US2529447A - Control device for cable control mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 7, 1950 G. BODINAUX El'AL CONTROL DEVICE FOR CABLE CONTROL MECHANISMS Filed March 6, 1947 Patented Nov. 7, 1950 T5 OFFICE 2,529,447 "CONTROL DEVICE FOR CABLE CONTROL f MECHANISMS Gaston Bodinaux, Liege, and Armand Malchair,. Herstal, Belgium, assignors to Charles Somville,

Brussels, Belgium Application March 6, 1947, Serial No. 732,790 In Belgium February 28, 1946 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires February 28, 1966 8 Claims.

The control device, object of the invention, while ensuring a rectilinear action and an amplification effect, is essentially characterized from similar devices known, due to the extreme simheld by the control cable, which is wound around the S-shaped profile head of said lever.

Although of a very simple and economical design, this control device has many advantages. The cable neither slips nor rubs on the moving parts and its free portions adjacent to the head of the lever are always displaced along a horizontal line and are not subjected to those flexion effects which cause rapid deterioration and rupture of the cable.

On the other hand, the displacements of the cable are large relatively to the slight displace.- ments of the handle. Consequently, when for instance, the device is used as a brake control for a bicycle, a long brake stroke is obtained, that is to say:

(1) a big regulation possibility, as the distance separating the brake shoes from the fellyof the Wheel'may be increased, resulting in the suppression of the warping action of said shoes on the wheel;

(2) a positive braking action, whatever may be the wear of the shoes;

(3) a possibility of using thicker shoes;

(4) a rapid and particularly supple braking, in spite of the bigger play existing between the shoes and the felly.

Moreover, the proposed construction reduces the pulling strain on the cable fixation means to the casing. Finally, it much facilitates dismounting of the wheel, specially in case of puncture.

As the manipulating lever constitutes reall a floating piece in the casing in which it is mounted, this casing may be of very simple shape.

The appended drawing shows, as a non limitative example, a preferred embodiment of the new control device. In this drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation showing the contro handle in its casing;

Figures 2 and 3 are cross-sections through the casing before and after assembling respectively, and

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the casing.

In casing I is lodged head 3 of a lever 2 which is of steel, aluminum or any other metal or alloy, and is obtained by casting, punching or stamping. This lever is floating which means that it is simply kept freely in the casing I by a control cable 4, due to the special shape given to the head 3. The latter is provided in fact in its middle part with a groove A. B. C. having the shape of an S, which is extended at the right top part by a gradient A. D. and at its left lower part by a gradient C. E.

The end of cable 4 coming from the device under control such as a brake or the like, is passed through a hole 5 bored into the front side face of the casing-l; it is then wound around the S profile of head -3, then leaves it to be secured in' casing by the-two stressed horizontal portions of cable 4, takes its inferior limit position and contacts the lower edge of the slot of the casing through which passes the handl of the lever,

A lug or nose 1, formed on the lower face of the lever 2', engages said edge andprevents dis-' placement ofthe lever to the left.

Upon actuation of the lever 2, the latter makes a rotationmovement around a fictive axis. (Era-- dient A. D. then comes gradually in contact with the top fixed horizontal portion of the cable, while simultaneously gradient C. E., moves rightwards and contacts the lower horizontal cable portion; thus cable 4 is longitudinally displaced towards the right along a horizontal line.

It is to be noted that cable 4 in its section A. B. C. does not slip relative to the head 3, and that section A6 of the cable does not vary in length, only the portion C5 is lengthened.

Due to this particularity, the lengthenings of portion C5 of the cable are amplified; to slight arcuate movements of lever 2, correspond relatively large lengthenings of section C5. Whatever could be the importance of the angle described by lever 2, the displacement of the cable is made along a horizontal line.

When the device is used as a bicycle brake control, a substantial displacement of the cable is obtained long before handle 2 has reached its top limit position.

As soon as lever 2 is released, the pull exerted on section C6 by the controlled device, displaces the portion CE of head 3 to the left, thereby re turning the handle to its inferior limit position.

Of course, to lodge handle 2 as has just been described, a casing of any known construction could be used. But it is preferred to use a casing of simple construction, having no protruding part and needing neither screws nor fixation bolts, such as represented on Figures 2 to 4.

In a casing of that type, the envelope or casing l proper, made of steel,,aluminunxor any other. metal or alloy'andthe extremities" of a collar 8,

surrounding any supporting element such as the' pipe of a handle-bar, are maintainedinabutting relation by means of two spring blades 93 welded or riveted respectively to the extremities of collar 8. Exterior lugs ,formediat theebase: of blades 9, hook in appropriate slotslZ bored near the bottom of casing I, whilst top lugs I3 of these blades 9 contact and press againstpipe ll) of the handle-bar (Figure 3).

We claim:

1. In a control device for causing longitudinal" displacement of a cable, a manipulating'lever; a-

support frame, said lever comprising a". head:

freely lodged in said frame and a handle projecting therefrom, saidlever head havinga substan-v tially. S.-shaped, cable-receiving groove. therein, and the cable to be displaced, being arranged.

around the lever head in said. groove. and anchored at one end to said frame,,whereby the. head of the lever is bound andrestrainedinthesaidgroove parallel to said anchored endportion.

and away from said frame.

3. In a control device as claimed inclaim 1, said. support frame constructed. and arranged-to confine the motion of the lever toa pivoting of; the S-shaped. head, andto; limit the extentof:

said, pivoting motion.

4..The combination with a controldevice comprising a support frame and alever havinga head freely lodged in saidv frame, said. lever head being provided with a substantially S-shaped:

groove,.of a cable anchored-.atonezend. to said frame, arranged around said groove andpassing freely away from said device; whereby said cable binds and restrains said lever head in the frame, and manipulation of the lever causes longitudinal displacement of the free length of cable in order-'to per-form useful work 5. The combination as claimed in claim 4, wherein the cable is arranged so that the anchored endeportion. and the free length thereof extend, parallel and in mutually opposed sense, tangentially from said S-shaped groove.

6-..The: combination. as claimed in claim 4, whereina" handle on said lever projects from said frame-and the=latteris shaped so as to confine themotion of thelever to a pivoting of the head thereof and. to limit said motion.

7. In a control device for the brake cables of a vehicle havinga steering gear, a support frame affixable to'said steering gear and a manipulatingv leverprojecting from said frame, said lever having a substantially S-shaped head freely lodged. insaid frame. andithe control end ofthe cable. in questionbeing. wound around. said 8- shaped head. andianchoredito. the frame, whereby'manipulation of the. lever causes. pivoting of said head and hence longitudinaldisplacement of .the cable. v

8. In a controldevice as claimed in claim17, said Sf-shaped. head having extended portions prolonging the curved extremities of the S and adapted to positively contact andguid'e thecable as the latter is wrapped'further around'the head of the lever upon manipulation of the latter.

GASTON BODINAUX.

REFERENCES CITED" The. following referencesiareof record in the;

file of this patent: v

UNITED; STATES P'A' -I'lilN IS Number Name Date 1,176,763 L'ampert Mar. 28', 1916 2,237,581 Schwinn Apr. 8,1941

1 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 471,910' Great Britain Sept. 13; 1937'-

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