Method and apparatus for braking vehicle

A braking apparatus for use with a utility vehicle having a frame, a brake pedal and first and second brake assemblies, said braking apparatus comprising:

• an elongate pivoting shaft having a longitudinal axis, said shaft being pivotably mounted relative to said frame, said pivoting being substantially about the longitudinal axis of said shaft;
• at least one brake pedal linkage intermediate said brake pedal and said elongate shaft such that the operation of said brake pedal causes pivoting of said shaft;
• first and second fixed brackets rigidly fixed relative to said shaft such that pivoting of said shaft causes pivoting of said first and second fixed brackets relative to said frame;
• first and second pivoting brackets independently pivotably attached relative to said shaft and thus also pivotably mounted relative to said frame;
• first and second springs, said first spring intermediate said first fixed bracket and said first pivoting bracket, and said second spring intermediate said second fixed bracket and said second pivoting bracket;
• at least one first brake linkage member intermediate said first pivoting bracket and said first brake assembly, said linkage configured such that pivoting of said first pivoting bracket relative to said frame causes operation of said second brake assembly;
• and
• at least one second brake linkage member intermediate said second pivoting bracket and said second brake assembly, said linkage configured such that pivoting of said second pivoting bracket relative to said frame causes operation of said second brake assembly,
• such that operation of said brake pedal causes movement of said brake pedal linkage, which causes pivoting movement of said pivoting shaft, which causes pivoting movement of said first and second fixed brackets, which transfer force through said first and second springs to said first and second pivoting brackets, which causes said first and second pivoting brackets to pivot relative to said shaft and said frame, which causes said first and second brake assemblies to be operated.

A braking apparatus for use with a utility vehicle having a frame, a brake pedal and first and second brake assemblies, said braking apparatus comprising:

• an elongate pivoting shaft having a longitudinal axis, said shaft being pivotably mounted relative to said frame, said pivoting being substantially about the longitudinal axis of said shaft;
• at least one brake pedal linkage intermediate said brake pedal and said elongate shaft such that the operation of said brake pedal causes pivoting of said shaft;
• first and second fixed brackets rigidly fixed relative to said shaft such that pivoting of said shaft causes pivoting of said first and second fixed brackets relative to said frame;
• first and second pivoting brackets independently pivotably attached relative to said shaft and thus also pivotably mounted relative to said frame, said first and second pivoting brackets captured from moving axially along said shaft by the presence of said first and second fixed brackets, respectively;
• first and second springs, said first spring intermediate said first fixed bracket and said first pivoting bracket, and said second spring intermediate said second fixed bracket and said second pivoting bracket;
• at least one first brake linkage member intermediate said first pivoting bracket and said first brake assembly, said linkage configured such that pivoting of said first pivoting bracket relative to said frame causes operation of said first brake assembly;
• at least one second brake linkage member intermediate said second pivoting bracket and said second brake assembly, said linkage configured such that pivoting of said second pivoting bracket relative to said frame causes operation of said second brake assembly;
• such that operation of said brake pedal causes movement of said brake pedal linkage, which causes pivoting movement of said pivoting shaft, which causes pivoting movement of said first and second fixed brackets, which transfer force through said first and second springs to said first and second pivoting brackets, which causes said first and second pivoting brackets to pivot relative to said shaft and said frame, which causes said first and second brake assemblies to be operated.

A method of manufacturing and then using a braking apparatus for use with a utility vehicle having a frame, a brake pedal and first and second brake assemblies, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing an elongate pivoting shaft having a longitudinal axis and a substantially round transverse cross-section;
• providing first and second fixed brackets each with at least one hole therein, each said hole sized to accept said substantially round transverse cross-section of said shaft;
• providing first and second pivoting brackets each with at least one hole therein, each said hole sized to accept said substantially round transverse cross-section of said shaft;
• threading said first and second fixed brackets and also threading said first and second pivoting brackets on said elongate shaft such that said shaft extends through said holes in all of said first and second fixed brackets and said first and second pivoting brackets;
• fixing said first and second fixed brackets rigidly relative to said shaft such that pivoting of said shaft causes pivoting of said first and second fixed brackets relative to said frame, and such that said first and second fixed brackets axially capture and limit the axial movement of said first and second pivoting brackets along the longitudinal axis of said shaft, but said first and second pivoting brackets are still allowed to pivot about the longitudinal axis of said shaft relative to said shaft and said fixed brackets;
• attaching first and second springs within said braking apparatus, said first spring intermediate said first fixed bracket and said first pivoting bracket, and said second spring intermediate said second fixed bracket and said second pivoting bracket;
• pivotably mounting said elongate shaft relative to said frame, such that said elongate shaft and said first and second fixed brackets can also pivot relative to said frame substantially about the longitudinal axis of said shaft, and such that said first and second pivoting brackets are pivotably movable about said longitudinal axis of said shaft relative to said first and second fixed brackets as well as relative to said shaft;
• providing at least one brake pedal linkage intermediate said brake pedal and said elongate shaft such that the operation of said brake pedal causes pivoting of said shaft;
• attaching at least one first brake linkage member intermediate said first pivoting bracket and said first brake assembly, said linkage configured such that pivoting of said first pivoting bracket relative to said frame causes operation of said first brake assembly;
• and
• attaching at least one second brake linkage member intermediate said second pivoting bracket and said second brake assembly, said linkage configured such that pivoting of said second pivoting bracket relative to said frame causes operation of said second brake assembly,
• such that operation of said brake pedal causes movement of said brake pedal linkage, which causes pivoting movement of said pivoting shaft, which causes pivoting movement of said first and second fixed brackets, which transfer force through said first and second springs to said first and second pivoting brackets, which causes said first and second pivoting brackets to pivot relative to said shaft and said frame, which causes said first and second brake assemblies to be operated.