US2670822A

US2670822A - Accelerator setting control

Info

Publication number: US2670822A
Application number: US219978A
Authority: US
Inventors: James T Reilly
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1951-04-09
Filing date: 1951-04-09
Publication date: 1954-03-02
Anticipated expiration: 1971-03-02

Description

March 2, 1954` J. T. RElLLY ACCELERATOR SETTING CONTROL 2 Sheds-Sheet 1 Filed April 9, 1951 INVENToR. ZJE/LLY, Bmw/1;

rraeA/EY- March 2, 1954 J. T. REILLY ACCELERATOR SETTING CONTROL 2 Sheets-Shea?l 2 Filed April 9, 1951 Patented Mar. 2, `1954 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE 2,670,822 ACCELERATOR SETTING CONTROL James T. Reilly, Laguna Beach, Calif.

Application April 9, 1951, Serial No. 219,978 17 claims. (01.192-3) This invention relates to automobile accelerator controls and particularlyto improved foot controlled means for releasably maintaining an accelerator in a set position when it is desired to travel at a constant speed for a relatively extended period. 'j

Though various foot controlled raccelerator setting devices have heretofore been proposed, none has proven suiciently effective, easily controllable and structurally simple to warrant its use on any wide scale. For one thing, all such devices with which I am acquainted have required some relatively inconvenient actuating movement of the foot to set orf. release the control, with theresult that the intended advantages in facilitating driving are` virtually oilset by this inconvenience, and with thefurther result of increasing the hazards of driving by somewhat complicating the driving procedure. For instance, certain prior accelerator controls have required for setting or release'` a lateral movement of the right foot against a; control member positioned at the side of the accelerator pedal. Another device with which Lam acquainted is released by forward movement of the foot against an upstanding toe piece at' the forward end of the accelerator pedal. Aswill be appreciated, the necessity for such lateral or forward foot movements must necessarily render the setting and release of the controlfrather inconvenient and thus decrease materially its practical utility.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an acceleratorV control adapted-to be set and released with considerably greater facility than the various devices heretofore proposed. For this purpose, devices embodying the invention are constructed for control by the exertion of downward foot pressure on a depressable control member positioned near the accelerator pedal. Such downward foot pressure may of course be exerted with much greater facility and under more effective control than can the lateral or forward forces required in the devices discussed above.

y To further simplify control of the device, I prefer to mount the control member for automatic actuation upon movement of a foot onto or off of the accelerator pedal. Thus as an operator places his foot on the pedal, the member may be automatically depressed to render the control device inactive and permit normal operation of the accelerator. When the foot is later removed, the control member may be automatically actuated to set the control 'device for retaining .the accelerator in the lastposition'to which it was moved.

A more particular object of the invention is to' provide an accelerator control device of the above character especially adapted to be easily applicable as an accessory to any modern automobile. To attain this result, as well as to increase the effectiveness of the device in operation, the preferred form of the invention comprises a specially formed accelerator pedal to be substituted for the conventional pedal and itself carrying the relatively depressable control member. The invention contemplates broadly that the depressable member may be movably mounted to the pedal in any convenient manner and at any convenient location. However, for most effective, reliable, and easily controlled operation, I prefer to form the member as a relatively depressable cover plate hinged to the accelerator pedal and extending along its upper side.

In addition to the control member, the accelerator pedal preferably also carries mechanism coacting with a member attached to the floor board of the automobile to releasably retain the pedal in its set positions. This member attached to the lioor board may be a flexible connector adapted to be Wound about a reel carried by the pedal and releasably retainable in any of various positions for maintaining the setting of the accelerator. Particularly contemplated is a hollow elongated accelerator pedal adapted to contain the reel and its control mechanism.

As will be appreciated, there might be some danger involved in the use of a device of the present character if the device werev adapted to be released only by the indicated foot pressure at the accelerator location. For instance, if the accelerator were set in a given condition and it then became necessary to suddenly stop, the attempt of the operator to rst engage the control member at the accelerator location for releasing the accelerator and to then apply the brakes might very well cause an accident. To avoid this danger, an additional object of the invention is to provide, in combination with the above improved accelerator, control mechanism for automatically releasing the accelerator from its set position upon application of the brakes. l'for this purpose, I may employ a simple flexible con-A nector extending between the brake and accelerv ator and acting to release the accelerator as the brake pedal is depressed.

