US2864352A

US2864352A - Accelerator hydraulic holding units

Info

Publication number: US2864352A
Application number: US614926A
Authority: US
Inventors: Thomas E Wells
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1956-10-09
Filing date: 1956-10-09
Publication date: 1958-12-16
Anticipated expiration: 1975-12-16

Description

Dec. 16, 1958 w 2,864,352

ACCELERATOR HYDRAULIC HOLDING UNITS Filed 001:. 9, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 3

mu/Enrol? T/IOMAS E WZL5 5 9 162 Jug A TTORNEY T. E. WELLS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 nvvavrop THOMAS E. WELLS n BY W ATTORNEY Dec. 16, 1958 ACCELERATOR HYDRAULIC HOLDING UNITS Filed Oct. 9. 1956 2 G H M 3V ealiw r f C v4 nv/ x A C \\\\\/Si\ United This invention relates to automobile and truck acceleraion systems and more particularly to an accelerator holding unit.

In conventional accelerator systems of today, the driver of a moving vehicle must maintain his right foot in a tensed position to overcome the tendency of this foot to relax downwardly on the accelerator pedal, thus dangerously increasing the speed of the vehicle. One of the main objectives of the present invention is to transform this tendency from a detriment to an asset by permitting a driver to relax and thus rest his right foot on the accelerator pedal while the fuel or accelerator system of his engine is held at any desired rate by a novel sealed hydraulic holding unit. The hydraulic holding unit of the present invention is cheap to construct and easy to install and is so designed that it can readily and ideally be incorporated into the acceleration systems conventionally employed today.

Another objective of the present invention is to permit the operator of a vehicle to experience a feeling of real control while driving by enabling him to while in a relaxed state rest his foot downwardly on the accelerator pedal while still maintaining a uniform and constant vehicle speed. Also the right foot and leg of the normal driver, with the use of the present invention is less likely to become tired, the driver will have better use of it during emergencies and will also be less likely to resort to the unsafe practive of using a hand throttle control which is often the case.

. Still another objective of the present invention is to permit an instantaneous release of the holding action and a reverting to conventional accelerator control without the use of the brake pedal, which is the usual way this is accomplished in other holding devices of this type. The driver will then be in a much more favorable position to decelerate during average driving conditions and particularly during emergencies. Also because the present invention requires the driver to keep his footon the accelerator pedal at all times to maintain the device in its holding sequence, it further assures that the right foot will be in its proper position to operate the brake pedal in case of necessity.

These and other beneficial advantages will become manifest as the invention is further disclosed.

Now referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application,

Figure 1 is a schematic View of the present accelerator hydraulic holding unit incorporated in a conventional accelerator system,

Figure 2 is an isometric cutaway view of the accelerator holding unit with the main check valve and piston in the non holding or open position, and

Figure 3 is a partial vertical section of Figure 2 showing the pressure chamber with its parts in a holding or closed position.

Once again referring to Figure 1 the main body 34 of the sealed hydraulic unit is shown interposed in a conventional accelerator system consisting essentially of an accelerator pedal 14 which by means of the linkage shown actuates a butterfly fuel control valve 30 for regulating the speed of a vehicle. This linkage consists of footpedal connecting rod 16, bell crank 17, hinged link rod 18, sliding block 19, compression spring 20, main link rod 1 which is connected to and through main body 34 of the sealed hydraulic unit as hereinafter described, as well as to bell crank 27, connecting rod 28, and a butterfly fuel control valve 30. Return spring 31 is attached in the conventional system to bell crank 27 and connecting rod 28 to urge the butterfly valve 30 to its closed position and at the same time to urge the accelerator foot pedal 14, through the shown linkage, upwardly to its deceleration position. The entire system as shown here can be easily and readily incorporated in the motor vehicle in present use.

Figure 2 shows the isometric cutaway view of the preferred embodiment of this invention. Connecting rod 1 of the linkage system shown in Figure 1 is shown to be an integral part of connecting block 13 which in turn is connected to ported piston 11 by piston connecting rod 12. Movement of connecting rod 1 then imparts movement to the piston rod 12 and hence to the ported piston 11 and to the following cup 10A and the disc 10, which is merely a rigid backing disc to give stability to the resilient or flexible follower cup 10A. It will be noticed that the disc 10 while attached to following cup 10A is not attached to ported piston 11 and is free to move independently from it.

The hydraulic liquid level 26 of the hydraulic liquid body 36, which liquid can be brake oil or the like, is shown in Figure 3 to be some What above the pressure chamber 9. The entire pressure chamber 9 is immersed in and filled with this hydraulic liquid. The hydraulic liquid fills piston cylinder 9A on both sides of ported piston 11, follower cup 10A and disc 10, with follower cup 10A as a sealer.

