Well, into the shop to deal with the clutch lever. I had a general idea how I was going to work this out, but things changed a bit as I got into it. Several months ago, I posted some drawings that looked good but as I got into it things changed. I planned to use a pin that was in a hole crossdrilled in the actuator shaft. It woud engage slots cut diagonally in a bushing that simulated internal threads. I had a hazy idea how I was going to get the pin in the shaft and the shaft in the bushing and the bushing in the frame, but it got way to complicated to be built.
The final version uses a solid shaft with one 1/16" slot milled across it at 70 degrees. The single pin that provides the axial thrust is disguised as a grease cup on top of the frame in the pictures below. This pin engages the slot and when the shaft is rotated with the handle through an arc of about 55 degrees, the shaft is moved about 3/32" pressing on a pin that moves in the shaft bore, pushing on the clutch bushing and engaging the clutch. Sounds to simple but it works a treat. This is the right hand thread on the main hoist. The left hand thread needed for the front hoist just means that the slot will be milled at the opposite angle. Problem solved.
I didn't take pictures. For one thing inspiration and execution was happening so fast, I could barely keep up. For another thing, the wife was babysitting both of the great grand daughters, so she got dibs on the camera. I brought the results home and took some pictures of the assembly. It may not be ready for prime time but this is a work in progress. My philosophy is make it work, then make it pretty. I know, the fasteners are crappy and the finish is rough and the grease cup is way out of scale, but its progress. Have a look.
If that,s not enough pictures, tell me, I got more.
Jerry