Patent ID: 8430208

Claim:
A centrifugally-operated apparatus, comprising: a shaft with an axis of rotation generally aligned with the long axis of the shaft; a pawl consisting of a single unitary body that is coaxially mounted on the shaft so that the entirety of the pawl is movable radially inwardly and outwardly from the shaft and wherein the pawl comprises an elongated shape with a long axis that is generally aligned with the direction in which the pawl is movable relative to the shaft, and wherein the pawl comprises an engaging end; and, a biasing mechanism that biases the engaging end of the pawl is biased radially inwardly and radially inwards toward the shaft, wherein the axis of rotation of the shaft passes through the pawl, wherein the pawl comprises a center of mass that is radially offset from the axis of rotation of the shaft, and, wherein the biasing mechanism biases the entirety of the pawl toward a first radial position in which the engaging end of the pawl moves radially outwardly along a generally straight line passing through the axis of rotation of the shaft and does not engage a ratchet ring that is located radially outwardly from the shaft, and wherein rotating the shaft and the pawl mounted thereupon above a predetermined speed overcomes the biasing mechanism and causes the entirety of the pawl to be centrifugally urged along the direction in which the pawl is movable relative to the shaft, to a second radial position in which the engaging end of the pawl engages the ratchet ring.