Adjustable pedal construction

• US 3,975,972 A
• Filed: 04/16/1975
• Issued: 08/24/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Muhleck Earl N. Personal Representative Of Earl M. Muhleck, Deceased
• Original Assignee: Earl M. Muhleck
• Inventors: Muhleck, Earl M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, Samuel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shoemaker, F. D.
• Application Number:
  US05/568,630
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 74/560, 74/512, 74/516, 74/522
• US Class Current: 74/560
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 26/02 of initiating means or elements
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/40 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20528 Foot operated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20648 Interrelated lever release
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20888 Pedals

Abstract

The adjustable pedal construction may be used, as an example, as a brake pedal, clutch pedal, accelerator pedal, or any other type of pedal intended for use in a vehicle, which is manually or power operated, for actuating purposes. The pedal construction includes an upper pedal part assembly and a lower part pedal part assembly, with the upper pedal part assembly being conventionally pivoted on an existing vehicle pedal bracket thereby requiring no change in the corresponding brake, clutch or accelerator operating linkage. The upper and lower pedal part assemblies include plates which are pivotally connected by a pivot pin. A releasable latching, connecting or locking pin is interposed between the upper and lower pedal part assemblies to permit adjustment therebetween. The adjustable pedal construction has a normal operating position where the pedal parts are releasably locked together by the connecting pin and an inoperative position where the lower pedal part assembly is movable relative to the upper pedal part assembly after the connecting or latching pin has been released to permit adjustments between the assemblies to thereby make the pedal construction adaptable to fit the physical size, safety, comfort and convenience of the vehicle operator.

Claims

1. An adjustable pedal construction comprising an upper pedal part and a lower pedal part, said upper pedal part being adapted to be pivotally mounted on a support, and adjustable connecting means interposed between and connected to opposing end portions of said pedal parts, said adjustable pedal construction having a plurality of operating positions where said pedal parts are releasably locked together in a selected one of said operating positions by said connecting means, said adjustable pedal construction having an unlocked position where said lower pedal part is movable relative to said upper pedal part upon release of said connecting means to permit adjustment between said parts when selecting another of said operating positions, the parts of said pedal construction being adapted to pivot as a unit when said adjustable pedal construction is in one of said operating positions.

22. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 1 wherein said adjustable connecting means comprises a pair of plates, means fixedly connecting one of said plates to said upper pedal part, means fixedly connecting the other of said plates to said lower pedal part, said other plate including an opening provided with a plurality of recesses, one recess for each of said operating positions, a pivot pin carried by said plates for permitting said other plate to be rotated during said unlocked position with respect to said one plate, a lock pin rotatably carried by said one plate and having a latch portion on one end thereof extending through the opening in said other plate, resilient means biasing said lock pin in a direction to urge said latch portion into the recess of the selected operating position, and means for rotating said lock pin to withdraw said latch portion from the recess of the selected operating position.

23. The adjustable pedal construction defined in Claim 22 wherein said last mentioned means includes a lever fixed on one end thereof to said lock pin and a cable attached to the other end of said lever for rotating said lever and withdrawing said latch portion of said lock pin from the recess of the selected operating position.

24. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 23 wherein said resilient means is in the form of a spring.

25. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 23 wherein said resilient means is in the form of a coil spring coaxially surrounding the axis of said lock pin and having one end of said spring connected to said lock pin and the other end of said spring connected to said one plate.

26. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 22 wherein additional resilient means is interposed between said plates adjacent said pivot pin for biasing said lower pedal part to another operating position upon the withdrawal of said latch portion of the lock pin from the recess of the selected operating position.

27. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 26 wherein said additional resilient means is in the form of a coil spring surrounding the axis of said pivot pin, said last mentioned spring being located between said plates and having the ends thereof carried by said plates.

28. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 22 wherein said pivot pin is non-rotatable.

29. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 22 wherein the axes of said pivot and lock pins are parallel at all times.

30. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 22 wherein said pivot and lock pins are of identical construction.

31. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 22 wherein said pins are parallel and are spaced apart a fixed distance at all times.

32. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 22 wherein said lock pin includes an intermediate portion of generally cylindrical configuration and a pair of end portions, each end portion being of generally semi-cylindrical configuration, one of said end portions forming said latch portion which is received by the recess of the selected operating position.

33. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 32 wherein said last mentioned means includes a lever fixed on one end thereof to the other of said end portions of said lock pin, said lever having a generally semi-cylindrical shaped opening for receiving said other end portion of said lock pin, and a cable attached to the other end of said lever for rotating said lever and said lock pin thereby withdrawing said latch portion of said lock pin from the recess of the selected operating position.

34. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 33 wherein said cable is provided with a knob to assist in pulling the cable for rotating the lever and said lock pin thereby withdrawing said latch portion from the recess of the selected operating position.

35. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 34 wherein additional resilient means is interposed between said plates adjacent said pivot pin for biasing said lower pedal part to a predetermined position upon the withdrawal of said latch portion of the lock pin from the recess of the selected operating position.

36. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 34 wherein said additional resilient means is in the form of a coil spring surrounding the axis of said pivot pin, said last mentioned spring being located bertween said plates and having the ends thereof carried by said plates.

37. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 36 wherein after said cable is actuated to withdraw said latch portion from the recess, a force is applied to said lower pedal part in a direction opposing the force of said additional resilient means effective to rotate same along with said other plate relative to said one plate and to said upper pedal part to thereby present a recess at another operating position opposite said lock pin for reception of said latch portion.

38. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 34 wherein each of said pins are carried by a bushing secured to said one plate.

39. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 38 wherein one end of one of said bushings extends through said one plate and is secured thereto, with the other end thereof abutting said other plate, said pivot pin being secured to said one plate.

40. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 38 wherein the other bushing extends through said one plate and is secured thereto, one end of said other bushing being spaced from said other plate.

41. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 40 wherein a pair of spaced apart washers are provided on said one end portion of said lock pin, said washers abutting opposite sides of said other plate, said washers being provided with semi-cylindrical shaped openings for receiving said one end portion of said lock pin.

2. An adjustable pedal construction comprising an upper pedal part and a lower pedal part, said upper pedal part being adapted to be pivotally mounted on a support, and adjustable connecting means interposed between and connected to opposing end portions of said pedal parts, said adjustable pedal construction having a first position where said pedal parts are releasably locked together by said connecting means and having a second position where said lower pedal part is movable relative to said upper pedal part upon release of said connecting means to permit adjustment between said parts, the parts of said pedal construction being adapted to pivot as a unit when said adjustable pedal construction is in said first position, said adjustable connecting means comprising a pair of plates, means fixedly connecting one of said plates to said upper pedal part, means fixedly connecting the other of said plates to said lower pedal part, said other plate including an opening provided with one or more recesses, a pivot pin carried by said plates for permitting said other plate to be rotated with respect to said one plate, a lock pin rotatably carried by said one plate and having a latch portion on one end thereof extending through the opening in said other plate, resilient means biasing said lock pin in a direction to urge said latch portion into a recess, and means for rotating said lock pin to withdraw said latch portion from the recess.

3. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 2 wherein said last mentioned means includes a lever fixed on one end thereof to said lock pin and a cable attached to the other end of said lever for rotating said lever and withdrawing said latch portion of said lock pin from the recess.

4. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 3 wherein said resilient means is in the form of a spring.

5. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 3 wherein said resilient means is in the form of a coil spring coaxially surrounding the axis of said lock pin and having one end of said spring connected to said lock pin and the other end of said spring connected to said one plate.

6. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 2 wherein additional resilient means is interposed between said plates adjacent said pivot pin for biasing said lower pedal part to a predetermined position upon the withdrawal of said latch portion of the lock pin from a recess.

7. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 6 wherein said additional resilient means is in the form of a coil spring surrounding the axis of said pivot pin, said last mentioned spring being located between said plates and having the ends thereof carried by said plates.

8. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 2 wherein said pivot pin is non-rotatable.

9. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 2 wherein the axes of said pivot and lock pins are parallel at all times.

10. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 2 wherein said pivot and lock pins are of identical construction.

11. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 2 wherein said pins are parallel and are spaced apart a fixed distance at all times.

12. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 2 wherein said lock pin includes an intermediate portion of generally cylindrical configuration and a pair of end portions, each end portion being of generally semi-cylindrical configuration, one of said end portions forming said latch portion which is received by a recess in said other plate.

13. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 12 wherein said last mentioned means includes a lever fixed on one end thereof to the other of said end portions of said lock pin, said lever having a generally semi-cylindrical shaped opening for receiving said other end portion of said lock pin, and a cable attached to the other end of said lever for rotating said lever and said lock pin thereby withdrawing said latch portion of said lock pin from the recess.

14. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 13 wherein said cable is provided with a knob to assist in pulling the cable for rotating the lever and said lock pin thereby withdrawing said latch portion from the recess.

15. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 14 wherein additional resilient means is interposed between said plates adjacent said pivot pin for biasing said lower pedal part to a predetermined position upon the withdrawal of said latch portion of the lock pin from the recess.

16. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 14 wherein said additional resilient means is in the form of a coil spring surrounding the axis of said pivot pin, said last mentioned spring being located between said plates and having the ends thereof carried by said plates.

17. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 16 wherein after said cable is actuated to withdraw said latch portion from the recess, a force is applied to said lower pedal part in a direction opposing the force of said additional resilient means effective to rotate same along with said other plate relative to said one plate and to said upper pedal part to thereby present another recess opposite said lock pin for reception of said latch portion.

18. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 14 wherein each of said pins are carried by a bushing secured to said one plate.

19. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 18 wherein one end of one of said bushings extends through said one plate and is secured thereto, with the other end thereof abutting said other plate, said pivot pin being secured to said one plate.

20. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 18 wherein the other bushing extends through said one plate and is secured thereto, one end of said other bushing being spaced from said other plate.

21. The adjustable pedal construction defined in claim 20 wherein a pair of spaced apart washers are provided on said one end portion of said lock pin, said washers abutting opposite sides of said other plate, said washers being provided with semi-cylindrical shaped openings for receiving said one end portion of said lock pin.