Control lever for parking brake systems

Claim 1

A control lever for parking brake systems comprising: a baseplate adapted for being fixed to a vehicle, a ratchet sector secured to said baseplate, said ratchet sector having a periphery with teeth thereon, a hand lever pivotably mounted on said ratchet sector, means urging said hand lever to a brake releasing direction, a locking lever pivotably supported on said baseplate for connection with a brake mechanism, means for pivoting the locking lever as the hand lever is moved from a brake release position to a brake actuating position, a ratchet piece pivotably connected to said lockin lever for movement therewith, said ratchet piece having one end engageable with said ratchet teeth on the periphery of said ratchet sector, a link pivotably connected to said ratchet piece at a location remote from said one end, a pin on said link movably supported in a slot provided in said hand lever, and resilient means urging said link away from said ratchet piece, such that during a brake actuating operation, the locking lever will be moved by the hand lever and carry said ratchet piece therewith along said ratchet teeth on the periphery of said ratchet sector and in the brake actuating position, said ratchet piece will engage said teeth, said slot being constructed such that during brake releasing operation, said hand lever in first slightly pulled further in the brake actuating direction to permit movement of the pin in the slot and consequent movement of said link under, the action of said resilient means, to disengage said ratchet piece from said ratchet teeth and thereby enable return of said lever to the brake release position.