Single lever control for transmission

Claim 2

A multiple speed transmission apparatus providing a finite plurality of speed ratios and a forward and reverse, comprising a first actuating means having a plurality of speed ratio positions for selecting one of said speed ratios, a second actuating means having forward and reverse drive direction positions for selecting the drive direction of said apparatus and control mechanism for operating both said actuating means, said control mechanism comprising a single control lever moveable to a plurality of speed ratio settings and to forward and reverse mode settings characterized by an assembly connecting said single lever with both said first and said second actuating means for moving said first actuating means to said speed ratio positions and for moving said second actuating means between said forward and said reverse drive direction positions while said first actuating means is in one of said speed ratio positions and is connected to said lever by said assembly.

Claim 3

The transmission apparatus of claim 1 further characterized in that the first actuating means comprises an axially extending ratio control link operatively connected to the control lever at a point remote from the handle end and arranged at right angles to the same and which is movable axially in response to vertical movement of the control lever and movable rotatably in response to transverse movement of the control lever, and the second actuating means comprises a second axially extending direction control link operatively connected to the control lever and arranged at right angles to the control lever and which is movable axially in response to vertical movement of the control lever.

Claim 4

The transmission apparatus of claim 2 further characterized in that the ratio control link and the direction control link are operatively connected to the control lever by said assembly having a first means secured at one end to the control lever and at the other end pivotally connected to the direction control link to move about an axis and having a second means pivoted at one end to the first means at a point intermediate the lever end and the other end of the first means, the second means being secured at the other end to the ratio control link, the means are arranged so that back and forth movement of the control lever and first means will cause back and forth movement of the second means and rotation of the ratio control link while up and down movement of the control lever tends to axially move both said ratio control and said direction control links up and down in axial extending directions.

Claim 5

The transmission apparatus of claim 3 further characterized in that detent means are provided to resist axial movement of the direction control link so that up and down movement of the control lever will cause up and down axial movement only of the ratio control link to effect a change in speed ratio, and positive stop means are provided at a point on the control lever intermediate the one end and the pivotal connection between the second member and the direction control link to limit up and down movement of the control lever at that point so that up and down movement of the control lever will cause up and down movement of the direction control link to effect a change in direction

Claim 6

The transmission apparatus of claim 4 further characterized in that a positive stop means comprises a guide means for the control lever in the form of a fixed plate having a series of parallel transverse slots through which the control lever extends, the slots permitting back and forth transverse movement of the control lever to effect certain changes in the speed ratio, the sides of the slots acting to limit vertical movement of the control lever at the point of conTact with the sides of the slots to thereby cause up and down movement of the direction changing link as the control lever is moved up and down.

Claim 7

The transmission apparatus of claim 5 further characterized in that the plate also has a second set plurality of vertically extending parallel slots connecting the first set of transverse slots and which permit vertical movement of the control lever whereby up and down movement of the control lever handle will cause vertical movement of the ratio control link but not the direction control link the movement of which is resisted by the detent means.

Claim 8

The transmission apparatus of claim 2 further characterized in that one of the axial extending links is hollow and the other axial extending links extends through at least a portion of the hollow link and is coaxial therewith.

Claim 9

The transmission apparatus of claim 2 further characterized in that the axial extending ratio and direction control links are arranged in a spaced parallel manner.

Claim 10

The transmission apparatus of claim 2 characterized in that direction indicator means is provided to indicate the position of the direction setting linkage and consequently the direction condition of the drive trains.

Claim 11

The transmission apparatus of claim 1 further characterized by means for releasibly holding either of said actuating means in a given setting, said first and second actuating means pivotally connected to said assembly at spaced points and fulcrum means for preventing movement of said first actuating means on movement of said second actuating means by said single control lever between the forward and reverse settings.

Claim 12

The transmission apparatus of claim 1 further characterized by said first and second actuating means being pivotally connected to said assembly at spaced points and fulcrum at the pivotal connection of said first actuating means for preventing movement of said first actuating means on movement by said single control lever of said second actuating means between the forward and reverse settings.

