Cable joining assembly and method for joining cables

A cable-joining assembly for joining push-pull and torsional cables preferably by a hand assembly operation and comprising:

• a first conduit section including a first slide-wire therein operable to transmit a force;
• said first slide-wire being relatively movable with respect to said first conduit section;
• a second conduit section including a second slide wire therein operable to transmit a force;
• said second slide wire being relatively movable with respect to said second conduit section;
• and
• a snap-together mechanism for joining said sections and including a sheath member defined by a first inner sheath section being mounted on one conduit section and a second outer sheath section being mounted on the other conduit section;
• said inner sheath section being cooperatively insertable within said outer sheath section for joining first and second conduit sections against relative axial movement to form a composite conduit;
• said snap-together mechanism also including male and female slide wire end fittings movable within said sheath member;
• one slide wire end fitting affixed to an end of said first slide wire and the other slide wire end fitting affixed to an end of said second slide wire;
• said male slide wire end fitting being insertable into said female slide wire end fitting and is circumferentially surrounded therein for connecting said first and second slide wires for transmitting a force therebetween when said fittings are moving within said sheath member;
• said snap-together mechanism further including generally radially extending projections;
• said projections tending to distend at the end of such insertion for gripping engagement of the slide wire end fittings.

A cable-joining assembly for joining push-pull and torsional cables without the use of tools and comprising:

• a first conduit section including a first slide wire therein operable to transmit a force;
• said first slide wire being relatively movable with respect to said first conduit section;
• a second conduit section including a second slide wire therein operable to transmit a force;
• said second slide wire being relatively movable with respect to said second conduit section;
• and
• a snap-together mechanism for joining said sections and including a sheath member defined by a first inner sheath section being mounted on one conduit section and a second outer sheath section being mounted on the other conduit section;
• said inner sheath section being cooperatively insertable within said outer sheath section for joining first and second conduit sections against relative axial movement to form a composite conduit;
• said snap-together mechanism also including male and female slide wire end fittings movable within said sheath member;
• one slide wire end fitting affixed to an end of said first slide wire and the other slide wire end fitting affixed to an end of said second slide wire;
• said male slide wire end fitting being insertable into said female slide wire end fitting and is circumferentially surrounded therein for connecting said first and second slide wires for transmitting a force therebetween when said fittings are moving within said sheath member;
• said snap-together mechanism further including generally radially extending projections;
• said projections deforming as said male slide wire end fitting is inserted into said female slide wire end fitting for joining said slide wires and tending to distend at the end of such insertion into gripping engagement with said female slide wire end fitting to resist relative axial movement between the male and female end fittings, the force required to withdraw said male slide wire end fitting from said female slide wire end fitting being greater than the force being transmitted between said slide wires.

A method for joining together first and second conduit sections having first and second slide wires respectively therein;

• comprising the steps of:
• affixing the relative movement of the first slide wire with respect to the first conduit;
• affixing the relative movement of the second slide wire with respect to the second conduit;
• joining together the first and second conduit sections;
• simultaneously connecting together the first and second slide wires while said first and second conduit sections are being joined within said conduit sections;
• unfixing the relative movement of the first slide wire with respect to said first conduit;
• and
• unfixing the relative movement of the second slide wire with respect to said second conduit, whereby said first and second slide wires are movable together.