Throttle force detector

Means for detecting force manually applied to a graspable lever, comprising:

• an end plate having a circularly shaped portion and a pivot, said end plate attached to an end of the lever in a plane parallel with a plane of actuation of said lever, the pivot being perpendicular to said end plate;
• a cylindrical housing pivotally attached to the pivot of said end plate, and cylindrical housing having a central axis aligned perpendicularly with the plane of actuation of said lever, the pivot being near the perphery of said housing, the circularly shaped portion of said end plate extending inside said housing;
• first and second pivot pins affixed to said end plate inside said housing, the pins being parallel with and spaced apart equidistant from the pivot of said end plate;
• a flat spring having a central actuating member and two blades bent to form a squared U-shaped structure, interior corners of the squared structure wrapped around said pivot pins, the central actuating member extending between said pivot pins, said housing including a pair of interiorly facing actuating nibs, each abutting one of the exteriorly facing blades of the U-shaped spring, the actuating nibs of said housing arranged to move laterally with respect to said blades when said housing moves pivotally with respect to said end plate;
• and
• a pressure sensitive switch mounted on said end plate inside the housing, an actuating plunger of said switch abutting said central actuating member midway between said pivot pins, said lateral movement of said nibs in a first direction forcing said spring to pivot about said first pivot pin, the central actuating member of said spring actuating the plunger of said switch, said lateral movement of said nibs in a second direction forcing said spring to pivot about said second pivot pin, the central actuating member of said spring again actuating the plunger of said switch.