Transmission control lever assembly

Claim 2

In combination a vehicle having a floor with an opening therein, a change speed transmission disposed beneath said floor, a manual lever operatively connected to said transmission which extends through said opening, support means disposed beneath said floor for supporting said manual lever for limited pivotal movement to change the transmission speed ratios, a vibration and sound-attenuating insulator operatively disposed in said opening and completely filling said opening for reducing the intensity of sound energy passing through said opening from beneath the vehicle floor to the space above the floor, said insulator being formed by a block of resilient material which extends above said floor, said insulator having a centralized and elongated passage extending generally upwardly therethrough for receiving said lever so that vibratory energy imparted thereto is converted into heat energy by the internal damping properties of said insulator, said passage in the relaxed state being smaller in cross-section than the cross-section of said lever so that said lever is peripherally gripped by the wall in said insulator forming said passage, and fastener means for securing said insulator to said vehicle floor.

Claim 3

In a vehicle, a change-speed transmission, a floor extending above said transmission, lever means operatively connected to said transmission, support means disposed below said floor for mounting said lever means for longitudinal and lateral movement in conditioning said transmission for different speeds, an opening formed in said floor through which said lever means extends, a unitary block-like insulator of resilient material secured to said floor to seal said opening to reduce the transmissIon of sound energy therethrough, said insulator extending upward from said floor and terminating in an upper portion having an upwardly extending passage formed therethrough for receiving said lever means, said passage being smaller in cross-section than the cross-section of said lever to peripherally surround and grip said lever means at points above said floor means so that vibratory energy imparted to said lever means is converted into heat by the internal damping of said insulator

Claim 4

In a vehicle, a change-speed transmission, a floor extending above said transmission, lever means operatively connected to said transmission, support means disposed below said floor for mounting said lever means for longitudinal and lateral movement in conditioning said transmission for different speeds, an opening formed in said floor through which said lever means extends, a unitary block-like insulator of resilient material secured to said floor to seal said opening to reduce the transmissIon of sound energy therethrough, said insulator extending upward from said floor and terminating in an upper portion having an upwardly extending passage formed therethrough for receiving said lever means, said passage being smaller in cross-section than the cross-section of said lever to peripherally surround and grip said lever means at points above said floor means so that vibratory energy imparted to said lever means is converted into heat by the internal damping of said insulator

Claim 5

In combination, a control lever, support means for mounting said lever for movement to predetermined positions, a partition disposed above said support means having an opening through which said control lever extends, a sound-attenuating and vibration-damping insulator fixed in and completely closing said opening for reducing the transmission of sound therethrough, said insulator being a block of resilient foam material extending upwardly from said partition having an upwardly extending opening therein which extends peripherally around a portion of said lever to yieldably grip said portion of the lever at points above said support means for damping vibrations imparted thereto, fastener means securing said insulator to said floor and elastomeric boot means disposed around said opening and said insulator and secured to said lever to provide a protective covering therefor.

Claim 6

In combination, a control lever, support means for mounting said lever for movement to predetermined positions, a partition disposed above said support means having an opening through which said control lever extends, a sound-attenuating and vibration-damping insulator fixed in and completely closing said opening for reducing the transmission of sound therethrough, said insulator being a block of resilient foam material extending upwardly from said partition having an upwardly extending opening therein which extends peripherally around a portion of said lever to yieldably grip said portion of the lever at points above said support means for damping vibrations imparted thereto, fastener means securing said insulator to said floor and elastomeric boot means disposed around said opening and said insulator and secured to said lever to provide a protective covering therefor.

Claim 7

In combination, a transmission, a control lever operatively connected to said transmission, support means mounting said lever for limited movement, a partition, an opening in said partition through which said lever extends, a unitary block-like insulator of resilient material fixed to said partition for closing said opening to reduce the passage of sound from said transmission and the areas beneath the partition to the area above said partition, said insulator extending upwardly from said partition and having an elongated neck portion disposed above said partition through which said lever extends, said neck portion having a cross-sectional shape that in a relaxed state is smaller in area than the cross-sectional shape of said lever which yieldably grips said lever to permit said lever to be moved to various predetermined positions to change the speed ratios of said transmission and to resiliently hold said lever in position to damp any vibrations imparted thereto by said transmission and other sources of vibratory energy, said lever being formed from first and second portions, and resilient ring means operatively disposed between said first and second portions to transmit a manual force applied to one end thereof and to damp vibrations imparted to either of said portions.

Claim 8

In combination, a transmission, a control lever operatively connected to said transmission, support means mounting said lever for limited movement, a partition, an opening in said partition through which said lever extends, a unitary block-like insulator of resilient material fixed to said partition for closing said opening to reduce the passage of sound from said transmission and the areas beneath the partition to the area above said partition, said insulator extending upwardly from said partition and having an elongated neck portion disposed above said partition through which said lever extends, said neck portion having a cross-sectional shape that in a relaxed state is smaller in area than the cross-sectional shape of said lever which yieldably grips said lever to permit said lever to be moved to various predetermined positions to change the speed ratios of said transmission and to resiliently hold said lever in position to damp any vibrations imparted thereto by said transmission and other sources of vibratory energy, said lever being formed from first and second portions, and resilient ring means operatively disposed between said first and second portions to transmit a manual force applied to one end thereof and to damp vibrations imparted to either of said portions.