Patent ID: 8813601

Claim:
A brake actuator for use in a motor vehicle having one or more vehicle brakes actuable by a cable system with one or more cables, comprising: a mounting bracket configured for attachment within a passenger compartment of the vehicle; a pivot member configured for rotation about an axis and operatively connected to an input lever; the input lever configured for rotation in opposing brake applying and releasing directions and configured to rotate the pivot member about its axis; an output member movable by the input lever and constructed to be operatively connected to the one or more cables of the cable system to apply and release tension as the input lever is moved in the brake applying and releasing directions, respectively; and a retainer comprising a first part and a second part connected by at least one frangible connection, the first part of the retainer being connected to the mounting bracket and the second part of the retainer being connected to the pivot member, the second part of the retainer configured to rotate with the pivot member and the at least one frangible connection configured to temporarily retain the pivot member and mounting bracket against relative pivotal movement for installation, wherein the at least one frangible connection is configured to break in response to a threshold force being applied to pivotally move the input lever and the pivot member relative to the mounting bracket such that the second part of the retainer rotates relative to the first part of the retainer to thereafter permit movement of the input lever in the brake applying and brake releasing directions, and wherein the mounting bracket receives a first part of the retainer within a corresponding hole and wherein the pivot member receives a second part of the retainer within a corresponding opening.