Single pedal brake-accelerator mechanism with cruise control

Claim 2

Control mechanism in combination with a the brake actuator and with a throttle actuator of a self powered vehicle in which both throttle and brake actuators are biased to return to unactuated positions, said control mechanism comprising a single foot pedal disposed to engage a brake actuator at the front of the pedal and a throttle actuator at the rear of the pedal, means pivotally mounting said pedal adjacent the middle thereof for pivoting by foot pressure forwardly to engage the brake actuator and rearwardly to engage said throttle actuator, and spring biasing means on said pivotal mounting means for resisting return motion of said pedal from pivoted position, said spring biasing means having sufficient force and engaging said pivotal mounting means with sufficient frictional resistance to overcome return biasing of said throttle actuator and thus maintain said pedal in any preset throttle position during cruising of said vehicle without continuously maintaining foot pressure to the foot pedal, but said frictional resistance of said spring biasing means being insufficient to overcome the return biasing of said brake actuator.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 further defined by said pedal having a lateral extension at one end thereof and said mounting means mounting said pedal to align same with said throttle actuator and the pedal extension with the brake actuator.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 1 further defined by said means pivotally mounting said pedal including a bracket having at least one upstanding apertured wall portion and adapted to be secured to the floorboard of a vehicle, said pedal having at least one apertured lug depending from substantially the center of said pedal and adapted to contact said bracket wall with apertures thereof aligned, an axle having enlarged ends extending through the apertures of said bracket wall and pedal lug, and a compression spring between the axle end and the combination of wall and lug to resist pivotal movement of the pedal with respect to the mounting bracket.

Claim 5

An adapter kit for self powered vehicles in combination with the throttle and the brake pedal which are biased to return to unactuated positions, comprising a rigid bracket connected to the accelerator pedal mounting pieces and including a pair of upstanding apertured walls spaced apart laterally of the bracket, a foot pedal having a pair of laterally spaced depending apertured lugs contacting said bracket walls alongside same with the apertures in walls and lugs aligned, pivotal mounting means for said foot pedal comprising a pair of bolts extending one through the aperture of each pair of contacting lugs and walls as pivot axles, nuts threaded upon said bolts, and a compression spring about each bolt and compressed against the wall or lug through which the bolt extends, means at the heel portion of said pedal for engaging accelerator actuator connections, and means at the toe portion of said pedal engaging said brake pedal, said compression springs having sufficient force and engaging said pivotal mounting means with sufficient frictional resistance to overcome return biasing of such accelerator actuator and thus maintain said foot pedal in any preset accelerator actuator position during cruising of said vehicle without continuously maintaining foot pressure to the foot pedal, but said frictional resistance of said compression springs being insufficient to overcome return biasing of said brake pedal.

Claim 6

An adapter kit for self powered vehicles in combination with the throttle and the brake pedal which are biased to return to unactuated positions, comprising a rigid bracket connected to the accelerator pedal mounting pieces and including a pair of upstanding apertured walls spaced apart laterally of the bracket, a foot pedal having a pair of laterally spaced depending apertured lugs contacting said bracket walls alongside same with the apertures in walls and lugs aligned, pivotal mounting means for said foot pedal comprising a pair of bolts extending one through the aperture of each pair of contacting lugs and walls as pivot axles, nuts threaded upon said bolts, and a compression spring about each bolt and compressed against the wall or lug through which the bolt extends, means at the heel portion of said pedal for engaging accelerator actuator connections, and means at the toe portion of said pedal engaging said brake pedal, said compression springs having sufficient force and engaging said pivotal mounting means with sufficient frictional resistance to overcome return biasing of such accelerator actuator and thus maintain said foot pedal in any preset accelerator actuator position during cruising of said vehicle without continuously maintaining foot pressure to the foot pedal, but said frictional resistance of said compression springs being insufficient to overcome return biasing of said brake pedal.