Patent GB-842368-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to vehicle brake and accelerator controls
IPC: B60T11/10
Filed: 1956-10-05
Abstract: 842,368. Controlling vehicles. WATSON, R. A. Oct. 5, 1956 [Oct. 5, 1955], No. 30373/56. Addition to 804,649. Class 79(5). [Also in Group XXXIV] A vehicle has a pedal 64, Fig. - 1, mounted for movement about the axis of a pivot 94 for controlling the operation of the brake system and about the axis of a rod 50 for controlling the operation of the prime mover. When the pedal moves about the pivot 94 it causes axial displacements of the rod 50 and of a piston rod 20 in the master brake cylinder, the rods being connected by an arm 28, while when it moves about the axis of the rod 50 it rotates a bracket 90 and a cylinder 74 which is mounted in bearings 76, 88 and connected by a radial arm 72 and a link 70 with the throttle. The rod 50 is of non-circular cross-section and connected by a link 56 and ball joint 60 with the pedal 64. Two pistons 22 channel the brake fluid from a reservoir 25 into a line 24 leading to the wheel cylinders, a slot 22a and an angular outlet 27 preventing the creation of a vacuum between the pistons and the cylinder ends. The cylinder 74 and the brake cylinder may be in axial alignment, and the ball joint may be replaced by a pin and slot connection. The pedal may also be torsionally loaded by a spring and the brake cylinder be connected by a conduit to a switch which may be of the stop light type. In Fig. 7, a cylinder 200 is mounted rotatably and transversely beneath the floor boards 196 of a vehicle and may be rotated about its axis by sideways movement of a pedal 212 to axially displace a rack 228, Fig. 9 (not shown) connected to the brake cylinder. Movement of the pedal about a pivot 214 axially displaces a spring- loaded rack 234 connected to the throttle, the lower end of the pedal being fitted with tapered roller or needle bearings 222 to engage guide walls in the cylinder 200. The connection between the rack 234 and the throttle includes a pair of frictionally-engaged discs 260, 268 which are urged into engagement by helical grooves in a shaft 250 when the disc 268 is rotated by the rack 234 and are separated to release the throttle when a solenoid 254 is energised by closure of a pressure-actuated switch connected to the brake cylinder. The bearings for the cylinder 200 may be arranged at its ends, the cylinder may be mounted on stub shafts or in a U-shaped bracket and the pedal may be connected to the disc 268 by a cable. The cylinder may also be mounted on the fire wall of the vehicle and be connected to the throttle by a link instead of a rack. The coupling shown in Fig. 10 may be replaced by the arrangement shown in Fig. 18 wherein closure of a switch 178 connected to the brake cylinder 374 energizes a solenoid 366 to place the throttle 360 in the idling position whenever the brakes are applied, the throttle being normally actuated by a linkage including a spring 376 which permits relative movement between the solenoid housing 344 and a link 358 when the solenoid is energized. In Fig. 23, the pedal is rigidly connected to a cylinder 484 pivoted transversely to a cylinder 474 connected by a link 510 to the brake cylinder. Sideways movement of the pedal oscillates the cylinder 484 about its pivots and actuates a throttle control link 532 through a chain 520 and a spring-loaded sleeve 528. The details of the construction may be modified. The brake cylinder may be replaced by a pump supplying front and rear brakes through separate valves controlled from the pedal through a balance beam and a roller. A solenoid or hydraulic cylinder adjusts the roller so that the braking effort corresponds to the weight distribution between front and rear wheels. The prime mover for the vehicle may be an electric motor or a diesel or other I.C. engine.