Parking brake operating means

Claim 1

Brake cable operating means for axially displacing a vehicle parking brake cable from a brake released position toward a brake engaged position, comprising a. a housing 2 adapted for rigid connection with a vehicle body to receive the free end of said brake cable; b. a cam member 20 pivotally connected with said housing, said cam member including a cam surface having smoothly merging first 20c and second 20d cam portions; c. a connecting member 24 pivotally connected at one end with said cam member, said connecting member being adapted for connection at its other end with said brake cable; d. a cam actuator member 30 pivotally connected with said housing for pivoting said cam member from a normal brakereleased position toward a brake-engaged position, said actuator member including a first arm portion 30a extending adjacent said cam member, and a cam follower member 30c carried by said first arm portion for engagement with said cam surface, said first and second cam surface portions having such configurations relative to said actuator member that during the initial angular movement of said cam member from the brakereleased position toward the brake-engaged position, the cam follower member engages said first cam portion to angularly displace said cam member at a relatively high angular velocity and a relatively low mechanical advantage to effect relatively rapid axial displacement of said connecting member in the brake engaging direction, and during the final angular movement of said cam member toward the brake-engaged position, the cam follower member engages said second cam portion to angularly displace said cam member at a relatively low angular velocity and a relatively high mechanical advantage; e. foot operated lever means 30e for pivoting said cam actuator member in the brake-engaging direction; and f. pawl and ratchet means 30d, 34 for releasably maintaining said cam actuator member in the brake-engaged position.