GB2327924A - Pedal clamp - Google Patents

Abstract

A pedal clamp 10 for a motor vehicle includes a base member 11 and a cover member 30 hinged to said base member so that the base member and cover member may be closed about two or more pedals 21, 22, 27 of the motor vehicle to clamp the pedals together, a lock 40 being provided to lock the cover member to the base member in its closed position and a sleeve member 50 being pivotally attached to the base member for rotation about an axis parallel to the base member, a stay 51 slidingly located within the sleeve, the sleeve being rotatable between a stowage position in which it lies parallel to the base member and an operative position in which it extends transverse to the base member and in which position, the stay will be maintained in engagement with a surface of the vehicle, by abutment with the cover member.

Description

PEDAL CLAMP The present invention relates to a pedal clamp and in particular to a clamp for clamping the brake, clutch and accelerator pedals of a motor vehicle, to render the motor vehicle inoperable.

UK Patent Specifications Nos GB 2263260 and GB 2292357 disclose pedal clamps comprising a base member and a hinged cover member, the base and cover members being arranged such that they may be closed about the brake, clutch and accelerator pedals and the cover member locked to the base member to clamp the pedals. A stay extends rearwardly from the base member/cover member assembly into engagement with the bulk head or floor beneath the pedals, in order to prevent or restrict downward movement of the clamp pedals.

In order to facilitate fitting and removal of the pedal clamps disclosed in the above mentioned UK Patent Specifications, the stay is retractable with respect to the base member of the clamp.

In one embodiment of the invention disclosed in UK Specification No. GB 2263260, a rigid stay is provided on the cover member so that as the cover member is closed the stay is moved through a corresponding aperture in the base member and into engagement with the bulk head or floor. The problem with this embodiment is that when the clamp is not in use, the stay will protrude from the base member creating stowage problems.

In other embodiments of GB 2263260, hinged stays were provided on the base member and an abutment on the cover member, so that the stay can be pivoted out of the way as a clamp is positioned over the pedals. Once the clamp is positioned on the pedals, the stay may then be pivoted into engagement with the bulk head or floor and upon closing of the cover member, the abutment thereon maintains the stay in position. With these arrangements, it has been found that the stay will foul the carpet beneath the pedals thus making it difficult to position correctly. Again, when the clamp is not in use, when the cover member is closed the abutment will cause the stay to be extended thus creating stowage problems.

The stowage problems of the clamp disclosed in GB 2263260 were overcome by the pedal clamp disclosed in GB 2292357 in which the stay was pivotally attached to the cover member and extended through an aperture in the base member so that as the cover member is closed, the stay is guided into engagement with the bulk head or floor beneath the panels. Even with this arrangement, the end of the stay moves in an arcuate path so that fouling of the carpet beneath the pedals may still cause a problem. The present invention covers an improvement of the pedal clamps disclosed in GB 2263260 and GB 2292357, whereby the stay is moved lineally into engagement with the bulk head or floor beneath the pedals thereby avoiding any possibility of fouling.

According to one aspect of the present invention a pedal clamp comprises a base member, a cover member being hinged to said base member so that the base member and cover member may be closed about two or more pedals of a motor vehicle to clamp the pedals together, means being provided to lock the cover member to the base member in its closed position, a sleeve member being pivotally attached to the base member for rotation about an axis parallel to the base member and a stay slid ably located within the sleeve, the sleeve being rotatable between a stowage position in which it lies parallel to the base member and an operative position in which it extends transverse to the base member.

In accordance with the present invention, when the pedal clamp is not in use, the sleeve and stay slidably located therein may be located parallel to the base member between the base member and the cover member, so that it does not present stowage problems. In use, the sleeve is located transverse to the base member so that the stay may be moved lineally into engagement with the bulk head or floor of the vehicle beneath the pedals, one end of the stay engaging the floor or bulk head while the other end of the stay is engaged by the cover member in its closed position.

An embodiment of the invention as now described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 illustrates in perspective view, a pedal clamp in accordance with the present invention, showing the stay in the stowed position; and Figure 2 shows a view similar to Figure 1 showing the stay in the operative position.

As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, a pedal clamp 10 comprises a base member 11 defining a base plate 12. The base plate 12 has a lower section 25 extending between the lower edges of a first side wall 13 and an intermediate wall 15 and an upper portion 17 extending between the upper edge of the intermediate wall 15 and the other side wall 14. A flange 26 extends along the lower edge of side wall 14 towards the intermediate wall 15. The intermediate wall 15 is positioned such that the clutch and brake pedals 21, 22 of a motor vehicle may be located therebetween, above the lower portion 25 of the base plate 12, the accelerator pedal 27 being located between the intermediate wall 15 and side wall 14, between the upper portion 1 7 of the base plate 1 2 and the flange 26.

A stop plate 28 is secured to the base plate 12 between the side walls 13 and 14 to provide a stop against which the pedal rubbers 23 of the clutch and brake pedals 21 and 22 will abut when the base member 11 is properly located with respect to the pedals 21 and 22. The stop plate 28 has an upper flange formation 29 which will partially overlie the pedal rubbers 23.

