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[0001] This application claims the priority of German Patent Application Serial No. 101 07 390.9, filed Feb. 7, 2001, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
[0002] The present invention relates to a detachable securement of a cable to a cable drum.
[0003] U.S. Pat. No. 2,329,943 discloses a cable end securement to a cable drum having a helical groove, which guides the cable. The cable end is enlarged to form a cylindrical block which, when the cable end assumes the fixed position, bears upon a contact surface which is formed on an abutment inside the cable drum. For assembly, the cable end is fitted through an opening extending transversely to the drum wall. The opening is closed by a threadably attachable closing element which has formed therein a cable groove for guiding the cable end. The cable groove of the closing element has a depth which steadily increases toward the contact surface, with the cable groove terminating in the area of the contact surface.
[0004] This conventional cable end securement suffers shortcomings as far as overall dimension is concerned because the cable drum is fairly wide and thus requires much space in radial direction. Moreover, the securement of the cable end is difficult to install.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 1,533,556 discloses a cable end securement in which the contact surface lies substantially in a mid-plane which extends through the longitudinal axis of the cable drum. In order to enable fabrication of the mid-plane in a casting process, an expendable core is used, whereby the mid-section has a slot which is difficult to make. Securement of the cable end is relatively complicated as the cable end has to be pushed deep into the through opening in order to inwardly pivot the cable in the slot under visual guidance.
[0006] It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved detachable securement of a cable to a cable drum to obviate prior art shortcomings and to so configure a cable drum as to be of slender size and easy to install.
[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, in a detachable securement of a cable to a cable drum, the cable drum has a surface formed with a groove for guiding the cable, with the cable having an enlarged end for movement into a fixation position with the cable drum through inward pivoting, wherein the groove has an end zone which terminates in an abutment surface extending inside the cable drum transversely to the groove, with the groove having a depth which steadily increases in the area of the end zone in the direction of the abutment surface, wherein the cable drum has a through opening which substantially extends transversely to a drum wall for passage of the enlarged cable end to rest against the abutment surface, wherein the abutment surface is oriented substantially in a mid-plane which extends through the longitudinal axis of the cable drum, wherein the drum wall of the cable drum is formed interiorly along the groove adjacent to the abutment surface with a depression for at least partially receiving the enlarged cable end, and wherein the depression has a bottom against which the enlarged cable end rests, when the cable end assumes the fixation position.
[0008] According to another feature of the present invention, the through opening is located in the direction of the cable groove behind the abutment surface and intersects the depression.
[0009] According to another feature of the present invention, the through opening, the depression and the abutment surface are so disposed along the groove and an imaginary prolongation of the cable groove that the cable end can be pivoted inwardly into the fixation position about an imaginary axis which extends transversely to the groove and to the cable. In this way, the installation becomes very comfortable and easy.
[0010] According to another feature of the present invention, the cable drum may be formed in one piece with the groove and the depression as well as the through opening, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process. The manufacturing process can be further simplified by making the cable drum through a metal casting process. Hereby, it may be suitable, to provide the abutment surface on a continuous radial enlargement of the drum wall inside the cable drum. Suitably, the radial enlargement extends over an angular range of at most 45 degrees.
[0011] According to another feature of the present invention, the enlarged cable end may be formed as mounting clamp. Securement of the mounting clamp in the depression may be improved when the clamp is configured in the form of a cylinder and has an outer surface resting linearly against the bottom of the depression. The tendency of the clamp to separate from the depression, when the cable is slacked, can be avoided by providing a distance between the abutment surface and the through opening so as to provide a form-fitting engagement when the outer surface linearly rests against the bottom of the depression.
[0012] Other features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent upon reading the following description of currently preferred exemplified embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:
[0013]
[0014]
[0015]
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[0018] Throughout all the Figures, same or corresponding elements are generally indicated by same reference numerals.
[0019] Turning now to the drawing, and in particular to
[0020] Arranged behind the groove
[0021] As shown in particular in
[0022] As shown in
[0023]
[0024] While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a detachable securement of a cable to a cable drum, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and practical application to thereby enable a person skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.