Patent ID: 7946039

Claim:
A hand-held ratchet tool for controllably moving working surfaces of a pair of jaw members toward and away from each other, the hand-held ratchet tool comprising: a first elongated handle having a first end and a second end; a second elongated handle having a first end and a second end, the second end of the first handle being pivotally connected to the second end of the second handle; a first jaw member pivotally mounted on the second end of the first handle, the first jaw having a first working surface; an elongate linkage having a first end and an opposing second end, the first end being mounted on the second end of the second handle by a pivotal connection so as to pivot the elongate linkage about an axis through the second end of the handle; a second jaw member having an outer perimeter including a plurality of ratchet teeth and a second working surface, the second jaw member and the second end of the elongate linkage being connected with the first jaw member to pivot on the first jaw member along a common pivot axis; a pawl having a first set of ratchet teeth and a separate second set of ratchet teeth, the pawl being mounted on the second end of the second handle so as to pivot on the axis of the pivotal connection between the first end of the elongate linkage and the second handle, the first set of ratchet teeth and the second set of ratchet teeth being arranged on the pawl for alternate engagement of the first set of ratchet teeth and the second set of ratchet teeth with the ratchet teeth of the second jaw member to alternatively drive the second working surface of second jaw member towards and away from the first working surface of the first jaw member; a spring member pivotally mounted along the elongate linkage and having a first end operably coupled with the pawl so as to pivot the pawl and an opposing second end extending away from the pawl and towards the second end of the elongate linkage; a manual actuator rotatably mounted on the elongate linkage; and at least a first cam on the manual actuator rotatable to a first over-center position against the second end of the spring member so as to pivot the spring member and thereby pivot the pawl and the first set of ratchet teeth of the pawl into driving engagement with the second jaw member ratchet teeth, bias of the spring member maintaining the first cam and the manual actuator in the first over-center position.