Abstract: A manual transmission and ignition interlock is provided for a vehicle having a manual transmission operated by a shift lever. A solenoid is movable between positions blocking and unblocking movement of the vehicle ignition to OFF. A latch bar carried by the shift lever is biased to a latched position and can be moved to unlatched position by a pull-up ring on the shift lever. The latch bar is cammed downward against the spring bias out of latched position when it is extended through a slot in a latch retainer when the shift lever is moved to REVERSE, and then snaps up to latch the shift lever. Another solenoid has a plunger which extends to underlie the latch bar and trap it, thus locking the latched shift lever in REVERSE. In one embodiment, bi-stable solenoids are controlled by a controller that is provided with high and low current inputs from branch circuits that include control switches operated by ignition position.

Abstract: The improved parking brake lever arrangement includes a pair of cooperating lobe members for effecting a mechanical advantage between the operating lever and the parking brake cable, use being made of a spring clutch associated with the drive lobe member for locking the lever in the brake-applied position, and a self-adjust device associated with the driven lobe member for removing cable slack when the operating lever is in the brake-released position. In the preferred embodiment, the lobe members comprise lobe cams that are connected by a flexible strap or belt that extends between the cooperating cam surfaces and is secured at opposite ends to the cams, respectively.

Abstract: An improved non-jamming self-adjust pawl and ratchet mechanism for use in an automotive parking brake system or the like, includes cam-out and cam-in devices that are spaced to define an overlap dwell distance to insure suitable engagement between the adjuster pawl and the adjuster ratchet as a foot or hand brake operating lever is pivoted from a brake disengaged position toward a brake fully-engaged position. In the case of the foot-operated lever, the spacing distance between the cam-out and cam-in devices is greater than the bounce-back travel distance of the lever upon the removal of cable tension load thereon.

Abstract: A variable ratio parking brake lever mechanism includes a brake lever connected with a support for pivotal movement about a lever pivot axis, a cable track member connected with the support for rotation about a cable track axis spaced from the lever pivot axis, a connecting link connected at one end with the cable track member adjacent the cable track axis, and a slot and pin arrangement connecting the other end of the connecting link with the lever to afford a mechanical advantage such that pivotal movement of lever through a given angle in the brake-applying direction produces a controllably variable rotational angle of displacement of the cable track member in the cable-tensioning direction. The connection between the connecting link and the cable track member is released when the lever is in the brake-released position, whereby the cable track member is free for rotations by a biasing spring to remove slack from the cable.