SAFETY RATCHET MECHANISM

A hand tool having first and second handle portions and a toothed bar that has first and second terminal ends, a plurality of teeth having free ends, and at least one shield member adjacent the teeth and having at least a portion which extends beyond the free ends of the teeth, wherein the toothed bar is pivotally attached at its first terminal end to a first handle portion and the teeth of the toothed bar engage with a pawl associated with the second handle. The invention is also directed to a safety ratchet mechanism for preventing undesired relative movement of two handle portions of a hand tool, wherein the toothed bar has a first end that is pivotally connected to at least one handle portion and a second end adapted and configured to move relative to the second handle portion when the handle portions undergo relative movement, and wherein the toothed bar has a plurality of teeth that are designed to interact with a pawl. The toothed bar may further have two shield members with the teeth extending therebetween to further shield the operator's hands or gloves from the teeth. The second handle portion may have an opening through which the toothed bar can slide, and a catch may be mounted on the toothed bar to prevent it from sliding out of the opening, and a stop may be associated with the handle to prevent the second end from being disassociated with the handle portion.