Parking brakes

Claim 1

A hand-operated parkig brake mechanism, comprising: a fixed bracket; a lever having a free end pivotally mounted on a first shaft on the bracket and being connected with a brake cable; a sleeve pivotally mounted on a second shaft on the free end of the lever, said second shaft extending normal to a plane in which the lever pivots; a plunger having a handle at a free end to be gripped in a driver's palm for being pulled when the parking brake is applied, the plunger being rotatably connected with the sleeve whereby the plunger may rotate about its longitudinal axis through an angle and is provided with a longitudinal series of ratchet teeth; first spring means urging said plunger toward rotation in one direction and second spring means normally urging the plunger reversely to the pulling direction of the plunger, a guide member on the bracket for supporting the plunger slidably and swingably in the plane, a pawl, third spring means normally urging said pawl toward engagement with the ratchet teeth, a locking member mounted on and longitudinally extending along the plunger in sliding fitted relation therewith, said sleeve further being provided with means for engaging the terminal end of the locking member to thereby lock the plunger against rotation around its axis, fourth spring means normally urging the locking member toward engagement with the means for engaging the terminal end of the locking member, and a hook at an end of the locking member adjacent the handle of the plunger at the opposite side to the driver to be gripped in the driver's palm together with the handle when the brake is applied without any conscious effort.