It is contemplated that the accelerator posi-` tioning device may be controlled either mechanically or electrically. When electrically controlled, the apparatus may include a solenoid carried within the accelerator pedal and adapted for energization either by closing of a brake actuated switch or a control member actuated switch.

The above and other features and objects of the present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of the typical embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a general showing of an automobile accelerator installation` embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal section through the pedal of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the pedal taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view oi the rear poition of the pedal showing especially the manner in which the movable heel plate portion the pedal may be locked in inactive condition;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of an electrically controlled second form of accelerator pedal embodying the invention, the major portion of the pedal cover being broken away to reveal the inner mechanism; 6 is a vertical section through this second ici'rbf accelerator pedal, taken on une s-s of Fi'. 5;

Figs. 7 and 8 are transverse sections through the; pedal 'taken on lines 1-1 and 3S of Fig. 5; Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary transfvis section taken in the plane or 7 and showing the pawl holding latch in its holding cndftifn; and

Fig. r1l) is a diagram of the electric control Ifor this 'second form of the invention.

The lgeneral showing of Fig. l includes an automobile floor board Il), a conventional brake pedal II, 'and an accelerator pedal i2 specially fri'edfin accordance with the present invention. Accelerator pedal l2 is in certain conditions of the apparatus retained 4against upward movement by 'a 'flexible connector i3, typically a4 chain as shown, connected 'at its lower "end to the floor 'board 'and acted upon by mechanism IB within the acceleratbr pedal (see Figs. 2 and 3). Mechanism Ill is relas'able t permit upward movement of the accelerator pedal by either "depression a relatively movable heel 'plate I5 on the accelerator or downward brake applying vactuawtioli of the Vbrake pedal II. For eiecting such release 'of mechanism I4 "upon 'application f "tilebik'es, pedal is b'perativeiyeonngeeted t() mechanism Ylil by a, Second "flexible chain it. The brake itself :may c''l'pi'se typically the usual tread vvI1 carried by an ain 'I8 Viivcita'lly mounted at I9 and yieldigly "urged to the relasedFig. 1 conditionby 'a 'spring 20.

The elongated hollow accelerator pedal I 2 has a bottom Wall 2l and a peripheral upwardly extending sidewall 22. The uppersd'e of the pedal is losedat its frtvar'd endbytread plate 2 3 secured to inwardly extending flanges 24 'at the upper edges of side Walls 22 by screws "25. At the'rear of tread plate 23, the upper side of the pedal is closed Vby the movable heel plate 'I5 whose construction and 'operation will be brought out more in detail at a later point.

The accelerator pedal is adapted to be conventionally mounted for vertical swinging lmovement about its rear portion by the usual pair-*of mounting elements or lugs 4I threaded into the floor board at their lower ends '42 and having ball-shaped pedal engaging heads 43 at their upper ends. For attachment to these mounting elements, pedal I2 :carries near its rear vend a mounting member 44 formed of rubber or simi larresilient materia1 and containing spherical recesses 45 in its underside within which heads 4 43 of the mounting elements 4I are received. The resilient member 44 may be retained at its underside by a metallic plate 46, as shown. Near its forward end, the bottom wall 2| of pedal I2 carries a second resilient member 41 suitably retained to the pedal, as by screws 48, and containing a spherical socket or recess 49 within which the upper ball-shaped head 50 of the usual throttle control rod 5I is receive@ The lower end" of cllain,v I3; is connected to the floor board in any suitable manner as by a screw 2B extending through and tightened against a chain carried fastening element 21. From its point of connection to the floor board, the chain extends upwardly through opening 28 in the underside of the accelerator pedal, about pulley 2.5i rotatably mounted to the pedal by shaft 3l),v andpast roller 3I at the inside of the pedal for connection at its other end 32 to winding reel 33. This reel is rotatably carried about a shaft 34 projecting upwardly from the bottom wall ZI of the accelerator pedal, and is retained to the shaft by an upper pasher 35 and a re. taining screw 36. Typically, the reel is illus. trated as comprising a main hollow portion '31 closed at its upper side by a disk 38 retained -to the main section 31 by screws 39 and vhaving about its periphery a series of rather closely spaced ratchet teeth MI. At its inside, the reel contains a spring 52 connected at its opposite ends to the reel body and shaft v341 to normally urge the reel in a chain winding direction.

