Soft-release cable operating means

Control apparatus for axially displacing an inner cable member relative to a tubular concentrically arranged outer sleeve member, comprising:

• (a) a housing adapted for connection with one end of the sleeve member;
• (b) a cylindrical main torque member rotatably connected within said housing;
• (c) operating lever means including an operating lever mounted concentrically on, and extending generally radially outwardly from, said main torque member;
• (d) means operable to connect said operating lever means with one end of the inner cable member;
• (e) means connecting said operating lever means directly with said main torque member for pivotal movement about the longitudinal axis of said main torque member between released and engaged positions relative to said housing, thereby to rotate said main torque member between engaged and released positions relative to said housing;
• (f) main helical spring clutch means for releasably connecting said main torque member with said housing, said main spring clutch means including a helical main spring mounted concentrically about, and normally biased radially inwardly into frictional engagement with, said main torque member, said helical main spring including end portions one of which is connected with said housing, and the other of which is arranged for operation by said release means, said main spring clutch means normally having a contracted condition affording pivotal movement of said torque member only in the direction of said engaged position;
• (g) release means for expanding said main spring to an expanded condition in which said main spring is released from said main torque member, thereby to permit rotational movement of said main torque member toward its released position;
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• (h) slack adjusting means connected between said operating lever and said inner cable member connecting means for automatically removing slack in the inner cable member when said operating lever is in the disengaged position, said slack adjusting means including:
• (1) pulley means mounted concentrically about said main torque member, said pulley means being adapted for connection with the inner cable member, one of said operating lever and pulley means being rigidly connected with said main torque member, and the other of said operating lever and pulley means being rotatable relative to said main torque member;
• (2) locking means operable when said operating lever is displaced toward said engaged position to lock said rotatable other means against rotation relative to said torque member, said locking means being operable when said operating lever is in the disengaged position to release said rotatable other means for rotation relative to said torque member, said locking means including a second helical clutch spring mounted concentrically relative to said rotatable other member, one end of said second spring being connected with said operating lever, and the other end of said second spring being operable by said housing to expand said second helical spring when said operating lever is in the disengaged position;
• and
• (3) pulley spring means rotatably biasing said rotatable other means relative to said torque tube in a direction to increase the tension of the cable inner member.