MANUALLY-OPERABLE AND LOCKABLE LENGTH ADJUSTER

Abstract: A manually operated and locked conduit length adjuster system comprising a cable adapted to be connected at one end to an actuator and at the other end to a device to be actuated, a first length of conduit (31) adapted to be attached at one end to a fixed point and at the other end to a manually locked conduit length adjuster (35). The manually locked conduit length adjuster (35) includes a plastic body (43) adapted to be attached to the first length of conduit (31) and having an opening through which a plastic slider (46) extends. The slider (46) includes annular teeth (47) and the plastic body includes a locking member (49) integrally hinged (50) to the plastic body (43) and adapted to be moved into position to cause teeth (51) thereon to engage the teeth (47) on the slider (46). The locking member (49) has other portions (56, 59) thereof which engage the body (43) for locking the locking member (49) in position.

Description: This invention relates to cable control mechanisms and systems and particularly, to a manually-lockable length adjuster. In a cable control system comprising a conduit and a cable extending therethrough, it is necessary to be able to adjust the length of either the conduit or the cable in the initial installation of the conduit and cable control. Various manually-operable systems have heretofore been suggested as shown, for example, in US-A-2,172,294; 3,393,578; 3,572,159; 3,587,341; 3,662,617; 4,331,041 and 4,177,691. In one type of cable control system, a cable is connected at one end to an actuator and at the other end to a device to be actuated. A conduit surrounds at least a portion of the cable. In the installation of such a system, it is desirable to be able to control the length of the cable and, in turn, the position of the device to be actuated. In US-A-3,572,159 referred to above, there is disclosed a motion-transmitting remote control assembly having the features recited in the preamble of claim 1. Among the objectives of the present invention are to provide, in a preferred embodiment, an improved manually-operated and lockable conduit length adjuster system which can be attached to a bracket or other retaining device that is fixed and will permit the cable to seek a preferred position against an axial load after which a locking member be applied to lock the member and, in turn, the conduit, in place. Among the further objectives of the present invention is to provide, again in a preferred embodiment or embodiments, such a mechanism which offers good support to the cable in all directions, which includes a minimum number of parts, minimises labour and material costs and material handling; which has a hinge connecting a member for retaining the locking member for tangle-free shipping and which holds the locking member away from the mechanism during adjustment without interfering with the adjustment; which has a convenient thumb tab on the locking member to aid in locking; which provides a locking force perpendicular to the adjustment axis for ease of locking; which allows one member to rotate relative to another member in either an open or a locked position; which includes a spring at one end for a pre-adjusted load; which has the ability to be unlocked and locked repeatedly without damage to any part; which has a positive snap-action lock; which will not corrode or rust; which is compact so that it can be utilised in confined areas; wherein plastic shrinkage will be uniform throughout the adjusting mechanism for accurate fit of the locking mechanisms; which can be made in various sizes and load capacities; wherein the amount of adjustment is not limited; and wherein the mechanism is lightweight. The present invention is defined in the appended claims and in accordance therewith, a manually-operable and lockable conduit length adjuster system comprises a cable adapted to be connected at one end to an actuator and at the other end to a device to be actuated, a first length of conduit adapted to be attached at one end to a fixed point and at the other end to a manually-lockable conduit length adjuster. The manually-lockable conduit length adjuster includes a plastics body adapted to be attached to the first length of conduit and having an opening through which a plastics slider extends. The slider includes annular teeth and the plastics body includes a locking member integrally hinged to the plastics body and adapted to be moved into a position to cause teeth thereon to engage the teeth on the slider. The locking member has other portions thereof which are engageable with the body for locking the locking member in position. Manually-operable and lockable conduit length adjuster systems in accordance with the present invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a schematic of a control system embodying the invention, Figure 2 is an elevational view of a control system embodying the invention, Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view, to a larger scale, of a portion of an adjuster mechanism, of the control system of Figures 1 and 2, Figure 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the adjuster mechanism of Figure 3, Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing a part of the adjuster mechanism in an unlocked position, Figure 6 is an end view taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 5 showing the adjuster member in locked position, Figure 7 is a fragmentary view taken along the line 7-7 of Figure 5, Figure 8 is an end view taken along the line 8-8 of Figure 5, Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 5 of a modified form of a portion of the device, and Figure 10 is a sectional view taken along the line 10-10 of Figure 9. Referring to Figure 1, the invention is shown