Link and switch device for automotive braking systems

Claim 1

IN AN AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE HAVING A BRAKE MECHANISM REQUIRING AT LEAST A PREDETERMINED PRESSURE TO BE APPLIED THERETO FOR APPLYING THE BRAKES, A BRAKE PEDAL FOR APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE MECHANISM, A STOPLIGHT FOR INDICATING THE OPERATION OF THE BRAKE MECHANISM, A PAIR OF RELATIVELY MOVABLEE MEMBERS CONNECTED RESPECTIVELY TO THE BRAKE MECHANISM AND THE BRAKE PEDAL AND HAVING NORMALLY SEPARATED BUT ENGAGEABLE SURFACES WHICH ARE ENGAGED WHEN THE MEMBER CONNECTED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL IS MOVED AT LEAST A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE BY DEPRESSION OF THE BRAKE PEDAL FOR MOVING THE MEMBER CONNECTED TO THE BRAKE MECHANISM FOR APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE MECHANISM, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING, A NORMALLY OPEN SWITCH CARRIED BY ONE OF SAID MEMBERS AND ARRANGED EXTERIORLY AND OUT OF THE CONFINES OF SAID MEMBERS FOR CONTROLLING THE ILLUMINATION OF THE STOP LIGHT, A SWITCH ACTUATOR ARRANGED EXTERIORLY AND OUT OF THE CONFINES OF SAID MEMBERS AND OPERATED BY THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS AND A SPRING OPERATIVELY CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID MEMBERS FOR NORMALLY SEPARATING THE ENGAGEABLE SURFACES THEREOF AND ALLOWING THE SWITCH TO OPEN, SAID SPRING HAVING SUFFICIENT STRENGTH TO PREVENT ENGAGEMENT OF THE ENGAGEABLE SURFACES UNTIL PRESSURE EQUIVALENT TO THE PREDETERMINED PRESSURE REQUIRED TO OPERATE THE BRAKE MECHANISM IS APPLIED BY THE BRAKE PEDAL, DEPRESSION OF THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH AT LEAST SUCH PRESSURE RELATIVELY MOVING SAID MEMBERS AGAINST THE ACTION OF THE SPRING TO ENGAGE THE ENGAGEABLE SURFACE THEREOF, TO CLOSE THE SWITCH AND TO MOVE BOTH OF SAID MEMBERS TO OPERATES THE BRAKE MECHANISM.