PARKING BRAKE MECHANISM AND METHODS OF ASSEMBLY AND OPERATION

摘要

A parking brake operating mechanism (10) having a brake apply pedal arm module (30) and a housing module (14) pivotally mounted on a vehicle. The housing contains a linearly movable toothed rack (40) operatively connected to one end of the pedal arm for movements by that arm and operatively connected at its other end to a front brake cable (108) which is operatively connected to one or more vehicle parking brakes to be tensioned for parking brake application, a pawl member (156) having a pawl tooth selectively engaged with a tooth of the rack to lock the rack in a brake applied position, and a pawl release mechanism (114) which when activated moves the pawl tooth out of engagement with the rack tooth, permitting the rack and the pedal arm to be returned to the parking brake released position by the brake apply tension in the brake cable. A brake lamp switch (186) mounted on the housing is actuated and deactuated by movements of the rack.