Geoffrey Drew Simpson

US Patent:

7118094, Oct 10, 2006

Filed:

May 21, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/851277

Inventors:

Miriam H. McDaniel - Palmdale CA, US
Geoffrey D. Simpson - Palmdale CA, US

Assignee:

Space-Age Control, Inc. - Palmdale CA

International Classification:

B66D 1/36

US Classification:

254335, 254394

Abstract:

A cage in which two pulley wheels are mounted with tangent circumferences so that their circumferential cable grooves surround a cable passing between the wheels. The cage freely rotates about an axis that passes between the wheels. The cage axis is normal to the plane of the parallel wheel axes. The cage extends forward of the wheels and forms two curved edges on opposed sides of the cage axis. Each curve has an apex at its forward-most point. A flexible cable passes through the cage, between the wheels, and forward between the curves. Extending the cable substantially away from the plane of the wheels causes it to contact one of the curves. This rotates the cage so that the wheels are aligned with the cable deflection. This switches the cable to one or the other of the wheels, and provides low friction cable operation for any cable direction.