Brake control apparatus for automatically engaging and disengaging the park brakes of a vehicle

• US 3,937,295 A
• Filed: 03/11/1974
• Issued: 02/10/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Virgil Wright
• Original Assignee: Virgil Wright
• Inventors: Wright, Virgil
• Primary Examiner(s): Wood, Jr., M. Henson
• Assistant Examiner(s): Silverstrim, John P.
• Application Number:
  US05/449,630
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 180/82 B, 180/82 R, 180/103, 74/89.15, 74/424.8 R, 188/10
• US Class Current: 180/271
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 11/103 in combination with other control devices conjoint control of brake system and at least another sub-unit B60W10/188
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/22 Devices for monitoring or checking brake systems; Signal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18688 Limit stop

Abstract

An improved brake control apparatus automatically engaging the park brakes of a vehicle when the vehicle ignition switch is turned to the off position and automatically disengaging the park brakes of a vehicle when the vehicle ignition switch is turned to the on position. The brake control apparatus is constructed to be utilized in cooperation with an automobile park brakes and with the park brakes of a trailer or the like, for example, the brake control apparatus being installable as an accessory item or as original equipment.

Claims

1. A brake control apparatus for automatically engaging and disengaging the vehicle brakes in response to the positioning of the vehicle ignition switch in the on and the off positions, respectively, the brake control apparatus comprising:

a slide member connected to the vehicle brakes, including;

a tube, having a threaded opening extending a distance therethrough intersecting one end thereof forming an open end, the vehicle brakes being connected to a portion of the tube; and

a pair of guide arms, one end of each guide arm being connected to the tube and each guide arm extending a distance from the tube;

means for slidingly supporting the slide member for sliding movement in a brake engaging direction engaging the vehicle brakes and in a brake disengaging direction disengaging the vehicle brakes, including;

a pair of guide rails, each guide rail being disposed near the tube, the guide rails being disposed on opposite sides of the tube and each guide rail having an elongated guide slot extending therethrough, the end of each of the guide arms, opposite the ends connected to the tube, being slidingly disposed through the guide slot of one of the guide rails, the guide rails slidingly supporting the tube for sliding movement in the brake engaging direction and the brake disengaging direction;

forward switch means, actuated by the slide member in the disengaged position of the vehicle brakes, to switch the means moving the slide member from the actuated forward condition to the off condition;

reverse switch means, actuated by the slide member in the engaged position of the vehicle brakes, to switch the means moving the slide member from the actuated reverse condition to the off condition;

a power supply connectable to the means moving the slide member; and

,

means connected to the ignition switch, the means moving the slide member, the forward switch means, the reverse switch means and power supply, for connecting the power supply to the means moving the slide member and positioning the means moving the slide member in the actuated forward condition in the closed position of the vehicle ignition switch, and connecting the power supply to the means moving the slide member and positioning the means moving the slide member in the actuated reverse condition in the off position of the vehicle ignition switch.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of the pair of guide arms is defined further as being engageable with the forward switch means in one position of the tube for actuating the forward switch means to switch the means moving the slide member from the actuated forward condition to the off condition and engageable with the reverse switch means in one other position of the tube for actuating the reverse switch means to switch the means moving the slide member from the actuated reverse condition to the off condition.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the slide member is defined further to include:

an elongated connector having one end secured to the tube, the connector extending a distance from the tube terminating with a threaded end portion; and

an adjusting nut threadedly connected to the threaded end portion at the connector;

vehicle brake cable means having a portion connected to the vehicle brakes and a portion connected to the connector via the adjusting nut, the adjusting nut adjustingly positioning the vehicle brake cable means on the connector.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means moving the slide member is defined further to include:

a threaded rod, having one end disposed through the open end of the tube and threadedly disposed in a portion of the threaded opening of the tube, the rotation of the threaded rod in a first direction of rotation moving the tube in the brake engaging direction and the rotation of the threaded rod in a second direction of rotation moving the tube in the brake disengaging direction; and

a motor connected to the end of the threaded rod, opposite the end of the threaded rod disposed in the threaded opening of the tube, the motor being conditionable in the off condition, the actuated forward condition and the actuated reverse condition, the motor rotating the threaded rod in the first direction of rotation in the actuated forward condition thereof and the motor rotating the threaded rod in the second direction of rotation in the actuated reverse condition thereof.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the forward switch means and the reverse switch means each have an open and a closed position and each is positioned in the open position via the engagement of the slide member, the forward switch means being spaced a predetermined distance from the reverse switch means, the travel of the slide member between the forward and the reverse means in the brake engaging direction engaging the vehicle brakes prior to the engagement between the slide member and the reverse switch means and the travel of the slide member between the forward and the reverse switch means in the brake disengaging direction disengaging the vehicle brakes prior to the engagement between the slide member and the forward switch means.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the means connecting the power supply to the means moving the slide member is defined further to include:

power contacts connected to the armature of the motor and to the power supply, having an open and a closed position, connecting the power supply to the armature of the motor in the closed position;

a pair of forward contacts connected to the forward field of the motor and to the power supply, having an open and a closed position, the motor being positioned in the forward condition in a closed position of the power contacts and in a closed position of the forward contacts;

a pair of reverse contacts connected to the reverse field of the motor and to the power supply, having an open and a closed position, the motor being positioned in the reverse condition in a closed position of the power contacts and in a closed position of the reverse contacts;

a forward coil, having an energized position and a de-energized position, connected to the power supply and connectable to ground, the forward coil positioning the forward contacts and the power contacts in the closed position in an energized position of the forward coil connected to ground;

a reverse coil, having an energized position and a de-energized position, connected to the power supply and connectable to ground, the reverse coil positioning the reverse contacts and the power contacts in the closed position in an energized position of the reverse coil connected to ground; and

a ground control switch connected to the vehicle power supply via the vehicle ignition switch, having a ground connection, an energized position and a de-energized position, the ground connection being connected to the forward coil via the forward switch means in the closed position of the vehicle ignition switch positioning the ground control switch in the energized position, and the ground connection being connected to the reverse coil via the reverse switch means in the open position of the vehicle ignition switch positioning the ground control switch in the de-energized position.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 defined further to include:

a dash light relay, having an energized position, a de-energized position, and a portion interposed between the ground control switch and the power supply connecting the ground control switch to the power supply in an energized position of the dash light relay and disconnecting the ground control switch and the power supply in a de-energized position of the dash light relay being connected to the power supply via the vehicle ignition switch and the dash light relay being energized in a closed position of the vehicle ignition switch and de-energized in an open position of the vehicle ignition switch.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 defined further to include:

a manual override switch, having an opened and a closed position, interposed between the vehicle ignition switch and the ground control relay and connected in series with the vehicle ignition switch.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 defined further to include:

a dash light connected to the vehicle ignition switch and the ground control relay, the dash light being illuminated in the closed position of the vehicle ignition switch when connected to ground via the ground control relay for indicating the positioning of the vehicle brakes in the engaged position.