DETENT ASSEMBLY FOR A VEHICLE EMERGENCY BRAKE ACTUATING MECHANISM

• US 3,844,183 A
• Filed: 06/06/1973
• Issued: 10/29/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: David J. Wilke
• Original Assignee: David J. Wilke
• Inventors: Wilke, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wyche, Benjamin W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): McKenzie, Jr., Frank H.
• Application Number:
  US05/367,543
• Time in Patent Office: 510 Days
• Field of Search: 74/512,520,517,526,1R
• US Class Current: 74/517
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/08 hand actuated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20528 Foot operated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20564 Flexible
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20588 toggle

Abstract

In a vehicle emergency brake actuating mechanism wherein an over-center toggle linkage is operatively connected between the foot pedal lever and the brake actuating cable, whereby pressure can be applied to the emergency brake pedal to selectively brake the vehicle in a manner similar to the conventional hydraulic brake system, or to fully actuate the emergency brake by forcing the toggle linkage to the over-center locked position; a detent movable into the path of the toggle linkage to prevent the toggle linkage from moving to the over-center locked position while the vehicle is in an operative disposition; the detent being movable from the path of the toggle linkage to allow the linkage to move to the over-center locked position when the vehicle is in an inoperative disposition.

Claims

1. In a vehicle emergency brake actuating mechanism of the type including a foot pedal lever, a brake actuating cable and an over-center type toggle linkage operatively connected between the foot pedal lever And the brake actuating cable, the improvement comprising detent means disposed in proximity to the path of the toggle linkage, and actuator means operatively connected to said detent means for moving the detent means into and out of the path of the toggle linkage whereby when the detent means is disposed in the path of the toggle linkage the toggle linkage is prevented from moving to the over-center locked position, and when the detent means is disposed out of the path of the toggle linkage, the toggle linkage is movable to the over-center lock position.

2. A vehicle emergency brake actuating mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the toggle linkage is pivotally mounted on a fixed bracket, said detent means comprising a pin disposed parallel to the pivotal axis of the toggle linkage, said pin being slidably mounted in said bracket and reciprocable therein into and out of the path of the toggle linkage.

3. A vehicle emergency brake actuating mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the actuator means comprises, pneumatic means operatively connected to the detent means.

4. A vehicle emergency brake actuating mechanism according to claim 3 wherein the pneumatic means comprises fluid motor means operatively connected between the pin and vehicle engine.

5. A vehicle emergency brake actuating mechanism according to claim 4 wherein the fluid motor means comprises a rod slidably mounted within a cylinder, one end of said rod being connected to said detent means, the opposite end of said rod being connected to piston means mounted in said cylinder.

6. A vehicle emergency brake actuating mechanism according to claim 5 wherein the piston means comprises a diaphragm connected between said opposite end of said rod and said cylinder, one side of said diaphragm being exposed to atmospheric pressure, and conduit means connecting the engine manifold to the cylinder to thereby expose the opposite side of said diaphragm to vacuum, whereby when the vehicle engine is running the detent means is moved to the extended position into the path of the toggle linkage.

7. A vehicle emergency brake actuating mechanism according to claim 5 wherein spring means is disposed between one end of the cylinder and said opposite side of the diaphragm for biasing the detent means to the retracted position whereby when the vehicle engine is stopped the detent means is moved out of the path of the toggle linkage.

8. A vehicle emergency brake actuating mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the actuator means comprises solenoid means operatively connected between the detent means and the vehicle engine ignition switch, whereby when the ignition switch is turned to the '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'on'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' position the detent means is moved to the extended position into the path of the toggle linkage, and when the ignition switch is turned to the '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'off'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' position the detent means is moved to the retracted position out of the path of the toggle linkage.

9. A vehicle emergency brake actuating mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the actuator means comprises a Bowden cable operatively connected between the detent means and the vehicle gear shift mechanism, whereby when the vehicle gear shift lever is disposed in a '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'drive'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' position the detent means is moved to an extended position into the path of the toggle linkage, and when the gear shift lever is disposed in the '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'parking'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' position the detent means is moved to a retracted position out of the path of the toggle linkage.