( UK , Australia , Ireland , New Zealand , and South Africa ) is a type of vertical transportation that moves people or goods between floors ( levels , decks ) of a building , vessel , or other ___MASK10___ . Elevators are generally powered by electric motors that either drive traction cables or counterweight systems like a hoist , or ___MASK23___ hydraulic fluid to raise a cylindrical piston like a ___MASK82___ . ___MASK55___ rope is rope made from ___MASK55___ . It consists of several strands of metal ___MASK55___ laid ( twisted ) into a helix . The term " cable " is often used interchangeably with " ___MASK55___ rope ", but narrower senses exist in which " ___MASK55___ rope " refers to diameter larger than 3 / 8 inch ( 9 . 52 mm ), whereas sizes smaller than this are designated cable or cords . Initially wrought iron wires were used , but today ___MASK78___ is the main material used for ___MASK55___ ropes . A gear or cogwheel is a rotating ___MASK43___ part having cut " teeth ", or cogs , which mesh with another toothed part to transmit torque . Geared devices can change the speed , torque , and direction of a power source . Gears almost always produce a change in torque , creating a mechanical advantage , through their gear ratio , and thus ___MASK99___ be considered a ___MASK36___ . The teeth on the two meshing gears all have the same shape . Two or more meshing gears , working in a sequence , are called a gear train or a " transmission ". A gear can mesh with a linear toothed part , called a rack , thereby producing translation instead of rotation .