Abstract: A braking mechanism linkage for use in a braking system can be applied by ther a service brake actuator or a parking brake actuator to brake a tracked vehicle. Each actuator when applied to the linkage results in a different type of linkage motion to apply a single brake. The parking brake mode has a locking mechanism associated therewith to keep the brake applied until released to prevent motion of the vehicle until the parking brake is released. The service braking mode returns to an unengaged position upon release of the actuator.

Abstract: A hydrostatic transaxle is disclosed of the type having a central manifold (13) and right and left motor axle assemblies (15, 17). Each motor axle assembly includes a fluid motor (35) and a speed reduction gear set (51). The manifold defines a pair of aligned openings (81R, 81L) and disposed therein is a pair of elongated brake actuation members (83R, 83L), each member being axially moveable in its opening away from a central reference plane (RP). A cam means (95) defines right and left cam surfaces (107R, 107L) engaging the brake actuation members. Movement of the cam means forces the actuation members axially outward, until each engages friction pad (109), providing braking of a reaction plate (115) between the friction pad and a back up plate (119). The disclosed braking arrangement is simple and inexpensive, and achieves braking upstream of the reduction gear set, thus requiring less braking torque than would be required in the case of a conventional wheel brake. Also disclosed is an embodiment (FIG.

Abstract: A control arrangement for translating substantially linear motion includes a control device, a controlled device, and a mechanical link interconnected between said control device and said controlled device. The mechanical link comprises a spring strip having an arcuate cross section. The control device comprises an arrangement for moving the strip substantially linearly in a given direction at the control device. The control arrangement further comprises at least one guide arrangement for bending the strip in at least one region between the control device and controlled device, to extend in a direction other than the given direction. The strip extends without support by lateral forces in at least one region between the control device and controlled device.

Abstract: An automatic transmission shift control device is provided with a control unit for automatically putting a selector lever in a locked condition when the selector lever is in its parking position and unless a brake pedal is fully depressed, and a manual actuating unit for manually actuating said control unit and releasing same from the locked condition.

Abstract: A drive lever of an auxiliary handle operator is pivotally mounted alongside a molded case circuit breaker to move in a plane parallel with a plane of movement of a constituent handle of the circuit breaker. A superstructure attached to the top of the circuit breaker carries a slide disposed over the constituent handle for linear reciprocal movement. The slide has a projection which is disposed in a hollow shaft of a roller bearing structure carried by the drive lever for limited translation perpendicular to slide movement with a limited amount of free play between the corresponding parts.

Abstract: In a cable length adjuster, a slider is guided for movement within a housing and is biased by a spring to take up unnecessary slack in the cable. A latch is moveable, normal to the direction of slider movement, and becomes engaged with teeth on the slider. A stud carried on the housing fixes the position of the housing against movement in the direction the slider moves. A leaf spring forces the latch toward locking engagement with the slider.

Abstract: A rod connecting mechanical attachments whose positions in space and distances between each other are variable includes a rod carrying a grommet engageable by a pin located on one of the attachments and a pin formed on an adjustable member adapted to engage a grommet or other suitable mechanical attachment. The rod is connected to a housing by way of tangs located in rectangular slots, whereby the axial and angular position of the rod and housing are established. An adjuster is biased by a spring so that a tang formed on the adjuster contacts the end of a slotted hole formed in the housing. A lock has flexible legs extending downward into contact with stops and detents formed on the housing, and includes teeth formed on an inner bore adapted to engage teeth formed on the adjuster. Rotation of the lock causes the lock to engage the adjuster and to establish the axial position of the adjuster relative to the housing and lower attachment.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an improved slider providing adjustment of the suspension of a vehicle longitudinally with respect to the body of the vehicle. The slider is of the type comprising a pair of side rails secured at the left and right sides of the body in fixed position extending longitudinally of the body, and a frame carrying the suspension comprising left and right slide members slidable longitudinally of the body on the side rails, and a plurality of locking pins for locking the frame in various positions of adjustment relative to the side rails, the locking pins being retractible for permitting adjustment of the frame to a selected position of adjustment and extensible for locking the frame in a selected position of adjustment.

