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TECHNICAL & OPERATION
Locking Mechanisms - An Old Problem, a New Approach
Traditional locking winch handles employed the use of a rotating square plate operated by a small thumb lever. With use, the edges of this square plate typically “ping” over, resulting in a handle that either would not lock, or would become completely inoperative. In addition, the thumb lever was difficult to reach, often requiring the use of two hands to activate the handle. This was especially true for people with smaller hands, typically women and children. Having to use two hands to release a winch handle is far from desirable, especially so when sailing in an active seaway.
The OneTouch design does away with the square plate entirely. Instead, two transverse locking pins located within the Octagonal (see below) ensure positive lock and operation. Gone, too, is the troublesome thumb lever. In its place is a Grab Bar that runs the full length of the top surface of the handle. Grabbing this bar causes the pins to retract (moving to the unlock position). Releasing the bar automatically sets the pins into the lock position. Only one hand is required to operate the handle.
Grab the handle — insert into winch — let go.
The handle is locked in place.
Grab the handle — lift. The handle is out.
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Have you ever tried to unlock a thumb lever handle when it was facing away from you?
To do so, you either have to twist your wrist 180 degrees (try it), or re-trim the handle so that you can get sufficient leverage to push the thumb release. In any case, it is not an easy operation.
With the Dax OneTouch all you have to do is reach over, grab the handle, and lift it out of the winch!! It’s that simple!!
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Construction:
The Dax OneTouch incorporates many new and technically advanced design elements.
The grab bar (grey) and the main handle body (black), are produced via high pressure injection molding. The material is glass-filled nylon which, while being very lightweight, is extremely strong. The process is particularly adept at incorporating the use of other, purpose-built, components which results in a material diverse, yet constructively coherent, finished unit.
A specific example of how this was used to great advantage can be seen in the resolution of stresses related to the hand grip. The hand grip rod does not simply terminate in the nylon of the handle body. Instead, it's mated to a 3-inch aluminum insert specifically designed to both manage, and transfer, the torque loads forward to the main body sections.
This insert is cast as part of the injection process and becomes fully integrated into the strength network. It is entirely encased in nylon. You can’t see it, but it’s there. It’s just anther example of the “build for strength” approach used throughout the design and build of the Dax OneTouch. See the illustration below for further details.
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| Acetel, a high-performance engineering polymer, is used to form the hand grip.
Races for the duel set of grade one ball bearings (also Acetel) are formed into the grip during the injection process.
The result is a maintenance-free unit impervious to the harsh marine environment.
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The Octogonal (the main drive gear, which is inserted into the top of the winch) is made from 6061 T6 high-strength aluminum.
The Locking Pins, which secure the handle into the winch, are of 316 marine grade stainless steel.
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| The octagonal is fully anodized to protect against corrosion and has been subjected to extensive salt tank testing. A two-step process, this test equipment first sprays the part with highly-concentrated salt water for a 24-hour period. It then bakes the part under heat lamps, again for 24 hours. The entire process is repeated over and over again. The equivalent of years of exposure to the salt-water environment is achieved in a fraction of the time as a result of this testing.
Similar to the grip rod and its base, the Octagonal is part of the main body casting process. It is secured within the handle by a series of machined groves around which the nylon flows, ensuring full-strength integration with the main handle body. Lastly, a lateral steel rod provides additional force transfer. See illustration below for further detail.
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Finally, the main body and the grab bar sections are fully cross-ribbed and braced to ensure full structural integrity along the entire length of the handle. This cross ribbing (again a CAD-derived design), not only provides sectional rigidity, but is the key to the extremely high weight to strength ratio of the handle.
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Ease of Operation · Designed for Strength
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