Method for retrofitting automobiles with deceleration warning light

Claim 1

A method of retrofitting in a conventional automobile of the type that has a driver-operated accelerator pedal which pivots from a bracket and has a fuse box in the general area of the accelerator pedal and also has a rear deck, with a deceleration warning light, using a kit which includes a lamp housing and electric light bulb unit equipped with an amber lens, said housing being adapted for mounting at the rear of the automobile so that the light bulb could, when energized, emit light through the lens to be seen as an amber warning light, said bulb being energized by the application of electric power between electric leads from said housing; a length of insulated cable of sufficient length to run a circuitous path between the area of the accelerator pedal to the area of the lamp housing through the body of the automobile, said cable having means for manual attachment to at least one of the electric leads of said housing; a switch-bracket unit including a bracket for mounting to the pedal bracket and a switch mounted on the switch bracket and having an activator arm, said switch and switch bracket being so arranged that they may be positioned and adjusted near the automobile accelerator pedal so as to have the switch be activated upon release of the driver's foot from the accelerator pedal; said switch having means for receiving an electrical connection from said electrical cable, and said cable including means for connecting said electrical cable to the fuse box of the automobile, said bracket-switch unit comprising a standard member having a base with a bolt receiving opening for fitting under and being secured in place by one of the bolts of said pedal bracket, said standard member having a standard section projecting at approximately a right angle to said base, a second member attached to the standard section of said standard member in such a manner as to be pivotably displaceable thereon and secured in any one of a range of pivotable positions relative thereto, said switch unit being secured to said second member, including the steps of: securing with the base of said standard member in one of the bolts of the accelerator bracket so that the pivotal axis between said second member and said standard member is approximately paralleled to the pivotal axis of the accelerator linkage, and adjusting the pivotal displacement of said second member so that switch arm is contacted and operated by said linkage when in its position corresponding to an undepressed accelerator and is not contacted and is not operated by said linkage when in positions corresponding to a depressed accelerator.

Claim 2

A method of retrofitting in a conventional automobile of the type that has a driver-operated accelerator pedal which pivots from a bracket and has a fuse box in the general area of the accelerator pedal and also has a rear deck, with a deceleration warning light, using a kit which includes a lamp housing and electric light bulb unit equipped with an amber lens, said housing being adapted for mounting at the rear of the automobile so that the light bulb could, when energized, emit light through the lens to be seen as an amber warning light, said bulb being energized by the application of electric power between electric leads from said housing; a length of insulated cable of sufficient length to run a circuitous path between the area of the accelerator pedal to the area of the lamp housing through the body of the automobile, said cable having means for manual attachment to at least one of the electric leads of said housing; a switch-bracket unit including a bracket for mounting to the pedal bracket and a switch mounted on the switch bracket and having an activator arm, said switch and switch bracket being so arranged that they may be positioned and adjusted near the automobile accelerator pedal so as to have the switch be activated upon release of the driver's foot from the accelerator pedal; said switch having means for receiving an electrical connection from said electrical cable, and said cable including means for connecting said electrical cable to the fuse box of the automobile, said bracket-switch unit comprising a standard member having a base with a bolt receiving opening for fitting under and being secured in place by one of the bolts of said pedal bracket, said standard member having a standard section projecting at approximately a right angle to said base, a second member attached to the standard section of said standard member in such a manner as to be pivotably displaceable thereon and secured in any one of a range of pivotable positions relative thereto, said switch unit being secured to said second member, including the steps of: securing with the base of said standard member in one of the bolts of the accelerator bracket so that the pivotal axis between said second member and said standard member is approximately paralleled to the pivotal axis of the accelerator linkage, and adjusting the pivotal displacement of said second member so that switch arm is contacted and operated by said linkage when in its position corresponding to an undepressed accelerator and is not contacted and is not operated by said linkage when in positions corresponding to a depressed accelerator.