Abstract: A hand brake lever assembly includes a plunger mounted on a support for axial slidable movement and for rotation about its axis and being connected at its one end to a parking brake, a locking mechanism associated with the plunger to retain the plunger in a pulled out position against a returning effort of the parking brake acting thereon and being arranged to be released by rotation of the plunger, a sleeve member secured to the other end of the plunger and having an annular end wall formed with a first annular cam surface and an axial key groove, a handle having a shaft extending therefrom and inserted into the sleeve member, the handle shaft being formed with an axial guide groove and being integrally provided with a cam member which is formed with a second annular cam surface complementary with the first cam surface and is axially slidably coupled within the sleeve member, a first spring for pressing the annular cam surfaces in contact with each other, a release rod axially slidably coupled with the guide

Abstract: A control assembly primarily intended for use in manually regulating the operating speed of power equipment in which fine adjustments may be obtained by rotating the control knob and rapid changes in speed may be achieved by shifting the knob axially. The assembly includes an outer one-piece sleeve adapted to be mounted upon an instrument panel or engine housing and permanently joined to a flexible casing containing the operating wire or cable. A plunger assembly is rotatably and slidably received within the sleeve, the plunger assembly including a thin-walled plunger tube of flexible material having a control knob ultrasonically welded to one end of the plunger and a swivel connection joining the operating wire at the plunger's opposite end.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a control unit, especially for setting heating, oling and/or ventilation systems in motor vehicles. Sliding members are guided between two end positions in an oblong body. Setting members, e.g., louvers or motors, are adjusted by means of these sliding members via transmission means. A step-down unit is provided as the transmission means, which consists of a first toothed rack molded onto the sliding member and of a second toothed rack molded onto the body, and a gear which is mounted rotatably between the two toothed racks and moved when the sliding member is moved. The gear is connected to an adjusting means, e.g., a rod, which in turn operates the setting member.

Abstract: A vehicle hand brake lever assembly for actuating the vehicle parking brake. The lever assembly includes an axially slidable plunger mounted on a support and having one end connected with a brake actuating member. The plunger and the support have a ratchet mechanism for holding the plunger at the brake applying position. The ratchet mechanism can be released by rotating the plunger about its longitudinal axis. A handle assembly is provided at the other end of the plunger and comprises a handle having a handle shaft. A sleeve fitted to a cylindrical guide member is secured to one of the sleeve and the handle shaft, and a lock member to the other. The lock member is axially slidably received in the guide member and provided with a cam profile for cooperation with a cam profile provided on the sleeve. The lock member is spring biased toward the sleeve so that the cam profiles are normally engaged with each other to thereby maintain the handle shaft at a predetermined relationship with respect to the plunger.

Abstract: A parking brake operating device in which a member having two cams and spring are disposed outside a handle by coaxially securing a sleeve to one end of a plunger, and by providing in the handle a shaft member for insertion into the sleeve as to be supported, cam surfaces on the expanding portion at the end of the shaft member and at the opposite position on the end surface on the handle side of the sleeve, and in the sleeve a spring for pressing these cam surfaces.This structure enables a rotatable connection of the handle with the plunger only when the handle is pulled such that actuation of the parking brake is maintained even when the handle is turned when mistakenly touched by the hands or legs while the parking brake is actuated.

Abstract: Improved pushbutton end caps of a mechanical tuner pushbutton assembly for use on a radio receiver whereby a portion of each end cap is pivotable to two orthogonal orientations by manual depression on two defined areas displaced above and below the pivot axis to provide a flush face appearance to said radio when in their first orientation and to allow for station resetting when in their second orientations.

Abstract: A control element for an agricultural machine comprises a standard lever pivotal about a lever axis through angularly offset positions associated with respective operational levels of the machine. This lever carries a handle remote from the lever axis and centered on a handle axis different from the lever axis and a grip carried on the handle and rotatable thereon about the handle axis between at least one grip end position and an angularly offset grip central position. A grip switch is actuatable by the grip only in the grip end position. A thumb-operable pin is axially displaceable in the handle between an outer pin position and at least one inner pin position. A pin switch is actuatable by the pin only in the inner pin position, and biasing means urges the pin into the outer pin position.

Abstract: A mechanism for providing for the one-handed control of a rotary feedthru includes bi-directional braking means which is controllable by the same element used for imparting rotation to the feedthru.

Abstract: An ansate self-propelled appliance, such as a self-propelled upright floor covering vacuum cleaner is provided with a slidable hand or control grip comprising a pair of clam-shell hand grip halves held on the distal end portion of the cleaner handle by a pair of transverse screws or other fasteners. A rotatable ring is also mounted with the hand grip halves at the forward end portions thereof which has at least one generally arcuate detent spring constructed and arranged to cooperate with and be selectively engagable within a pair of detent apertures or recesses angularly spaced apart around the handle tube. One of said detent apertures or recesses is longitudinally elongated so as to define a slot and enable said detent to slide longitudinally therein for self-propelled operation of the cleaner in response to sliding movement of the hand grip.

