Reversing ratchet

A ratcheting tool for applying torque to a workpiece comprising:

• a. a torque transmitting member rotatable about its own axis and having parallel surfaces for engaging a workpiece and arranged in an axially extending configuration of prismatic cross section and further including a coaxial guide element defined in the shape of a portion of a cylinder that is longitudinally disected by an axially extending planar bearing wall and wherein a channel is defined extending transversely through said guide,
• b. a work handle terminating in an annular ring positioned adjacent to said torque transmitting member and having an interior surface equipped with radial interiorally directed ratchet teeth, wherein said annular ring and said guide element are positioned in mutual coaxial arrangement to define a cavity between the interior surface of said ring and said bearing wall,
• c. a pawl located within said cavity and having an arcuate surface equipped with ratchet teeth for positioning in engagement with said ratchet teeth of said annular ring, and having an opposing bearing surface of overall convex configuration, and having axially extending engagement pins,
• d. a direction indexing member positioned in annular disposition about said guide element and defining two opposing sets of radially extending detent depressions adjacent to and coplanar with said transverse channel of said guide element and having a boss extending toward said pawl and laterally engageable by either of said engagement pins to act through said pins to roll the convex surface of said pawl laterally across said bearing plane to selectively position said pawl within said cavity, and
• e. detent means located within said channel and biased radially outward from said guide element to selectively engage either of said sets of detent depression in said indexing member.