A pawl assembly

A pawl assembly comprising a pawl (2) held in a floating engagement with a support structure (4) and being operable to engage a ratchet (3), the support structure (4) having an abutment portion (28), wherein in a first phase, on initial contact with the ratchet (3), the pawl (2) remains in the floating engagement and is operable to move into a second phase, in which the pawl (2) is operable to contact the abutment portion (28), to rotate the pawl (2) towards full engagement with the ratchet (3).