Background of the Invention The present invention relates generally to the field of automotive repair tools,' and more particularly to devices which are used to maintain the idle speed of a vehicle's motor at a desired level.

There are a variety of frequently used repair and maintenance techniques for vehicles having internal combustion engines which require that the engine or motor be revving at a higher than normal rate. In particular, the motor speed or number of revolutions per minute (RPM) of the motor must at certain times be greater than the motor speed when the motor is idling with no pressure on the vehicle accelerator pedal. For example, in testing for the amount of pollutants in the exhaust stream of the vehicle, it is necessary for the exhaust to be sampled while the motor is running at various RPM levels.

Typically, the mechanic conducting such a test would require the aid of a co-worker to sit in the vehicle and depress the accelerator pedal by foot on command from the mechanic who would himself be outside of the vehicle. In view of the high labor rates charged by well trained mechanics, sitting in a vehicle simply to press an accelerator pedal is an inefficient use of time for a mechanic. Also, it is difficult for small repair shops to be manned by a single mechanic when certain repairs require two persons: one to do the repair and another to press the accelerator. For certain types of repairs, the mechanic is working directly under the hood of the vehicle and thus it is possible to manipulate the throttle linkage directly. As a result, the speed of the motor can be varied by the mechanic without an assistant and without the mechanic himself having to enter the vehicle and depress the

accelerator by foot. However, the mechanic's hands are not free for other work while the throttle linkage is being manipulated.

A telescoping device has been developed specifically for use on Cadillac automobiles to maintain the throttle linkage in a desired position, thus enabling the mechanic to conduct repairs while the motor is running at a high rate of RPM's. Additionally, telescoping poles have been designed so that one end of the pole directly engages the accelerator pedal, while the other end is braced against the front seat of the vehicle.

A major disadvantage of these previous devices is that once the device is set at the length required to achieve the desired motor speed, no variation in the speed can occur without manually changing the length of the device. This of course requires the mechanic to return to the device from wherever about the vehicle he may be working. Thus, even with the aid of the prior devices, repairs can be very time consuming if it is necessary to run the engine at a variety of speeds. Furthermore, it is difficult to vary the engine speed to a high degree of precision with the previous devices.

A similar problem arises when conducting repairs which require that air trapped in the brake lines be released, a procedure commonly referred to as "bleeding" the brakes. This procedure requires that one person intermittently pump the brake pedal while another person opens and closes a valve on the brake lines located at each of the wheels of the vehicle. Thus, a need exists for a device which is suitable for use on a variety of vehicles to depress the accelerator pedal and cause the speed of a vehicle engine to be varied precisely without requiring the mechanic to directly manipulate the device each time a change in the engine speed is desired. Likewise, a need exists for a device

which is capable of remotely depressing the brake pedal of a vehicle on a repeated basis.

Summary of the Invention Briefly, the present invention is an apparatus for maintaining the accelerator pedal of a vehicle in a depressed position so as to increase the speed of a motor in the vehicle. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus comprises a clamp which is removably secured to a brake pedal in the vehicle, means for displacing the accelerator pedal by applying a force to the accelerator, and a linkage which secures the clamp to the displacement means. The linkage includes means for adjusting the position of the displacement means relative to the clamp so that the accelerator can be displaced a desired distance, causing the motor to run at a desired speed.A key feature of the invention is that the force applied to the accelerator pedal by the displacement means is counteracted or opposed by the brake pedal. The force is transmitted through the linkage to the brake pedal. Preferably, the apparatus includes remotely actuated means for causing the displacement means to displace the accelerator pedal and increase the motor speed. In particular, the remotely actuated means pneumatically actuates the displacement means. In one embodiment, the remotely actuated means is an inflatable bladder which is positioned between the displacement means and the accelerator. The bladder expands and contracts upon inflation and deflation, causing displacement of the accelerator to the desired degree. Advantageously, the inflation of the bladder can be controlled from a remote location so that an operator is able to vary the speed of the motor without having to interrupt repairs, and without the aid of an assistant.

The bladder can be inflated by means of a manually squeezable bulb which pumps air through an elongated hose.

As a result, the device is simple to operate and does not necessarily require any auxiliary equipment such as an air compressor. Therefore, the invention can be easily used by the home mechanic. Additionally, precise adjustments in the displacement of the accelerator pedal are possible by introducing or releasing small volumes of air from the bladder.

