Multi ratio accelerator cable mechanism

Claim 1

In combination, in a motor vehicle, a vehicle accelerator pedal, an air/air-fuel throttle body, the throttle body having an air/ air-fuel induction passage and a throttle valve shaft rotatably mounted therein and having a throttle valve fixed thereto, and a throttle lever fixed on the shaft for concurrent movement with the throttle valve, the throttle valve being pivotally movable between positions variably opening and closing the induction passage, and a linear movable variable rate movement accelerator cable assembly connecting the accelerator pedal to the throttle valve, the cable assembly including a cable connected at one end to the accelerator pedal and a cam fixed to the opposite end, and cam follower means fixed on the throttle lever at a point radially spaced from the shaft , the cam having an essentially heartshaped cam slot defining an internal cam surface, the cam follower means consisting of a plurality of parts projecting laterally from the throttle lever into the slot and each being engaged at times by the cam surface, the plurality of parts being radially spaced from one another whereby continued linear movement of the cable assembly at essentially a constant rate by pivoting of the vehicle accelerator pedal from an initial at-rest engine idle speed position initially effects an arcuate pivotal movement of the throttle lever and throttle valve at a first rate of movement by the engagement of and the forced arcuate pivotal movement of one of the cam follower means parts by the cam surface about another one of the plurality of cam follower means parts as a fulcrum followed by an arcuate pivotal movement of the throttle lever and throttle valve at a second different rate of movement by the engagement of and the forced arcuate pivotal movement of the another of the plurality of cam follower means parts by the cam surface about the one cam follower means parts as a fulcrum.