Ratcheting anti-lock chuck guard for lathe

A ratcheting anti-lock chuck guard apparatus for selectively restricting access to a chuck associated with a lathe, said chuck guard apparatus comprising:

• a guard assembly having a main body section positioned proximate the chuck and having an actuation section pivotally coupled to and extending away from a first edge of said main body section;
• an access assembly having a mounting member coupled to a distal end of said actuation section and a ratcheting assembly coupled to said mounting member, said ratcheting assembly being rotatably movable to predetermined angular positions when urged by actuation of said guard assembly;
• wherein said ratcheting assembly includes:
• a serrated lock wheel coupled to a proximal end of said mounting member and having a plurality of teeth each defining a lock pocket;
• and
• a lock wheel pawl mounted proximate said serrated lock wheel and configured to lock successively into respective lock pockets when said serrated lock wheel is rotated;
• wherein said mounting member includes a guard mount coupled to said actuation section of said guard assembly and a guard shaft coupled at one end to said guard mount and at another end to said serrated lock wheel wherein a rotation of said guard shaft causes a corresponding rotation of said serrated lock wheel;
• wherein said body section of said guard assembly is incrementally moved toward an opened configuration that is incrementally displaced from the chuck of the lathe as said as said guard shaft and said serrated lock wheel are rotated.