Constant tension apparatus and method with eccentric cam to regulate tension
OwnerMatti I. Williamsinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a tensioning apparatus and method for creating and maintaining a substantially constant tension force in a flexible cable or shaft element. The apparatus used for maintaining the flexible cable at a constant tension includes interconnected reel and camming elements joined to a resiliently acting element. The reel and camming elements cooperate to adjust a variable tension force produced by the resiliently acting element to a substantially constant tension force of selected characteristic in the flexible cable.
Claims18
An apparatus for maintaining a suspended cable at a constant tension, said apparatus comprising:
- A.) a reel means for removably and replaceably winding a first flexible cable, said reel means having a first groove means for receiving said first cable, said first groove means being oriented in a first plane and having a width equal to about the diameter of said first flexible cable, said first cable being removably and replaceably wound within said first plane;
- B.) a camming means for removably and replaceably winding a first end of a second flexible cable, said camming means being connected to said reel means and having a second groove means which is oriented in a second plane, said second plane being substantially parallel to said first plane, said second groove means having an eccentric profile and a width equal to about the diameter of said second flexible cable, said second cable being removably and replaceably wound within said second plane;
- C.) a bias means for producing a variable tension force characteristic in said second cable, said bias means being compressed to produce said variable tension force characteristic in said second cable and receiving a second end of said second flexible cable;
- whereby said reel means and said camming means cooperate to continuously adjust the variable tension force in said second cable to a substantially constant tension force of selected characteristic in said first cable.
A method of maintaining a substantially constant tension in a first cable, said first cable having a spooling portion and a working portion, comprising the steps of:
- A.) providing an apparatus comprising:
- 1.) a substantially flat reel means having said spooling portion of said first cable removably and replaceably wound thereon, said reel means having a first groove means for receiving said spooling portion of said first cable, said first groove means being oriented in a first plane and having a width equal to about the diameter of said spooling portion of said first cable, said spooling portion of first cable being removably and replaceably wound within said first plane;
- 2.) a substantially flat camming means having a first end of a second flexible cable removably and replaceably wound thereon, said camming means being connected to said reel means and having a second groove means which is oriented in a second plane, said second plane being substantially parallel to said first plane, said second groove means having an eccentric profile and a width equal to about the diameter of said second flexible cable, said second cable being removably and replaceably wound within said second plane;
- 3.) a bias means for producing a variable tension force characteristic in said second cable, said bias means being compressed to produce said variable tension force characteristic in said second cable and receiving a second end of said second flexible cable;
- B.) providing a tension force characteristic in said spooling portion of said first cable;
- C.) connecting said spooling portion of said first cable to said working portion of said first cable;
- D.) permitting said reel means and said camming means to cooperate so as to adjust the variable tension force in said second cable to a substantially constant tension force of selected characteristic in said first cable.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.