Parking brake system having multi-tooth, self-engaging self-adjust pawl

A self-adjusting parking brake system which automatically removes slack from a parking brake cable, said system comprising, in combination:

• a fixed support;
• a lever pivotably connected to said support for movement between brake-releasing and brake-engaging positions;
• a locking mechanism adapted to releasably maintain said lever in said brake-engaging position;
• said locking mechanism including:
• a main ratchet fixed relative to said support and having a plurality of ratchet teeth;
• and
• a main pawl pivotably connected with said lever and having a pawl tooth adapted for releasable engagement with said plurality ratchet teeth of said main ratchet;
• a self-adjust mechanism adapted to releasably connect the cable with said lever, said self-adjust mechanism including:
• an adjuster ratchet having a plurality of ratchet teeth and adapted for connection with the cable;
• an adjuster pawl pivotably connected with said lever and having a plurality of pawl teeth adapted for releasable engagement with said plurality of ratchet teeth of the adjuster ratchet;
• and
• a pawl spring member biasing said adjuster pawl toward engagement with said adjuster ratchet;
• and
• wherein said plurality of pawl teeth of the adjuster pawl are adapted such that only one of the plurality of pawl teeth of the adjuster pawl fully engages the plurality ratchet teeth of the adjuster ratchet at any given time when the lever is locked in the brake engaging position.

A self-adjusting parking brake system which automatically removes slack from a parking brake cable, said system comprising, in combination:

• a fixed support;
• a hand-operated lever pivotably connected to said support for movement between brake-releasing and brake-engaging positions;
• a locking mechanism adapted to releasably maintain said lever in said brake-engaging position;
• said locking mechanism including:
• a main ratchet fixed relative to said support and having a plurality of ratchet teeth;
• and
• a main pawl pivotably connected with said lever and having a pawl tooth for releasable engagement with said plurality of ratchet teeth of said main ratchet;
• a self-adjust mechanism adapted to releasably connect the cable with said lever, said self-adjust mechanism including:
• an adjuster ratchet having a plurality of ratchet teeth and adapted for connection with the cable;
• an adjuster pawl pivotably connected with said lever and having three pawl teeth adapted for releasable engagement with said ratchet teeth of the adjuster ratchet, said adjuster pawl being pivotable relative to said lever about a pivot axis;
• and
• a pawl spring member biasing said adjuster pawl toward engagement with said adjuster ratchet;
• and
• wherein said adjuster pawl has an approach angle extending between a tangential force direction and a force direction from a tooth contact point engaging the adjuster ratchet to the pivot axis of the adjuster pawl and wherein said approach angle is within the range of about 55 degrees to about 75 degrees;
• and
• wherein said three pawl teeth of the adjuster pawl are adapted such that only one of the three pawl teeth fully engages the plurality ratchet teeth of the adjuster ratchet at any given time when the lever is locked in the brake engaging position.