Cable-and-sleeve connector

• US 4,598,809 A
• Filed: 01/23/1985
• Issued: 07/08/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bwp Controls
• Original Assignee: Bwp Controls
• Inventors: Glover, John H., Clissett, Peter A. G., Arnold, Edward J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pate, III, William F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Merek, James J.
• Application Number:
  US06/673,972
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 192/70.25, 192/111 A, 188/196 B, 188/196 P, 188/196 V, 74/501.5 R, 24/136 R, 411/432, 411/433, 269/181, 269/182
• US Class Current: 192/111.12
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 1/22 Adjusting; Compensating length
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20408 Constant tension sustaining

Abstract

In a cable-and-sleeve connector, variations in the real or effective length of the cable 3 will tend to vary the curvature of the sleeve 7, and this can be accommodated by variations in the effective length of the sleeve 7. For this purpose, one end of the sleeve 7 is adjustably fixed to an anchor 6 by a clutch 30. The clutch consists of four collet members 31 that, when effective as a clutch, are wedged within the tapering aperture 29 so as to be held with the serrations 32 on the internal surfaces of the collet members 31 mating with external serrations on the rigid end of the sleeve 7. When the clutch 30 is disengaged, the collet members 31 move out of the aperture 29, in the direction of the sleeve 7, and tilt loosely about their wider ends so that the wider ends are only just free of the serrations 21. Disengagement is effected, when the cable 3 is relaxed, by a member 40 being moved by the sleeve part 9 to push the collet members 31 out of the aperture 29 and lifting them out of engagement with the serrations 21. When the cable is brought under tension, the effect of the member 40 is removed and the spring 35, through the member 36, pushes the collet members 31 into their effective condition. Since the serrations of the wider ends of the collet members were only just clear of the serrations on the rigid end of the sleeve 7, the chance of mis-match on re-engagement is small so the connection operates reliably and quietly. Projections 36a co-operate with recesses 31a in the collet members 31 to limit the movement of the latter while allowing them sufficient freedom to move clear of the serrations 21.

Claims

1. A cable and a sleeve connector in which one end of the cable is connected to an actuation member and the other end is connected to a controlled member, and the sleeve extends along a curved, deformable, path between two anchors to which it is connected, the end of the sleeve remote from the controlled member is rigid and externally serrated, the anchor corresponding to that end of the sleeve provides an opening through which the cable passes and that tapers away from the controlled member, and the connection between the sleeve and the anchor means is effected by collet members disposed around the sleeve and having internal serrations that mate with the serrations of the sleeve and of which the external surfaces are tapered away from the controlled member and pivotally mounted at the wider ends about a mounting such that the collet members mate, and are wedged, within the opening, means being provided to urge the collet members towards this engaged condition, and means being provided that, when the actuation member is operative, permits engagement of the collet members with the sleeve and opening and that, as the actuation member moves to its inoperative condition, acts on the collet members to move them outwardly out of engagement with the sleeve, the collet members being so constrained at the mounting that their wider ends can move outwardly only to an extent that just permits the rigid parts of the sleeve to move axially of itself relatively to the collet members.

3. A cable-and-sleeve connector as claimed in either claim 1 or 2 in which the means that may act on the collet members to move them outwardly includes a sleeve that encircles the cable and of which one end abuts the narrow end of the collet members, the end being chamfered to facilitate its entry under the narrower ends of the collet members.

2. A cable and a sleeve connector in which one end of the cable is connected to an actuation member and the other end is connected to a controlled member, and the sleeve extends along a curved, deformable, path between two anchors to which it is connected, the end of the sleeve remote from the controlled member is rigid and externally serrated, the anchor corresponding to that end of the sleeve provides an opening through which the cable passes and that tapers away from the controlled member, and the connection between the sleeve and the anchor means is effected by collet members disposed around the sleeve and having internal serrations that mate with the serrations of the sleeve and of which the external surfaces are such that the collet members mate, and are wedged, within the opening, means being provided to urge the collet members towards this engaged condition, and means being provided that, when the actuation member is operative, permits engagement of the collet members with the sleeve and opening and that, as the actuation member moves to its inoperative condition, acts on the collet members to move them outwardly out of engagement with the sleeve, the collet members being so constrained that their wider ends can move outwardly only to an extent that just permits the rigid parts of the sleeve to move axially of itself relatively to the collet members in which the means provided to urge the collet members towards the engaged condition includes an annular surface encircling the sleeve and abutting the end faces of the wider ends of the collet members and the movement of the wider ends of the collet members is restricted by projections extending from the annular surface and lying in recesses in the end faces of the wider ends.