Definition

Noun: A pawl is a hinged or pivoted mechanical component, typically a bar or lever, designed to engage with the teeth of a ratchet wheel or gear. Its primary function is to allow motion in one direction while preventing motion in the opposite direction. It acts as a one-way catch or detent.

Usage and Examples

The word pawl is used to describe this specific mechanical part in contexts involving machinery, tools, and mechanisms.

• The pawl in the winch prevents the handle from spinning backward under load.
• When the ratchet wrench clicks, it's the sound of the pawl moving over the teeth of the gear.
• A broken pawl can cause a hoist to slip, creating a safety hazard.

Advanced Usage

• Technical Descriptions: In engineering and technical manuals, pawl is used precisely to denote this component within a pawl and ratchet system.
  • The design incorporates a spring-loaded pawl for reliable one-way locking.
• Verb Form (Less Common): The word can be used as a transitive verb meaning "to stop or secure with a pawl."
  • After raising the load, the operator pawled the drum to lock it in place.

Variants and Related Words

• Ratchet and Pawl: This is the standard term for the complete mechanism consisting of the toothed wheel (ratchet) and the catch (pawl).
• Detent: A more general term for a catch or lever that locks a mechanism into a specific position. A pawl is a type of detent.
• Click Stop: A descriptive term for a mechanism, often involving a pawl, that produces an audible click as it engages.

Synonyms

• Catch
• Latch
• Detent
• Stop

Related Phrases and Compound Terms

• Pawl and Ratchet: The fundamental mechanical system.
• Pawl Spring: The small spring that returns or holds the pawl in its engaged position.
• Release Pawl: A specific pawl designed to disengage the mechanism.

Noun

1. a hinged catch that fits into a notch of a ratchet to move a wheel forward or prevent it from moving backward