Adjustable Cable Stop

Abstract

A bowden cable adjustable stop assembly for adjustably limiting the movement of a bowden cable core in one direction relative to the outer housing of the bowden cable. A mid-portion of the bowden cable housing is omitted and a lock housing is connected in line between the adjacent ends of the bowden cable housing end sections with the end sections retained against longitudinal shifting relative to the lock housing and the bowden cable core extending through the housing and having an abutment member attached thereto against longitudinal shifting along the core. A limit stop is slidably supported from the housing for rectilinear movement along a path generally paralleling the portion of the bowden cable core extending through the housing and the abutment member is engageable with the limit stop to limit movement of the cable core in a direction shifting the abutment member toward the adjacent side of the limit stop. Further coacting latch means carried by tye limit stop and the lock housing are provided and include key operable actuating means for releasably securing the limit stop in adjusted shifted position relative to the housing, whereby the limit of movement of the core of the bowden cable in one direction may be adjusted.

Description

The cable stop of the instant invention has been primarily designed for use in conjunction with the throttle control of a boat, snowmobile or other motor powered recreation vehicle.

Many families including young children own boats, snowmobiles or other motor powered recreation vehicles and many rental agencies rent similar vehicles to be operated by younger persons. However, although a particular vehicle may be capable of speeds which can be dangerous when not under the control of an experienced operator and many of these vehicles are operated by younger persons with only minimal operating experience, there are no throttle controls for such vehicles which may be utilized to selectively limit the amount the throttle of motor may be opened when the vehicle is being operated by inexperienced persons.

It is accordingly the main object of this invention to provide a throttle control cable stop of the adjustable type whereby the stop may be actuated so as to limit the opening of the throttle of an associated motor in an effective and dependable manner, thereby rendering a particular motor powered vehicle safer by operation by inexperienced persons.

Another object of this invention is to provide a throttle cable stop of the adjustable type in accordance with the preceding object and including means whereby the throttle cable limiting adjustment components thereof may be locked in the desired operative condition against unauthorized further adjustment to increase the maximum throttle opening possible.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a throttle cable stop of the adjustable type which may be readily deactivated by authorized persons to enable full range operation of the associated throttle cable, when desired.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a throttle cable stop of the adjustable type which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a mid-line portion of the throttle cable of a motorboat with the adjustable cable stop of the instant invention operatively associated with the throttle cable;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 4--4 of FIG. 2.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates a bowden cable assembly utilized as a motion transmitting device for transmitting movement of the hand operable throttle actuator of a boat, snowmobile or other motorized vehicle to a remotely located engine throttle control. The cable assembly 10 is of a conventional type including a flexible outer housing 12 and a flexible inner core 14. A mid-portion of the housing 12 is omitted so as to define a pair of longitudinally spaced housing sections 16 and 18. However, the core 14 extends through both of the housing sections 16 and 18 and also bridges the space between the adjacent ends of the housing sections 16.

The adjustable cable stop of the instant invention is referred to in general by the reference numeral 20 and includes an elongated housing 22 consisting of a pair of half sections 24 and 26 opening toward each other along the centerline of the housing 22 and secured together by means of suitable threaded fasteners 28 so as to fully enclose the adjacent ends of the housing sections 16 and 18 and the full longitudinal extent of the portion of the core 14 extending between the sections 16 and 18.

The opposite ends of the housing 22 include integral clamp sleeves 30 and 32, each including a half clamp sleeve defined by the corresponding housing section, and each clamp sleeve 30 and 32 includes a setscrew 34.

As may best be seen from FIGS. 2 through 4 of the drawings, the housing sections 24 and 26 are secured about the cable 10 with the clamp sleeves 30 and 32 clampingly engaged with the adjacent ends of the housing sections 16 and 18 and the setscrews 34 retaining the adjacent ends of the housing sections 16 and 18 within the clamp sleeves 30 and 32, of the housing 22.

A split block clamp 36 defining an abutment member is clamped on the core 14 between the housing sections 16 and 18 and the housing section 24 includes rack type ratchet teeth 38 formed on the inner surface of its side wall. Also, a limit stop slide body 40 is provided and includes supporting guide flange portions 42 keyed in and slidably supported within confronting grooves 44 formed in the marginal portions of the housing sections 24 and 26 defining a longitudinal slot 46 in the upper wall 48 of the housing 22.

The slide body 40 is of course supported from the housing 22 for rectilinear movement along a path paralleling that portion of the core 14 extending between the adjacent ends of the housing sections 16 and 18.

The slide body 40 includes a transverse bore 50 in which a latch slide 52 is disposed and a compression spring 54 is seated in the closed end of the blind bore 50 and bears against the inner end of the latch slide 52 so as to urge the latter outwardly of the transverse blind bore 50. The outer end 56 of the latch slide 52 is contoured to engage with the ratchet teeth 38 and prevent movement of the slide body 40 to the right as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings. However, inasmuch as the teeth 38 are ratchet teeth, it will be appreciated that even when the latch slide is engaged with the teeth 38 the slide block 40 may be moved to the left as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings.

