Inside a ratchet: How they work

[humber2]

My rat in post #148 appears to be the same design or manufacturer as the smaller one on page 5 #73

I'll retry when I'm back home and report in.

[bonneyman]

Humber, your little ratchet looks like the gear cluster comes out the front. Hence, somehow the selector lever on the back has to come off so the cluster can slide out the front. Could be a press fit? Can't really tell from the pics. though, if someone else has a closeup of that lever or first-hand knowledge of that rat style, that would help alot.

[jimwrench]

 Got this Cornwell JR-5 open rat last night. Not shown in my 1986 cat so assume its older than that. Has a Tru-Arc type snap ring holding pawl retaining pin in place. Would disassemble but have no reason to and I'd probably lose something. Anyone know vintage?

[lauver]

jimwrench,

Your JR-5 ratchet is not in the 1955 catalog either.  And there were no ratchets, in any drive size, with that design.  I'm thinking your ratchet is earlier yet.

Just guessing here, but I'm thinking 1935 - 1949 based on the general appearance of their tools during this period.  After that, their tools took on a more modern look.

The "7" stamped on the ratchet handle could be a date code.  If so, it could be 1937 or 1947 based on my guestimated date range.  Your ratchet is also stamped with the "Cornwell Man" trademark, which is thought to have gone into use about 1946.  This would tend to argue for the 1947 date.  Your call...  hope this helps or get you thinking.

[bonneyman]

As has been been mentioned before, EASCO made the RHFT ratchets for Craftsman. Thus, the gear sets are interchangeable. Since I have one of both 1/4" types in my possession at the moment, I thought it was worth a pic to show this connection. The model numbers of both rats are clearly visible so anybody needing a kit for one can be on the lookout for the other part # as well.

[bonneyman]

Pulled a sweet old thing out of a tool box full of mediocre stuff the other day, and it needed clean and lube, so....she gets a write-up.

24 tooth, batman pawl, nice chrome, cool handle shape. But too small for my hands.

Original patent?: http://www.datamp.org/patents/search/advance.php?pn=1957462&id=27942&set=90

[bonneyman]

Came across an old 3/8" Husky ratchet today.
Standard batman pawl, 2 teeth per wing.
24 tooth gear.

Related patent: https://patents.google.com/patent/US2542241

[bonneyman]

looking for parts for an Indestro #6272 3/8 ratchet (forward /reverse lever) any parts out there?

Just saw this request. Long overdue response, but, I have "made" selector levers for this type of rat. The 3/8 and 1/2 below have homemade selector levers, secured by a drop of epoxy.

[bonneyman]

Came across an Action 3/8" 77JA. I'm told that Action was the economy line of Thorsen.
See-saw pawl, 3-teeth per wing, 36 teeth.
Very tough mechanism. Here is a view of the Action besides an S-K 45170 mechanism (which I can attest is very durable!). The Action pawl dwarfs the S-K pawl, being more than twice as wide!

[bonneyman]

I have two older Plomb ratchets on my desk this morning. They are both what I would call pear-head rats, and - not being a Plomb expert - I never realized the different styles. (It's like with the Craftsman ratchets - until you put them side-by-side they all kinda look the same).  Since this is the first time I've had two such old Plombs at one time, I figured we should pull'em apart and take a look at them guts!
The one on the left is a 4749 1/4", the one on the right is a WF-8 9/32" drive. The little screws on both are 2-56, though one uses a pair of flathead philips and the other a single round head phillips. Both have 24 tooth gears, but the end bushings are different, so, no interchanging is possible. The pawls on both are tic-tocs, but very different, so, those are not switchable either.

[B17E1943]

Bonneyman asked me to post my weekend ratchet find over here, so here it is. It's a 1/2" drive KANE pat. pend. 2070 ratchet. I wasn't able to find ANY info on this company and only found one other identical ratchet, including a KANE socket on Worthpoint. http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedi...pend-117867486

I have never seen a mechanism like it, though I'm no expert. The mechanism is held in by a screw in the front, and a snap ring on the back. I was afraid I'd screw it up, so I didn't pop off the snap-ring to remove the whole mechanism. Like an IDIOT, and I KNOW better, I turned the ratchet without the cover on, and the spring flew off into the dirt/leaves. I was damn lucky that I found it, cuz I'm pretty sure it's unobtainium. 

It doesn't have a COO stamp, so I don't know where it was made. It is very well constructed and has a crisp ratcheting action; I didn't count the teeth.

I neglected to take a pic of the back of the front cover, but there is a pin on it just off-center of the screw hole that fits into the hole below the half loop in the spring - that reverses it with about 1/8? turn of the cover.

Anyone ever seen one of these, or heard of the company? Thanks!

[kxxr]

The socket looks like SK.

[bonneyman]

Thanks for posting those pics, B17.
That has got to be one of the top three wildest ratchet mechanisms I've seen. And I've look at alot of ratchets!

The off-center pin on the inside of the selector knob/disc is how it shifts directions. It move's the spring just enough to allow one pawl to engage while the other gets bypassed. And the spring allows enough movement when ratcheting so the engaged pawl can slip past the teeth.

[B17E1943]

My pleasure, bman.

[bonneyman]

Picked up a RHFT in 3/8" today, along with some extensions. Took the rat apart for the usual clean and lube...and it was anything but usual! Dang there were alot of parts in there - 13 pieces in all!
Must be the earlier style of RHFT, as a pin extends out from the knuckle when the QR button is pushed. Has a patent number forged on the handle. I'll have to see if I can determine the age of this one, and when Craftsman simplified their RHFT mechanism.