as being applied to a cable control system for controlling the position of a transmission valve V, by way of example. Such a system may include a foot pedal 20 which actuates a lever 21 to move a throttle cable 22 connected at one end to the lever 21 and at the other end to a lever 22a movable with the throttle plate 23 of a throttle body 24. A conduit 25 surrounds at least a portion of the cable and has its ends fixed as at 26, 27. A second cable 28 extends from another lever 29 and is connected to the spool 30 of the valve V. In accordance with the invention, a conduit 31 is attached at one end to a bracket 32 and surrounds the cable 28. A manually-lockable conduit length adjuster 35 is mounted on a fixed wall or bracket 36, as presently to be described, and functions to adjust the length of the conduit 31 and, in turn, adjust the effective length of the cable 28 in order that the spool 30 of the valve V can be placed in the desired initial position of its movement. An actuator cable assembly is shown in Figure 2 and comprises the cable 28 which is connected at one end by a connector 37 to the actuator, such as actuator 29, and at the other end to a connector 38 which, in turn, is connected to the valve V. The conduit 31 has a mounting bracket 39 which includes resilient fingers 40 for engaging the surface of a wall 41 to fix the one end of the conduit 31. As shown in Figure 3, the other end of the conduit 31 has an enlarged portion 69. Referring to Figures 2-8, an adjuster 35 embodying the invention comprises a plastics body 43 having an opening 44 therethrough. Body 43 has a portion 45 which is cylindrical. A plastics slider 46 extends through the opening 44 and engages the cylindrical portion 45 which guides the slider 46. The slider 46 is formed with a plurality of longitudinally-spaced annular teeth 47 along at least a portion of its length. Each tooth 47 is unsymmetrical in cross section with each tooth having an inclined surface 48 extending axially and radially outwardly toward the device being actuated, in this case the valve V. A locking member 49 is integrally attached to the body 43 by a hinge strap 50 at one end of body 43. The body 43 and locking member 49, together with the integral hinge strap 50, are thus molded in the same mold and as a result, any dimensional differences due to the molding temperatures and other parameters are minimised. The locking member 49 is provided with longitudinally-spaced arcuate teeth 51, complementary to the teeth 47, that are adapted to engage the teeth 47 on the slider 46. The locking member 49 moves through an open-ended, longitudinally-extending opening 52 in the body 43 into engagement with the teeth 47. Opening 52 thus defines a U-shaped portion 53 of the body 43. The upper edges of the portion 53 are formed with U-shaped hooks 54 at the end of said body 43 opposite the hinge 50. The hooks 54 face longitudinally toward the device being actuated and define open-ended openings 55. Cylindrical pins 56 on the free end of locking member 49 extend laterally and are adapted to engage openings 55 to serve as hinge points for the locking member 49. An integral transverse wall 57 is provided on the body at the other end of the U-shaped portion 53 and the strap 50 extends from a surface of the wall 57. The edges of portion 43 further includes open-ended openings 58 that are adapted to receive a second set of laterally extending pins 59 on the locking member 49 for locking the locking member 49 in position. Each opening 58 includes a first radial portion 60 adjacent the free edge, and a second longitudinally and radially-extending portion 61 (i.e. inclined to the axis of the slider 46) that extends in the direction of the device being actuated. The opening 58 further includes a closed end 62 thereby defining a hook 63. The body 43 further includes flexible wings 64 that extend generally axially away from the device being actuated and are adapted to snap past the edge of an opening in a bracket or wall 36 for mounting the mechanism in fixed relation on the wall, the wings 64 snapping past the opening and engaging flange 57 on the body 43. Where the end of the cable 28 is connected by a connector 38, a coil spring 65 is provided between the body 43 and the washer 42 that engages an enlarged portion 69 on the conduit 31. In practice, the assembly as shown in Figure 2 is pre-assembled and then placed in position on the automobile or the like with connections being made to the connector 37 and the device to be actuated such as the valve V. The locking member 49 is in the out-of-lock position. As shown in Figure 5, the hinge 50 flexes holding the locking member 49 out of locking engagement with slider 46. The device which is to be adjusted is placed in the initial desired position by manipulation of the device, as by moving the spool 30. The locking member 49 is manually moved to bring the pins 56 in engagement with the hooks 54, the pins 56 snapping into the openings 55 since the open end is narrowed and the major portion of the radius of each opening 55 is greater than 180°. The locking member 49 is then further swung downwardly bringing the teeth 51 thereon in engagement with the teeth 47 on the slider 46 and at the same time engaging the pins 59 with the openings 58 that also have narrowed open ends with an arcuate extent greater than 180° providing a snap action. The locking member 49 includes a wide finger-engaging tab 70 connected by a longitudinally extending narrow wall 71 with the body of the locking member 49 to provide a ready means for engaging the thumb with the locking member 49. In addition, the flange 57 includes an axially-extending projection 72 that includes a surface 73 adapted to be contacted by a complementary surface 74 on the locking member 49 such that the load on the