GB660913A - Improvements in or relating to aerials for portable radio apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

660,913. Aerials. GENERAL ELECTRIC CO., Ltd., FAIRBAIRN, E. P., and HEWITT, W. H. L. March 29, 1950 [March 29, 1949], No. 8510/49. Class 40 (vii). An aerial for use with. portable radio apparatus comprises a flexible metal cable 1 on which are threaded a plurality of rigid elongated beads 2, which may be chamfered round the edges and are retained by a metal ball 3 soldered on the cable and tensioning means for normally holding the cable straight so that the ends of adjacent beads abut on each other. The tensioning means may consist of a brass housing 4 open at one end and with the cable running coaxially through it and secured at its end to a brass plunger 5 pressed outwardly by a helical spring 6 inside the housing. The closed end of the housing 4 is provided with a small hole just larger than the cable enlarged at the outer end and threaded to take hollow bolt 7, threaded into the cable between the beads and the housing. If the bolt is screwed as far as possible into the housing there is arranged to be no tension on the cable which may then be coiled up but when the bolt is screwed out the spring is compressed and holds the aerial straight. If the aerial encounters an obstruction, for example when mounted on a moving car, it will bend over without damage and return to its straight condition as soon as possible. Providing the beads are of insulating material the aerial will be effective in its deformed condition. Connection to the aerial is made by fitting a plug to the plunger 5 or by means of a contact-spring on the end thereof. The aerial is mounted at the housing end and to reduce the amount of metal at this end of the aerial the housing may be of moulded synthetic resin with a tapped metal insert for the bolt 7.