Ernest Monnington Bowden
Encyclopedia
Ernest Monnington Bowden (1860 to April 3, 1904) was an Irishman who invented the Bowden mechanism.
He lived at 35 Bedford Place, London, W.C. His first patent (English Patent 25,325 and U.S. Pat. No. 609,570) was granted in 1896. The principal element of the Bowden cable
is a flexible tube containing a length of fine wire rope that could slide within the tube, directly transmitting pulling, pushing or turning movements on the wire rope from one end to the other without the need of pulleys or flexible joints. The cable was particularly intended for use in conjunction with bicycle brakes. The Bowden Brake was launched amidst a flurry of enthusiasm in the cycle press. Sir Frank Bowden, the founder and owner of the Raleigh Bicycle Company
was reputed to have started replacing the rigid rods used for bicycle brakes with a flexible wound cable around 1902. This may be the reason why the invention of the Bowden cable has been popularly attributed to him. In any case, the origin and invention of the Bowden cable is open to some dispute, confusion and popular myth.
He lived at 35 Bedford Place, London, W.C. His first patent (English Patent 25,325 and U.S. Pat. No. 609,570) was granted in 1896. The principal element of the Bowden cable
Bowden cable
A Bowden cable is a type of flexible cable used to transmit mechanical force or energy by the movement of an inner cable relative to a hollow outer cable housing...
is a flexible tube containing a length of fine wire rope that could slide within the tube, directly transmitting pulling, pushing or turning movements on the wire rope from one end to the other without the need of pulleys or flexible joints. The cable was particularly intended for use in conjunction with bicycle brakes. The Bowden Brake was launched amidst a flurry of enthusiasm in the cycle press. Sir Frank Bowden, the founder and owner of the Raleigh Bicycle Company
Raleigh Bicycle Company
The Raleigh Bicycle Company is a bicycle manufacturer originally based in Nottingham, UK. It is one of the oldest bicycle companies in the world. From 1921 to 1935 Raleigh also produced motorcycles and three-wheel cars, leading to the formation of the Reliant Company.-Early years:Raleigh's history...
was reputed to have started replacing the rigid rods used for bicycle brakes with a flexible wound cable around 1902. This may be the reason why the invention of the Bowden cable has been popularly attributed to him. In any case, the origin and invention of the Bowden cable is open to some dispute, confusion and popular myth.