Another important feature of the present invention is the ability to adapt to a wide variety of vehicles in which the distance between the brake pedal and the accelerator pedal differ. Preferably, the linkage includes a crank which is pivotably mounted on the clamp at one end and secured to the backing plate at another end. Rotation of the crank displaces the backing plate in a direction to allow the device to be used in different vehicles in which the planar orientation of the brake pedal relative to the accelerator pedal varies.

In another embodiment, the present invention comprises a remotely actuated means for displacing a pedal within a vehicle by applying a force to the pedal, a means for bracing the displacement means against a stationary surface in the vehicle, and a means for adjusting the position of the displacement means relative to the brace means. The brace means may for example be comprised of a plate which abuts against a front seat in the vehicle, or a clamp which is removably secured to a steering wheel in the vehicle. The adjustment means preferably comprises a telescoping member which extends between the displacement means and the brace means. The length of the telescoping member is manually adjustable, and thus the device can be utilized in different vehicles in which the distance between the pedals and the steering wheel or front seat varies.

The displacement means is a plate which directly engages either the brake pedal or accelerator pedal. The plate is mounted on one end of the telescoping member, and

the brace member is mounted on the other end of the telescoping member. Advantageously, the device can be utilized interchangeably to depress either the accelerator or brake pedal from a remote location. Preferably, the displacement means is actuated by a pneumatic piston which is secured to the plate by a connecting rod. The piston can be filled with compressed air from either an air hose joined to an air compressor, or an air hose joined to a pump which is actuated by hand or by foot. When used to depress the brake pedal, the action of depressing a foot pump closely correlates to the action required to directly pump the brake pedal by foot, which facilitates use of the device for bleeding brakes.

Another feature of this embodiment is that the plate may be interchangeable with a member having a backing plate and an inflatable bladder thereon, with the bladder being inflatable from a remote location. The benefit of such interchangeability is that the bladder can be used for the accelerator pedal, which requires precise adjustments, and the piston can be used for the brake pedal, which requires greater force to displace and which must be repeatedly depressed on short intervals.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle interior showing a first embodiment of the present invention clamped onto a brake pedal.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the underside of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the vehicle and device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the backing plate, cover and bladder of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is partially cross sectional side elevation of the backing plate , cover and bladder assembly shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective view.of a device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, extending between a brake pedal and a steering wheel on a vehicle which is not shown.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the plate which engages the brake pedal on the device shown in Figure 6. Figure 8 is a partial perspective view of the device shown in Figure 6, with an interchangeable backing plate installed.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a device according to a third embodiment of the present invention, which extends between a steering wheel and a brake pedal, both of which are shown in broken lines.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a plate which engages the brake pedal on the device shown in Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of a device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 12 is a side elevation of the device shown in. Figure 11, as installed in a vehicle between an accelerator pedal and a front seat of the vehicle«.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments Referring to Figure 1, a vehicle interior 20 having a brake pedal 22 and an accelerator pedal 24 is shown. A device 26, consistent with the first embodiment of the present invention, is clamped onto the brake pedal 22. The device 26 includes a clamp 28 which is removably secured to the brake pedal 22. Preferably, the clamp 28 is formed from a vise-grip type of pliers 30. A planar metal clamping plate 32 and 34 is welded onto each of a pair of jaws 36 and 38 on the pliers 30. To secure the clamp 28 onto the brake pedal 22, the brake pedal 22 is sandwiched between the clamping plates 32 and 34.

A pair of pivot blocks 40 and 42 are welded onto the upper clamping plate 32. The pivot blocks 40 and 42 each have a circular aperture 44, and both the pivot blocks 40 and 42 the apertures 44 are longitudinally aligned. A crank 46 is formed from a bent metal rod, having two elongate segments 48 and 50, and a transverse spacer 52, which joins the segments 48 and 50 together. The elongate segments 48 and 50 are positioned such that they are parallel yet not coaxial. One of the elongate segments, referred to as the brake pedal segment 48, extends through the apertures 44 of both pivot blocks 40 and 42. The apertures 44 are sized to allow the crank 46 to slide relative to the clamp 28 and pivot blocks 40 and 42 in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the brake pedal segment 48.