With the entire pressure chamber 9 including piston cylinder 9A filled with hydraulic fluid it is apparent that as the accelerator pedal 14 is pressed downwardly in the conventional manner, this movement is transmitted through link rod 1 to ported piston 11 and follower cup 10A, and results in the oil being compressed out of piston cylinder 9A through liquid outer channel 9B into main pressure chamber 9, around open check valve 6, and through the ports in combination valve seat and guide ring 8 and out into the main oil reservoir 36. This flow of hydraulic liquid is reversed on deceleration. Figure 2 shows the check valve 6 in its opened position, while Figure 3 shows it in its closed position.

As the ported piston 11 is drawn back on the deceleration stroke of link rod 1, spring 24 is provided in the piston cylinder 9A to return follower cup 10A and backing disc 10 to its position against the ported piston 11, as they are not connected to the ported piston 11 and are free to move independently thereof. Ported piston 11 is provided with ports or channel openings 11A to permit the hydraulic liquid to flow from one side of the ported piston 11 to the other. This is a safety feature in the event the resilient follower cup 10A and backing disc 10 cannot move due to a vacuum or pressure being created behind disc 10 due to the independent movement of ported piston 11. Resilient follower cup 10A forms a seal however in piston cylinder 9A to prevent hydraulic fluid from passing from one side of it to the other. The backing disc 10 gives the necessary strength to follower cup 10A to prevent it cocking in the piston cylinder 9A and to absorb the contacting force from ported piston 11.

To clarify the structure of the hydraulic chamber 34, it can be seen from Figure 2 that the entire pressure chamber 9 is completely sealed from the main oil body.

36 by means of casing 36a. There are only three outlets between the main oil body and the pressure cham her 9. One outlet is through ported piston 11 to piston cylinder 9A whichis sealed ,by follower cup 10A. The second is the opening in the top of the pressurechamber sealed by release valve 22,-and the third .is the opening also in-the top of the pressure ,chamber shown in the valve seat and guide ring 8 whichopeningcanbenclosed by check valve 6.

When it .is desired to :put thehydraulic ,unit in operatron so as to enable the driver to restthis foot and leg downward without changing his fuel setting, all that is required in the presentinvention ,is for him to close the floor board switch ,2 as shown in Figure 1 with his left foot and [thento allow his right'foot to relax downward on the accelerator pedal 14. As switch 2 closes, electrical current flows through wires .33 to solenoid coil ,3 and grounding through wire 32 causingsolenoid coil 3 to ,be energized, which in turn pulls iron core 4, valve stem ,5 and check valve 6 upwards, compressing light spring 7 between plate E and washer F until upper face 6A of check valve 6 contacts the face of combination valve seat and guide ring 8. This closing of the check valve 6 then makes pressure chamber 9 oil tight and prevents anyforward (acceleration) movement of follower. cup 10A and disc 10, ported piston 11,-connecting,rod 12,, Qonnecting block 13 and link rod 1. As soon as the driver has actuated the solenoid switch 2, he immediatelyallows his right foot to relax downward on pedal 14. This additional force working through pedal 14, pedal rod 16,'bell crank 17, link rod 18 and sliding block 19, will then cause sliding block 19 to slip forward on link rod 1. As link rod 1 now is stationary, spring 20tis compressed between the sliding block 19 and the pinned washer 21 until the compressed spring force is equal to the jforceof'the weight of the drivers foot or until the pedal 14 contacts heavy resting spring 15. In any event any additional pressure being applied on the confined hydraulic fluid in the pressure chamber9 by the weight of the driversjfoot working through pedal 14, rod 16, bell crank ILlink rod 18, sliding block 19, spring 20, link rod 1, connecting block 13, connecting rod 12, piston 11 and follower cup 10A and disc 10 will be magnified in the preferred embodiment approximately times, due to the area of check valve 6 being approximately this much greater than the area of the follower cup A. This pressure will then be more than sufficient to hold check valve 6 in the closed position and therefore the driver will be able to remove his left foot from said solenoid switch "2, breaking the electrical circuit and de-energizing the solenoid coil and stillkeep the device in thetholding sequence.

