Retractable tool lanyard

A retractable tool lanyard, comprising:

• a housing defining a cavity;
• a drum rotatably connected to the housing within the cavity;
• a biasing member interconnecting the housing and the drum;
• a cord operatively connected to the drum and configured and arranged to be wound about and paid out from the drum, the biasing member urging the cord to be wound about the drum;
• an engaging mechanism operatively connected to the drum, the engaging mechanism comprising:
• a locking plate connected to the drum;
• at least one lock pawl pivotally connected to the locking plate, the at least one lock pawl pivotable from an unlocked position to a locked position, wherein when the drum rotates at a predetermined speed as the cord is paid out from the drum, the at least one lock pawl pivots from the unlocked position to the locked position;
• a ratchet plate including a ratchet ring on a first side of the ratchet plate, the at least one lock pawl configured and arranged to engage the ratchet ring when in the locked position thereby rotating the ratchet plate with the drum;
• and
• a braking mechanism, comprising:
• at least one brake pad positioned between the ratchet plate and the housing, the at least one brake pad configured and arranged to create friction on the ratchet plate when the ratchet plate rotates to assist in reducing a rate of rotation of the ratchet plate and thereby the drum;
• and
• an adjuster comprising:
• a fastener extending through the ratchet plate, through the at least one brake pad, and through the housing, a distal end of the fastener extending through the housing;
• and
• a knob operatively connected to the distal end of the fastener, wherein the knob is configured and arranged to move along the distal end to adjust an amount of friction between the braking mechanism and the housing, wherein the knob includes a first indicator and the housing includes at least two indicators associated with different amounts of friction.

A retractable tool lanyard, comprising:

• a housing defining a cavity;
• a drum rotatably connected to the housing within the cavity;
• a biasing member interconnecting the housing and the drum;
• a cord operatively connected to the drum and configured and arranged to be wound about and paid out from the drum, the biasing member urging the cord to be wound about the drum;
• an engaging mechanism operatively connected to the drum, the engaging mechanism comprising:
• a locking plate connected to the drum;
• at least one lock pawl pivotally connected to the locking plate, the at least one lock pawl pivotable from an unlocked position to a locked position, wherein when the drum rotates at a predetermined speed as the cord is paid out from the drum, the at least one lock pawl pivots from the unlocked position to the locked position;
• a ratchet plate including a ratchet ring on a first side of the ratchet plate and a star ring on a second side of the ratchet plate, the at least one lock pawl configured and arranged to engage the ratchet ring when in the locked position thereby rotating the ratchet plate with the drum;
• and
• at least one clicker pawl pivotally connected to the housing and configured and arranged to selectively engage the star ring, the at least one clicker pawl providing a braking force and producing audible indication when the at least one lock pawl is in the locked position and the ratchet plate rotates with the drum.