Patent ID: 7618021

Claim:
In a ratcheted winch for tightening a strap to retain an article on a vehicle deck, said winch having a shaft around which the strap is wound in a direction to tighten the strap, a ratcheting cap comprising: means for attaching said ratcheting cap to the shaft of the winch; a pair of pins mounted in said ratcheting cap in opposing positions; a plate having a plurality of recesses arranged in a circular configuration formed therein; means for resiliently driving said pins into said recesses in abutment against the inner walls of said recesses; said recesses each having one end which prevents the pins from being driven out of the recesses and an opposite end which permits said pins to be driven out of a recess into an adjoining recess; and means for driving said pins either towards said one end of said recesses or towards the opposite end of said recesses; wherein said ratcheting cap has first and second sections, means for removably attaching said two sections to each other, and means for attaching said first section to said winch shaft; including a protective sleeve fitted over the attachment between said first and second sections of said ratcheting cap to prevent moisture and contaminants from entering said ratcheting cap.