Ratcheting screwdriver

A ratcheting screwdriver comprising an elongated handle having an axis, means defining a bore and a keyway extending axially in said handle, said bore being generally cylindrical, a tubular gear in said bore having an external set of teeth and having an axis, the axis of said handle and the axis of said gear being substantially collinear said keyway being generally tangent to said bore and communicating therewith, first and second pawls each having multiple teeth and residing in said keyway generally on opposite sides of said gear, said keyway channeling movement of said pawls and restricting pawl movement to directions parallel to the tangent, means for biasing said pawls into engagement with said teeth on said gear, said handle rotating said gear in one direction and ratcheting with respect to said gear in the opposite direction when said first pawl is in engagement with said gear, said handle rotating said gear in said opposite direction and ratcheting with respect to said gear in said one direction when said second pawl is in engagement with said gear, said handle rotating said gear in both directions and ratcheting said gear in neither direction when both of said pawls are in engagement with said gear, actuator means for selectively moving said pawls against said biasing means into and out of engagement with said gear, said actuator means protruding laterally outwardly no farther than said handle, said actuator means including a lever extending into the space between said pawls, said lever being movable between a first position at a plus angle with respect to the axis of said bore, and a second position at a minus angle with respect to said axis, and a third position parallel to said axis, said lever in the first position thereof moving said first pawl away from said gear, said lever in the second position thereof moving said second pawl away from said gear, said lever in the third position thereof having no effect on the positions of said pawls.

A ratcheting screwdriver comprising a handle, means defining a bore and a keyway therein, said bore being generally cylindrical, a tubular gear in said bore having an axially extending opening therein and an external set of teeth, said keyway being generally tangent to said bore and communicating therewith, first and second pawls in said keyway generally on opposite sides of said gear, a shank in said opening and constructed and arranged to rotate with said gear, means for biasing said pawls into engagement with the teeth on said gear, said handle rotating said gear in one direction and ratcheting with respect to said gear in the opposite direction when said first pawl is in engagement with said gear, said handle rotating said gear in said opposite direction and ratcheting with respect to said gear in said one direction when said second pawl is in engagement with said gear, said handle rotating said gear in both directions and ratcheting said gear in neither direction when both of said pawls are in engagement with said gear, actuator means for selectively moving said pawls against said biasing means into and out of engagement with the teeth on said gear, said actuator means including a lever extending into the space between said pawls, said lever being movable between a first position at a plus angle with respect to the axis of said bore and a second position at a minus angle with respect to said axis and a third position parallel to said axis, said lever in the first position thereof moving said first pawl away from said gear, said lever in the second position thereof moving said second pawl away from said gear, said lever in the third position thereof having no effect on the positions of said pawls, said actuator means including an engagement portion having first and second and third areas thereon respectively corresponding to the three positions of said lever, and a control cap having a hole through which said shank extends, said control cap having a depending pin which engages said engagement portion, said control cap being rotatable between first and second and third positions, said pin engaging said first area to cause said lever to be in the first position thereof when said control cap is in its first position, said pin engaging said second area to cause said lever to be in the second position thereof when said control cap is in its second position, said pin engaging said third area to cause said lever to be in the third position thereof when said control cap is in its third position.