Patent ID: 6477915
Filing Date: 2002-11-12
Classification: B60T,Y10T

Abstract:
A tension device for a cable comprising:a lever (9) rotatably engaged on a bushing (7) fixed on a support (8); a disk (4) rotatably engaged on the bushing (7) having a circular portion with teeth (12) and a protruding base (4A); the lever (9) being releasably engaged to the disk (4) by means of a spring-biased ratchet (1) on the lever (9) to the teeth (12) on the disk (4), stop means (4C) on the disk (4) engageable with the support (8) to stop counter-clockwise rotation of the disk (4); a cable (10) slidably engaged to the protruding base (4A) and adapted to actuate brake mechanisms on wheels of a vehicle; a cylindrical portion (5A) and a sphere (5) fixed to a free end of the cable (10); a circular bowl (3) fixed on the bushing (7) having a recess (3B) on an outer circumference thereof; the ratchet (1) having a lug (1B) which rides in the recess (3B) when lever (9) is rotated clockwise to engage the teeth (12) on the disk (4) and on the outer circumference when the lever (9) is rotated counterclockwise to disengage from the teeth (12) on the disk (4), wherein a spring (6) on the cylindrical portion (5A) is compressed between the protruding base (4A) and the sphere (5) when the cable (10) is initially engaged between the disk (4) and the brake mechanism and the stop means (4C) is engaged to the support (8), wherein the sphere (5) is wedged between a wall (4B) on the disk (4) and a side surface of the bowl when the cable (10) slackens, and wherein the tension of the cable (10) is reset after slackening by rotating the lever clockwise.