Inside a ratchet: How they work

[Twertsy]

Well, we're less than 200 views from 40,000. Imagine that? 4 1/2 years and 40,000 peeks. That's roughly 10,000 views a year.
Amazing that the thread has proven so popular.

I'm grateful that it has proven so helpful.

No surprise to me George, great idea for a truly helpful thread!

[JackieB]

this is  Williams No, E1-24 THE SUPERECTOR 1" square Ratchet Wrench 25" Length ,the gear is really big and the sound of the ratchet is horrible ..LOL

still i don't know when its manufactured ,any idea?

I have done a small amount of research on the net and found a couple "claims" about J.H. Williams that puts their move to Buffalo around 1914.  Please, this is just what I found on the net so it should be taken with a large softener salt nugget.  I've also found dates of the move around 1923.  I too am interested in finding out the age of my ratchet, an E2 48, yeah, 48" long with a 2½" hex socket.  Assembled it tips the scale at 33 pounds.

After checking out the socket, a one piece forging socket and cog, I can't imagine what they would cost today.  I work at a forge job shop in maintenance, I know what it would take to forge and machine this piece and it wouldn't be cheap.

Nice job of cleaning it up.  I'll get some glamour shot taken and upload them later this evening.

[bonneyman]

Welcome, JackieB!

We would certainly like to spy the inner workings of that ratchet.

[Papaw]

Here is the picture from the original thread-

[bonneyman]

Here is the picture from the original thread-

Hmmm, that's a big one! See-Saw pawl from the look of it. Selector knob must be removed, then the pawl, pawl spring, and ball should come out of the top there. I doubt that 1" drive gear teeth are worn badly, just clean and lube and reassemble.

Update: Guess I was wrong. Looks like it's got 4 separate tic-toc pawls that engage and disengage in sequence to get it to ratchet. Yikes!

[bill300d]

I knew that someone had done one of these before
http://www.papawswrench.com/vboard/index.php?topic=128.msg102425;topicseen#msg102425
and johnsironsantuary a little further down the page refers to a catalog page he posted in another thread.

[JackieB]

Here are a few pics of the clean-up this weekend.

[JackieB]

Somebody stop me...

[JackieB]

Please...

[JackieB]

And...

[JackieB]

And finally for effect.

[bonneyman]

I didn't know AR's had so many pawls! lol

Nice photo.

[JackieB]

Legal AR's (like the one in the picture) have what, two?  Others have more depending on the fire selection.  The AR was for scale.  I figured a quarter wouldn't work well with this ratchet. 

[mrchuck]

I've got my big 1" drive Snap-On standing on it's 4 foot handle next to the door. As I pass by it I turn the drive 1 or 2 clicks.
Haven't had to use it yet.

[JackieB]

The only use this old JH Williams Superector will see will be if I get a call that somebody has a bolt with a 2.375" hex that they can't turn.  Then someone will need to give you a call to hold the other end.  Other than that it's a 33 pound hammer that I don't want to swing more than once.