GB2162273A

GB2162273A - Device for fixing to a bulkhead the shielding conduit of a control cable

Info

Publication number: GB2162273A
Application number: GB8516077A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: DBA SA
Current assignee: DBA SA
Priority date: 1984-07-25
Filing date: 1985-06-25
Publication date: 1986-01-29
Also published as: FR2568327B1; IT8521506A0; GB8516077D0; ES288313Y; GB2162273B; JPS6142212A; FR2568327A1; BR8503447A; ES288313U; DE3523986A1; IT1185217B

Abstract

A tubular ferrule 1, intended to receive the end of a shielding conduit 4 of a control cable 5, and an annular locking component 2, intended to be introduced into an opening 11 in a bulkhead 12, are made as a single piece by moulding in plastic, the ferrule 1 incorporating an extension 8 with a conical end 15 normally lying partially within the bore 19 of the locking component 2 and joined to the latter by breakable radial fingers 18. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Device for fixing to a bulkhead the shielding conduit of a control cable The present invention concerns devices for fixing to a bulkhead the shielding conduit of a control cable, of the type comprising a tubular ferrule, having a chamber intended to receive the end of the shielding conduit and having an extension with a peripheral rim, and a tubular locking component incorporating a collar and a mounting portion which is essentially cylindrical and is intended to be positioned in an opening in the bulkhead and to receive, with deformations, the extension of the ferrule in order to fix the latter firmly to the bulkhead. A device of this type is described in the document FR-A-2,381,937 in the name of the applicant company. In devices of this type, the locking component and the ferrule consist of two separate components, generally made of plastic of different qualities.Problems of stocking and handling then arise in order to ensure that the operator has available, during the mounting operation, two exactly matched components. In addition, during the mounting operation, the introduction of the extension of the ferrule into the locking component must be carried out with a degree of precision of alignment in order to avoid damage to either component which may subsequently affect the mounting onto the bulkhead.

An object of the present invention is to propose improvements to fixing devices of the type mentioned above, of simplified construction, of low manufacturing cost and enabling the disadvantages mentioned above to be overcome.

To achieve this, according to a feature of the invention, the ferrule and the locking component consist of a single component by moulding in plastic, the extension of the ferrule comprising, in front of the rim, a conical end portion normally extending partially within the locking component and joined to the latter by breakable radial fingers.

With such an arrangement, a one-piece fixing device is available, largely simplifying the problems of supply and stocking and ensuring a perfect match between the portion forming the ferrule and the portion forming the locking component, together with reliable and accurate mounting.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the following description of an embodiment, given by way of example but not limiting in any way, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view in longitudinal section of a fixing device according to the invention in its initial configuration; and Figure 2 is a view in longitudinal section of the device shown in Fig. 1 in the final mounting configuration of the end of a shielding cable conduit onto a bulkhead.

The fixing device according to the invention incorporates, generally, a tubular ferrule portion, the assembly of which is given the general reference 1, and a locking component portion, also tubular, the assembly of which is given the general reference 2. The ferrule portion 1 incorporates, at one end, a cylindrical chamber 3 terminating internally in a shoulder and intended to receive the end of the shielding conduit 4 of a control cable 5 incorporating an actuating cable 6 housed so as to slide in the shielding conduit 4 and incorporating an end extending beyond the end of the conduit 4 so as to be joined to an actuating component or a component to be actuated.The ferrule 1 incorporates a central portion forming a collar connected, by an annular shoulder 7, to a profiled tubular extension 8 extending in the direction away from the chamber 3, a central bore 9 passing through the collar and the extension, allowing the said end of the cable 6 to pass through.

The locking component 2 incorporates an essentially cylindrical mounting portion 10, intended to be inserted into an opening 11 in a bulkhead 1 2 and having an outside diameter corresponding essentially to the inside diameter of the opening 11, and an end collar 1 3 connected to the mounting portion 10 by an annular shoulder 1 4 intended to come to bear against the surface of the bulkhead 12, thus positioning the ferrule 2 relative to the latter. A bore 1 9 of essentially constant inside diameter d passes axially through the ferrule 2.

The extension 8 of the ferrule 1 is shaped so that, from its opposite end to the shoulder 7, it has a conical end 1 5 widening in the direction towards the shoulder 7, then an intermediate cylindrical zone 1 6 of outside diameter 8 equal to the inside diameter d of the bore 1 9 of the ferrule 2.Connection between the intermediate cylindrical zone 1 6 and the conical end 1 5 is effected by a rounded prominence 1 7 of outside diameter D which is greater than the inside diameter d of the bore 1 9 of the ferrule 2, the axial length of the intermediate cylindrical zone 16, between the prominence 1 7 and the shoulder 7, being slightly greater than the thickness of the collar 1 3 of the ferrule 2 and the thickness of the bulkhead 1 2 added together.

In accordance with a feature of the invention, as shown in Fig. 1, the ferrule 1 and the locking component 2 are made as one piece by moulding in plastic of medium hardness, typically polyamide or polyacetal, the conical end 1 5 of the extension 8 lying partially within the bore 1 5 and being joined to the latter, in the region of the adjacent front surface of the collar 13, by radial fingers 1 8 which are breakable under the effect of rela tive movement between the ferrule 1 and the locking component 2. Typically, the fingers 18, of radial length of the order of 0.5 mm, are three in number and are spaced angularly about the common axis of the ferrule 1 and the locking component 2.With such an arrangement it will be understood that, after placing the locking component 2 in position in the opening 11 in the bulkhead 12, as shown in Fig. 1, and by exerting a pressure upon the ferrule 1 in the direction towards the locking component 2, the fingers 18 rupture and the profiled end 1 5 of the extension 8 of the ferrule forcibly enters the locking component 2 so as to adopt the locked position shown in Fig. 2 with the shoulder 7 of ferrule 1 in abutment against the collar 1 3 which is itself in abutment against the surface of the bulkhead 1 2 and with the end of the mounting portion 10 of the locking component 2 away from the collar 13, which is deformed radially outwards owing to the prominence 1 7 of the extension 8 of the ferrule 1, thus locking the ferrule 1 and the locking component 10 onto the bulkhead 1 2.

Although the present invention is described above relative to a particular embodiment, the invention is not limited by it but on the contrary is capable of modifications and variants which will be apparent to a person versed in the art. Thus, the locking component 2 may be provided, in the region away from the collar 13, with an end portion folded inwards forming a scraper in accordance with the provisions of the abovementioned document FR-A-2,381,937.

Claims

1. A device for fixing to a bulkhead the shielding conduit of a control cable, comprising a tubular ferrule, having a chamber intended to receive the end of the shielding conduit and having an extension with a peripheral rim, and a tubular locking component incorporating a collar and a mounting portion which is essentially cyindrical and which is intended to be positioned in an opening in the bulkhead and to receive with deformation the extension of the ferrule in order to fix the latter firmly to the bulkhead, characterized in that the ferrule and the locking component consist of a single piece by moulding in plastic, the extension of the ferrule comprising, in front of said rim a conical end normally extending partially within the locking component and joined to the latter by breakable fingers.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the mounting portion of the locking component has an internal wall which is essentially cylindrical, and in that the conical end of the extension is connected, away from the locking component, to an intermediate cylindrical zone by a rounded peripheral prominence whose outside diameter is greater than the inside diameter of the mounting portion.

3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the intermediate cylindrical zone has an outside diameter which is essentially equal to the inside diameter of the mounting portion of the locking component.

4. A device for fixing to a bulkhead the shielding conduit of a control cable, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.