Blind assembly of parking brake cable to parking brake lever

Claim 1

In a drum brake assembly having a drum to be braked first and second brake shoe assemblies mounted on a backing plate, service brake actuating means selectively acting on said shoe assemblies to move same into braking engagement with said drum, and parking brake actuating mechanism for mechanically moving said shoe assemblies into braking engagement with said drum for parking brake purposes, said parking brake actuating mechanism including a spreader strut extending between said shoe assemblies, a parking brake lever pivoted at one lever end on one of said shoe assemblies and engaging said strut when pivoted in one direction to spread said shoe assemblies apart and move same into braking engagement with said drum, and a parking brake cable extending through an apertured boss in said backing plate and connected to the other end of said lever for actuation thereof by the application of tension thereto, the improvement comprising: means for blind assembly and connection of said parking brake cable to said lever other end, said last named means comprising: said other end of said parking brake lever being formed so as to receive a cable guide and retention member, said guide and retention member having a funnel-shaped first end defining a large opening at one funnel end and a smaller opening at the other funnel end with said larger opening facing toward said backing plate apertured boss, said funnel-shaped first end having an inner surface providing a camming guide surface, said cable guide and retention member having a tubular section with said funnel end smaller opening opening into the inner portion of said tubular section, and a second end on the opposite end of said tubular section from said funnel end, said second end acting to axially secure said guide and retention member to said parking brake actuating lever other end, and at least one annular series of circumferentially spaced spring tabs struck inwardly from said tubular section to extend axially and inwardly toward said tubular section second end; said parking brake cable having a cable section of relatively small diameter and an enlarged cable end of substantially larger diameter than the diameter of said cable section, said enlarged cable end being on the end of said cable section connected with said lever other end and having a plurality of 360 degree conical-base shaped ridges thereon axially pointing toward said guide and retention member second end, said funnel-shaped end camming guide surface acting to cam and guide said cable enlarged end and said cable into said guide and retention member tubular section with said tabs and said ridges cooperating to provide a one-way securing arrangement with at least one series of tabs engaging the back side of at least one of said ridges to prevent axial movement thereof in a direction toward said guide and relative to said parking brake lever and holding said cable in a locked and adjusted position relative to said parking brake lever and to be operative to exert actuating force on said parking brake lever when said parking brake cable is tensioned to actuate the parking brake.