Information AboutCapstan (nautical) |
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]] ]] A capstan is a rotating machine used to control or apply Force to another element, usually linear. The term was first used for the capstan on a Ship , which is used to control Rope s that are wound around it. The rope is wound around one or more times, but is not stored on a capstan — that arrangement is usually called a Winch . Ships' capstans were traditionally manually operated — consisting of a shaped wooden drum with handles inserted into the rim, at which men could push or pull. It seems that in Tudor times, when 'kissing the Gunner's Daughter ' was not yet the traditional position for severe corporal punishment on deck, the capstan was a favorite place for sailors to be bound over for a whipping, even for 'petty pilferings'. Modern capstans are powered electrically. |