ratchet wheel
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.
Origin of ratchet wheel
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Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use ratchet wheel in a sentence
When the tympanum vibrates under the influence of the voice, the stylus acts as a pawl and turns a ratchet-wheel.
Heroes of the Telegraph | J. MunroSB is the primitive radius of the club tooth wheel, but both primitive and real radius of the ratchet wheel.
An Analysis of the Lever Escapement | H. R. PlaytnerOn the pendulum he had a little ratchet wheel, R, having thirty teeth.
On the side of the clock case was a contact maker, which closed the circuit by the pin on the ratchet wheel, R, once every minute.
An' this ratchet-wheel isn't on the pawl prop'ly—not like what this book says it ought to be.
More William | Richmal Crompton
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