CA1167295A

CA1167295A - Turnbuckle connections

Info

Publication number: CA1167295A
Application number: CA000356354A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Warren E. Sevrence
Original assignee: Acco Industries Inc
Current assignee: FKI Industries Inc
Priority date: 1979-07-16
Filing date: 1980-07-16
Publication date: 1984-05-15
Also published as: GB2054080B; JPS5650840A; ES8103309A1; FR2461856A1; DE3026401A1; GB2054080A; ES493388A0

Abstract

6564/Can.

ABSTRACT

This invention provides a turnbuckle connector by which two cables 1 and 2 may be connected together endwise. The end portion 11 of one cable 1 is extern-ally threaded and this portion is received within the nut 10 that is captively held on the barrel 6. The nut 10 is free to tilt to some extent relatively to the barrel 6. A flange 22 on a crown portion 20 extend-ing from the nut 10 is forced over the resilient shoulders formed on the barrel 6. The nut 10 is loosely held so that it can swivel on the barrel 6. The other cable 2 is held by a button connection 12a.

Description

I :1 6? 7 2 9 5 Improvments in or relating to Turnbuckle Connections DESCRIpTION

In the brake system of an automobile) it is known to provide a cable connection between a control lsver and the brakes and it may be desirable to be able -to vary the tension in the cable connection.
5 To achieve this, it has been proposed that a cabls connected to the cantrol lever, such as a parking brake handle, and a cable connected -to the brakes should be joined together end-to-end by a connector that enables the separation between the ends of the cables to be varied, so that the e~fec-tive overall length of the cable connection, and consequently the tensiDn in the cable connection?can be varied.

The present invention arose ~rom a consideratlcn of the short~comings o~ the connectors that are 15~already known and provides a turnbuckle connector that can be used in the brake systems o-F automobiles and in other circumstances.

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~ ~67295 According to the present invention, there is provided a turnbuckle connector including a cable which by means of the turnbuckle connector, may be connected to another cable, the connector providing S a barrel to one end of which the other cable may be connected and a nut captively rotatable on the other end of the barrel about an axis that may tilt relatively to that o~ the barrel, the cable that i5 included in the turnbuckle connector having its end 10 portion externally threaded, the end portion engaging with the nut and being o~ such dimensions, relativsly to those of the barrel, that by rotating the nut on the externally threaded portion, the extent to which that portion projects into the barrel can be varied.

By way of example. an embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-Figure 1 shows a cable system in which the ends of two cables are joined together by a turn-20 buckle connector that enables the separation betweenthe ends oF the cables to be varied.
Figure 2 shows, on an enlarged scale, a side view of the turnbuckle connector, .

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" ~ ~ 67~5 Figurs 3is a plan view of the turnbuckle connector shown in Figure 2J
Figurs 4 is a view frcm below of the turnbuckle connector shown in Figure 21 Figure 5 is an enlar~ed sectional view of Fi~ure 3 taken on line V - V, Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view of Figure

2 taksn on line VI - VI~
Fi~ure 7 is an enlarged sectional view of Figure 10 2 taken line VII - VII 3 Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional view nf Figure

3 t~ken on line VIII - VIII, Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional view o-F Figure 3 taken nn line IX - IX~

The cable system shown in Figure 1 is intended to be used in the braking system of an automobile and includes cables 1 and 2 which pass through push-pull housin~s 3 extending to brake portions 4, Cable 2 passes over the movable saddle 7 and its end is joined : 20 to an end of cable 1 by means of the turnbuckle connector 5, Movement of the saddle 7 in a direction lon~,itudinally : of ths stem 7a will exert control Forces on the brakes 4 -: 25 throuv,h the means of the cables 1 ~n'd2. It is apparent that, by varying the distance between the ends o-f the cables 1 and 2, tension in the cable system may be regulated, or the effective length oF the cable system may be regulated.

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As shown in Figure 2, the turnbuckle connector 5 has a barrel 6 made of spring tempered steel material, On one end of the barrel 6 is a threaded swivel nut ln that engages a threaded Pitting 11 that forms the end 5 of c~ble 1. The other end of the barrel 6 i5 fastened to the end of cable 2 by means o~ a button connection 12 of which the button is provided by a sleeve 12a ~orce fitted on to the end of the cable 2. The barrel 6 has a slit 1~ which extends between the adjacent end of the 10 barrel 6 and the enlargement 13, to join the cable 2 to the barrel 6, the button 12a is pushed through the enlargement 13 2nd the adjacent part o-f the cable 2 i5 pushed through the slit 14 and the button lZa is then moved longitudinally within the barrsl 6 until it abuts 15 end stops 15'. The button 12a can be removed by the reverse of this process. The snd stops 15' are formed by portions 15 of the barrel 6 that are pinched ~nwardl~.
Cuts, best seen in Fi~ure 6 at 16, are provided in the barrel 6 to ~acilitate the formation of the pinched 20 portion 15. Opposite tha slit 14, a resiliently depressible tongueJ or prong~ 17 shown in Figures 4, 5 and 7 serves as a detent to prevent inadvertent move-ment o~fi the button 12a towards the opening 13 but will be depressed by the button 12a in its passage from 25 the enlargement 13 to the end position in which it is shown~ The barrel has a cutout 18 to -facilitate produc-tion o~ the tongue 17.

