US Patent 7594640 Multi-line, multi-function yacht winch

A multi-function winch for handling multiple lines of the running rigging of a sailing yacht. The winch incorporates multiple winch drums capable of releasing, retrieving and storing working lines of the yacht. The multiple winch drums are mounted in an axially stacked relation on a single drive shaft. Individual ones of the drums can be engaged to be driven by the main shaft of the winch, while the others remain stationary or, where appropriate, free wheel and controllably release lines stored thereon. A rotatable selector lever, located at the top of the winch, is manipulated to engage a selected drum for driven operation. Level wind features can also be provided to assure neat and compact winding of retrieved lines.