Patent ID: 7455606

Claim:
A tensioner for tensioning a chain comprising: a blade shoe having an arcuately curved chain sliding face, a proximal end pivotally attached to a bracket, and a distal end having a raised portion and a recessed portion, with an edge of the raised portion defined by a radial journal in between an inner shoulder and an outer shoulder; a ratchet wheel pivotally attached to the recessed portion of the distal end of the blade shoe having a plurality of ratchet teeth, an inner shoulder, an outer shoulder, and a reduced diameter portion forming a bearing surface with the radial journal of the raised portion of the distal end; a ramp surface having a plurality of ramp teeth for slidably receiving the ratchet wheel of the distal end of the blade shoe; wherein when slack of the chain increases, the distal end of the blade shoe pivots away from the chain and the ratchet wheel rotates until the outer shoulder of the ratchet wheel comes in contact with the outer shoulder of the raised portion of the distal end, allowing the ratchet teeth of the ratchet wheel to slide towards the proximal end of the blade shoe on the plurality of ramp teeth, allowing movement of the distal end of the blade shoe towards the proximal end of the blade shoe and preventing movement in an opposite direction.