Patent ID: 7181997

Claim:
A ratchet screwdriver for rotating a fastener comprising: a handle having an axis and a hollow interior extending along said axis, a ratchet gear disposed in said hollow interior and being rotatable about said axis for rotation of the fastener, a pawl in said hollow interior and being selectively rotatably drivingly engageable with said gear for transmitting rotation from said handle to said gear and for ratcheting action between said pawl and said gear, a control on said handle for positioning said pawl relative to the rotation drive engagement with said gear, and surfaces respectively supported by said handle and said gear and facing each other along said axis, and an adjuster movably interposed to be operative between said handle and said gear and being respectively related to said handle and said gear for forcing said surfaces axially toward each other to eliminate relative movement between said surfaces upon moving said adjuster, wherein said surfaces include friction-reducing means interposed between said handle and said gear and disposed radially spaced from said axis and on a circle centered on said axis and being arranged for reducing friction from forces applied along said axis.