Patent ID: RE45255

Claim:
A tensioning device for placing tension on a snow chain for attachment to a wheel of a vehicle to provide traction, the tensioning device comprising: a housing including: at least one aperture; a top having a set of housing teeth; and a bottom having an inside and the inside having a top surface; an actuating lever pivotally interconnected to the housing; a cord; a ratchet spool including: an upper surface and an under surface; a set of ratchet teeth on the upper surface, the ratchet teeth constructed and arranged to mate with the housing teeth; and a channel in which sufficient space is provided to receive the cord between the upper surface and the under surface; the cord being interconnected with the ratchet spool; a tension spring interconnected with the ratchet spool, the tension spring constructed and arranged to place a bias on the ratchet spool in a wind-up direction; and a wave spring positioned between the top surface of the inside of the housing bottom and the under surface of the ratchet spool to bias the ratchet spool in the direction of the housing teeth; wherein the tensioning device can be interconnected with the snow chain so that the tensioning device can secure the snow chain to the wheel; wherein the actuating lever has an up position and a down position, the actuating lever having a cam that extends away from the point at which the actuating lever pivots with respect to the housing, wherein the cam holds the ratchet spool in a down position when the actuating lever is in an up position and the ratchet spool is in an up position when the pivotal actuating lever is in a down position.