Wheel A ratchet wheel is a type of toothed wheel used in mechanical watches and clocks. It features a series of curved teeth, or cogs, running along its circumference and has a pawl or click attached to it. The pawl is a flat piece of metal that rests against the teeth. When the wheel is turned, the pawl’s teeth catch on the cogs and move the wheel forward a predetermined amount. This allows the watch or clock to maintain accurate timekeeping. The ratchet wheel has been used in mechanical timepieces since the mid-17th century.
