Importance

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Abstract

A ratchet-like assembly for winding a counterbalancing mechanism of a door. The ratchet-like assembly includes at least one plate, at least one ridge, an actuator, and at least one pawling element. Each plate is operatively mounted onto a fixed structure and includes an orifice through which extends a shaft of the counterbalancing mechanism and about which the shaft is rotatable along opposite first and second directions of rotation. Each ridge is provided about an outer edge of the corresponding orifice. The actuator is operatively connected to each plate and is operable between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration. Each pawling element is mounted onto the actuator and is positioned within a corresponding ridge, adjacent to the shaft. Each ridge and each corresponding pawling element are shaped and sized so that when the actuator is operated in the locked configuration, each pawling element is operatively pressed against the shaft and its corresponding ridge for preventing the shaft from rotating along the first direction of rotation, and when the actuator is operated in the unlocked configuration, each pawling element is operatively urged away from the shaft and its corresponding ridge for allowing the shaft to rotate along both the first and second directions of rotation. The present ratchet-like assembly enables to easily install and calibrate counterbalancing mechanisms of various types of door assemblies where a torque must be applied and maintained onto a given shaft of the door assembly.

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First Claim