Net retractor

Claim 1

A net retractor for a sporting net, comprising a base, a cover, a housing extending between the base and cover, the housing having a "C" shaped cross-sectional shape defining a net access opening, a drum journalled for rotation within the housing, a handle external of the housing and coupled to the drum for effecting rotation thereof, a ratchet on the drum and a ratchet pawl carried by the housing and engageable with the ratchet for limiting rotation to one direction only a spring co-operatively coupling the pawl and housing urging said ratchet into engagement with said pawl, retention means carried by the housing engageable by said pawl to be effective in retaining the ratchet pawl in a release position when moved into engagement with said retention means said ratchet and ratchet pawl are contained within the housing and above the upper end of the drum, closure means on the housing positionable at least partly across the access opening, a bearing in the lower end of the housing carried by the base and a bearing in the upper end of the housing carried by the cover, said drum having a depending shaft journalled for rotation in the first said bearing and an upwardly extending shaft projecting through the cover and journalled for rotation in the second said bearing, said pawl wheel surrounding and secured with respect to the upwardly extending shaft, and an abutment plate near the upper end of said upwardly extending shaft having an abutment surface thereon, a support plate between the abutment plate and the housing cover itself rotatable on the upwardly extending shaft, and a pivot pin joining the abutment plate to the handle, a complementary abutment surface on the handle which engages said abutment surface on the abutment plate be pivotal movement of the handle about said pivot pin upon rotation of the handle in a net retracting direction.