Transmission with brake operated down shifter

Claim 2

In a motor vehicle, a multiple-speed automatic hydraulic transmission having three forward speed settings, manually operable transmission control means including a rotatable shift lever extending into said transmission for selectively setting the output speed of said transmission, wheel brake means, and a shift control mechanism responsive to the application of the wheel brake means at the highest transmission speed setting to shift said rotatable shift lever to a lower transmission speed setting and responsive to the release of the brake means to shift said rotatable shift lever back to said highest transmission speed setting, said shift control mechanism being non-responsive to the application of the brake means for shifting said rotatable shift lever at speeds other than said highest forward speed setting.

Claim 3

In a motor vehicle, the combination that is defined in claim 1, wherein said brake means includes vehicle brakes and an hydraulic system for applying the vehicle brakes, and said shift control mechanism is in communication with said hydraulic system so that the fluid of the hydraulic system during application of said vehicle brakes is operable to shift the rotatable shift lever to said lower transmission speed setting.

Claim 4

In a motor vehicle, the combination that is defined in claim 2, wherein said shift control mechanism includes spring means for automatically shifting said rotatable shift lever back to said highest transmission speed setting when the fluid pressure of said hydraulic system is reduced upon release of the brake means.

Claim 5

In a motoer vehicle, the combination that is defined in claim 2, wherein said shift control mechanism includes a trigger means that must be in an actuated position before said shift control mechanism can be responsive to the fluid of said wheel brake means, said trigger means being mounted for movement to an actuated position automatically when said rotatable shift lever is moved to said highest transmission speed setting.

Claim 6

In a motor vehicle, a multiple-speed automatic transmission, transmission control means for selectively setting the output speed of said transmission, wheel brake means, and a shift control mechanism responsive to the application of the wheel brake means at one transmission speed setting to shift said transmission control means to a second transmission speed setting and responsive to the release of the brake means to shift said transmission control means back to said one transmission speed setting, said transmission control means including a rotatable shift lever connected to said automatic transmission for setting the output speed of said transmission, and said shift control mechanism including a bracket portion mounted in a stationary position in juxtaposition with said transmission control means and a rotary portion coupled to said rotatable shift lever, said rotary portion having one member fixed to said rotatable shift lever for rotation therewith, a second member normally retained in a first position relative to said one member and responsive to an applied force associated with said brake means to move to a second position relative to said one member, spring means normally maintaining said second member in said one position, an actuator movable in response to said applied force for moving said second member against the spring action of said spring means to said second position, and trigger means in operative engagement with said bracket portion when said transmission control means is set at said one transmission speed setting for maintaining said actuator responsive to said applied force only at said one transmission speed setting, said second member operating when moved to its second position to shift said transmission control means to said second transmission speed setting.

Claim 7

In a motor vehicle, a multiple-speed automatic transmission, transmission control means for selectively setting the output speed of said transmission, wheel brake means, and a shift control mechanism responsive to the application of the wheel brake means at one transmission speed setting to shift said transmission control means to a second transmission speed setting and responsive to the release of the brake means to shift said transmission control means back to said one transmission speed setting, said transmission control means including a rotatable shift lever connected to said automatic transmission for setting the output speed of said transmission, and said shift control mechanism including a bracket portion mounted in a stationary position in juxtaposition with said transmission control means and a rotary portion coupled to said rotatable shift lever, said rotary portion having one member fixed to said rotatable shift lever for rotation therewith, a second member normally retained in a first position relative to said one member and responsive to an applied force associated with said brake means to move to a second position relative to said one member, spring means normally maintaining said second member in said one position, an actuator movable in response to said applied force for moving said second member against the spring action of said spring means to said second position, and trigger means in operative engagement with said bracket portion when said transmission control means is set at said one transmission speed setting for maintaining said actuator responsive to said applied force only at said one transmission speed setting, said second member operating when moved to its second position to shift said transmission control means to said second transmission speed setting.

Claim 8

In a motor vehicle, the combination that is defined in claim 5, wherein said actuator is movable in response to hydraulic fluid under pressure, and said trigger means includes a normally closed valve in a circuit for supplying said hydraulic fluid under pressure, said trigger means maintaining the valve open only when it is in said operative engagement with said bracket portion.

Claim 9

In a motor vehicle, the combination that is defined in claim 5, wherein said bracket portion includes a cam located so as to be engaged by said trigger means to operate the latter when said transmission control means is set at said one transmission speed setting.

Claim 10

In a motor vehicle, the combination that is defined in claim 7, wherein said cam is spaced radially outward from said rotary portion, and said trigger means extends radially outward from said rotary portion for engagement with said cam when the transmission control means is set at said one transmission speed setting.

Claim 11

In a motor vehicle, the combination that is defined in claim 7, wherein said cam is a segment of a ring that encircles said rotatable shift lever, and said trigger means extends radially inward in said rotary portion for engagement with said cam when the transmission control means is set at said one transmission speed setting.

Claim 12

In a motor vehicle, the combination that is defined in claim 7, wherein said bracket portion and said rotary portion have cooperating means to retain said trigger means in its engaged position with said cam.

Claim 13

In a motor vehicle, the combination that is defined in claim 10, wherein said bracket portion and said rotary portion have cooperating means to retain said rotary portion in a second position relative to said bracket portion that corresponds to the neutral position of said transmission.

Claim 14

An attachment for a motor vehicle that has an hydraulic brake system and a multi-speed automatic transmission with a rotatable shift lever for setting the output speed of the transmission, said attachment being operable to shift the transmission to a low speed setting when the hydraulic brakes are applied and to shift the transmission back to the normal drive setting when the hydraulic brakes are released, said attachment comprising a bracket portion adapted to be mounted in a stationary position anD a rotary portion adapted to be coupled to said rotatable shift lever, said rotary portion having one member adapted to be secured to said rotatable shift lever for rotation therewith, a second member normally retained in a first position relative to said one member and movable in response to an applied force to a second position relative to said one member, spring means biasing said second member to said one position, an actuator piston movable in response to hydraulic fluid under pressure for moving said second member against the biasing action of said spring means to said second position, and hydraulic passage means for introducing hydraulic fluid to said actuator piston when the hydraulic brakes of the vehicle are applied.

Claim 15

An attachment for a motor vehicle that has an hydraulic brake system and a multi-speed automatic transmission with a rotatable shift lever for setting the output speed of the transmission, said attachment being operable to shift the transmission to a low speed setting when the hydraulic brakes are applied and to shift the transmission back to the normal drive setting when the hydraulic brakes are released, said attachment comprising a bracket portion adapted to be mounted in a stationary position anD a rotary portion adapted to be coupled to said rotatable shift lever, said rotary portion having one member adapted to be secured to said rotatable shift lever for rotation therewith, a second member normally retained in a first position relative to said one member and movable in response to an applied force to a second position relative to said one member, spring means biasing said second member to said one position, an actuator piston movable in response to hydraulic fluid under pressure for moving said second member against the biasing action of said spring means to said second position, and hydraulic passage means for introducing hydraulic fluid to said actuator piston when the hydraulic brakes of the vehicle are applied.

Claim 16

The attachment that is defined in claim 12, wherein said hydraulic passage means includes a normally closed valve, and a trigger is located in said rotary portion and is engagable by said bracket portion in one position of said rotary portion to hold said normally closed valve open.

Claim 17

The attachment that is defined in claim 13, wherein said bracket portion and said rotary portion have cooperating detent means to retain said rotary portion in said one position.

Claim 18

The attachment that is defined in claim 14, wherein said bracket portion and said rotary portion have cooperating detent means to retain said rotary portion in another position angularly displaced from said one position.