Ratchet (device)

Hello there!

Imagine you have a toy car that moves forward when you push it, but you want it to keep moving even when you stop pushing.

A ratchet is like a special gear that can help make this happen! It has little teeth that stick out and can lock into place when you turn it in one direction, but can move freely when you turn it the other way.

For example, if you turn the ratchet in the direction that makes it lock, it will hold the wheels of the car in place and let it rest without rolling backwards. Then, when you turn the ratchet in the opposite direction, it will release the teeth and allow the car to keep moving forward.

This can be really helpful when you're trying to keep things steady or in place, or when you need to make things move in only one direction. Just like how you might use the brakes on a bike to keep it from rolling backwards, a ratchet can help hold things in place too!