Patent ID: 7051614

Claim:
A quiet apply push to release control pedal system to apply and remove tension from a control cable, comprising: a frame for attachment to a vehicle; a geared rack spaced from and mounted to the frame; a pedal arm rotatably mounted to a pivot pin on the frame, the pedal arm having a pedal at one end and a release tab at the other end; a quiet apply carriage rotatably mounted to the pivot pin, the quiet apply carriage including: a cable carrier to which the control cable is attached; a pawl and toggle mechanism, the pawl engaging the pedal arm, when the pedal arm is pushed to tension the control cable, to rotate the carriage with the pedal about the pivot pin and the toggle re-engaging the pawl with the pedal when the pedal is released after tensioning the cable; a quiet apply mechanism including a clutch hub, a clutch spring surrounding the clutch hub and a gear attached to the clutch hub and having teeth complementary to those of the geared rack, the gear engaging the geared rack to rotate the clutch hub when the carriage is rotated on the pivot pin, the clutch spring being biased into engagement with the clutch hub to prevent removal of tension from the control cable until a release end of the clutch spring is pressed by the release tab of the pedal arm when the pedal is pressed to release tension from the cable; and a retainer spring having a first end fixed to the carriage, a free distal end having an inclined edge and a detent intermediate the first end and the inclined edge, the detent maintaining the release tab of the pedal arm engaged with the release end of the clutch spring when the pedal is pressed to release the tension in the control cable until the release tab engages a release surface on the geared rack and the inclined edge then abuts a release surface on the geared rack to deform the spring to disengage the release tab when the pedal and carriage have returned to the disengaged position and wherein the pawl re-engages the pedal arm.