A bolt 54 is employed to secure the crank 46 in the desired position. A knob 56 is attached to the top end of the bolt 54 to provide the user with a means to twist the bolt. 54. Preferably, the bolt 54 is threaded through the top of one of the pivot blocks 42 and engages the crank 46 when tightened, thus selectively preventing the crank 46 from moving either longitudinally or rotationally.

The other elongate segment, referred to as the accelerator pedal segment 50, is pivotally connected to a T-block 58. The T-block 58 includes two bores 60 and 62, which are oriented perpendicular to each other. The accelerator pedal segment 50 is pivotably secured within the bore 60. An elongate extension bar 64 slides freely through the other bore 62 in the T-block 58. Preferably, the extension bar 64 is made of the same type of metal rod as the crank 46. A bolt 66 and knob 68 assembly, similar to that mentioned above, is used to prevent the extension bar 64 from sliding. The bolt 66 is threaded through a third bore 70, located on top of the T-block 58, and

engages the extension bar 64 when tightened, thus preventing movement.

The extension bar 64 is pivotably attached to a backing plate 72, which is substantially planar and rectangular in outline. The pivotal connection 74 allows the extension bar 64 to rotate in a vertical plane when the backing plate 72 rests against the accelerator pedal 24 as shown in Figures 1 and 3.

Under the backing plate 72 resides an inflatable bladder 76, which is expandable upon inflation. Attached to the bladder 76 is a length of hose 78, having a bulb 80 secured to the remote end of the hose 78. The hose 78 provides a passageway through which air or some other gas can be pumped into the bladder 76. The bulb 80, when manually squeezed, acts as a source of pressurized gas. An adjustable check valve 82 is positioned in line between the hose 78 and the bulb 80 and is used to prevent gas from bleeding out of the bladder 76. The check valve 82 is also equipped with a release knob 84 which allows one to adjust the amount of gas to be released from the bladder 76.

To secure the bladder 76 to the backing plate 72, a resilient outer membrane 86 is employed. Referring to Figures 4 and 5, the membrane 86 encases the underside of the bladder 76 and is secured around the periphery of the backing plate 72. A cosmetic cover 88, attached to the upper side of the backing plate 72, is used to aid in securing the membrane 86 to the backing plate 72. The cover 88 is equipped with a slot 90 through which the pivotal connection 74 attached to the backing plate 72 may protrude. The membrane 86 biases the bladder 76 into a deflated condition, so as to speed the release of gas from the bladder 76 upon opening the check valve 82. Also, the membrane 86 acts as a protective covering to prevent puncturing or deterioration of the bladder 76.

In operation, the device 26 is attached to the brake pedal 22 as shown in Figure 1. The jaws 36 and 38 of the pliers 30 are opened to accommodate the width of the brake pedal 22. The clamping plates 32 and 34 are then positioned above and below the brake pedal 22, sandwiching the brake pedal 22 between the two clamping plates 32 and 34. The jaws 36 and 38 of the pliers 30 are then locked into place to prevent the clamp 28 from releasing.

Once the apparatus has been secured to the brake pedal 22, the crank 46 is horizontally adjusted by sliding the brake pedal segment 48 through the pivot blocks 40 and 42, such that the extension bar 64 is centered over the accelerator pedal 24, as shown in Figure 2. The crank 46 is then vertically adjusted by rotating the crank 46 about the brake pedal segment 48 such that the membrane 86 surrounding the bladder 76 is in contact with the accelerator pedal 24. Once the crank 46 has been both horizontally and vertically adjusted, the bolt 54 and knob

56 assembly on the pivot block 42 is tightened to prevent the crank 46 from moving.

In the event that the transverse spacer 52 is not long enough to place the membrane 86 in contact with the accelerator pedal 24, the position of the backing plate 72 can be further adjusted by sliding the T-block 58 along the extension bar 64. This adjustment along the extension bar 64 can also be used to depress the accelerator pedal 24 a constant predetermined distance if so desired. The bolt 66 and knob 68 assembly on the T-block 58 is then tightened to secure the extension bar 64 and thus the accelerator pedal 24 in the desired starting position.