For retaining the reel vagainst unwinding rotation in certain conditions of -the apparatus, to

thus retain the accelerator 'pedal yagainst up-` ward engine slowing movement, I provide 'a paw-1 53 pivotally mounted at 54 and having ian end 55 curving into engagement with ratchet teeth 40 on the reel.' This pawl is connected at 56, toward its opposite end, tothe brake con, trolled chain I6, which extends rearwardly within the pedal, and then about pulley .51 and out through opening 158 in the bottom of Athe pedal. Alfter passing about pulley 51, cha-in IB is directed through a guide tube 59 fastened on the floor board to extend "first forwardly beneath the accelerator pedal and then laterally to a 'location adjacent the brake pedal, from which location the chain extends'upwardl'y for connection tothe underside of the brake pedal tread I1. As will be appreciated, spring 20 normally retains vthe brake pedal in its'r'eleased Fig. 1 condition, to thus exert a force on chain i6 retaining 'pawl 53 in its active Fig. 2 condition for preventing unwinding rotation of the reel. When depression of the `brake pedal relieves the force exerted on pawl 53 Vby chain I6, the pawl is actuat'ed to its released condition by coil -spring 6I bearing at one end against the pawl andat its opposite end against an angle bracket '62 mounted to theb'ody "of the pedal. Bracket vf62 may carry an elongated screw"-63 extending along theinside-of spring 6I for retaining it in proper position.

Heel plate I5 includes an upper tread portion 64 which may have a peripheral skirt 65 extending downwardly at the rear and sides of the pedal. At its forward end,'heel"plate` I5 is vhinged 'to the body of, the accelerator pedalja's 'by a 'pair of 'screws '66 extending through't'he skirt'lS 'at 'opposite sides 'of the pedal and 'connecting into the pedal side walls. The 4heel 'plate is "normally urgedjupwardly to its Fig. i3 .condition by coil spring'61, which may bear at its lwer'end against the rear mounting member Y"44 of the pedal.

rScrew 68 projects upwardly within springv 6,'Ito maintain the spring in its proper upwardly projecting condition. Depression of hee1 plate I5 is transmitted to pawl 53, to eifect its retraction, by an elongated slide member 69 extending along one side wall of the pedal. This slide member is retained against the pedal Wall, and guided for forward and rearward sliding movement, by a pair of guide pins |0. The forward end of slide member 69 curves inwardly for engagement at 7| with pawl 53, so that forward movement of the slide eects retracting movement of the pawl. At its rear end, slide member 69 projects rearwardly from the pedal and has an angular Wedge face 'I2 engageable by a roller 'I3 carried by heel plate I5, to effect forward pawl actuating movement of the slide in response to depression of the heel plate. In order that the heel plate may on occassion be retained in its depressed condition for permitting normal operation of the accelerator, I provide at one side of the pedal a lock pin 'I4 extending through an elongated slot 'l5 in the pedal side wall 22. This pin is shiftable longitudinally within slot 'I5 into and out of a notch I6 in the heel plate skirt. As will be appreciated, when the heel plate is depressed, and pin 14 is shifted rearwardly into notch 16, the hee1 plate is positively retained in its depressed condition.

In driving an automobile equipped with the illustrated accelerator mechanism, the driver may keep his right foot on pedal I2 and actuate the pedal in entirely conventional manner. Such normal operation is possible because, when a foot is resting on the accelerator pedal, heel plate I5 is depressed to a condition actuating slide member 69 forwardly to release pawl 53 and permit rotation of reel 33 in either direction. Since movement of the reel is unrestrained, the pedal is freely movable downwardly and upwardly in response to foot movements.

