GB872657A - Improvements in or relating to controls for motor vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

872,657. Clutch control. HADEKEL, R., and HERBERT, J. R. June 10, 1959 [June 20, 1958; Dec. 19, 1958], Nos. 19833/58 and 41057/58. Class 80 (2). Depression of a throttle-control pedal beyond a predetermined position allows a friction clutch between the engine of a motor vehicle and the gear-box to engage, and return of the pedal to its initial position under spring pressure disengages the clutch. The clutch 1 between the engine shaft 4 and the gear-box input shaft 5 is shown in Fig. 1 in its disengaged position. The accelerator pedal 3 is pivoted at 28 and is connected by a link 29 to a lever 30 pivoted at 31. The throttle valve 2 is rigid with a lever 33 which is connected by a link 32 incorporating a lost-motion slot 37 to lever 30. A spring 38 biases the throttle valve 2 towards its closed position. An adjustable stop 39 is provided to give a slow-running position. The clutch plates 11, 9, 13 are urged into engagement by springs 16 and are disengaged by sliding a member 22 along shaft 5, the member 22 co-operating 'through a bearing 21 with levers 23 pivoted at 19 to the plate 13. The member 22 is moved to the left under the pressure of a lever 25 pivoted at 26 and in operative engagement with a rod 40 sliding in guides 41 and connected to the lever 30, and with the pressure removed is moved to the right by the action of springs 16. An adjustment member 42 is provided. By depressing the pedal 3 the throttle valve 2 is opened and the rod 40 moves to the left relieving the pressure upon lever 25 and allowing the clutch to engage. A spring 34 returns the pedal 3 to its initial position and disengages the clutch. The rod 40 may be replaced by a tension spring or by a flexible cable or by a push rod suitably placed between the levers 25 and 30, or a flexible cable may be inserted between the lever 30 and the link 40 so that the return position of the lever 30 is not limited by the clutch but by a stop 35. In a modification, Fig. 2, the accelerator pedal is connected to the throttle through link 32 and to the clutch control lever 25 through links 40<SP>1</SP>, 43 and a flexible cable 45. The link 43 is pivoted at 44 to a member 46 which is slidable in guides 47 and 48 and may be put in one of three operating positions by a hand control 50. In the first position the throttle opens to a greater extent than normal before the clutch engages and is useful for a cold engine; in the centre position the device operates as with Fig. 1 and in the third position the clutch may engage at a smaller than normal throttle opening or may be set so that the clutch is engaged when the accelerator pedal is in its undepressed position, i.e. the clutch control is overridden.