Rearview mirror

Claim 2

Remote control actuating mechanism for adjusting the angular position of an outside vehicle rearview mirror, comprising a master control device and a slave device, said control device having a hydraulic control cylinder and a manually operable control piston reciprocable therein, said slave device having a hydraulic slave cylinder and a slave piston reciprocable therein, a first closed hydraulic circuit including a conduit filled with hydraulic fluid communicating at its ends with said cylinders at one side of the pistons therein, a second closed hydraulic circuit including a conduit filled with hydraulic fluid communicating at its ends with said cylinders at the opposite side of the pistons therein, said first and second closed hydraulic circuits being completely sealed against communication with one another in all positions of said pistons, said control piston having an external knob for manually moving said control piston in one direction or the other and thereby effecting a corresponding movement of said slave piston by hydraulic fluid pressure in one of said circuits, means for lOcking said control piston in any selected position of adjustment within its range of movement to thereby hydraulically lock said slave piston in adjusted position, said locking means including a smooth annular locking portion of said knob, said knob being rotatable, means on said control device defining a smooth annular chamber receiving said locking portion, said locking portion being freely received in said chamber in one position of rotation of said knob and binding on said chamber wall upon rotation of said knob from said one position thereof, and means providing a connection between said slave piston and said mirror to angularly adjust said mirror in response to such movement of said slave piston.

Claim 3

Remote control actuating mechanism for adjusting the angular position of an outside vehicle rearview mirror, comprising a master control device and a slave device, said control device having a hydraulic control cylinder and a manually operable control piston reciprocable therein, said slave device having a hydraulic slave cylinder and a slave piston reciprocable therein, a first closed hydraulic circuit including a conduit filled with hydraulic fluid communicating at its ends with said cylinders at one side of the pistons therein, a second closed hydraulic circuit including a conduit filled with hydraulic fluid communicating at its ends with said cylinders at the opposite side of the pistons therein, said first and second closed hydraulic circuits being completely sealed against communication with one another in all positions of said pistons, said control piston having an external knob for manually moving said control piston in one direction or the other and thereby effecting a corresponding movement of said slave piston by hydraulic fluid pressure in one of said circuits, means for locking said control piston in any selected position of adjustment within its range of movement to thereby hydraulically lock said slave piston in adjusted position, said locking means including a circular locking portion of said knob, said knob being rotatable on the axis of said control piston, means on said control device defining a cylindrical chamber receiving said locking portion, said locking portion being eccentric relative to said axis, said chamber being eccentric relative to said axis, said locking portion in one position of rotation of said knob being concentric with and freely received in said chamber but binding on said chamber wall with a wedging lock upon rotation of said knob in either direction from said one position thereof, and means providing a connection between said slave piston and said mirror to angularly adjust said mirror in response to such movement of said slave piston.

Claim 4

Remote control actuating mechanism for adjusting the angular position of an outside vehicle rearview mirror, comprising a master control device and a slave device, said control device having a hydraulic control cylinder and a manually operable control piston reciprocable therein, said slave device having a hydraulic slave cylinder and a slave piston reciprocable therein, a first closed hydraulic circuit including a conduit filled with hydraulic fluid communicating at its ends with said cylinders at one side of the pistons therein, a second closed hydraulic circuit including a conduit filled with hydraulic fluid communicating at its ends with said cylinders at the opposite side of the pistons therein, said first and second closed hydraulic circuits being completely sealed against communication with one another in all positions of said pistons, said control piston having an external knob for manually moving said control piston in one direction or the other and thereby effecting a corresponding movement of said slave piston by hydraulic fluid pressure in one of said circuits, means for locking said control piston in any selected position of adjustment within its range of movement to thereby hydraulically lock said slave piston in adjusted position, said locking means including a circular locking portion of said knob, said knob being rotatable on the axis of said control piston, means on said control device defining a cylindrical chamber receiving said locking portion, said locking portion being eccentric relative to said axis, said chamber being eccentric relative to said axis, said locking portion in one position of rotation of said knob being concentric with and freely received in said chamber but binding on said chamber wall with a wedging lock upon rotation of said knob in either direction from said one position thereof, and means providing a connection between said slave piston and said mirror to angularly adjust said mirror in response to such movement of said slave piston.

Claim 5

The remote control actuating mechanism defined in claim 2 having a hydraulic filler port and a hydraulic bleeder port in each hydraulic circuit, and removable plugs for closing said filler and bleeder ports.

Claim 6

The remote control actuating mechanism defined in claim 3, wherein said means providing a connection between said slave piston and said mirror includes a rack carried by said slave piston and a gear segment carried by said mirror in mesh with said rack.