Press and safety latch therefor

An improved ratchet and pawl machine to prevent one part of a press or like mechanism from accidentally swinging to a home position about a first axis and relative to another part, which machine comprises

• a ratchet adapted for securing in fixed relation to said one part and having a plurality of equally spaced teeth arranged along an arc that is coaxial with said first axis;
• a pawl adapted for pivoting about a second axis and which is peripherally mainly defined by an arcuate bearing surface coaxial with said second axis, a tooth, and a neutral surface, the tip of said tooth being at a radius from said second axis less than the radius of said arcuate bearing surface;
• and
• a pawl bearing for said pawl and which is fixedly secured to said another part and has an arcuate bearing surface shaped and sized to receive the pawl arcuate bearing surface;
• said pawl bearing receiving said pawl arcuate bearing surface and supporting said pawl to revolve about said second axis with its tooth located to engage the teeth on said ratchet;
• the sum of the ratchet root radius and the pawl tooth tip radius being greater than the distance between said first axis and said second axis.