Abstract: A connection device for spaced electric components comprises a guide member made of a flat resilient tubular member having a plurality of windows and bridge portions alternating on the major surfaces of the tubular member, or alternatively, a guide member made up of a plurality of guide elements having bridge portions on opposite surfaces between the longitudinal edge portions. A slide member made of a resilient material is introduced through the guide member. Projections are formed on the inner surfaces of said bridge portions of the guide member and escape portions are formed between end portions of said projections to allow the slide member to be moved easily within the guide member.

Abstract: Locking mechanisms for a hand-operated parking brake having an elongated pulling plunger at a free end of which is a manipulating handle and a locking member normally spring biased toward locking engagement with the plunger and provided with a hook adjacent to the handle so as to be clasped in the driver's palm together with the handle without any conscious effort when the handle is manipulated by the driver for being pulled, whereby the locking member is slightly pulled by the driver immediately prior to pulling of the handle for unlocking the plunger in order to release the parking brake.

Abstract: A device for adjusting a rear-view vehicle mirror in which a tubular support extending through the vehicle bodywork carries a pair of manually rotatable knobs at its inner end and a mounting for the mirror at its outer end. When one knob is rotated, it drives a shaft extending within the support. This shaft either directly rotates the mounting and mirror about a horizontal axis or drives gearing causing such rotation. The mounting has a pin with an axis transverse to the horizontal axis. The mirror is rotatable in either direction about this transverse axis by pushing motion transmitted thereto by linear movement of one or other of two rods extending in the support parallel with the shaft axis. These rods are moved simultaneously in mutually opposite directions by an arrangement converting rotary motion of the other knob into the linear motion.

Abstract: A slide key is provided. The slide key comprises a housing having a socket defining an axis and having a recess at a predetermined location therein. This recess communicates with the socket. A slide bar correspondingly shaped relative to the socket is fittable therein and has a hollow depression positioned at a portion thereof corresponding to the predetermined location and being communicable with the recess. The slide bar has a projection extending radially within the depression, and an indented surface extending from the projection for a predetermined distance along the slide bar. A lock locatable within the recess has a peg extending therebelow. The peg is alternately engageable with the projection so as to lock the slide bar into a particular axial position and disengageable with the projection so as to release the slide bar.

Abstract: A wiper which clamps on cable conduit and fits over end cup seals has an opening which loosely receives a sliding cable rod to scrape debris from the rod before portions of the rod enter the seal. The wiper is formed from a strip of spring steel pierced centrally to receive the rod. The piercing forms a slight convex shape and leaves a bow which extends toward the end of the rod to further aid the debris-removing function. The strip is bent rearwardly and then inwardly on both sides, and termini of the strip are formed with abutting semi-circular recesses to engage the conduit behind the end cup.

Abstract: A substitute toggle switch cover plate has an elongated opening within which is reciprocatively captured an actuating member having a recessed carrier portion at the inside adapted to loosely enclose the control lever of an electrical toggle switch, and a slide knob at the outside for moving the carrier member together with the toggle switch lever between "on" and "off" positions.

Abstract: A holder for supporting a rod for rotation or longitudinal movement is molded from a plastic material. The holder is T-shaped having a central elongated portion through which the rod extends and transverse wings with apertures therethrough by which the holder is supported on a member. The cavity in the mold has a rod extending therethrough with a ring of elastomeric material thereon about which the plastic material is injected to mold the holder as a unit element with the elastomeric ring retained therein when the supporting rod is pulled therefrom. It is only necessary to insert the operating rod within the holder through the elastomeric ring which will be compressed so that it will apply a predetermined drag on the rod to restrict its longitudinal and rotational movement.

Abstract: A remote switch actuating device to permit the operator to actuate an electrical switch that is located remotely from the operator's position, comprising a rocker arm type electrical switch that is mounted within easy reach of the operator in the usual electrical box, which, however, is free of electrical connections, but is mechanically connected by a drive rod to an actuator assembly which mounts the remote power switch to be actuated in an appropriate electrical box that is remotely located for safety and other purposes. The actuator assembly includes a swing arm formed to receive the rocker arm of the switch to be actuated. The drive rod is masked and guided within electrical conduiting that connects the two boxes.