Brake pedal mechanism

Claim 1

A brake pedal mechanism for an automotive vehicle, said mechanism comprising: a support having front and rear pivots longitudinally spaced on laterally extending parallel axes, said rear pivot defined by a rearwardly extending slot; a pedal lever having upper and lower ends, said upper end being connected with said rear pivot by pivot means received in said slot, the pedal lever being pivotable about said pivot means between forward and rear actuating positions, said lower end mounting a foot pedal; a release lever pivotally connected with said front pivot and having a retaining arm extending radially from said front pivot, said retaining arm extending adjacent to said rear pivot and including a tang projecting behind said pivot means and normally retaining the pivot means in a forward position in said slot to fix the location of the rear pivot for the pedal lever; actuating means connected between the pedal lever intermediate said upper and lower ends and a brake actuator for applying a vehicle brake upon the application of force by an operator's foot acting against the foot pedal, a reaction force on the pedal lever being applied against the pivot means retained by the tang of the retaining arm; and release means for releasing said tang from behind said pivot means upon one of (a) the application of a predetermined reaction force of the pivot means against said tang and (b) substantial rearward motion of the brake actuator relative to the front pivot.