Re: Throttle lock

[tsm1@domain.elided (Tom Mandera)]

>
>Excuse the ignorance but...
>
>What is a throttle lock ? I've never heard of it.

Assuming it's the same as a Hand-throttle and similar devices..

Ever jam a knife, brick, or 2x4 down on your gas pedal to keep the motor
revving for some reason?  (non-functioning auto choke was a good excuse for
using a knife to prop the throttle open on my Chevy Luv)?

Basically, a throttle lock or hand-throttle is a hand operated gas pedal..
but rather than "nothing" by default, and "gas" when you apply pressure, you
simply set the amount of "pressure" on the "pedal" and LOCK it there.

Thus, if you were winching, you would use your hand-throttle to "push" the
gas pedal down a little bit, and "LOCK" it into place.. at maybe 1500rpm?
to keep the alternator going.

Or perhaps you've just swamped your Scout in a BIG mud hole.. partway up the
doors.. well over the exhaust.  It *might* stay running if you let it idle,
but I'd feel a lot safer about water not getting up the pipes if I had a
hand throttle to lock the motor at 1000rpm or so.. a very fast IDLE perhaps.. 

Others use a hand throttle when rock crawling.. rather than trust your foot
not to FLOOR the gas when you bounce over the next rock, you set the
throttle lock so your motor runs at X RPM, and then just worry about the
brake and clutch.

Farmers (where the Scout originated.. heh) would use the throttle lock as an
old-timer's cruise control.  When that Scout (or tractor or..) was pulling..
oh, a baling device, or the hay wagon, or.. they would put the truck in Low
gear (be that Granny Low, or 4lo 1st or.. whatever), then bump up the speed
a little with the hand throttle to get the truck to roll along, pulling the
wagon and all, at a nice walking pace.. usually without a driver!

Anyhow...

-Tom Mandera, Helena MT
http://www.tmcom.com/~tsm1/scout
'72 and '77 Scout II