GB1571505A - Cable attachment fittings - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO CABLE ATTACHMENT FITTINGS (71) We, KANGOL MAGNET LI MITED, of Norfolk Street, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA2 5HX, a British Company do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention relates to a cable with an attachment fitting, and to a method of providing a cable with an attachment fitting.

The invention has particular but not exclusive reference to vehicle seat belt systems. Many vehicle seat belt systems comprise a lap belt extending from an anchorage position on one side of the seat to one part of a releasable two-part buckle. In manv instances the belt is extended upwardly from the buckle part by a diagonal or shoulder portion. The buckle part is engaged in use with the other buckle part at the other side of the seat. This buckle part can be carried at one end of a length of cable having its other end secured to an anchorage point on the vehicle floor or transmission tunnel.

The invention is concerned with the provision of improved arrangements for connection of a cable end to another component, and particularly but not exclusively to the connection of a cable in such a seat belt system to the vehicle anchorage point andl or the other buckle part.

The invention provides a cable with an attachment fitting. the fitting comprising a tubular member receiving an end of the cable and having a closed end, the tubular member being deformed over at least a portion thereof to effect secure engagement with the cable and having a screw thread extending over at least a part of the deformed portion.

The invention also provides a method of providing a cable with an attachment fitting, the method having the steps of placing the cable within a tubular member having a closed end, deforming at least a portion of the tubular member to effect secure engagement with the cable, and forming a screw thread on the member over at least a part of the deformed portion.

The invention will be readily understood from the following illustrative description and accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1A and 1 B are respectively side and sectional side views of a swaging blank prior to assembly with a cable end portion; Figures 2A and 2B are like views of the swaging blank after assembly with and swaging onto the cable end portion; Figure 3 is a sectional side view of the cable end portion and swaged blank after application to the latter of a screw thread to form a cable attachment fitting; and Figure 4 is a schematic side view of the cable attachment fitting in use in a- vehicle seat belt system.

The swaging blank for providing a cable attachment fitting in accordance with the invention initially comprises a metal sleeve or tube 10 of substantially circular internal and external cross-section and having a closed end 12. A cable 20 to be assembled with the tube 10 is a multi-strand hightensile cable for example of steel wire. The cable 20 may be resilient or may instead be of a "dead" or non-resilient nature, as is particularly appropriate when the cable is to extend, as shown in Figure 4, between a vehicle anchorage point 30 and a buckle part 40 in a vehicle seat belt system. The buckle part 40 can then be placed in a desired location, by causing the cable 20 to have an appropriate shape or position, and will then remain in this location.

As shown in Figures 2A and 2B, an end portion 22 of the cable 20 is placed in the tube 10 and secured in place by a swaging operation. In the swaging operation, the material of the tube 10 is deformed by being urged inwardly along angularly spaced portions 14 extending longitudinally from about the end of the cable end portion to a position short of the open end of the tube.

In this way, the tube 10 and the cable 20 are securely held together.

The next and final stage of the process or producing the fitting comprises the formation of an external screw thread 16 on the tube as shown in Figure 3. Conventional thread forming means can be employed an the forces acting on the tube 10 tend to further deform this into engagement with the cable. The thread 16. which may be either parallel or tapered, begins at the closed end 12 of the tube and is continued towards the open end over the original surface portions remaining between the swaged portions 14 so that the tube 10 can be of minimal length. A short length 18 of the tube at the open end is left unthreaded as shown. or may instead be knurled, or provided with flat surfaces, to facilitate the threading of the now completed fitting into a suitably tapped recess. such as the anchorage position 30 of Figure 4.

If the end of the cable 20 remote from the fitting carries one part of a releasable two-part seat belt buckle such as the buckle part 40. a so-called cable short end" has been produced. which can be screwed directly into a vehicle anchorage position in the floor or as shown in Figure 4 in the transmission tunnel 32. Connection to the vehicle is thus effected without the need for mounting bolts. spacers. lock washers. or intermediate components suited to particular vehicle models. Only the length 18 of the fitting need protrude from the anchorage position.

A fitting in accordance with the invention can be provided instead of or as well at the buckle end of the cable 20 for being screwed into a captive nut of the buckle part.

Connection to the buckle part can thus be effected without pinning or riveting.

Moreover buckles can be readilv stored complete at airing assembly to cables of lengths appropriate to different requirements.

The invention will thus be seen to provide an economical and convenient cable attachment fitting with particular applicability to vehicle seat belt svstems.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A cable with an attachment fitting.

the fitting comprising a tubular member receiving an end of the cable and having a closed end. the tubular member being deformed over at least a portion thereof to effect secure engagement with the cable and having a screw thread extending over at least a part of the deformed portion.

