FORM 2
THE PATENT ACT 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
The Patents Rules, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10 and rule 13)
1. TITLE OF THE INVENTION
INTEGRATED BRAKE ACTUATION AND LOCKING MECHANISM
2. APPLICANT
MAHINDRA & MAHINDRA LTD.
1, GATEWAY BUILDING, APOLLO BUNDER, MUMBAI - 400001. AN INDIAN COMPANY.
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

FIELD OF INVENTION
The invention generally relates to parking / emergency brake actuation system for agricultural vehicle, such as tractors, and, more particularly, to parking / emergency brake actuation lever locking mechanism integrated with conventional foot operated pedal brakes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Generally, parking / emergency brake lever assembly and conventional foot operated pedal brake(s), both are separately present in vehicles. More specifically, parking / emergency brake actuation lever is generally positioned separate from conventional foot operated pedal brake actuation lever, hence it is necessary for the operator to put separate efforts for actuation of each of these two different brake systems.
Hence, considering the need to reduce efforts, there is a need to provide integrated brake actuation system wherein parking / emergency brake actuation lever can be operated simultaneously with conventional foot operated pedal brake actuation lever.
Some of the patent documents related to aforesaid integrated brake actuation system are discussed hereunder as prior art.

US patent 2,280,644 titled EMERGENCY FOOT BRAKE LEVER discloses a pawl and ratchet mechanism cooperating to hold a brake actuating lever in an adjusted position. The pawl permits the ratchet to move relative thereto as the lever is actuated in a direction for applying the brakes and holds the lever in the adjusted position to which it is finally moved. Release of the lever for movement in a brake releasing direction is by means of a Bowden wire control operable remotely from the lever. Thus, this invention comprises a separate releasing unit which makes the system complex and also necessitates a corresponding mounting provision in the instrument panel for the same.
US patent 2,520,759 titled SETTING AND RELEASING EMERGENCY FOOT BRAKE MECHANISM discloses a setting and release device for a foot brake in which the latch adapted to engage serrations of aVi involute-shaped rack is so arranged as to be retained in a compact manner upon the operating lever and the foot pedal device operating the latch is carried to the end of the operating lever and adapted to have a straight line motion running substantially normal to the extent of the operating lever.
US patent 4,385,529 titled FOOT-OPERATED PARKING BRAKE LEVER ASSEMBLY discloses a foot-operated parking brake lever assembly wherein manual operation is required twice to effectuate release of the parking brake. The assembly is provided with a pawl having a first pawl section and a second pawl section. The first pawl section is

pivotally mounted on a brake lever which is in turn pivotally mounted on a stationary support formed with a series of ratchet teeth. The first pawl section is formed with a finger for selectively engaging the ratchet teeth and thereby retaining the brake lever in brake setting positions thereof. The second pawl section is mounted on the first pawl section for limited rotational movement therewith. The second pawi section is urged by pawl biasing means in a direction to cause the finger of the first pawl section to engage the ratchet teeth when the second pawl section is in a rotational position subject to the limiting action by limiting means and in a direction to cause the ratchet teeth of the first pawl section to be disengaged from the ratchet teeth when the second pawl section is in a rotational position free from the limiting action by the limiting means. Brake lever biasing means urges the finger of the first pawl section in a direction to engage the ratchet teeth.
The study of the related aforementioned prior art reveals shortcomings such as:
Conventional foot operated pedal brake and parking / emergency brake can not be operated simultaneously (with single effort). ' Need to use release mechanism separately once the brake lever is pressed.
Hence there has been a need to develop integrated brake actuation system which is low cost, compact, simple, rugged in construction and easy in operation that facilitates simultaneous braking of conventional foot operated pedal(s) and parking / emergency brake.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes the shortcomings associated with the background art and achieves other advantages not realized by the background art.
The main object of the present invention is to provide a foot operated parking / emergency brake actuation lever mechanism to engage parking / emergency brake lever with latch provided in foot brake pedal by self-actuation so as to free operator's hands during brake actuation/operation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a foot operated parking / emergency brake actuation lever mechanism wherein conventional foot pedal brake actuation means and parking / emergency brake actuation means can be operated independent of each other or in combination thereof, as required/desired by the operator.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a foot operated parking / emergency brake actuation lever mechanism in which brake lever can be latched / locked / fixed / engaged in different selectable positions of involute ratchet so as to facilitate braking as per requirement.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a foot operated parking / emergency brake actuation lever mechanism in which conventional foot brake pedal as well as parking / emergency brake lever can be applied simultaneously with a single foot only.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a foot operated parking / emergency brake actuation lever mechanism means wherein locking provisions such as pawl is provided on conventional foot pedal brake lever and counter provision such as ratchet is provided ch parking / emergency brake lever or vice versa.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a foot operated parking / emergency brake actuation lever mechanism in which conventional foot pedal brake actuation means, when slightly depressed from its engaged position, fully releases automatically due to the tensile force developed in the spring which is connected to foot operated lever to hold it in its original position.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a foot operated parking / emergency brake actuation lever mechanism in which conventional pedal brake actuation means can be releasably latched / locked / fixed / engaged with locking provision such as ratchet on the parking / emergency brake in select positions and can be released when desired so.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a foot operated parking / emergency brake actuation lever mechanism which is low cost, simple, compact and rugged in construction, and easy in operation.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a foot operated parking / emergency brake actuation lever mechanism with less number of parts, easily serviceable and easy to assemble.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description givsn hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
Further features and advantages of the present invention, as welt as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention, are described here below in details with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows perspective view of the foot operated Parking / emergency brake lever mechanism according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Part Description:
1 : Parking (cum emergency) Brake Lever 1-a : Parking Brake Lever locking teeth
2 : Brake Peda! LH
2-a : Brake Pedal LH locking Rod/Pawl 2-b : Brake Peda) RH interlocking Jink
3 : Brake Pedal RH
4 : Spring
5 : Parking Brake knob
6 : Transmission Case / Gear Box / Housing 8 : Stopper
Referring to FIG. 1, the present invention is described with setting and quick release of foot operated parking / emergency brake mechanism for tractor therein, that is integrated with conventional foot Brake Pedals. In accordance with the present invention, the foot operated parking / emergency brake lever (1) is longitudinally pivoted on the transmission case / gear box / housing (6) about a pivot point (7) about centrally along the longitudinal direction of the lever, to lock with the foot brake pedals at different positions as desired, and its

