US2218903A - Mulitple bowden wire structure - Google Patents

Description

O. J. BRATZ INVENTOR rro l 'RA rz BY m\/TTORNEY MULTIPLE BOWDEN WIRE STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 1, 1937 .f ,4 .f 2 y. e 2 e 1155,. H /ll ll l I l i l I Iluf/ Oct. 22, 1940.

Patented Oct. 22,

UNITED STATES MULITPLE BD WDEN WIRE .STRUCTURE Otto J. Bratz, Adrian, Mich., assignor to American Chain & Cable Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 1, 1937, Serial No, 123,330

` s claims. (c1. 74.-;501)

The present invention relates to exible power transmitting mechanism of the type generally known as a-Bowden wire, in which a pair of elongated elements are disposed one within the other,

whereby one will serve as a guide for the other, and in which power is transmitted by relatively sliding movement of said elements.

Such devices are commonly used to control the movement of a remote part to which rectilinear access cannot conveniently be provided from an operating point. Heretofore, separate Bowden wires have been provided for each control and each of such power transmitting devices has had to be individually mounted and suitably guarded froml rattling or abrasion against intervening parts.

My invention has for an object to provide a multiple Bowden wire structure comprising a plurality of power transmitting elements which may be handled as a unitary structure. To this end,v

I provide a plurality o'f Bowden wire casings enclosed in a single iiexible envelope, al1 of said casings being iixed to said envelope at at least one end thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for maintaining the casings at'a predetermined mutual spacing within the outer envelope.

A further object is to provide a central member within the envelope adapted to maintain the unit at constant length regardless of bends and regardless of push or pull movements transmitted by the unit. f

- Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear `in the following description 'of a preferred embodiment and thereafter the novelty and scope of the invention will be pointed out in the claims.

In the 'accompanying drawing;

Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section of my improved multiple Bowden wire;

Fig, 2 is a view in transverse section taken on the line 2,-2of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a-view in transverse section ytaken on I the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

As shown in the drawing, I provide a plurality of ilexible Bowden wire casings I 0 each preferably formed of a coiled metallic ribbon. Each casing serves as a guide for a ilexible power 5o -transmitting element Il which passes. therethrough. Each element II is preferably a solid wire although obviously any other suitable transmitting element may be emplyed. The casings I0 are inserted in an outer flexible casing or envelope I3 with a spacer Il introduced .between the casings I0. This spacer may consist of a ilexible metal rod and is preferably v(although not necessarily) formed with at faces against which the casings III bear respectively.` Thus, inA the particular embodiment illustrated there are 5 four Bowden wire casings III and the rod I4 is square in cross-section. .The outer envelope I3 may be formed of a coiled metal ribbon, as shown. At each end of thelenvelope there is a ierrule I5 which is swaged upon the envelope I3 after the casings I0 have been introduced therein and by swagng the ferrule on the envelope the casings I0 are tightly embraced and pressed against the spacer rod so that all parts except, of course, the wires II, are rigidly xed together at the ends of 15 thestructure. However,\intermediate the ferrules the casings have limitedl motion in the envelope. The rod I4 is preferably formed with corrugations I6 near each end to provide a better grip and ensure a tighter hold when the ferzo rules are swaged on.

This multiple casing may be exed, as desired, to guide the wires I0 in any desired non-rectilinear path from the points of application of power to the parts thtat are to be actuated. As 25 the structure is bent the central rod I4 serves to -keep the unit at constant length. One of the will be understood that this is not to be taken as limitative, but merely as illustrative, and that I reserve the right to make ,various changes in form, construction and arrangement of parts without departing from 'the spirit and scope of 4o the following claims.

I claim:

l. A device of the character described comprising a plurality of flexible Bowden wire casings, a exible tubular envelope in which said casings 45 are loosely iitted, a spacer extending longitudinally between the casings, and means binding the envelope and casings and spacertogether at each end of the device.

2. A device of the character described comprising a plurality of ilexible Bowden wire casings, a flexible tubular envelope in which said casings arev looselyiltted, aflexible rod disposed lengthwise between thecasings and maintaining'A the same in mutually spaced relation, and means a binding the envelope, casings and rod together at each end of the device.

3. A device of the character 'described comprising a plurality of flexible Bowden wire cas-` ings, a flexible tubular envelope in which said casings are loosely iltted, a flexible rod disposed lengthwise between the casings and maintaining the same in mutuallypaced relation, a ferrule at each end oi' the envelope binding the envelope,

casings and rod together, and an elongated power transmitting element extending through each of said casings.l f

4. Av device of the character described com'- prising a plurality of flexible Bowden wire casings, a flexible tubular envelope in which said casings are loosely iltted, a ilexible rod iltted between the casings and formed with attened faces against which the casings bear respectively, and a Ierrule binding the envelope and casings and rod tightly together at each end of the device. 5. Al` device of the character described comprising a flexible tubular envelope, four flexiblev Bowden wire casings extending lengthwise through the envelope, a flexible rod spacing the casings apart, said rod being of square crosssection to provide a flat face for each casing to bear against, and a ferrule binding the envelope and casings and rod tightly together at each end of the device.

6. A device ofthe character described compris- I ing a ilexible tubular metallic envelope, .a plurality of ilexible Bowden wire casings within said envelope, means separating and holding said casings in mutually spaced relation within said en-` velope, and a ferrule swaged on an end of said envelope binding said envelope, casings and means together as a unitary structure.

7. A device of the "character described comprising a ilexible tubular metallic envelope, a

plurality of iiexible Bowden wire casings within said envelope, means separating and holding said casings in mutually spaced relation within said envelope, a ferrule swaged yon an end of said envelope to hold the envelope, casings and means o'i'ro J. Baa'rz. 30

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