To vary the speed of the vehicle engine once the device 26 has been secured within the vehicle 20, the bulb

80 is manually squeezed, thus causing pressurized gas to flow through the hose 78 into the bladder 76. Upon inflation, the bladder 76 expands, thus creating a force

which is applied to the accelerator pedal 24. The brake pedal 22, in its full upright position, opposes the force applied to the accelerator pedal 24 and thus the accelerator pedal 24 is displaced, as shown in Figure 3. The speed of the engine can be increased by squeezing the bulb 80, thus causing more gas to be pumped into the bladder 76. The release knob 84 on the check valve 82, can be used to manipulate the deflation of the bladder 76 and reduce the engine's idle speed. Advantageously, precise adjustments in the displacement of the accelerator pedal -24 are made possible by introducing or releasing small volumes of gas from the bladder 76. Further, the length of the hose 78 is chosen so that the operator of the device 26 may be at a remote location, outside of the vehicle, so that the operator can conduct other activities while varying the engine speed.

As an alternative, the source of pressurized gas may be provided by means other than the manually squeezable bulb 80. Although not shown, a foot pump could be substituted for the bulb 80, as well as an air compressor. The system may also be actuated hydraulically, or by means of a cable (not shown) .

Turning now to Figures 6 and 7, a device 92 according to a second embodiment of the invention is shown installed on a vehicle having a steering wheel 94 (shown in broken lines) and a brake pedal 22 (shown in broken lines) . The device 92 is formed from an elongate telescoping section 96 which can be manually adjusted so as to vary in length. The telescoping section 96 includes a cylindrical outer tubular member 98 and a cylindrical inner tubular member 100. The inner and outer members are coaxially oriented and sized so that the inner member 100 is slidable through an open end of the outer tubular member 98. An annular locking ring 102 is provided on the outer member 98 adjacent its open end so that by twisting the inner and

outer members 100, 98 relative to each other, the position of the tubular members relative to each other is locked. Thus, the length of the telescoping member 96 can be manually varied to a desired setting. The other end of the outer tubular member 98 terminates at a clamp 104 which is removably secured to the steering wheel 94 by means of a bolt 106. The inner tubular member 100 has one end which telescopes into the outer member 98, and another end which is joined to the housing of an elongate piston assembly 108. The longitudinal axis of the piston assembly housing 108 is coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the telescoping member 96. Preferably, the piston assembly 108 is pneumatically actuated and is of the type sold by American, of Peotone, Illinois, 60468. Although not shown, the joint between the piston assembly 108 and the telescoping member 96 permits some play so that slight axial misalignment between the piston assembly 108 and the telescoping member 96 is permitted. An elongate piston rod 110 extends outwardly from the end of the piston assembly 108 opposite the telescoping member 96. The piston rod 110 is joined to a piston 112 (shown in broken lines) which is slidable within the piston assembly housing 108. Movement of the piston 112 within the housing 108 in turn causes displacement of the piston rod 110. As is best shown in Figure 7, the piston rod 110 is removably secured to a plate assembly 114 which is formed from two substantially planar sections 116, 118 having rectangular peripheries. Along opposite edges of each section 116, 118, a lip 120, 122 depends normally from the section 116, 118. The plate assembly 114 directly engages the brake pedal 22, with the lips 120, 122 surrounding the upper and lower edges 124, 126 of the pedal 22. Thus, movement of the piston 112 and piston rod 110

will cause displacement of the plate assembly 114 and brake pedal 22.

The planar sections 116, 118 of the plate assembly 114 have elongate slots 128, 130, respectively, which are aligned when the sections 116, 118 overlap. The sections 116, 118 are secured to each other by a bolt 132 which extends through the slots 128, 130 and a wing nut 134. By loosening the wing nut 134, the sections 116, 118 can slide relative to each other. As a result, the spacing of the lips 120, 122 from each other can be varied, permitting the plate assembly 114 to clamp onto brake pedals of varying widths.

The upper section 116 of the plate assembly 114 has an L-shaped bracket 136 mounted thereon. One leg. 138 of the bracket 136 is pivetally secured to one leg 140 of an L- shaped angle 142. Another leg 144 on the angle 142 has a nut 146 secured thereto. The end of the piston rod 110 is externally threaded, and mates with the nut 146. Although not shown, the plate assembly 114 can be rotated relative to the piston rod 110 so that if desired, the lips 120, 122 can engage the side edges 148, 150 of the brake pedal 22.

Displacement of the piston 112, and ultimately the brake pedal 22, is caused by introducing pressurized air to the piston assembly housing 108 through an air hose 152. The hose 152 is preferably joined to the housing iθ8 by means of a quick disconnect coupling 154. Fluid communication between the piston assembly 108 and a source of pressurized air 156 is established by means of the hose 152. Preferably, the pressurized air is generated by means of an air compressor(not shown) , however other means for generating air pressure such as those discussed above with respect to the first embodiment may be utilized.

