Patent ID: 7454997

Claim:
An axial pawl ratchet mechanism comprising: a ratchet assembly including: a first disc including a first set of axial ratchet gear teeth on a first axial side thereof and a second set of axial ratchet gear teeth on a second axial side thereof, a second disc having axial ratchet gear teeth formed on a first axial side thereof engageable with the first disc first set of axial ratchet gear teeth, and having a set of radial gear teeth, a third disc having axial ratchet gear teeth formed on a first axial side thereof engageable with the first disc second set of axial ratchet gear teeth, and having a set of radial gear teeth, wherein the second and third disc form a drive subassembly, a bias assembly for biasing the axial ratchet gear teeth of the second and third discs into engagement with the axial ratchet gear teeth of the first disc; a ratchet body through which torque can be applied, the ratchet body including first and second sets of radial gear teeth; a manually actuable actuator coupled to the drive subassembly and rotatable, without translation relative to the ratchet body, to shift the first disc relative to the drive subassembly to and between a first engagement position having the radial teeth of the second disc engaged with the ratchet body first set of radial gear teeth for providing torque in a first drive direction, the axial teeth of the second disc engaged with the first set of axial teeth of the first disc, and the third disc axial teeth being disengaged from the second set of axial teeth of the first disc, and a second engagement position having the radial teeth of the third disc engaged with the ratchet body second set of radial gear teeth for providing torque in a second drive direction, the axial teeth of the third disc engaged with the second set of axial teeth of the first disc, the second disc axial teeth being disengaged from the first set of axial teeth of the first disc; and a shaft having a track formed therein, the track being engageable with the actuator, wherein movement of the actuator directs the track in an axial direction to shift the first disc to and between the first and second engagement positions, the track is a spiral groove cut into the shaft, and the actuator includes a detent in engagement with the track such that rotation of the actuator and detent shifts the first disc axially.