US2204265A - Motor vehicle control - Google Patents

Description

June 11, 1940. A. A. "WENTZEL MOTOR VEHICLE CONTROL Filed Oct. 22, 1938 AniorzAWen zzeZ INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

humid June 11, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2M8 uo'roa vsmcm common Anton A. Wentlei, Milwaukee, Wis. Application mmzz, 192s, Serlal No. 286,445 0 Claims. (c1. lea-.01)

This invention relates to motor vehicle controls and particularlyto improved fuel supply control means therefor. I In driving modern automobiles, the supply of 7 fuel to the motor is practically exclusively under the control of the accelerator pedal so that, insofar as the fuel is concerned, the driving is performed only by the right foot of the driver, the left foot coming into play only on occasions when the clutch is to be released. This condition, particularly in long distance driving, is the cause of serious fatigue on the part of the driver, because the muscles of the right foot and leg are under tension continuously for long periods of time, without interruption or opportunity for relaxation.

Of course many motor vehicles are also equipped with a manually controlled element by which the fuel may be regulated independently of the accelerator pedal, but this element is used only during starting, if at all, and not during driving, because, arranged as at present, its use during driving would be neither convenient nor safe, but would seriously interfere with the important steering function performed by the hands.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved control system whichwill assure adequate and convenient control of the fuel supply without requiringcontinuous use of either foot of the operator and without impairing or interfering wlth other normal driving functions. Other more specific objects and advantages of the present invention will appear, expressed or implied, from the following description ofan illustrative embodiment thereof. In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a view in perspective diagrammaticallyillustrating a motor vehicle control system embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating other operating positions of parts shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating a preferred positional relation between the steering wheel and control lever shown in the other figures.

The control system selected for illustration in- I cludes a conventional carburetor. partially indicated at ill, with its throttle valve II and lever l2, the lever l2 being equipped with the usual set screw i3 for coaction with a conventional stop It to determine the idling position of the valve H. The lever i2 is shown connected, through a link It and bellcrank l6, with push rod n which is under the control of a conventional accelerator' pedal (not shown) by which the throttle valve Il may be rocked to regulate the rate of flow of fuel through the carburetor in the usual manner. 5

In this instance, the bellcrank It is also connected through a push rod II with an arm l9, depending from and fixed to a horizontal rock shaft 20 mounted in appropriate brackets 2| and 22 upon the front of the motor vehicle dash board 29. The rock shaft 29 also carries an upwardly inclined arm 24 whose upper end has a swivel connection 26 with a block 29.

A horizontal rod 21 is lengthwise moveable' within the block 26. The rod 21 carries at its forward end a stop member 29, fixed thereto, and at its rear end the rod is fixed to one end of a steel wire 29 which passes through an appropriate guide tube 39 and is attached at its other end to an arm 3| carried by a rock shaft 32 mounted upon a conventional steering wheel post 93. Theguide tube 39, which extends'through the dash board 23 and is appropriately fixed to the conventional panel 34, is preferably packed with grease which offers substantial resistance to lengthwise movement of the wire 29 within the tube.

The rock shaft 92 preferably extends upwardly along the steering wheel post 99 to a point adja cent the under side of the steering wheel 95 and .30 carries at its upper end a control lever 38 fixed thereto. This lever 36 may assume various forms, but preferably extends to a point adjacent but below the rim of the wheel where it may be conveniently manipulated by a finger on the left hand of the driver without requiring withdrawal of that hand from gripping engagement with nections between it and the throttle valve l I normally assume a valve closing or idling position. However, the fact that the block 26 is slidable on-the rod 21 permits movement of those connections and of the valve in response to actuation of the rod l1 in response to actuation of the accelerator pedal, and without disturbing the position of the control lever 26. It is thus possible to place the supply of fuel to the motor under the control of the accelerator pedal whenever driving conditions warrant control in this manner.

However, upon depressing the control lever 36 toward or through the full line position of Fig. 2, the wire 29 and rod 21 are retracted in such manner that the stop 23 engages and forces the block 26 rearwardly. thereby rocking the shaft and arm 19 insuch direction as to advance the push rod 13 and thus open the throttle valve I l to an extent dependent upon the extent of movement of the control lever 36. The control lever 36 and the rod 21 are yieldably retained in any position to which they are thus shifted by the frictional resistance to movement of the wire 29 in the guide tube. The throttle valve ll may thus be adjusted, by manual adjustment of the control lever 36, to supply sufllcient fuel to the engine for driving at any desired speed, such as thirty, forty, or fifty miles per hour, and when thus driving over long stretches of fairly level roads, he may remove his foot entirely from the accelerator pedal.

It will of course be understood that when driving under control of the lever 36 in the manner just described; the fuel supply may be momentarily increased by actuation of the accelerator pedal, if the condition of the road requires, without disturbing the set position of the control lever 36, and when the accelerator pedal is again released the throttle valve will return to the position determined by the position to which the control lever 36 has last been set.

