Abstract: An open-end hand held ratchet wrench which has a rigid semi-circular jaw cradle defining an interior semi-circular channel which is substantially U-shaped in cross section. A handle extends off the opposite end of the cradle. Four radial recesses are arranged in spaced relationship in the bottom of the cradle channel and a gear is mounted in each one of these recesses for rotation on their respective gear axis. One or more ratchet pawls are also mounted in the cradle and positioned to prevent rotation of at least one of the gears in one direction. A cogwheel having a toothed outer perimeter is provided and dimensioned for meshing with the gears in the cradle channel and the cogwheel has a polygonal throughbore and a slot extending between the outer perimeter and the throughbore. The polygonal throughbore may be provided in different sizes to engage bolt heads or nuts of different sizes.

Abstract: An open-end ratchet wrench is shown which has a handle and a generally C-shaped head at one end of the handle providing a pair of open-ended jaws with spaced confronting jaw faces. The jaws are provided in the form of a plurality of rotatable toothed gears which are presized and prealigned to engage and rotate about the angular side surfaces of a nut or bolt head to be received between the jaws for turning. A ratchet mechanism is also provided for selectively preventing rotation of at least one of the gears in one direction.