摘要 |
<p>Brake wear in a vehicle (11, 11a) may be reduced by an interlock (23, 23a) which blocks delivery of power to the wheels (13, 13a) or the like if an attempt is made to initiate powered travel while the parking brake (19, 19a) remains engaged. Rather than neutralizing the vehicle transmission (16, 16a), the interlock (23, 23a) responds to an engaged parking brake (19, 19a) accompanied by drive transmitting conditions in the clutch (18, 18a) and transmission (16, 16a) by suppressing power output at the engine (12, 12a). In one form the system overrides the operator's controls to limit fuel input to the engine (12) so that stalling occurs if start-up is attempted with the brake (19) engaged while in another form the system directly shuts down the engine (12a) under such conditions. Start-up of the vehicle (11, 11a) on a slope or under load is facilitated as the engine (12, 12a) may be accelerated while the transmission (16, 16a) is in gear and the brake (19, 19a) is still engaged. Use of the parking brake (19, 19a) for emergency stopping is facilitated as the retarding action of the engine (12, 12a) remains available to supplement such use of the parking brake (19, 19a).</p> |