The slide body 40 further includes a bore 58 in which a rotatable lock cylinder 60 is received. Of course, the lock cylinder 60 is key operable and includes a radially projecting tongue 62 which projects into a laterally opening notch 64 formed in the latch slide 52. Thus, when the key 66 (illustrated in phantom lines in FIG. 2) is inserted within the lock cylinder 60 and torque is applied to the key 66 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3 of the drawings, the tongue 62 will be swung in a direction urging the lock slide 52 downwardly away from the ratchet teeth 38 thereby enabling the slide body 40 to be shifted to the right as desired. However, when the key 66 is turned to the position enabling its withdrawal from the lock cylinder 60, the tongue 62 is disposed in the position thereof illustrated in FIG. 3 whereby the lock slide 52 is urged outwardly of the bore 50 by means of the compression spring 54 into engagement with the teeth 38 to thereby prevent movement of the slide body 40 to the right as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3. In operation, when it is desired to apply the cable stop 20 to the throttle cable 10, the mid-portion of the housing 12 is removed and the housing 22 is applied to the cable 10 in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings. Then, with the key inserted in the lock cylinder or sleeve and turned to the position in which the latch slide 52 is withdrawn from the ratchet teeth 38, the associated motorboat may be operated at the maximum speed desired by shifting of the core 14 in the conventional manner. Then, the key 66 may be turned so as to release the latch slide 52 for movement into engagement with the ratchet teeth 38 thereby preventing further movement of the core 16 in a direction opening the throttle of the associated motor, it being understood that movement of the core 14 to the right as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings increases the throttle setting of the associated boat motor.

With the cable stop thus applied, the throttle setting of the associated boat motor may not exceed the predetermined setting applied to the cable stop 20. Of course, when the initial adjustment of the cable stop 20 is effected, while the latch slide 52 is retracted from the ratchet teeth 38, the slide body 40 is shifted to the left until the body 40 abuts the abutment member defined by the double block clamp 36. However, even if the key 66 is not readily available and the slide block is disposed in its limit position of movement to the right as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, the throttle stop 20 may be adjusted merely by shifting the core 14 to the desired limit position and then moving the slide body 40 to the left until it abuts the abutment member 36. As the slide body 40 is shifted to the left, the outer end of the latch slide 52 will slide over the ratchet teeth 38.

As hereinbefore set forth, the cable stop of the instant invention has been specifically designed for use in conjunction with motor powered vehicle throttle cables. However, the cable stop may also be utilized in conjunction with throttle cable rods supported for substantial rectilinear movement and also other control members wherein an adjustable limit stop for movement in one direction is desired.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

Claims

I claim:

1. In combination, a reciprocable control member, a support relative to which said control member is reciprocable, a stop member mounted on said control member, an abutment member supported from said support for adjustable positioning relative thereto along a path generally paralleling the path of reciprocation of said control member and engageable by said stop member to limit its movement, and thus movement of said control member, in one direction along said path of reciprocation of said control member, and coacting lock means carried by said abutment member and support actuatable to releasably lock said abutment member in selected position relative to said support against movement in said one direction, said lock means including means defining a ratchet connection between said abutment member and said support affording movement of the former relative to the latter in the opposite direction when said lock means is actuated, but preventing movement of said abutment member in said one direction.

2. In combination, a reciprocable control member, a support relative to which said control member is reciprocable, a stop member mounted on said control member, an abutment member supported from said support for adjustable positioning relative thereto along a path generally paralleling the path of reciprocation of said control member and engageable by said stop member to limit movement of said control member, in one direction along said path of reciprocation of said control member, and coacting lock means carried by said abutment member and support actuatable to releasably lock said abutment member in selected position relative to said support against movement in said one direction, said stop member and control member including means supporting said stop member from said control member for adjustable positioning therealong in the path of reciprocation of said control member relative to said support.

3. In combination, a reciprocable control member, a support relative to which said control member is reciprocable, a stop member mounted on said control member, an abutment member supported from said support for adjustable positioning relative thereto along a path generally paralleling the path of reciprocation of said control member and engageable by said stop member to limit its movement, and thus movement of said control member, in one direction along said path of reciprocation of said control member, and coacting lock means carried by said abutment member and support actuatable to releasably lock said abutment member in selected position relative to said support against movement in said one direction, said reciprocable control member comprising the inner flexible core of a cable assembly including an outer flexible tubular housing enclosing said inner core.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein an intermediate section of said outer flexible tubular housing is omitted whereby said outer flexible tubular housing is defined by a pair of axially spaced housing end sections with adjacent ends, said support comprising a hollow housing through which said cable assembly extends, said adjacent ends of said cable sections being anchored relative to remote portions of said housing, said stop member mounted on said control member being disposed within said housing through which said cable assembly extends.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said stop member is disposed within said housing through which said cable assembly extends, an inner wall surface of said housing including ratchet gear teeth opening in said opposite direction and a retractable latch slide carried by said abutment member for selective engagement with said ratchet teeth.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said housing through which said cable assembly extends includes a pair of half sections secured together and separable along a line generally paralleling said path, said remote portions of said last mentioned housing defining half sleeve clamp portions clampingly engaged with said adjacent ends of said cable housing sections.

7. The combination of claim 3 wherein said flexible core comprises motion transmitting means for connecting a movable operator's throttle control with a remotely located engine throttle control.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said movement of said core in said one direction functions to open said engine throttle control.