2. A cable with an attachment fitting as claimed in claim 1 in which the tubular member has part free of the screw thread and shaped to facilitate insertion of the fitting into a tapped hole.

3. A cable with an attachment fitting as claimed in claim 2 in which the part free of the screw thread is the end portion of the tubular member remote from the closed end.

4. A cable with an attachment fitting as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 in which the screw thread extends from the closed end.

5. A cable with an attachment fitting substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawing.

6. A cable with an attachment fitting as claimed in claim 3, 4 or 5 having a seat belt buckle part secured to the other end of the cable.

7. A cable with an attachment fitting as claimed in claim 6 in which the buckle part is secured by means of a like attachment fitting at the said other end.

8. A cable with an attachment fitting as claimed in claim 6 or 7 in which the cable is flexible and non-resilient.

9. A method of providing a cable with an attachment fitting. the method having the steps of placing the cable within a tubular member having a closed end. deforming at least a portion of the tubular member to effect secure engagement with the cable. and forming a screw thread on the member over at least a part of the deformed portion.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 in which the tubular member is deformed by swaging along angularly spaced longitudinally extending portions.

11. A method of providing a cable with an attachment fitting substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1A. 1B.

2A. 2B and 3 of the accompanying drawing.

12. A cable provided with an attachment fitting by the method of claim 9, 10 or 11.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (12)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. urged inwardly along angularly spaced portions 14 extending longitudinally from about the end of the cable end portion to a position short of the open end of the tube. In this way, the tube 10 and the cable 20 are securely held together. The next and final stage of the process or producing the fitting comprises the formation of an external screw thread 16 on the tube as shown in Figure 3. Conventional thread forming means can be employed an the forces acting on the tube 10 tend to further deform this into engagement with the cable. The thread 16. which may be either parallel or tapered, begins at the closed end 12 of the tube and is continued towards the open end over the original surface portions remaining between the swaged portions 14 so that the tube 10 can be of minimal length. A short length 18 of the tube at the open end is left unthreaded as shown. or may instead be knurled, or provided with flat surfaces, to facilitate the threading of the now completed fitting into a suitably tapped recess. such as the anchorage position 30 of Figure 4. If the end of the cable 20 remote from the fitting carries one part of a releasable two-part seat belt buckle such as the buckle part 40. a so-called cable short end" has been produced. which can be screwed directly into a vehicle anchorage position in the floor or as shown in Figure 4 in the transmission tunnel 32. Connection to the vehicle is thus effected without the need for mounting bolts. spacers. lock washers. or intermediate components suited to particular vehicle models. Only the length 18 of the fitting need protrude from the anchorage position. A fitting in accordance with the invention can be provided instead of or as well at the buckle end of the cable 20 for being screwed into a captive nut of the buckle part. Connection to the buckle part can thus be effected without pinning or riveting. Moreover buckles can be readilv stored complete at airing assembly to cables of lengths appropriate to different requirements. The invention will thus be seen to provide an economical and convenient cable attachment fitting with particular applicability to vehicle seat belt svstems. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A cable with an attachment fitting.

the fitting comprising a tubular member receiving an end of the cable and having a closed end. the tubular member being deformed over at least a portion thereof to effect secure engagement with the cable and having a screw thread extending over at least a part of the deformed portion.

2. A cable with an attachment fitting as claimed in claim 1 in which the tubular member has part free of the screw thread and shaped to facilitate insertion of the fitting into a tapped hole.

3. A cable with an attachment fitting as claimed in claim 2 in which the part free of the screw thread is the end portion of the tubular member remote from the closed end.

4. A cable with an attachment fitting as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 in which the screw thread extends from the closed end.

5. A cable with an attachment fitting substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawing.

6. A cable with an attachment fitting as claimed in claim 3, 4 or 5 having a seat belt buckle part secured to the other end of the cable.

7. A cable with an attachment fitting as claimed in claim 6 in which the buckle part is secured by means of a like attachment fitting at the said other end.

8. A cable with an attachment fitting as claimed in claim 6 or 7 in which the cable is flexible and non-resilient.

9. A method of providing a cable with an attachment fitting. the method having the steps of placing the cable within a tubular member having a closed end. deforming at least a portion of the tubular member to effect secure engagement with the cable. and forming a screw thread on the member over at least a part of the deformed portion.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 in which the tubular member is deformed by swaging along angularly spaced longitudinally extending portions.

11. A method of providing a cable with an attachment fitting substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1A. 1B.

2A. 2B and 3 of the accompanying drawing.

12. A cable provided with an attachment fitting by the method of claim 9, 10 or 11.