Constant tension apparatus and method with eccentric cam to regulate tension
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for maintaining a suspended cable at a constant tension, said apparatus comprising:
- A.) a reel means for removably and replaceably winding a first flexible cable, said reel means having a first groove means for receiving said first cable, said first groove means being oriented in a first plane and having a width equal to about the diameter of said first flexible cable, said first cable being removably and replaceably wound within said first plane;
B.) a camming means for removably and replaceably winding a first end of a second flexible cable, said camming means being connected to said reel means and having a second groove means which is oriented in a second plane, said second plane being substantially parallel to said first plane, said second groove means having an eccentric profile and a width equal to about the diameter of said second flexible cable, said second cable being removably and replaceably wound within said second plane;
C.) a bias means for producing a variable tension force characteristic in said second cable, said bias means being compressed to produce said variable tension force characteristic in said second cable and receiving a second end of said second flexible cable;
whereby said reel means and said camming means cooperate to continuously adjust the variable tension force in said second cable to a substantially constant tension force of selected characteristic in said first cable.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a tensioning apparatus and method for creating and maintaining a substantially constant tension force in a flexible cable or shaft element. The apparatus used for maintaining the flexible cable at a constant tension includes interconnected reel and camming elements joined to a resiliently acting element. The reel and camming elements cooperate to adjust a variable tension force produced by the resiliently acting element to a substantially constant tension force of selected characteristic in the flexible cable.
39 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for maintaining a suspended cable at a constant tension, said apparatus comprising:
-
A.) a reel means for removably and replaceably winding a first flexible cable, said reel means having a first groove means for receiving said first cable, said first groove means being oriented in a first plane and having a width equal to about the diameter of said first flexible cable, said first cable being removably and replaceably wound within said first plane; B.) a camming means for removably and replaceably winding a first end of a second flexible cable, said camming means being connected to said reel means and having a second groove means which is oriented in a second plane, said second plane being substantially parallel to said first plane, said second groove means having an eccentric profile and a width equal to about the diameter of said second flexible cable, said second cable being removably and replaceably wound within said second plane; C.) a bias means for producing a variable tension force characteristic in said second cable, said bias means being compressed to produce said variable tension force characteristic in said second cable and receiving a second end of said second flexible cable; whereby said reel means and said camming means cooperate to continuously adjust the variable tension force in said second cable to a substantially constant tension force of selected characteristic in said first cable. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method of maintaining a substantially constant tension in a first cable, said first cable having a spooling portion and a working portion, comprising the steps of:
-
A.) providing an apparatus comprising; 1.) a substantially flat reel means having said spooling portion of said first cable removably and replaceably wound thereon, said reel means having a first groove means for receiving said spooling portion of said first cable, said first groove means being oriented in a first plane and having a width equal to about the diameter of said spooling portion of said first cable, said spooling portion of first cable being removably and replaceably wound within said first plane; 2.) a substantially flat camming means having a first end of a second flexible cable removably and replaceably wound thereon, said camming means being connected to said reel means and having a second groove means which is oriented in a second plane, said second plane being substantially parallel to said first plane, said second groove means having an eccentric profile and a width equal to about the diameter of said second flexible cable, said second cable being removably and replaceably wound within said second plane; 3.) a bias means for producing a variable tension force characteristic in said second cable, said bias means being compressed to produce said variable tension force characteristic in said second cable and receiving a second end of said second flexible cable; B.) providing a tension force characteristic in said spooling portion of said first cable; C.) connecting said spooling portion of said first cable to said working portion of said first cable; D.) permitting said reel means and said camming means to cooperate so as to adjust the variable tension force in said second cable to a substantially constant tension force of selected characteristic in said first cable. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
Specification