Double-locking mechanism for handcuffs

摘要

A double-locking mechanism for handcuffs, which include a pawl-and-ratchet mechanism wherein the ratchet pawl is spring biased to couple with a pivotal ratchet jaw arm within in a shackle casing and a bolt is provided for engaging the pawl to prevent the coupled jaw from pivoting in either direction in order to double lock the mechanism. A pivot slide mechanism is provided whereby either the pawl or the bolt is not only permitted to pivot about an axis within the casing, but is also permitted to have limited displacement in a direction transverse to its pivot axis which thereby causes the pawl to engage a stop within the casing to double lock the pawl from pivoting in either direction and also causes the bolt under bias to displace from a first bolt position to a second bolt position and thereby engage and retain the pawl in the double lock position against the stop in order to ensure that the mechanism will remain double locked until opened with a key. This design permits double locking of the mechanism merely by pulling either the jaw arm or shackle chain away from the shackle casing to provide quick double locking without the required use of an additional key or pin.