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A locking pulley is a type of pulley that can lock the cable in place when manipulated correctly. It is primarily used in home window blinds but also has limited commercial and marine uses. It has two wheels instead of one, allowing for a blocking function. The operator can lock the cable in place by pushing the larger wheel out of place. Unblocking is done by pulling the rope inward. While convenient, frequent use can shatter the cable and they have more moving parts.
A locking pulley is a type of pulley that will lock the cable in place when the cable is manipulated correctly. This pulley is found primarily on home window blinds in the consumer market, but also has some limited commercial and marine uses. The block pulley is a simple pulley, except with two wheels instead of one. When the cable is pulled out, it moves one of the wheels, locking the whole mechanism. This allows the user to hold the blinds or any other object attached to the pulley in place without holding the cable.
A simple pulley consists of a wheel with a rope threaded through the wheel. When the operator pulls on one end of the cable, the object at the other end lifts. The main difference between the block pulley and the simple pulley is that the second wheel enables the blocking function.
With a locking pulley, the same basic mechanisms are used, but the operator can lock the cable in place and can walk away, leaving the object suspended. This is done by pushing the larger of the two wheels out of place by pulling the cord to the right or outward. As this wheel moves, the smaller wheel tumbles forward and the wheels pinch the cord to activate the lock.
Unblocking a block pulley is done in reverse. The operator pulls the rope inward, or to the left, of the pulley. This brings the small wheel back into alignment and the larger wheel returns to its original position, releasing the cable.
The use of block pulleys has been mainly in the consumer sector. Common household blinds use this mechanism so that operators can lift the blinds to let in the sun. There has been limited commercial and marine use of sheaves, but other types of sheaves are usually used for such purposes.
While a locking pulley is convenient because it allows the operator to hold the cable in a certain position, it also has some problems. If the locking mechanism is used frequently, it can shatter the cable, because the big wheel has teeth. They have more moving parts and require force to lock the pulley in place, so they can fall apart faster than other pulleys. Some people may also find it difficult to lock and unlock the pulley, because the cable has to be pulled a certain way for the mechanism to work.
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