Theodore Heise said:

As others have suggested, I beelieve the treading force is the
force applied by the foot to depress the clutch pedal.

I think that's right as in "don't tread on me".

The urging, I'm thinking, is the *beginning* of the pedal travel; but I'm
not at all positive that's what "urging" means.

I wonder if "urging the clutch pedal" may refer to the process of
releasing it gradually (after first being depressed) by reducing
the treading force until the transmission begins to be engaged and
the clutch pedal can be released entirely?

After reading the patent a dozen times (not understanding it yet,
completely), I think "urging" may be either what you say, which is the
beginning of the release cycle, or, what I'm leaning toward (but I'm not
sure) which is the beginning of the depression cycle.

It's got something to do with momentum it seems.