Device for regulating and stopping the removal of cable from a tow target cable storage means

Claim 1

IN COMBINATION, A TOWING VEHICLE AND A TOWABLE VEHICLE, A CABLE BRAKING DEVICE CONNECTED TO ONE OF SAID VEHICLES AND A MECHANICAL CONNECTION PROVIDED ON THE OTHER OF SAID VEHICLES, A CABLE SECURED TO SAID MECHANICAL CONNECTION AT ONE END AND ADAPTED TO BE SLIDINGLY ENGAGED WITHIN SAID BRAKING DEVICE AT A DISTANCE FROM SAID END, AND STORAGE MEANS INCLUDING A REEL ASSOCIATED WITH SAID BRAKING DEVICE FOR STORING A PORTION OF SAID CABLE IN A COILED CONDITION TO BE PAYED OUT THROUGH SAID CABLE BRAKING DEVICE, A PORTION OF THE CABLE ON SAID STORAGE MEANS BEING WOUND IN THE SHAPE OF A CONE, A PORTION OF THE CABLE OF SAID CONE BEING PROVIDED WITH A PROGRESSIVELY ENLARGED DIAMETER ALONG ITS LENGTH, SAID DEVICE HAVING A CHANNEL PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF NON-ROTATABLE FRICTION SURFACES ADAPTED TO BE PROGRESSIVELY ENGAGED BY SAID CABLE, WHEREBY THE INCREASED FORCE REQUIRED TO UNWIND SAID CABLE IN THE SHAPE OF A CONE CAUSES INCREASED FRICTIONAL FORCE BETWEEN SAID CABLE AND SAID FRICTION SURFACES TO THEREBY CONTROL THE RATE AT WHICH THE STORED PORTION OF SAID CABLE IS PAYED OUT, AND THE TRAVEL OF SAID CABLE THROUGH SAID BRAKING DEVICE BEING ARRESTED WHEN SAID ENLARGED DIAMETER PORTION OF SAID CABLE ENGAGES SAID NON-ROTATABLE FRICTION SURFACES.