Drive attachment for a ratchet-type load binder to enable selective driving thereof with a handheld power tool

A load binder attachment for a ratchet-type load binder having a longitudinally extending tubular body receiving at either opposite end thereof a movable attachment member of the load binder adapted for opposite movement to one another along a longitudinal axis of the body for tensioning a cable to which the movable attachment members are connected, the cable being formed by a plurality of linked annular elements, the load binder including a ratchet mechanism adapted to drive the opposite movement of the attachment members, the ratchet mechanism including a ratchet gear defining a plurality of radially outwardly projecting teeth around its circumference and mounted to the body so that an axis of the ratchet gear which is encircled by the teeth is oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body, a plurality of recesses respectively being defined between each adjacent pair of the teeth, a handle of the ratchet mechanism extending transversely from the body and supported thereon for rotary movement relative to the body about the axis of the ratchet gear, and a pawl operatively supported on the handle for selectively engaging the ratchet gear so that the rotary movement of the handle relative to the body acts to drive the opposite movement of the attachment members, the load binder attachment comprising:

• a mounting frame arranged for mounting to the load binder at a location registered with the ratchet mechanism;
• a slot in the mounting frame and arranged to extend angularly of the axis of the ratchet gear so as to be adapted to receive the handle of the ratchet mechanism in the rotary movement relative to the body of the load binder;
• a worm gear having a shaft extending along an axis of rotation of the worm gear and a helical flight carried on the shaft, the worm gear being supported on the mounting frame so as to be rotatable about the axis of the worm gear and relative to the mounting frame for engaging the ratchet gear of the load binder;
• the worm gear being disposed at an angularly spaced location from the slot;
• and
• a coupler carried at one end of the shaft for connecting to a rotary drive member of a handheld power tool so as to drive rotation of the worm gear and, in turn, a rotation of the ratchet gear.

A load binder attachment for a ratchet-type load binder having a longitudinally extending tubular body receiving at either opposite end thereof a movable attachment member of the load binder adapted for opposite movement to one another along a longitudinal axis of the body for tensioning a cable to which the movable attachment members are connected, the cable being formed by a plurality of linked annular elements, the load binder including a ratchet mechanism adapted to drive the opposite movement of the attachment members, the ratchet mechanism including a ratchet gear defining a plurality of radially outwardly projecting teeth around its circumference and mounted to the body so that an axis of the ratchet gear which is encircled by the teeth is oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body, a plurality of recesses respectively being defined between each adjacent pair of the teeth, a handle of the ratchet mechanism extending transversely from the body and supported thereon for rotary movement relative to the body about the axis of the ratchet gear, and a pawl operatively supported on the handle for selectively engaging the ratchet gear so that the rotary movement of the handle relative to the body acts to drive the opposite movement of the attachment members, in combination with the load binder, the load binder attachment comprising:

• a mounting frame distinct from and removably attached to the load binder at a location registered with the ratchet mechanism;
• a slot in the mounting frame and extending angularly of the axis of the ratchet gear, the slot receiving the handle of the ratchet mechanism and being sized greater than a width of the handle so that the handle can traverse the slot in the rotary movement thereof relative to the body of the load binder;
• a sprocket with a shaft extending along an axis of rotation of the sprocket, the sprocket including a plurality of radially outwardly projecting teeth spaced angularly of the axis of rotation of the sprocket, the shaft being supported on the mounting frame so that the sprocket is rotatable about the axis thereof and relative to the mounting frame for engaging the ratchet gear of the load binder;
• the sprocket being disposed at an angularly spaced location from the slot and the handle relative to the axis of the ratchet gear;
• the sprocket having a smaller number of teeth than the ratchet gear so that more than one rotation of the sprocket effects one rotation of the ratchet gear;
• and
• a coupler carried at one end of the shaft for connecting to a rotary drive member of a handheld power tool so as to drive rotation of the sprocket and, in turn, the rotation of the ratchet gear.