Safety ratchet

Abstract

Safety ratchets provided herein allow for safely releasing tension in strap ratchets. A safety ratchet can tighten and then quickly reverse to slowly and controllably release tension, instead of abruptly releasing tension.

1 . A strap ratchet, comprising:
 an inner frame comprising a base portion and a hinge portion;   an outer frame comprising a handle portion and a hinge portion;   two tooth-edged hinge members;   a cylindrical hinge member disposed perpendicular to the hinge portions of the inner frame, the outer frame, and the two tooth-edged hinge members and running through the hinge members to adjoin the hinge portions of the inner frame, the outer frame, and the two tooth-edged hinge members to form a hinge structure, wherein the hinge structure comprises a tooth-edged hinge member disposed between the inner frame and the outer frame on both sides of the hinge structure;   a first spring-loaded wedge protruding from the inner frame and configured to slide to engage the two tooth-edged hinge members, thereby preventing rotation of the two tooth-edged members from rotating;   a lifting frame portion of the outer frame configured to raise the first spring-loaded wedge, thereby disengaging the first spring-loaded wedge from the two tooth-edged hinge members, and configured to lower the first spring-loaded wedge, thereby engaging the first spring-loaded wedge with the two tooth-edged hinge members;   a second spring-loaded wedge disposed inside the handle portion of the outer frame and configured to slide to engage the two tooth-edged hinge members;   a lever on the second spring-loaded wedge configured to allow manual raising of the second spring-loaded wedge to a raised position in which the second spring-loaded wedge is disengaged from the two tooth-edged hinge members;   a mechanism on the second spring-loaded wedge configured to release the second spring-loaded wedge from a raised position when in release mode;   a raised portion disposed on the inner frame configured to encounter the mechanism on the second spring-loaded wedge and to cause the mechanism to release the second spring-loaded wedge from the raised position, thereby causing the second spring-loaded wedge to engage the two tooth-edged hinge members.