Power assisted braking system

Claim 1

A POWER ASSISTED BRAKING SYSTEM FOR A MOVABLE MEMBER WHOSE MOTION IS TO BE CONTROLLED BY SAID SYSTEM, COMPRISING A MANUALLY OPERATED ACTUATOR, A BRAKE MECHANISM COOPERATING WITH SAID MEMBER FOR SLOWING ITS MOTION, A LINE PROVIDING FLUID COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID ACTUATOR AND BRAKE MECHANISM, MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID ACTUATOR FOR INCREASING AND DECREASING THE FLUID PRESSURE IN SAID LINE IN RESPONSE TO OPERATION OF SAID ACTUATOR AND THEREBY OPERATING SAID BRAKE MECHANISM, AND A POWER ASSIST MECHANISM IN SAID LINE COMPRISING A PUMP, MEANS DEFINING A FLUID FLOW PATH BETWEEN THE OUTLET AND INLET OF SAID PUMP, A VARIABLE VALVE IN SAID FLOW PATH, A PRESSURE RESPONSIVE CONTROLLER FOR SAID VALVE LOCATED IN SAID FLOW PATH ON A FIRST FLOW PATH SIDE OF SAID VALVE, SAID FIRST VALVE OF SAID FLOW PATH BEING IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH SAID ACTUATOR ASSOCIATED MEANS AND THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID FLOW PATH FROM SAID VALVE BEING IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH SAID BRAKE MECHANISM, AND MEANS COUPLING SAID MOVABLE MEMBER AND PUMP FOR DRIVING SAID PUMP AT A RATE PROPORTIONAL TO THE RATE OF MOTION OF SAID MOVABLE MEMBER; WHEREBY INCREASES AND DECREASES OF PRESSURE IN SAID LINE BY SAID ACTUATOR ASSOCIATED MEANS EFFECT A CLOSING AND OPENING OF SAID VALVE BY SAID CONTROLLER, TO CAUSE INCREASES AND DECREASES IN PUMP OUTLET PRESSURE AND CORRESPONDING CHANGES IN FLUID PRESSURE APPLIED TO SAID BRAKE MECHANISM.