Patent ID: 7877846

Claim:
A ratchet buckle for tightening a strap including a base, a spindle, a ratchet wheel and a pawl cooperating with the ratchet wheel in a ratchet action, comprising: a crank arm rotatably journaled in the base by the spindle on each ratchet buckle side to which the crank arm and the ratchet wheel are secured, the spindle having a spindle slot through which the strap may pass such that as the crank arm is rotated with the base and crank arm pivoting apart the strap is tightened with a portion of the strap wound on the spindle and with excess strap pulled through the spindle slot and remaining unwound on the spindle after the strap is tightened and adapted to fold over and be supported by at least a portion of the base, and the base being adapted to support the folded excess strap, a handle on the crank arm, a retention arm journaled to rotate on the handle shaft and over at least a portion of the base and being of length to extend over said at least a portion of the base and onto said excess strap thereon, the retention arm being biased toward or constrained against said folded excess strap therein securing said excess strap to said at least a portion of the base.