Foot-operated control device for parking brake

摘要

A foot-operated device for controlling a parking brake wherein a parking brake pedal is locked in its operated position through engagement of a pawl member with ratchet teeth. The pawl member is pivotally connected to the brake pedal, and the ratchet teeth are formed on a sector or bracket fixed to a vehicle frame on which the brake pedal is pivotally supported. The parking brake is released when a pedal pad pivotally connected to the brake pedal is pivoted on the pedal and the pedal is depressed. The pedal pad is operatively connected by a lever to the pawl member which is normally held in engagement with the ratchet teeth by a first spring member. The lever is pivotally connected to the brake pedal, biased by the first spring member and engageable with the pawl member to transmit a biasing force of the first spring member to the pawl member so that the pawl member engages the ratchet teeth. The lever is pivoted by the pedal pad to remove the biasing force of the first spring member from the pawl member whereby the pawl member is set ready to disengage from the ratchet teeth by a second spring member whose biasing force is selected to be smaller than an engagement force between the pawl member and the ratchet teeth. The lever may be replaced by a rod which has a first end portion engaging the pawl member and a second end portion engaging the pedal pad. The rod which is biased by the first spring member normally keeps the pawl member in engagement with the ratchet teeth. The rod is linearly moved by the pedal pad to remove the biasing force of the first spring member from the pawl member thereby allowing the pawl member to disengage from the teeth.