Patent ID: 7311019

Claim:
A ratcheting tool, said ratcheting tool comprising: a. a head and a handle attached to said head, said head having a top end and a bottom end; b. a through cavity defined in said head; c. a gear disposed in said through cavity distal from said handle, said gear defining a first plurality of teeth on an outer circumference thereof; d. a pawl disposed in said through cavity intermediate said gear and said handle so that said pawl is slidable laterally across with respect to said gear between a first position in which said pawl is disposed between said head and said gear so that said head transmits torque through said pawl in a first rotational direction, and a second position in which said pawl is disposed between said head and said gear so that said head transmits torque through said pawl in an opposite rotational direction, said pawl defining a second plurality of teeth on a front face of said pawl for engaging said first plurality of teeth, said front face extending between a top and a bottom end of said pawl, a recessed portion defined in a back face of said pawl, and a ledge formed in said pawl recessed portion adjacent said pawl bottom end, wherein said pawl bottom end extends between said pawl front face and said pawl back face, and e. a lever disposed in said through cavity intermediate said pawl and said handle, said lever being in driving engagement with said pawl so that actuation of said lever drives said pawl between said first position and said second position, said lever defining a first lip protruding therefrom that is received by said pawl ledge.