Should the clutch be opened while the control lever 36 is in the depressed position of Fig. 2, with the throttle valve open or partially open, it is obvious that the motor would race. To avoid this objectionable condition, provision is made for effecting automatic return of the control lever 36.

' to the idling position of Fig. 1 whenever the clutch is opened. In this instance, mechanism for this purpose includes a second rock shaft 31, pro- 'vided on the front of the dash board 23 and extending from the vicinity of the rock shaft 23 to the vicinity of the clutch pedal lever conventionally indicated at 33.

Shaft 31 carries atone end an arm 33 connected to the clutch lever 33 through a normally slack connection including a link 40 and coil spring 4!. The shaft 31 also carries at its other end anarm 42 connected to the stop 23 on rod 21 through appropriate linkage 43. The arrangement is such that the normal slackness in the spring 4| and link 40 permits free rocking of the "shaft 31 in response to adjustment of the rod 21, wire 29, and control lever 36, but whenever the clutch lever 33 is depressed to open the clutch, the spring 41 is thereby tensioned in a manner torock the arm 39, shaft 31, and arm 42 in a direction to force the rod 21 forwardly and thus automatically return the control lever 36 and throttle valve II to the idling position of Fig. 1.

It will thus be noted that whenever the clutch pedal 36 is depressed to open the clutch, for the purpose of bringing the vehicle to a stop or otherwise, the control lever 36 and throttle valve ll return automatically to an idling position, from which position the control lever may, upon restarting the vehicle, be manually adjusted to effect the acceleration desired and thereby avoid an shown for this purpose includes a third arm 44 does not interfere with free rocking of the shaft 31, but whenever the lever 43 is depressed to apply the brakes it strikes the lower end 41. causing the same and the shaft 31 to rock in a direction to automatically return the control lever 36 to the idling position in the manner above described.

The lever 46 is preferably adjustable so'as to effect contact with the brake lever 43 at variable points in the stroke of the brake lever, and in that manner compensate for variation in the brake lever action resulting from brake adjustments. For this purpose the end portion 41 of the lever 46 'is adjustably connected thereto through appropriate means, such as clamp screws 60 carried by the lever 46 and engaged in a longitudinal slot in the end portion 41, '50 that the latter may be adjusted lengthwise as desired.

, The automatic return of the control lever 36 may thus be synchronized with the braking action regardless of brake adjustments.

Various changes may be made in the embodiment of the invention hereinabove specifically described without departing from or sacrificing the advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a control system for a motor vehicle having a steering wheel and a control pedal, the combination of a manually adjustable element mounted adjacent said wheel, means yieldably retaining said element in various positions of adjustment, a fuel regulator, means responsive to adjustment of said element for adjusting said regulator, means including an independently moveable element operable on said last named means to further adjust said regulator without disturbing the position of said first named element, and means responsive to actuation of said pedal for returning said first named element and said regulator to idling position.

2. In a control system for a motor vehicle having a control pedal, the combination of a fuel regulator, means including an element manually adjustable to adjust said regulator, means yieldably retaining said element in various positions of adjustment, means including another element adjustable to ,regulate said regulator without disturbing the position of said first named element. and means responsive to actuation of said pedal for returning said first named element and said regulator to idling position.

3. In a control system for a motor vehicle having two control pedals, the combination of a fuel regulator, a manually adjustable element, means yieldably retaining said element in various positions of adjustment, means responsive to adjustment of said element for adjusting said regulator, means including an independently moveable element operable on said last named means to further regulate said regulator without disturbing the position of said first named element, and means responsive to actuation of either of said pedals for returning said first named element and said regulator to idling position. i

4. In a control system for a motor vehicle having a clutch pedal, a manually adjustable element, means for yieldably retaining said element in various positions of adjustment, a fuel regulator, means responsive to adjustment of said element for adjusting said regulator, an independently moveable element operable on said last named means to further adjust said regulator without disturbing the position of said first named element, and means responsive to actuation of said clutch pedal for returning said iirst'named element and said to position.

5. In a control system for a motor vehicle having a steering wheel and a brake pedal, a manually adjustable lever having a portion disposed adjacent the rim of said wheel, means for yieldably retaining said lever in various positions of adjustment, a fuel regulator means responsive to adjustment of said lever for adjusting said regulator, an independently moveable element operable to further adjust said regulator without disturbing the position of said lever, and means responsive to actuation of said brake pedal for returning said regulator and said lever to idling position.

6. A fuel control system for a motor vehicle having a steering wheel and control pedal, said system comprising the combination of a fuel regulator, a control lever adjacent the rim of said wheel, a rod moveable in response to movement of said lever, a block moveable relative to said rod and connected to said fuel regulator, means moveable with said rod and operable on said block to actuate said block and regulator in one direction, means operable to further move said block and regulator in the same direction without disturbing the position of said rod and lever, means for yieldably retaining said lever and rod in various positions of adjustment, and means responsive toactuation of said control pedal for returning said lever and regulator to idling posi- 20 tion.

ANTON A. WENTZEL.

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