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As is most clearly shown in Figures 8 and ~,the nut 10 is formed at one end nf a sleeve or crown portion 20, tbe other end of which prnvides a restricted openin~ 21 dsfinsd by a radially extending ledge or 5 flange 22 provided by the crown portion. The end of the barrel 6 heyond which the nut lies has three incis-ions, or slots,23, and two of the pieces of the barrel 6 lying between the slots are shaped to provide defnrm-able shoulder portions 24 of which the shoulders 25 10 en~age with the ledge 22 to form a stop to hold the nut 10 ca~tive on the barrel 5~ The nut 10 is a loose fit on the end of the barrel ~ so that it may pivot or swivel to some extent with respect thereto and so accommodate conditions in which the end of the cable 1 5 is not coaxial with the end of cable 2.

The turnbuckle barrel 6 is connscted to the cables 1 and 2 in a way that will now be described~

The cables 1 and 2 are placed into thEir desired positions, as for example in the braking system of 20 Figure 1. The butt~n 12a on ths end of cable 2 is inserted into the opening 13 while at ths same time the : cable 2 is pushed sidsways into the slot 14. The cable 2 is then ~ulled with res~ect to the barrel 6, the tongue 17 being dsflected outwardly by the passags 25 of the button 12ao~e~ it, When the button 12a engages the fixed stop~ 15' it will be clear of the prong 17, : when the prong 17 will spring inwardly to form a stop to ; prBvent inadvertent movement of the button 12a towards ~\
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the opening 13. The buttnn 12a is then positioned long-itudinally within the barrel. The sleeve portion 20 is then moved along the barrsl 6 to force the flangs 22 over the shoulders 25 which will then spring back into 5 position to hold the nut captivs on ths barrel 6.
The end fitting 11 of the cable 1 is then introduced into the nut 10 which is rotated to draw the snd fittin~, into ths sleeve position 20 and, if appropriate9 into the barrel 6 to an extsnt that establishes the appropriate 10 tsnsion to the cabls system. It will be realised that the diameter of the fitting 11 is such that it can be received within the barrel 6. The nut may be designed to have a pre-determ;ned torqus with ths fitting 11 such as to eliminate any need for any secondary lock 15 nut The swivsl nut 10 is then turned to screw down onto the threaded fitting 11 and to draw the fitting 11 towards the-cable ~ thus imparting tension into the cab 1B system.

It will be seen that ths turnbuckle connection that 20 has been describsd provides a quick convenient msans for connscting ends of two cables together and at the same time regulating the distancs betwEen the snds of two cables to impart proper tension in a cable system or to impsrt a proper sfFsotivs len~th tn a o~ble syst~m.

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Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:-

1. A turnbuckle connector including a cable which by means of the turnbuckle connector, may be connected to another cable, the connector providing a barrel to one end of which the other cable may be connected and a nut captively rotatable on the other end of the barrel sbout an axis that may tilt relatively to that of the barrel,the cable that is included in the turnbuckle connector having its end portion externally threaded, the end portion engaging with the nut and being of such dimensions, relatively to those of the barrel, that by rotating the nut on the externally threaded portion, the extent to which that portion projects into the barrel can be varied.

2. A turnbuckle connector as claimed in Claim 1 in which the other cable is connected by means of a button formed on the end of the cable and lying within the barrel in abutment with a stop projecting inwardly from the wall of the barrel the wall of the barrel being provided with a slit extending from the end of the barrel to an enlargement, the stop, the slit and the enlargement being such that the other cable can be removed from the connector by axial movement of the cable to bring the button into register with the enlargement followed by lateral movement of the cable to move the cable through the slit and the button through the enlargement.

3. A turnbuckle connector as claimed in Claim 2 in which a resiliently displacable tongue formed by cuts made in the barrel wall opposite the slit provides a dentent that abuts the end of the button remote from the stop, the shape of the detent being such that the button, in moving from the enlargement towards the stop, displaces the detent to permit the movement.

4. A turnbuckle connector as claimed in Claim 1 in which the nut is formed at one end of a sleeve, the other end of the sleeve is provided with an in-wardly projecting flange and, between the flange and the nut, the barrel is provided with one or more out-wardly extending projections that engage with the flange to retain the nut on the barrel.

5. A turnbuckle connector as claimed in Claim 4 in which the, or each, projection is formed by the deform-ation of the material lying between two incisions made in the wall of the barrel.

6. A turnbuckle connector as claimed in Claim 5 in which each incision extends to the end of the barrel at which the nut lies, the projection is in the form of a shoulder and is such that, were the nut and sleeve removed, a similar nut and sleeve could be slid into position by the deformation of the material between the incisions in the sliding process.