Although  the  modern  preference  is  for  electric  windows  there  are  still  many  motor  vehicles  that employ a manual window winder mechanism. There are three main variations on the  mechanics  involved  in  lowering  and  raising  a  window  with  a  manual    window winder mechanism. 

The first of these is known as the mechanical linkage with scissor action. The rotation of the window handle  causes  a  toothed  regulator  within  the  door  panel  to  work.  This  toothed  regulator  is connected to a sliding arm which, in a scissor-like action, retracts to allow the window to slide down. When the handle is rotated in the opposite direction the sliding arm pushes it back upwards.

The  cable  and  pulley    window  winder  mechanism  raises  and  lowers  the  window through a set of cables and a pulley. The cables attach to the window and when the handle is turned it causes these to lower or raise the window.

The  rack  and  pinion  mechanism  is  another  frequently  used     window  winder mechanism.  The  rack  and  pinion  mechanism  converts  the  rotational  motion  of  the  window  winder handle to the linear motion required to lower and raise the window.

Whichever    window  winder  mechanism  is  present  in  a  vehicle,  replacement  parts or  entire  units  are  readily  available  from  most  major motor  component  suppliers  in  the  event  that  the  mechanism  breaks  down.