Tony:
I have just interrupted my other half, who is currently re-tiling the utility room, as he knows about mechanical things [B.Sc.(Eng.), M.Sc., M.I.Mech.E.] and he says it's the same as a 'windlass' but advised me to check in the Shorter Oxford which lists each entry's historical usages.
There are numerous definitions, including one termed naut. which reads ' a small iron frame, having a swivel hook, furnished with an iron sheave, to serve as a pulley for the use of chain in discharging heavy cargo, etc. Interestingly, the earliest recorded usage noted by the SE for this definition of 'gin' is 1860.
'Gin' was also used as early as 1686 in a mining context to mean 'a drum or windlass for hoisting, pumping etc.'
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