Typically, the air pressure generated by compressors utilized in mechanic's garages is about 110 psi. To lower this pressure to a level which is more suitable for

generating the level of force needed to depress the brake pedal 22, a pressure reducer 158 is provided downstream of the air source 156. The pressure reducer 158 brings the air pressure down to approximately 10 psi. A three way valve 160 is positioned downstream of the pressure reducer 158 to control the flow of air into and out of the piston assembly 108. Preferably, the valve 160 is of the type sold by Humphrey of Kalamazoo, Michigan under the designation "TAC2". A manually depressible button 162 is provided on the valve 160. Alternatively, the valve 160 may be actuated remotely by an electronic control means (not shown) , such as a radio frequency transmitter.

When the button 162 is depressed, air flow is permitted into the piston assembly 108, causing displacement of the piston 112 which in turn results in a force being applied to the brake pedal 22 by the plate assembly 114. If the button 162 is retained in the depressed position, flow into the piston assembly 108 continues, causing further displacement of the brake pedal 22. Upon release of the button 162, flow into the piston assembly 108 is terminated, however the air within the piston assembly 108 is permitted to bleed out through the hose 152. The brake pedal 22 is biased in the direction of arrow 164, and will automatically return to its original position as the piston assembly 108 bleeds. This movement of the brake pedal 22 also pushes the plate assembly 114, causing the piston 112 to return to the position held prior to depressing the brake pedal 22. Although the biasing force of the brake pedal 22 is sufficient by itself, the return of the brake pedal 22 and piston 112 to their respective original positions may be aided by the biasing force of a coil spring 166 which extends between the piston assembly housing 108 and the upper plate section 116.

In operation, the device 92 is first secured to the steering wheel 94 by means of the clamp 104. The length

of the telescoping section 96 is then manually adjusted so that the plate assembly 114 contacts the brake pedal 22 when the brake pedal 22 is its undisplaced position. The loose joint between the telescoping member 96 and the piston assembly 108 permits the device 92 to engage both the steering wheel 94 and the brake pedal 22 even if an obstruction, such as the dashboard, must be circumvented. The plate assembly 114 is then adjusted so that the lips 120, 122 clamp onto the top and bottom edges 124, 126 of the brake pedal 22. To repeatedly pump the brake pedal 22 in order to bleed the brake lines, the button 162 on the valve 160 is repeatedly depressed and released. The hose 152 is of sufficient length so that an operator can control the displacement of the brake pedal 22 from a remote location. In particular, the device 92 permits the operator to pump the brake pedal 22 while the operator is at each of the wheels of the vehicle so that the operator can bleed the brakes on the vehicle unassisted.

The force which is applied to the brake pedal 22 by the plate assembly 114 is opposed by the steering wheel 94, against which the telescoping member 96 is braced. The loose joint between the telescoping member 96 and piston assembly 108 also absorbs some of the shock accompanying the initial introduction of air into the piston assembly 108. As the brake pedal 22 is displaced, pivotal movement of the angle 142 relative to the bracket 136 in a vertical plane adjusts for variations in the planar orientation of the brake pedal 22. Although not shown, the device 92 can be utilized to depress the accelerator pedal 24 on a vehicle by engaging the plate assembly 114 with the accelerator pedal 24.

Referring to Figure 8, an interchangeable backing plate assembly 168 is shown. Preferably, the backing plate 170 is used to replace the plate assembly il4 when the device 92 shown in Figures 7 and 8 is sought to be used

to depress the accelerator pedal 24 of a vehicle from a remote location. The backing plate 170 is similar to that shown in Figures 4 and 5, and includes a bladder 76A which is inflated by manually squeezing a bulb 80A joined to the bladder by means of a hose 78A. ' An L-shaped bracket 172 is mounted on the backing plate 170 and an L-shaped angle

174 is pivotally secured to the bracket 172. A nut 176 is mounted on the angle 174, resulting the same arrangement as that of the bracket 136 and angle 142 on the plate assembly 114. The nut 176 threads onto the threaded end of the piston rod 178 to secure the backing plate 170 in place after the plate assembly 114 has been removed. With the backing plate 170 in place, the device 168 can be used to precisely control the displacement of the accelerator pedal 24.

