Dual-pawl ratcheting mechanism with provision for preventing pawl jamming

摘要

A ratcheting assembly around which is coaxially coupled a ratchet head of the type having internal teeth, the latter imparting rotational movement to the ratcheting assembly. The ratchet assembly includes a drive body having recessed grooves for receiving pivotably mounted first and second elongated pawls. Each pawl includes teeth on opposite ends thereof for engagement with the teeth on the ratchet head. A reversing knob assembly is coupled to the drive body and includes a reversing knob and pins for pivotally rotating said pawls between first and second conditions. Pawl positioning pins coupled to the drive body operate to maintain the pawls with their longitudinal axes substantially parallel to each other so as to prevent them from jamming relative to the teeth on the ratchet head.