When the operator desires to set the accelerator pedal in a particular condition, he merely raises his heel slightly to permit upward movement of heel plate I5, and may then remove his foot completely from the pedal. The upward movement of the heel plate permits rearward movement of slide member 69 so that pawl 53 is free for actuation, and the brake spring 20 then becomes effective through the brake pedal and connector I6 to actuate the pawl to its active Fig. 2 condition. When in its Fig. 2 condition, pawl 53 retains'the reel against unwinding .rotation and thus prevents upward engine slowing movement of the accelerator pedal. The automatic control is easily releasable by either replacing the foot on accelerator pedal I2 to again depress heel plate I5, or actuating the brake pedal to release the tension on chain I6.

Figs. 5 through 10 represent a variational form of the invention in which the release of the accelerator control mechanism is effected electrically. The accelerator pedal Il of these figures includes an elongated hollow pedal body 18 movably mounted atits rear by a mounting portion 'I9 to a pair of spaced lugs 80, which project upwardly from oor board 8|. Near its forward end, pedal body 18 is connectedto the upper end of accelerator control rod 82.

In this second form of the invention, as in the first form, the accelerator setting mechanism within the pedal is releasable by either depression of the brake pedal or depression of an accelerator carried element relative to the accelerator pedal body. However, the accelerator carried element in the second form of the invention, ratherthan being formed as a. hee1 plate 'covering only the rear .portion of the pedal. is constructedv as an elongated cover-or plate `83v carrying an upper tread 84 and extending along the entireV upper side of the pedal body. Cover'83 may have a peripheral depending skirt 85 received about the variousside Walls of the pedal body '|8. 4VFor effecting control of the accelerator setting mechanism, cover 83 is mountedV to pedal body 18 for vertical swinging movement between the full line and broken line positions of Figs.` 7 and 8 and about an axis extending along one side ofthe pedal. The cover may typically be mounted for such movement by a pair of screws 86 pivotally connecting the end portions of cover skirt 85 to the pedal body near one side of the pedal. Cover 83 is normally urged upwardly to its broken line position of Figs. `'7 and 8 by coil' spring 81, which may be centered about a positioning screw 88. Y

The pedal is retained in any Yset position by a chain 89, :connected at its lower end to the iioor board and at its upper end to chain winding drum 90 within the hollow pedal body. Drum 99 is urged by spring 9| in a chain winding direction `and is adapted to be retained against chain unwinding rotation by engagement of pawl 92 with ratchet teeth 93 on the drum. 'I'he pawlis mounted intermediate its Vends at 94 for movement between its active full line position of Fig. 5 and its inactive broken line position. LSpring 95 normally urges the pawl to its active position in which the drum, chain and pedal are retained in set positions.` l

Pawl 92 is released by energization of a solenoid or electromagnetV 96 which acts on a magnetic metal element 91' carried by a rearwardly projecting portion 98 of the pawl to`swing `the pawl to its broken line position. The electromagnet may be mounted to the accelerator pedal body in any suitable manner as bya pair of mounting brackets 99 at its opposite sides. The energizing circuit to magnet 96 is closed, upon depression of pedal cover 83 relative to the pedal body, by actuationvof control switch |00. This switch comprises a stationary contact |0| and a movable cover actuated contact I02. Contact |02 preferably takes the form of an elongated resilient arm connected at one end |03 to the accelerator body and having a vertically movable contact end |04 positioned over stationary contact |0I. Contact |02 normally tends to return to an upper circuit opening condition, and is depressable to a closed condition, upon foot actuated depression of fthe cover, by a downwardly projecting cover carried 'lug' |05. Contacts IDI and |02 are of course suitably insulated from the pedal body, as by interposition of inlsuliting sheets |06 between thel contacts and the I have discovered that unless electromagnet 96 is specially constructed for the present use, it may have a tendency to overheat or excessively drain the battery when energized for any considerable length of time. To avoid these undesired effects, 'I may employ an arrangement in which the electromagnet is used only for initially pulling the pawl to its released condition, the magnet not being required 'for maintaining the pawl in that conditionV after its initial actuation. For this purpose, the apparatus may include a latch arm |01 adapted to engage andV hold the pawl Vin its released condition-after lactuation to that condition by the magnet. This latch arm is mounted to a pedal body'carrie'd bracket'l at maracas M9, and is. formed tif-spring to be resiliently deilectible upwardly Krom `normal vfull line position of Fig. to its; broken line position of that heure. Arm HH carries near its outa free end a depending latch lus I il .enga-scatole with a rear end portion of the Dewi element $2. This rear portion Hl. .of the paw-l element is triangular in cross section, having an. angular face U12 acting to engage and deflect upwardly' lug |10 and latch arm im upon movement of the howl to its broken line position. when the navel reaches, that broken line. released positionieren lug H0. falls downwardly at theistraight side M3 ot p awl portion lll to retain the pawl in re.- leasedl condition independently of the magnet (see Fig. 9)..