Claim 13

The transmission apparatus of claim 1 further characterized by said first actuating means having an axially extending ratio control link operatively connected to the control lever by said assembly and which link is moveable axially and rotatably by the control lever and said second actuating means having a second axially extending direction control link operatively connected to the control lever by said assembly and which link is moveable axially in response to movement of the control lever.

Claim 14

The transmission apparatus of claim 1 characterized by guide means being provided to guide the control lever between its speed ratios.

Claim 15

A transmission apparatus of claim 1 characterized by said assembly having a first yoke member connecting the first actuating means thereto and a second yoke member connecting the second actuating means thereto.

Claim 16

The transmission apparatus of claim 1 further characterized by said assembly having a first yoke member and a second yoke, said second yoke member is secured at one end to said control lever and pivotally connected at the other end to said second actuating means, said first yoke member is pivoted to said second yoke member at a point remotely spaced from the pivotal connection of the second actuating means and adjacent the connection of said control lever.

Claim 17

A multiple speed transmission including a plurality of gear trains providing a plurality of forward speed ratios and a plurality of reverse speed ratios, selectively operable gear shift means for conditioning the gear trains to obtain the various speed ratio including at least two ratio setting shift rails movable between two ratio positions for selecting the speed ratio and a third direction setting shift rail for selecting the speed direction; control mechanism for selectively operating said shift rails including a first speed ratio setting elongated link movable up and down between two positions for selectively engaging one or the other of the ratio sEtting shift rails and rotatable about its longitudinal axis to shift the engaged ratio setting shift rail, a second direction setting elongated link connected to said third shift rail in a manner that up and down movement of, the second link wil shift the direction setting shift rail between forward and reverse positions, a control lever, a yoke assembly interconnecting the first and second links whereby back and forth transverse movement of the control lever will effect rotation of the first link and up and down movement of the control lever will tend to vertically move both of said links up and down, means for resisting up and down movement of said second link and slotted plate means through which the control lever extends and which permits free movement of the control lever up and down to effect up and down movement of, the first link to engage one or the other shift rail and permits transverse movement of the control lever to effect rotational movement of the first link to shift the engaged shift rail but which resists movement of the control lever when the same is in a transverse ratio establishing position corresponding to either of the two ratio positions of the ratio setting shift rails, vertical movement of the control lever when in such transverse ratio establishing position causing vertical movement of the second direction setting link to shift the direction setting shift rail.

Claim 18

A multiple speed transmission including a plurality of gear trains providing a plurality of forward speed ratios and a plurality of reverse speed ratios, selectively operable gear shift means for conditioning the gear trains to obtain the various speed ratio including at least two ratio setting shift rails movable between two ratio positions for selecting the speed ratio and a third direction setting shift rail for selecting the speed direction; control mechanism for selectively operating said shift rails including a first speed ratio setting elongated link movable up and down between two positions for selectively engaging one or the other of the ratio sEtting shift rails and rotatable about its longitudinal axis to shift the engaged ratio setting shift rail, a second direction setting elongated link connected to said third shift rail in a manner that up and down movement of, the second link wil shift the direction setting shift rail between forward and reverse positions, a control lever, a yoke assembly interconnecting the first and second links whereby back and forth transverse movement of the control lever will effect rotation of the first link and up and down movement of the control lever will tend to vertically move both of said links up and down, means for resisting up and down movement of said second link and slotted plate means through which the control lever extends and which permits free movement of the control lever up and down to effect up and down movement of, the first link to engage one or the other shift rail and permits transverse movement of the control lever to effect rotational movement of the first link to shift the engaged shift rail but which resists movement of the control lever when the same is in a transverse ratio establishing position corresponding to either of the two ratio positions of the ratio setting shift rails, vertical movement of the control lever when in such transverse ratio establishing position causing vertical movement of the second direction setting link to shift the direction setting shift rail.

Claim 19

The transmission apparatus of claim 1 wherein a third ratio setting shift rail is provided to condition the gear trains between two ranges and wherein the first link engages the third ratio shift rail when in an intermediate position between engagement of the other two ratio setting shift rails and rotational movement of the first link acts to shift the third ratio shift rail.