locking member in the direction toward the device being controlled is absorbed by the abutment 72. The surfaces 73, 74 are inclined radially inwardly and longitudinally away from the device being actuated. In the form shown in Figure 9, the pins 59a are adapted to extend into cylindrical openings 58a in the body 43a. To facilitate this snap action, the ends of the pins are bevelled as at 59b to facilitate the snapping of the pins 59a into the openings 58a. In all other respects, this form of mechanism is like that described in connection with Figures 1 - 7. It can thus be seen that there has been provided a manually-locked conduit length adjuster system which offers good support to the cable in all directions, which includes a minimum number of parts minimising labour and material costs and material handling; which has a hinge connecting a member for retaining the locking member for tangle-free shipping and which holds the locking member away from the mechanism during adjustment without interfering with the adjustment; which has a convenient thumb tab on the locking member to aid in locking; which provides a locking force perpendicular to the adjustment axis for ease of locking; which allows one member to rotate relative to another member in either an open or a locked position; which includes a spring at one end for a pre-adjusted load; which has the ability to be unlocked and locked repeatedly without damage to any part; which has a positive snap action lock, which will not corrode or rust; which is compact so that it can be utilised in confined areas; wherein plastics shrinkage will be uniform throughout the adjusting mechanism for accurate fit of the locking mechanisms; which can be made in various sizes and load capacities; wherein the amount of adjustment is not limited; and wherein the mechanism is light in weight.

Claims: A manually-lockable conduit length adjuster system comprising: a plastic body (43) having an opening (44) therethrough, a plastics slider (46) extending through the body (43) and having an opening therethrough, a conduit (31) adapted to have one end (32) fixed and the other end abutting the slider (46), a cable (28) extending through the conduit (31) and the slider (46), the slider (46) having a plurality of annular, longitudinally-spaced teeth (47) along at least a portion of the length thereof, a locking member (49), the locking member (49) having a plurality of longitudinally-spaced, arcuate teeth (51) adapted to engage the teeth on the slider (46), the locking member (49) being movable manually through a side wall of the body into locking engagement with the slider (46), and interengaging means (54,56,59,63) for holding the locking member (49) in the locked position, characterised in that: the locking member (49) is made of plastics material, the locking member (49) is connected to the body (43) by an integral flexible hinge (50), and the interengaging means (54,56,59,63) are provided between the locking member (49) and the body for holding the locking member (49) in a locked position. A system according to claim 1, characterised in that the interengaging means comprises pivot means (56, 54) for pivoting the locking member (49) with respect to the body (43) and locking means (59) for locking the locking member (49) in a locked position. A system according to claim 2, characterised in that the pivot means comprises integral hooks (54) on the body (43) defining openings facing longitudinally, and laterally-extending pins (56) on the locking member (49) adapted to engage the openings for pivoting the locking member (49) relative to the body. A system according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the locking means comprises generally radially-extending, open-ended openings (58) in the body (43), and laterally-extending pins (59) on the locking member (49) adapted to extend into these openings for frictionally locking the locking member (49) in a locked position. A system according to claim 4, characterised in that the open-ended openings include a portion (61) inclined to the axis of the slider (46). A system according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that it further includes abutment means (62) on the body (43) engageable by the locking member (49). A system according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the locking means comprises transverse openings (58a) in the body (43) and laterally-extending pins (59a) on the locking member (49) adapted to engage these openings. A system according to claim 7, characterised in that the laterally-extending pins (59a) of the locking member (49) have bevelled end portions (59b) for facilitating the snapping of the pins into engagement with the openings (58a). A system according to claim 7 or 8, characterised in that it further includes abutment means (72) on the body (43) engageable by the locking member (49). A system according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that it includes a finger-engageable member (70) extending laterally beyond the confines of the locking member (49) for facilitating application of force thereto. A system according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the opening in the body (43) has a first portion defining a first cylindrical surface, and a second portion defining a second cylindrical surface and having a transverse opening therein, the slider (46) including a cylindrical portion extending through the body opening (44) and engaging the first and second cylindrical portions of the body opening for guiding the slider for longitudinal movement relative to the body.

Inventors: LICHTENBERG, NORMAN B., SPONSELLER, HAROLD P., TOTTEN, JEFFREY E.
Applicants: BABCOCK INDUSTRIES INC.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: F16C1
IPC codes: F16C1, F16B7