Windlass, << WIHND luhs, >> is a simple machine used to lift weights and pull loads. It was once commonly used to hoist water from wells. The windlass is a form of the wheel and axle which raises a heavy load by the application of a small amount of force. The simple windlass consists of a cylinder which can be turned by a crank. A rope or chain is wound around this cylinder. In its use to lift water out of a well, a bucket fastened to the end of the rope or chain was lowered into a well and raised again by turning the crank. Modern forms of the windlass include drums and cables of cranes and elevators. Most modern forms are turned by machines rather than by hand.
