Patent ID: 7628384
Filing Date: 2009-12-08
Classification: B63B,B66D,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A ratchet block comprising: a block body having a pair of spaced side cheeks; a sheave assembly mounted between the cheeks and comprising a hub defining a principal axis and supporting an annular sheave for rotation about said principal axis; a ratchet mechanism comprising ratchet teeth provided on the sheave, a pawl mounted on one of the hub and a side cheek for movement between an engaged setting where the ratchet mechanism is active and a free setting where the ratchet mechanism allows free rotation of the sheave, and an actuator also mounted on said one of the hub and said side cheek and linked to the pawl to effect movement thereof between its engaged and free settings; means pivoting the hub between the side cheeks about an axis parallel to but spaced from the hub principal axis for pivoting movement between loaded and unloaded limiting positions; spring means biasing the hub to said unloaded limiting position; and means interconnecting the actuator and the other of the hub and said side cheek whereby pivoting movement of the hub from its unloaded position against the action of the spring means under an applied load on the sheave causes the actuator to effect movement of the pawl to its engaged setting.