Latch 1.0.1 adapted to; be automatically re,- leased; in response to upward` movement of: pedal cover c4 relative tothe pedal body;` For effecting such release, the cover carries. a; downvvardlyv projecting; element, H54; carrying; a horizontally extending arm lilli.r Whiclnis received. beneath an upperV horizontal portion its ofY the latch arm., Thus; as they cover'swines. upwardly, arm- |If5 eligen-fesv portion.- lsll off the. latch. arm to swing the latch upwardly to; its.y broken line,- released condition. ralliement M ismounted tothe cover for 90 degree rotation abolita vertical axis to move arm; H5 from beneath; portion |5115. or; the latch arm in order fto permit removal of the pedal COVeflQm the bodyv Without' injruyA toi the: latch arm. Transverse groove HlY in the upper en.- larged head portion off element Hilf is accessible to a screw driver or other tool at theoutside of the pedal for; so.` rotating4 elementi l 1.4.

Just prior to arrival; at: patvl; 9.2 at. its broken line position; Y upon energization; of; electromagnet lla,` the energizing circuit. to' the. magnet; is.4 automaticallyv broken In; order' to open this circuit at the propere-moment; Lemployiaportioniof: the naw-l element: est a; movable contact,` which: nor mally engages as pedal..body` carried contact H8, and movesolih of engagement; withf thati. contact iustprior to thefpoint. auw-limitierten. lult' moves toits activei,contbitiorrL Contact; I. |;may. be car,- ried; by: a resilient; arm; H9 which: causesl the contact to -follow.4 theY motion: off. pawl; element: 92 @indi maintain engagement, with that: element until the. very last portion off its.. movement'. Contact Il 8; is; electrically connectedto. contact 0.1L ondalong with; that contact is:A insulated fromvgtheibody one. ofthe.; previously; men:- tioned. insulators; wie

When the; apparatus, isy in the; condition of Eig,- 5., pawl 92, prevents-:the chainzunwinding rotation of drum 50; so; that-.the :pedal iissretained in a.; set'. position. If; the. operatoothen places his foot-gon, pedaloover 83, thescoverfis depressed relative to; thegpedal body` in ai manner 'causing cover carried lug |05 to close switch |00. ferring to Fig. 1 0,l such` closure of."v switch |00 closes; an energizing circuitffromcar battery; 20 to eleotmagnetf SBfth-rough switch |00; vcontact |13,- and; pawlfelement 9.21` Theelectromagnet thnLdlinWS thief pawl t0; its. brokenzline released positionin..which-it isfretainedby; latch. |01; `the magneet` energizing; circuit:- being: broken ase the pawl .reaches its: broken linev positionv by movement, oi: the. pawl; element: aways from contact I l8r Wlih. the.. hawk in; its). releasede condition; drumfu fisfree ftoirotate gend .thespedal may be freely; operated; without; effect by the setting meQi-lozllmc ir'llleisopraitr 4dcsireseto:agafirrfset ther; acceleratori ati a. particular: position.. he slightlyvraisesE chefy right; sidef., of: foot: im a manner .permitting upward swinging movement lof cover 83 while maintaining the pedal body in vthe desired position, and'arm ||5 of cover carried element H4 then `acts to release latch |01 and permit return of the pawl to its Fig. 5

condition.

In order that the accelerator setting mechanism may be automatically released upon application of the brakes, as well asv in the above defined manner, I provide for energization of solenoid 96. in response to closure of the usual brake actuated switch f2| which closes the circuit to stop light 22 (see Fig. 10).. For this purpose, stop light switch. |2| is connected into a second energizing circuit leading from battery |20 to the' magnet.

