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Bowden cable:
The Bowden cable was invented around 1880 by the Englishman Frank Bowden. He was looking for a solution to the problem that a single steel cable running over pulleys did not have a long service life and was vulnerable. That is why he invented the cable for use on the bicycles and motorcycles he manufactured.
A Bowden cable is a flexible cable with an outer sheath through which an inner cable runs. Because the outer cable is attached somewhere, the inner cable can apply a pulling force (and a minimal pushing force). The cable can often be adjusted with an adjustment device so that it can be mounted free of play and in a neutral position.
Some applications for which a Bowden cable is used:
- Throttle cable from accelerator pedal to throttle body
- Handbrake cable
- Clutch cable
- Release cable for mechanical seat adjustment
Often the cable is pulled at one end (e.g. by operating the handbrake) and pulled back at the other end by a spring that returns the operating lever to the neutral position (e.g. at the brake caliper or brake shoes).
