US Patent 7789603 Retractable tie down device

A retractable tie down device may comprise a frame, a spool including a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted to the frame, a flexible web having one end mounted to the spool, a power spring configured to rotate the spool in a web take-up direction, a handle movably mounted to the frame, a ratchet pawl movably mounted to the handle and biased toward the ratchet wheel, and a lock pawl movably mounted to the frame and biased toward the ratchet wheel. The handle may be configured to move the lock pawl away from the ratchet wheel, and the frame may be configured to maintain the ratchet pawl away from the ratchet wheel, when the handle is in a position adjacent to the frame so that the spool is rotatable in a web pay-out direction.