If the device'has been set and the driver wishes to accelerate his engine such as for passing or climbing a'hill, this may be done in two ways; one of which is'by pushing heavily with his foot on the accelerator pedal 1.4, which will then depress the resting spring and will .then contact the end of cable37, forcing it throughitshousing, causing the cable to force valve stem guide B downward against spring K, causing stem H to open release valve'22 which is normally in a closed position. Oil in chamber9 and cylinder 9A will then be 'freetoflow around release valve 22, up into the middle of valve body 23 and out into the main oilreservoir 36, through holes 23A, which holes are located in thebody 23 of the release valve'22. These holes may be of.any desired size to enable the release of the oil and the speed ,with which thecarburator butterfly may be opened to be, predetermined. This release of oil will then allowthe force of compressed spring to move washer 21,link rod 1, connecting block'13, rod 12, piston 11, and follower cup 10A and disc 10 ahead'to the accelerate position. The second way is for the driver to lift his foot from the acceleratorthus permitting the pedal'14 to move upward towards the decelerated-position until the pressure is reduced ontheface of check valve 6 sufliciently to allow the natural weight, of check valve 6, stemS, and iron core 4, plus the'force of light compressed spring 7 to cause the check valve 6, stem, and core to promptly move downward to its normal open position thus permitting the accelerating system to again operate freely as the locking feature of the device is then inoperative. The accelerator pedal 14, rod 16, bell crank 17, hinged link rod 18, block 19, link rod 1, bell crank 27, connecting rod '28, and lever 29 with attached carburator butterfly 30for controlling thetvehicle fuel supply will then be free to operate in a normal fashion until theldeviceis again set by depressing solenoid switch ,2 and resting the foot downward on pedal 14. It should be emphasized that this freeing action is for all practical purposes instantaneous with the lifting of the foot from the accelerator.

It is manifest that what has already been described is a new and important improvement in holding units for acceleration systems and changes and alterations can be made to thisholding unit while stillremaining within the purview of this invention. Therefore, what is now claimed is as follows:

1. In a vehicle acceleration system of the class described a sealed hydraulic unit interposed on the normal vehicle linkage between the accelerator foot pedal and the butterfly fuel control valve; said sealed hydraulic unit having, a main hydraulic chamber partially filled with suitable hydraulic liquid, a pressure chamber in said main hydraulic chamber, and said pressure chamber beingfilled with and'immersed beneath saidhydraulic liquid, a check valve in said pressure chamber sealing an opening between said main hydraulic chamber and said pressure chamber, spring means on said check valve for downwardly urging said check valve into an unsealedor opened position to permit the free flow of said hydraulic liquid from said pressure chamber to said main hydraulic chamber, a release valve in said pressure chamber sealing an opening between said pressure chamber and said main hydraulic chamber; spring means urging said release valve upwardly into a sealed or closed position; a piston cylinder section in said pressure chamber, a movable piston operable in said piston cylinder section, spring means within said piston cylinder section urging said piston outwardly into its decompressing position, direct connecting means between said movable piston and said normal vehicle acceleration linkage, a hydraulic liquid outlet channel between said piston section and said pressure chamber; electrical closing means on said check valve for lifting said check valve to its sealed or closed position; mechanical opening means for externally forcing said release valve downwardly into an unsealed or open position and contact means on the floor board of a vehicle for operating .said check valve electrical closing means and saidrelease valve mechanical opening means.

2. The same as claim 1 with the said electrical closing means for said check valve being a solenoid, a center iron core movable within saidsolenoid, a shaft connecting means between said check valve and said center iron core to enable said solenoid when energized to lift said check valve; a suitable electrical wired circuit to and from said solenoid, and a suitable foot switch located on the-foot board of a vehicle for operating said electrical circuit.

3. The same as claim 1 with said mechanical opening means'for said release valve being a cable extending from the floor board of said vehicle to said release valve, and a foot contact means with said cable for forcing said release valve open.

4. The same as claim 1 withvsaid piston operating in said piston cylinder having ports or channel openings from one side of thepiston to the other to permit the free flow of hydraulic liquid from one side to the other, and .a resilient .follower cup positioned aheadof said piston for slidably moving within said piston cylinder section and, sealing off the flow of hydraulic liquid-frorn one side of said follower cup to the other, and said follower cup being freeof and not attached to said piston.

5.. The same as claim 2 with said mechanical opening means for said release valve being a cable extending from flow of hydraulic liquid from one side of said follower the fioorboard of said vehicle to said release valve, and cup to the other, and said follower cup being free of and a foot contact means with said cable forcing said release not attached to said piston.

valve open; and said piston operating in said piston cylinder having ports or channel openings from one side of References Cited in the file of this 13am1t the piston to the other to permit the free flow of hydraulic UNITED STATES PATENTS liquid from one side to the other and a resilient follower cup positioned ahead of said piston for slidably moving 2,533,836 Patterson Dec. 12, 1950 within said piston cylinder section and sealing off the 2,709,993 Kulhavy June 7, 1955