ratchet wheel

American  

noun

1. a wheel, with teeth on the edge, into which a pawl drops or catches, as to prevent reversal of motion or convert reciprocating motion into rotatory motion.

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Etymology

Origin of ratchet wheel

First recorded in 1770–80

Example Sentences

The ratchet wheel and pawl shown in fig.

From Gas and Oil Engines, Simply Explained An Elementary Instruction Book for Amateurs and Engine Attendants by Runciman, Walter C.

The ratchet wheel is stepped around automatically by each impulse of current from an ordinary pole changer such as is employed in ringing biased bells.

From Cyclopedia of Telephony & Telegraphy Vol. 1 A General Reference Work on Telephony, etc. etc. by Miller, Kempster

The third cause which catches hold, like a ratchet wheel in machinery, from time to time producing a complete standstill, is the greater strength of the defensive form.

From On War — Volume 1 by Graham, J. J., Colonel

It is self-evident that a narrow pallet requires a wide tooth, and a wide pallet a narrow or thin tooth wheel; in the ratchet wheel we have a metal point passing over a jeweled plane.

From An Analysis of the Lever Escapement by Playtner, H. R.

The L lever carries a pawl which operates a ratchet wheel, placed on the handle end of the slide rest cross feed screw.

From Modern Machine-Shop Practice, Volumes I and II by Rose, Joshua