Pullstring

A Dandy toy with a pull string

A pullstring (or pull string or pull-string) or pullcord (or pull cord or pull-cord) is a string or cord wound on a spring-loaded spindle that engages a mechanism when it is pulled. It is most commonly used in toys and motorized equipment. More loosely, a pullstring can be any type of string, cord, or rope attached to an object in some way used to pull the object (or part of the object).

Types

Chainsaw starter handle attached to a pull cord

Pull cord on a transit bus

Perhaps the simplest pull-string toy is the yo-yo. Some dolls, such as Chatty Cathy, have a pullstring built into them that activates a speaker when it is pulled, causing the doll to say a built-in phrase. Other non-doll toys like See 'n Say. The earliest patent with a pull string included in it is an 1886 "Toy Bowling-Alley".

Some grenades like the German Models 24, 39, and 43 have pull-cords.

Many motorized lawn mowers, chainsaws, and portable generators use a pullstring as an ignition device. Some vehicles such as the pre-release version of the Citroën 2CV and DKW RT 125 motorcycle start their engines with pull-cords.

Some types of window blinds and curtains use a cord pull to open, close, raise, and lower them. Attic ladders usually have a pullstring to allow the ladder to be pulled down from the ceiling. A pull switch uses a chain or string to actuate a switch, commonly used in lighting and ceiling fans. Pre-1990s North American diesel locomotive train horns used a lever or pull cord to actuate an air valve. Older steam whistles were almost always actuated with a pull cord. A lifejacket has a pull-cord used to inflate it. Older transit buses and trams/trolleys have a pull cord that a passenger can pull to signal the driver that they are requesting a stop. The Jaguar XK120 sports car's doors have no external handles; instead there is an interior pull-cord.

Another type of pullstring (referred to as a drawstring) can be used in fashion, mainly used in bags as a closing device and contribute to many aspects of the fashion industry.

A ripcord is a type of pull string used to release a parachute.

See also

• Drawstring
• Pull switch
• Bell pull