I claim.:

l. Automobile speed control mechanism comprising an accelerator pedal to be` itnoiimtedy in an automobile for speed' controlling movement toward and away trom a floorboard, a flexible member to be fastened at its lower end against upward` movement relative to the floor boards. a reel: carried'.` by the pedal for winding. the upper end'. of the exible member, a: holding part movably carried' by said pedal adapted to act against andl prevent unwinding rotation of the reelufrom any of a plurality of positions to thereby releasably restrain engine* slowing. movement of the pedal from any of: progressive positions' in its. range ofi movement, andi foot controlled means carried by said pedal; for releasing' said' holding part.

2. Automobile speedj control. mechanism. comprising a hollowv acceleratorpedal t'o be mounted ini an automobile for' speedA controlling movement toward and away from a floorboard, a member to be fastened: to theI Iloorboard: against bodily upward movement relative. thereto and extending into said hollow pedal, means in said pedal cooperating with means associated with saidzmember. to releasably restrain engine slowing: movement of the pedal` from'v any of progressive. positionsV withirrits range of movement', and: foot. controlled means carried: by said' pedal for-'releasing' said restraining means to permit engine slowing movement-1 of; the.A pedal.

3; For use inv association with a spring retracted brake pedal, a floorboard, and throttle mechanism` in ani automobile; anelbngated' hollow accelerator pedal .for actuatingY said throttle mechanism. and adapted toibo mountedfor speed controllingmovementtoward:and away from the floorboard, ailexible4 member connectable at its lower end tol the oorboard andY extending: upwardly into saio': hollow accelerator pedana reel inthe accelerator pedal for winding the flexible member, a springrurgingfsadrreel in a winding directionsaid reel havingaJ serieszoflteeth spaced thereabout, a; movable pawl actingy against said teeth to. releasably retain the reel in any of a plurality of positions andxtorthereby restrain upward movement of the accelerator pedal from any oa plurality of progressive. positions ywithin its range. of movement', a. spring; urging said paivl-'toi releasedicondition; a exible'connector for' operatively interconnecting' said pawl and brake pedal sothatv the'pawl isV normally re-` tained in. active. reel? restraining. condition. by the i force of the brakei4 retracting a spring and'A is releasedrby'iactuationtof. thefbrakefpedal; a cover extendingtfaeross theupper Vside of said.' hollow accelerator pedal and;` hinged to'r the r pedal for depression". relative. thereto; a spring-A urglng. vsaid cover 'upwardlyfrelativefto the: accelerator pedal.

(.9 and means operable by depression of said cover relative to the pedal to release said pawl.

4. Automobile speed 'control mechanism comprising an accelerator pedal` to be mounted in an automobile for speed controlling movement, means for releasably restraining engine slowing movement of the accelerator pedal from any of progressive positions in its range of movement, a foot operated member carried by and movable relative to said pedal, and electrical control means carried by said pedal responsive to movement of said member to actuate said restraining means between active and released conditions, said control means including an electrical switch actuatable by said foot operated member an electric solenoid carried by said pedal and responsive to actuations of said switch, and a movable control member operable by the solenoid.

5. Automobile speed control mechanism comprising an accelerator pedal to be mounted in an automobile for speed controlling movement toward and away from a floorboard, a flexible member to be fastened at its lower end against bodily upward movement relative to the floorboard, a reel about which an upper end of said member is wound and mounted to the pedal for rotation about an axis extending generally in said direction of the pedal movement, means mounting the reel for said rotation about said axis, means carried by the accelerator pedal operable to prevent unwinding rotation of the reel from any of a plurality of positions to thereby releasably restrain engine slowing movement of the pedal, and foot controlled means carried by said pedal for releasing said restraining means to permit engine slowing movement of the pedal.

6. Automobile speed control mechanism as recited in claim 5, in which said pedal is elongated and hollow and contains a chamber having its smallest dimension in said direction of pedal movement, said reel being contained within said chamber.

