# Does this mechanical device have a name? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 5, 2009, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-mechanical-device-have-a-name/512614 "2009-10-05T00:49:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2009, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-mechanical-device-have-a-name/512614/1 "2009-10-05T00:49:07Z")
A kind of ratchet mechanism that works with ropes - a sprung lever that presses against a rope so as to allow it to be pulled through the device in one direction, but digging in and locking when pulled the other way. I realise there are other, probably more common devices used to lock ropes (I’ve seen devices with little knurled rollers in tracks that cause them to bite down when pulled the wrong way) - but I am trying to find out if this specific one has a name. ---
**Author:** ![TheMadHun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@TheMadHun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheMadHun)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2009, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-mechanical-device-have-a-name/512614/2 "2009-10-05T00:52:57Z")
[Perhaps pawl?](http://images.google.com/images?as_st=y&hl=en&safe=off&newwindow=1&sa=1&q=pawl+rope&btnG=Search+images&start=0) ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2009, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-mechanical-device-have-a-name/512614/3 "2009-10-05T00:53:11Z")
A [Jumar](http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=Jumar+ascender&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2&aq=f&oq=&aqi=) ascender? ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2009, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-mechanical-device-have-a-name/512614/4 "2009-10-05T01:00:19Z")
Since the Jumar ascender is a more complex device that includes a pawl, I would go with pawl. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2009, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-mechanical-device-have-a-name/512614/5 "2009-10-05T01:14:34Z")
Cool, thanks. I suppose it might be considered a cam, depending on its shape - the ones in those ascenders look like they would be. ---
**Author:** ![Kiwi\_Fruit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kiwi_fruit/32/12_2.png) [@Kiwi\_Fruit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiwi_Fruit)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2009, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-mechanical-device-have-a-name/512614/6 "2009-10-05T01:42:12Z")
[Cam cleat](http://content.answers.com/main/content/img/McGrawHill/boating/f0059-02.png)? ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2009, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-mechanical-device-have-a-name/512614/7 "2009-10-05T02:13:16Z")
Come-along? ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2009, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-mechanical-device-have-a-name/512614/8 "2009-10-05T03:18:36Z")
> [@Kiwi\_Fruit](#): > > [Cam cleat](http://content.answers.com/main/content/img/McGrawHill/boating/f0059-02.png)? That’s what came to my mind as well. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Seventh\_Deadly\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6bbea6/32.png) [@The\_Seventh\_Deadly\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Seventh_Deadly_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2009, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-mechanical-device-have-a-name/512614/9 "2009-10-05T07:50:34Z")
I vote for pawl as well, as being closer to what’s described in the OP, with its “sprung lever.” As for the [cam cleat](http://content.answers.com/main/content/img/McGrawHill/boating/f0059-02.png) illustration **Kiwi** posted-- I wonder why it was important, when they named those different kinds of cleats, that the names all rhyme? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2009, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-mechanical-device-have-a-name/512614/10 "2009-10-05T16:08:46Z")
> [@The\_Seventh\_Deadly\_Finn](#): > > I wonder why it was important, when they named those different kinds of cleats, that the names all rhyme? 😉 Sailors are known for their whimsy.