A third embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Figures 9 and 10. The device 180 shown is identical to the second embodiment 92 described above and shown in Figure 6, with the exception that a different type of steering wheel clamp 182 and brake pedal plate 184 is utilized. The telescoping member 96A and piston assembly 108A of the device 180 are shown schematically in Figure 9. At one end of the telescoping member 96A, a C-shaped clamp 182 is provided to attach the telescoping member 96A to the steering wheel 94. The C clamp 182 forms an upper hook portion 186 and a lower hook portion 188, each of which can hook onto the steering wheel 94.

The piston rod 110A extends from the piston assembly 108A and is pivotably secured to the brake plate 184. The brake plate 184 engages the brake pedal 22 and is arcuately curved. At the upper edge of the brake plate, a lip 190 is provided which extends over the upper edge of the brake pedal 124. A cutout section 192 in the lip 190 accommodates the arm 194 of the brake pedal 22. The lip 190 prevents the brake plate 184 from sliding downwardly.

off the brake pedal 22. The curvature of the brake plate 184 increases the amount of surface area in contact with the brake pedal 22 itself, which typically is convexly curved. Additionally, the shape of the brake plate 184 permits it to be used universally on a wide variety of vehicles having brake pedals 22 of different sizes.

In operation, the C-clamp 182 is positioned on the steering wheel 94 so that the steering wheel 94 rests within the upper hook 186. The length of the telescoping member 96A then is adjusted so that the brake plate 184 engages the pedal 22 with the lip 190 resting on the upper edge of the pedal 124. At this point, the length of the telescoping member 96A is increased further so that the lower hook 188 of the C clamp 182 engages the steering wheel 94. The remote actuation of the device 180 to pump the brake pedal 22 is the same as that described above with respect to the device 92 shown in Figure 6.

Another feature of the device 180 shown in Figure 9 is that the while the brake pedal 22 is engaged by the brake plate 184, the linkage 196 and backing plate 72 shown in Figures 1 and 2 can be attached to the piston assembly 108A so as to simultaneously engage the accelerator pedal 24. Thus, once the device 180 is installed, the operator can both bleed the brake lines and increase the speed of the vehicle engine from a remote location without having to return to the vehicle interior 20. This is particularly advantageous when the vehicle is raised on a hydraulic lift, and cannot be easily accessed.

To achieve this end, an annular clamp 198 surrounds the piston assembly 108A. Preferably, the clamp 198 is slidable along the piston 108A and can be fixed in place at any desired position along the length of the piston 108A. The clamp 198 includes a pair of parallel, spaced supports 200, 202 which extend outwardly from the piston assembly 108A. Aligned apertures 204, 206 are provided in the

supports 200, 202. The brake pedal segment 48 of the crank 46 passes through the apertures 204, 206 and is slidable and rotatable therein. A bolt 208 is threaded into the clamp 198 and engages the brake pedal segment 48 when tightened to selectively prevent movement of the crank 46 relative to the clamp 198.

Although not shown in Figure 9, the crank 46 is joined to the extension bar 64 and backing plate 72, which in turn engages the accelerator pedal 24. Displacement of the accelerator pedal 24 from a remote location is achieved in the same 'manner as discussed above with respect to the first embodiment, with the exception that the force applied to the accelerator 24 is opposed by the steering wheel 94, not the brake pedal 22. Movement of the crank 46 relative to the clamp 198 also permits adjustment for different vehicles in which the spacing between the brake pedal 22 and the accelerator pedal 24 varies.

Figures 11 and 12 depict a device 210 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The device 210 includes a telescoping member 96B and a remotely actuated piston assembly 108B of the type described above with respect to the second embodiment. A planar backing plate 212 is pivotally joined to a piston rod 214 and directly engages the accelerator pedal 24. Movement of the piston rod 214 and backing plate 212 causes displacement of the accelerator pedal 24. On the end of the telescoping member 96B a planar, rectangular brace plate 216 is secured so that the plane of the brace plate 216 is normal to the longitudinal axis of the telescoping member 96B. As shown in Figure 12, when the device 210 is in use, the brace plate 216 abuts against a front seat 218 of the vehicle so that the front seat 218 opposes the force applied to the accelerator pedal 24. Although not shown, the device can also be used to remotely displace the brake pedal 22.