A rear wall 31 of the cover member 30 is hinged transversely to the base member 11 rearwardly of the stop plate 28, so that the cover member 30 may be pivoted between an open position in which it extends substantially at right angles to the base member 11 and a closed position in which it lies substantially parallel to the base plate 1 2. The cover member 30 has side walls 32 and 33 which, in the closed position of the cover member 30 will partially overlie the side walls 1 3 and 14 of the base member 11.

An end wall 34 located at the forward end of the cover member 30 has a cut away portion 74 which will provide clearance for the stems 20 of the brake and clutch pedals 21 and 22, when the cover member 30 is closed.

An end plate 75 having cut out portions 76, 77, 78 corresponding to the spacing and width of the stems 20 of the pedals 21,22 and 27 of a particular vehicle, is secured to the end wall 34 in suitable manner. The pedal clamp 10 may consequently be adapted to a particular vehicle upon which it is to be used, by fitting an appropriate end plate 75, thereby adapting the pedal clamp for the particular spacing of the pedals 21, 22 and 27 and the width of the stems 20.

A barrel lock 40 secured to the front wall 34 of the cover member 30.

The barrel lock 40 includes a spring loaded lock bolt 41 which, when the cover member 30 is closed, may be pushed in to engage an aperture 42 in a striker plate 43 secured to the upper portion 17 of the base plate 1 2.

A hardened steel reinforcing plate 62 is secured to the cover member 30 above the lock 40, in order to prevent drilling of the cover member 30 to gain unauthorised access to the lock 40.

A square sleeve member 50 is pivotally attached to the intermediate wall 15 of the base member 11. A stay 51 of corresponding square section, is slidingly located in the sleeve member 50. The stay 51 has a stop member 52 secured to its upper end. The sleeve member 50 is pivotal between; a first position as illustrated in Figure 1, in which the stay is disposed parallel to the base plate 12 and the stay 51 may be slid parallel to the base plate 1 2 through an aperture 53 in the stop plate 28, into a stored position which allows the closure of the cover member 30; and an operative position in which the sleeve member 50 is rotated so that its axis is transverse to the base plate 12. With the stay 51 raised, the clamp 10 may then be located so that the clutch and brake pedals 21 and 22 are located between the lower portion 25 of the base plate 12 and the flange 29, against the stop plate 28 and accelerator pedal 27 is located between the upper portion 1 7 of base plate 12 and the flange 26. The stay 51 may then be slid through an aperture 54 in the base plate 12, linearly into engagement with the bulkhead or floor of the vehicle beyond the pedals 21, 22 and 27. Closure of the cover 30 will then lock the clamp 10 in position, trapping the pedals 21, 22 and 27. Abutment of the head formation 52 of stay 51, against the underside of the cover 30 will also locate the stay 51 in position.

To remove the pedal clamp 10, the lock bolt 40 is released by means of a key, and the cover member 30 may then be opened to permit retraction of the stay 51 and removal of the pedal clamp 10 from the pedals 21, 22 and 27.

The base member 11 extends rearwardly of the cover member 30 and may be provided with an aperture 60, to provide a carrying handle when not in use.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the invention.

For example, while in the above embodiment, the stay is located between the brake and accelerator pedals 21 and 22, it may alternatively be located at any suitable position. Furthermore while the pedal clamp described above clamps the brake, clutch and accelerator pedals of the vehicle, the clamp can be adapted for use on automatics in which case the accelerator and brake pedals are clamped.

Claims (1)

1. A pedal clamp comprising a base member, a cover member being hinged to said base member so that the base member and cover member may be closed about two or more pedals of a motor vehicle to clamp the pedals together, means being provided to lock the cover member to the base member in its closed position, a sleeve member being pivotally attached to the base member for rotation about an axis parallel to the base member and a stay slidably located within the sleeve, the sleeve being rotatable between a stowage position in which it lies parallel to the base member and an operative position in which it extends transverse to the base member.

2. A pedal clamp according to Claim 1 in which the sleeve is pivotally attached to a wall member secured to the base member.

3. A pedal clamp according to Claim 2 in which the wall member is intermediate of side walls of the base member.

4. A pedal clamp according to Claim 3 in which the wall is located between the accelerator and brake pedals when the pedal clamp is located in position.

5. A pedal clamp according to any one of the preceding claims in which the base member defines a base plate which, when the pedal clamp is located in position underiies the brake or brake and clutch pedals of the vehicle and overlies the accelerator pedal.

7. A pedal clamp according to Claim 6 in which a flange formation extends from a side wall to underlie the accelerator pedal, when the clamp is in position.

8. A pedal clamp according to any one of the preceding claims in which a stop plate is provided on the base member, to form an abutment for the pedals, limiting rearward movement of the pedals relative to the base plate.

9. A pedal clamp according to Claim 8 in which the stop plate has a flange formation which partially overlies the pedals, when the clamp is in position.

10. A pedal clamp according to any one of the preceding claims in which the cover member has an end wall adjacent its forward edge, apertures being provided in the end wall to provide clearance for the stems of the pedals but being narrower than the pedal rubbers.

11. A pedal clamp according to Claim 10 in which the apertures in the end wall of the cover member are defined by an end plate adapted to be secured to an end wall of the cover member.

1 2. A pedal clamp according to any one of the preceding claims in which a barrel lock is secured to an end wall of the cover member, the barrel lock including a lock bolt which when the cover member is in its closed position may be depressed to engage an aperture in a striker plate secured to the base member.

12. A pedal clamp substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.