backward end is provided with a knob of suitable materia! such as rubber and is being limited from upward movement about the pivol point (7) by a stopper (8) which is being integrated with transmission case/housing (6). Forward end of the foot operated parking / emergency brake lever (1) is rigidly connected with a ratchet, of straight bar, at inclined position away from vertically downward direction. The extreme downward end of the said ratchet is provided with a hole to catch/attach one end of elastic member, such as open spring (4) and another end thereof is connected to a holding means which is mounted on the same surface of the transmission case behind the downward end of the ratchet longitudinally for quick release of the foot operated parking brake lever (1) upon slight depression of the foot brake pedal.
In the present invention, locking of the brake system is accomplished by interlocking the right and left side foot brake pedals (3 & 2) with an interlock member (2-b), which is rotatebly pivoted on left side foot brake pedal (2), with a slot provided on the right side foot brake pedal (3) and having the shape adapted to receive the said interlock member.
When tractor needs to be parked on a slope, normal operation of brake actuation needs to be assisted by parking brake to hold the brake system in engaged condition. To achieve this, the interlocked foot brake pedals (2 & 3) are pressed to the required degree downward (depending upon the slope gradient) by foot, and with the foot brake pedals (2 & 3) in pressed condition, the backward end of the foot

operated Parking Brake Lever (1) is pivoted downward about pivot point (7) by pushing on the knob (5) with preferably heel / rear part of foot, and engaging the Locking Rod (2-a) rigidly connected to the Brake Pedal LH, with the teeth slot (1-a) provided on the ratchet of foot operated Parking Brake Lever (1). The Parking Brake Lever (1) with the spring (4) in tension, holds the brake pedals in the actuated / pressed condition due to locking of pawl (2-a) with the teeth slot (1-a) of the ratchet. To release the brakes, the foot brake pedals are pressed slightly downward, and due to the spring (4) force, the foot operated parking brake lever gets quickly pulled back and the Brake Pedal LH Locking Rod (2-a) is released from the teeth slot (1-a), bringing the brake system back to its original position.
It will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the concepts disclosed in the foregoing description. Accordingly, the particular embodiments described in detail herein are illustrative only and are not limiting to the scope of the invention, which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any all equivalents thereof.

We claim:
1) A foot operated parking brake lever mechanism comprising:
a foot operated lever;
a ratchet having a series of teeth provided on at least one side of
the said ratchet and the said ratchet operatively connected to one
end of the said foot operated lever;
at least one foot brake pedal; optionally multiple foot brake pedals
with an interlock member for locking them together;
a pawl provided on the said foot brake pedal and engageably
connecting with the teeth provided on the said ratchet.
2) A foot operated parking brake lever mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said foot operated lever is longitudinally pivoted on transmission case / housing with a pivot point.
3) A foot operated parking brake lever mechanism according to claim 1, wherein upward movement of said foot operated lever about said pivot point is limited by a stopper.
4) A foot operated parking brake lever mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the ratchet is rigidly connected to forward end of said foot operated lever at an inclined position towards forward thereof from vertically downward direction.

5) A foot operated parking brake lever mechanism according to claim
4, wherein extreme downward end of the ratchet is provided with a
holding means to hold one end of an elastic member.
6) A foot operated parking brake lever mechanism according to claim
5, wherein another end of said elastic member is connected in such
a way as to hold the foot operated lever along with the ratchet in its
original, normal position.
7) A foot operated parking brake lever mechanism according to claim 1, wherein multiple brake pedals are locked with said interlock member during parking / emergency brake actuation.
8) A foot operated parking brake lever mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said pawl is rigidly connected to said foot brake pedal; to the foot brake pedal nearest from said foot lever in case of multiple foot brake pedals; such as to selectively engage with teeth provided on said ratchet as per the requirement of effective parking/emergency braking.
9) A foot operated parking brake lever mechanism comprising: a foot operated lever;
a ratchet of straight bar having multiple teeth provided on at least one side of said ratchet and said ratchet is being operatively connected to one end of said foot operated lever;

a first foot brake pedal near to said foot operated lever; a second foot brake pedal next to said first foot brake pedal; an interlock member rotatebly pivoted on said first foot brake pedal for locking it with said second foot brake pedal; a pawl provided on said first foot brake pedal for selectively retaining said foot brake pedal against release position, by selectively engaging with teeth provided on said ratchet, wherein said first foot brake pedal and said second foot brake pedal are interlocked with help of said interlock member by engaging said interlock member with a slot mounted on said second foot brake pedal and being adapted to receive said interlock member, so that interlocked foot brake pedals which move together, when depressed to maximum extent to fully engage the brake system, backward end of said foot operated lever along with said ratchet is pushed downward so as to engage said teeth provided on said ratchet with said pawl thereby to accomplish actuation of parking/emergency brake.