Force limiting device for a motor vehicle parking brake

A motor vehicle brake system having a cable constructed to be connected to a wheel brake,

• a lever connected to said cable,
• a movable fulcrum member and said lever being pivotally connected to said fulcrum member and angularly displaceable between a brake applied position and a brake released position,
• vehicle support structure and said fulcrum member being mounted on said vehicle support structure and displaceable relative to said structure between a normal support position and a force limiting position,
• spring means urging said support member to said normal support position,
• said lever being constructed to transmit a tension force in said cable to said fulcrum member that urges said support member from said normal support position to said forced limiting position,
• said fulcrum member being displaceable from said normal support position to said force limiting position in response to a level of tension in said cable that exceeds a predetermined amount.

A motor vehicle brake system having a first cable constructed to be connected to a manually operated brake actuator,

• a second cable constructed to be connected to a wheel brake,
• an intermediate lever connected to said first cable and to said second cable,
• a movable fulcrum member and said intermediate lever being pivotally connected to said fulcrum member and angularly displaceable between a brake applied position and a brake released position,
• vehicle support structure and said fulcrum member being mounted on said vehicle support structure and angularly displaceable relative to said structure between a normal support position and a force limiting position,
• first spring means urging said fulcrum member to said normal support position,
• second spring means urging said intermediate lever to said brake released position,
• said intermediate lever being constructed to transmit tension forces from said cables to said fulcrum member that urge said fulcrum member from said normal support position to said forced limiting position,
• said fulcrum member being displaceable from said normal support position to said force limiting position in response to a level of tension in said first and said second cables that exceeds a predetermined amount.