Tire engaging parking brake

1. A tire engaging parking brake for use with a vehicle having a vehicle frame supporting a tire from a suspension, the tire engaging parking brake comprising:

a base securable to the vehicle frame;

a brake pad mounting arm pivotally connected at an inner end to the base;

a brake pad connected to the brake pad mounting arm adjacent an outer end of the brake pad mounting arm;

an over-center linkage including an inner link connected at an inner end to the base at a position forward of the pivotal connection of the brake pad mounting arm to the base, and an outer link pivotally connected at an inner end to the inner link and pivotally connected at an outer end to a distal end of the brake pad mounting arm; and

a lever arm cooperable with the inner link for pivoting the inner link, the outer link and the brake pad mounting arm between a retracted position and a tire engaging position in which the inner link and the outer link extend in an over-center condition,

wherein the base comprises a U-shaped channel oriented sideways including a channel web, an upper leg extending from the channel web, and a lower leg extending from the channel web.

2. A tire engaging brake according to claim 1 , further comprising a diagonal brace connected at an outer end to the brake pad mounting arm proximate a distal end thereof and pivotally connected at an inner end to a frame mounting bracket securable to the frame above the inner end of the brake pad mounting arm.

3. A tire engaging brake according to claim 2 , wherein the inner end of the diagonal brace is supported in spaced relation above the inner end of the brake pad mounting arm by a spacer surrounding a pivot rod around which the inner end of the brake pad mounting arm is pivotally connected to the base.

4. A tire engaging brake according to claim 1 , wherein the lever arm is coupled with the inner link of the over-center linkage.

5. A tire engaging brake according to claim 4 , wherein the lever arm is pivotally coupled with the inner link of the over-center linkage.

6. A tire engaging brake according to claim 1 , wherein the lever arm is coupled with the inner link of the over-center linkage via a pivot pin and extends through the inner link toward the brake pad mounting arm.

7. A tire engaging brake according to claim 6 , wherein the brake pad mounting arm comprises an abutment surface on a side thereof facing the over-center linkage, and wherein in the tire engaging position, the lever arm engages the abutment surface of the brake pad mounting arm.

8. A tire engaging brake according to claim 7 , wherein a distal end of the lever arm is engageable by a user and movable in a first direction for pivoting the inner link and the outer link and the brake pad mounting arm connected thereto from the retracted position to the tire engaging position, and wherein pivoting the lever arm in a second direction, when the inner link, outer link and brake pad mounting arm are in the tire engaging position, pivots an inner end of the lever arm against the abutment surface of the brake pad mounting arm to facilitate pivoting of the inner link out of the over-center condition and toward the retracted position.

9. A tire engaging brake according to claim 1 , wherein the upper leg and the lower leg of the base comprise vertically aligned slots therein, and wherein the slots are positioned to be outward of the inner link of the over-center linkage when the over-center linkage is in the tire engaging position.

10. A tire engaging brake according to claim 1 , wherein the base is securable to the vehicle frame such that the lever arm is pivotal below the vehicle frame when the brake pad mounting arm, the inner link and the outer link are pivoted to the retracted position.

11. A tire engaging brake according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one pin receiver formed in the base and sized to receive a pin therethrough, the at least one pin receiver being positioned to extend forward of the inner link when the inner link is pivoted to the tire engaging position, and wherein positioning of a pin through the at least one pin receiver forward of the inner link prevents pivoting of the inner link, the outer link, the brake pad mounting arm and the brake pad connected thereto out of the tire engaging position.

12. A tire engaging brake according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one pin receiver is positioned to extend rearward of the brake pad mounting arm when the brake pad mounting arm is pivoted to the retracted position, and wherein positioning of a pin through the at least one pin receiver rearward of the brake pad mounting arm in the retracted position prevents pivoting of the inner link, the outer link, the brake pad mounting arm and the brake pad connected thereto into the tire engaging position.

13. A tire engaging brake according to claim 12 , wherein the at least one pin receiver comprises a slot.

14. A tire engaging parking brake for use with a vehicle having a vehicle frame supporting a tire from a suspension, the tire engaging parking brake comprising:

a base securable to the vehicle frame;

a brake pad mounting arm pivotally connected to the base at a first pivot point;

a brake pad connected to the brake pad mounting arm;

an over-center linkage including an inner link pivotally connected at an inner end to the base at a second pivot point spaced from the first pivot point, and an outer link pivotally connected at an inner end to the inner link and pivotally connected at an outer end to the brake pad mounting arm; and

a lever arm cooperable with the inner link for pivoting the inner link, the outer link and the brake pad mounting arm between a retracted position and a tire engaging position in which the inner link and the outer link extend in an over-center condition, wherein the first and second pivot points are positioned such that the brake pad mounting arm and the inner link are pivoted from an inner face side of the tire in the retracted position toward an outer face side of the tire in the tire engaging position.

15. A tire engaging brake according to claim 14 , wherein the lever arm is fixed to the inner link.

16. A tire engaging brake according to claim 14 , wherein the lever arm is pivotally coupled with the inner link.

17. A tire engaging brake according to claim 16 , wherein the lever arm is pivotally coupled with the inner link via a pivot pin and extends through the inner link toward the brake pad mounting arm.

18. A tire engaging brake according to claim 17 , wherein the brake pad mounting arm comprises an abutment surface on a side thereof facing the over-center linkage, and wherein in the tire engaging position, the lever arm engages the abutment surface of the brake pad mounting arm.