Ratchet Mechanism

A ratchet mechanism comprising:

• a base mountable to a handle, the base defining a first pawl cavity, a second pawl cavity, and a shaft bore;
• a shaft rotatably positioned in the shaft bore, the shaft including gear teeth circumscribing at least a portion of the shaft proximate to the first and second pawl cavities;
• an upper bearing mounted on the base, the upper bearing being selectively rotatable to at least a clockwise position for imparting torque in a clockwise direction from a handle to the shaft, the upper bearing being further selectively rotatable to at least a counterclockwise position for imparting torque in a counterclockwise direction from a handle to the shaft, and the upper bearing including a first bearing magnet and a second bearing magnet;
• a first pawl slidably positioned in the first pawl cavity, the first pawl being slidable between an engaged position in which the first pawl engages the gear teeth, and a disengaged position in which the first pawl is not engaged with the gear teeth;
• a second pawl slidably positioned in the second pawl cavity, the second pawl being slidable between an engaged position in which the second pawl engages the gear teeth, and a disengaged position in which the second pawl is not engaged with the gear teeth;
• a first pawl magnet embedded in the first pawl in magnetic relation to the first bearing magnet such that when the upper bearing is rotated to the clockwise position, the first bearing magnet biases the first pawl magnet to slide the first pawl to the engaged position;
• a second pawl magnet embedded in the second pawl in magnetic relation to the second bearing magnet such that when the bearing is rotated to the counterclockwise position, the second bearing magnet biases the second pawl magnet to slide the second pawl to the engaged position;
• a first peg embedded in the upper bearing and extending into the first pawl cavity, wherein when the upper bearing is rotated to the counterclockwise position, the first peg causes the first pawl to slide to the disengaged position;
• and
• a second peg embedded in the upper bearing and extending into the second pawl cavity, wherein when the upper bearing is rotated to the clockwise position, the second peg causes the second pawl to slide to the disengaged position.

A ratchet mechanism comprising:

• a base mountable to a handle, the base defining a first pawl cavity, a second pawl cavity, and a shaft bore;
• a shaft rotatably positioned in the shaft bore, the shaft including gear teeth circumscribing at least a portion of the shaft proximate to the first and second pawl cavities;
• an upper bearing mounted on the base, the upper bearing defining a first hole and a second hole, the upper bearing being selectively rotatable to at least a clockwise position for imparting torque in a clockwise direction from a handle to the shaft, the upper bearing being further selectively rotatable to at least a counterclockwise position for imparting torque in a counterclockwise direction from a handle to the shaft;
• a first pawl slidably positioned in the first pawl cavity, the first pawl being fabricated from a ferromagnetic material and slidable between an engaged position in which the first pawl engages the gear teeth, and a disengaged position in which the first pawl is not engaged with the gear teeth;
• a second pawl slidably positioned in the second pawl cavity, the second pawl being fabricated from a ferromagnetic material and slidable between an engaged position in which the second pawl engages the gear teeth, and a disengaged position in which the second pawl is not engaged with the gear teeth;
• a first magnet embedded in the base in magnetic relation to the first pawl for biasing the first pawl toward the first magnet such that when the upper bearing is rotated to the clockwise position, the first magnet biases the first pawl to the engaged position;
• a second magnet embedded in the base in magnetic relation to the second pawl for biasing the second pawl toward the second magnet such that when the upper bearing is rotated to the counterclockwise position, the second magnet biases the second pawl to the engaged position;
• a first pin embedded in the first pawl and extending into the first bearing hole, wherein when the upper bearing is rotated to the counterclockwise position, the first pin restrains the first pawl from sliding into the engaged position;
• and
• a second pin embedded in the second pawl and extending into the second bearing hole, wherein when the upper bearing is rotated to the clockwise position, the second pin restrains the second pawl from sliding into the engaged position.