7. Automobile speed control mechanism as recited in claim 1, in which said reel has a series of teeth spaced thereabout, and said holding part comprises a movable pawl acting against said teeth.

8. Automobile speed control mechanism comprising a hollow accelerator pedal to be mounted in an automobile for speed controlling movement toward and away from a oorboard, a member to be fastened to the floorboard against bodily upward movement relative thereto and extending upwardly into said hollow pedal, means in said pedal cooperating with means associated with said member to releasably restrain engine slowing movement of the pedal from any of progressive positions within its range of movement, an electric solenoid in said hollow pedal controlling the actuation and release of said restraining means, and a foot operated switch carried by said pedal and controlling said solenoid.

9. For use in association with a spring retracted brake pedal, a oorboard, and throttle mechanism in an automobile; an elongated hollow accelerator pedal for actuating said throttle mechanism and adapted to be mounted for speed controlling movement toward and away from the oorboard, a flexible member connectable at its lower end to the oorboard and extending upwardly into said hollow accelerator pedal, a reel in the accelerator pedal for winding the flexible member, a spring urging said reel in a winding direction, said reel having a Vseries of teeth spaced thereabout, a movable pawl acting against said teeth to releasably retain the reel in any of a plurality of positions and to thereby restrain upward movement of the accelerator pedal from any of a plurality of progressive positions within its range of movement, a spring urging said pawl to a first position, an electric solenoid in said pedal operable to actuate the pawl against the tendency of the spring to a second position, a cover extending across the upper side of said hollow accelerator pedal and hinged to the pedal for depression relative thereto, a spring urging said cover upwardly relative to the pedal, and a switch operable by depression of said cover relative to the pedal and controlling energization of said solenoid.

10. Speed control mechanism comprising an accelerator pedal to be mounted in a motor vehicle for speed controlling movement toward and away from a floorboard, a flexible member to be fastened against bodily upward movement relative to the oorboard, holding means carried byrsaid pedal for movement relative thereto and operable to cooperate with means associated with said ilexible member and to thereby releasably restrain engine slowing movement of the pedal from any of progressive positions in its range of movement, and foot controlled means carried by said pedal for actuating said holding means in response to manipulation of a drivers foot.

11. Speed control mechanism as recited in claim 10, including a fastening element carried by a lower end of said flexible member and adapted to be removably attached to the floor board of a motor vehicle 12. Speed control mechanism as recited in claim 10, in which said pedal is hollow and contains a rotatable reel about which an upper portion of said exible member is windable, and said holding means act to restrain unwinding rotation of said reel.

13. Automobile speed control mechanism as recited in claim 2, in which said foot controlled means includes a cover extending across and closing an upper side of the pedal and movable relative thereto by manipulation of e, drivers foot, and means carried by the pedal for actuating said restraining means in response to movement of said cover.

14. Speed control mechanism comprising an accelerator pedal to be mounted in a motor vehicle for speed controlling movement toward and away from a oorboard, a member to be fastened against bodily upward movement relative to the floorboard, holding means carried by said pedal for movement relative thereto and operable to cooperate with means associated with said member and to thereby releasably restrain engine slowing movement of the pedal from any of progressive positions in its range of movement, electrically energized means for actuating said holding means, and foot operated means controlling actuation of said electrically energized means in response to manipulation of a drivers foot.

15. Speed control mechanism as recited in claim 14, in which said pedal is hollow and contains said holding means and electrically energized means, said member being ilexible.

16. Speed control mechanism as recited in claim 15, including a reel contained in said hollow pedal and rotatable relative thereto about an axis extending generally in the direction of gemene pedal movement toward and awayfrom the floorboard, said flexible member being wndable about said reel, said holding means acting to restrain unwinding rotation of the reel.

17. Speed control mechanism as recited in claim 16, in which said electrically energized means includes an electric solenoid for actuating the holding means, said foot operated means including a cover for the pedal mounted for movement relative thereto, and an electric switch controlling said solenoid and actuated by said cover, said apparatus including means for connecting said electrically energized means to an electric switch actuated by the brake of the vehicle to be responsive to actuation thereof.

JAMES T. REILLY.

References Cited inl the file of this patent STATES PATENTS- Number