Variable ratio clutch release lever mechanism

Claim 1

IN A CLUTCH ARRANGEMENT, IN COMBINATION: (A) A CLUTCH MOVABLE BETWEEN AN ENGAGED AND A RELEASED POSITION; (B) CLUTCH PEDAL MEANS MOVABLE BETWEEN AN INOPERATIVE AND AN OPERATIVE POSITION; (C) CLUTCH RELEASE LINKAGE MEANS MOVING SAID CLUTCH FROM THE ENGAGED TO THE RELEASED POSITION WHEN SAID PEDAL MEANS MOVES FROM THE INOPERATIVE TO THE OPERATIVE POSITION, SAID LINKAGE MEANS INCLUDING (1) A LEVER MEMBER MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT ABOUT A FIXED PIVOT AXIS BETWEEN AN OPERATIVE AND AN INOPERATIVE POSITION, (2) TWO PIVOT MEANS ON SAID LEVER MEMBER HAVING RESPECTIVE AXES, (3) FIRST ROD MEANS CONNECTING SAID PEDAL MEANS AND ONE OF SAID PIVOT MEANS FOR JOINT MOVEMENT OF SAID LEVER MEMBER AND OF SAID PEDAL MEANS BETWEEN THE OPERATIVE AND INOPERATIVE POSITIONS THEREOF, (4) SECOND ROD MEANS CONNECTING SAID CLUTCH AND THE OTHER PIVOT MEANS FOR JOINT MOVEMENT OF SAID LEVER MEMBER AND OF SAID CLUTCH FROM THE OPERATIVE POSITION OF THE LEVER MEMBER AND THE RELEASED POSITION OF SAID CLUTCH TO THE INOPERATIVE POSITION OF THE LEVER MEMBER AND THE ENGAGED POSITION OF THE CLUTCH, AND VICE VERSA, (5) SAID ROD MEANS INCLUDING RESPECTIVE ROD MEMBERS HAVING RESPECTIVE FIRST PORTIONS ATTACHED TO THE ASSCIATED PIVOT MEANS, SECOND PORTIONS HINGEDLY SECURED TO SAID PEDAL MEANS AND SAID CLUTCH RESPECTIVELY, AND RESPECTIVE AXES CONNECTING SAID FIRST AND SECOND PORTIONS THEREOF AND SPACED FROM SAID PIVOT AXIS DURING SAID MOVEMENT OF THE LEVER MEMBER, (6) THE SPACING OF THE AXIS OF SAID FIRST ROD MEMBER FROM SAID PIVOT AXIS IN THE INOPERATIVE POSITION OF SAID LEVER MEMBER BEING SUBSTANTIALLY SMALLER THAN THE SPACING OF THE AXIS OF SAID SECOND ROD MEMBER FROM SAID PIVOT AXIS, AND (7) THE SPACING OF THE AXIS OF SAID FIRST ROD MEMBER FROM SAID PIVOT AXIS IN THE OPERATIVE POSITION OF SAID LEVER MEMBER BEING SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN THE SPACING OF THE AXIS OF SAID SECOND ROD MEMBER FROM SAID PIVOT AXIS; AND (D) YIELDABLY RESILIENT MEANS PERMANENTLY URGING SAID LEVER MEMBER TO MOVE FROM SAID OPERATIVE TOWARD SAID INOPERATIVE POSITION THEREOF.