Ratchet device for belts or ropes

Claim 1

A ratchet device for tensioning belts and ropes and the like comprising: a ratchet housing having two spaced-apart side walls, each of which has a longitudinally-elongated aperture formed therein; a supporting roller rotatably supported between said sidewalls of said housing; a drive roller having a drive shaft which is rotatably supported in said apertures of said side walls and being longitudinally displaceable therein for coaction with said supporting roller; means for securing one end of a belt or rope to said ratchet housing; a ratchet and pawl assembly for rotating and arresting rotatable movement of said drive roller, said assembly including at least one sprocket wheel mounted on said drive shaft of said drive roller and a spring-loaded pawl slideably supported on said ratchet housing for reciprocating movement between an engaging and release position relative to the teeth of said sprocket wheel; a manually-actuated lever pivotably mounted on said ratchet housing, said lever including a release gripper having a release handle and at least one cam member secured thereto which engages the teeth of said sprocket wheel and which, upon pivoting of said lever, effects rotation of said sprocket wheel and drive roller; and at least one cam disc which is supported adjacent to said sprocket wheel member having an abutment formed on the peripheral surface thereon against which said cam member of said release gripper is movable to limit pivotable movement of said lever and having a groove formed in the peripheral surface thereof in which said cam member is receivable for arresting the cam in a free-running position of said manual lever.