US3757600A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic transmission shifter having conventional mode and racing mode operational capabilities
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-05-15
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Granted: 1973-09-11
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Expires: 1992-05-15
Abstract
Abstract A shifter is provided for use with an automatic transmission on an automobile to enable the transmission to be shifted in a conventional mode and to enable the transmission to be upshifted quickly in a racing mode upon rapid sequential displacement of a master shift lever. The shifter comprises a stationary frame to which is pivotally connected a slave lever having one end connected to a shift arm on the transmission and having another end releasably connected to the master lever through a selector pin carried on the master lever. The slave lever is provided with a series of stepped surfaces which are selectively engaged by the selector pin to index the slave lever in one direction for upshifting the transmission when the master lever is pivoted sequentially against a stop. There is provided means to arrest pivotal motion of the slave lever at the completion of an upshift to prevent inertia forces on the slave lever from causing it to shift the transmission inadvertently. In each embodiment, there is provided means to bias the selector pin downwardly into engagement with the stepped surfaces for causing the pin to descend the surfaces as upshifting proceeds. In certain of the embodiments, there is provided means to bias the master lever into a home position at the completion of an upshift cycle.
Inventors
- 👤 W Bieber
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 13:23
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16H; F16H59/00; F16H59/02; F16H59/08; F16H59/10; G; G05; G05G; G05G7/00; G05G7/02; G05G2700/00; G05G2700/12; G05G2700/16; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/20; Y10T74/20012; Y10T74/20018; Y10T74/20067; Y10T74/20085; Y10T74/20098; Y10T74/20576; Y10T74/20636; Y10T74/20672; Y10T74/20696; Y10T74/20702
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
209 words
A dual mode shifter for use with an automatic transmission having a shift arm, comprising: a stationary plate having a series of locator surfaces corresponding to various transmission speed settings including first, second and drive ranges; a master shift lever pivotally mounted to said plate for displacement in a single plane; a slave shift lever pivotally mounted to said plate and adapted to be connected to said shift arm on the transmission, said slave lever having surface means including a recess adapted to register with a selected one of said locator surfaces and a series of stepped surfaces spaced from said recess; selector means including a selector pin mounted to move relative to said master lever for engagement with said selected locator surfaces when engaged in said recess and for engagement with a selected one of said series of stepped surfaces; stop means on said stationary plate for limiting displacement of said master lever in one direction when said selector means is engaged with one of said series of stepped surfaces and for limiting displacement of said master lever in the opposite direction, whereby displacement of the master lever alternately against the stop means causes the slave lever and the shift arm on the transmission to pivot in increments.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
209 words
A dual mode shifter for use with an automatic transmission having a shift arm, comprising: a stationary plate having a series of locator surfaces corresponding to various transmission speed settings including first, second and drive ranges; a master shift lever pivotally mounted to said plate for displacement in a single plane; a slave shift lever pivotally mounted to said plate and adapted to be connected to said shift arm on the transmission, said slave lever having surface means including a recess adapted to register with a selected one of said locator surfaces and a series of stepped surfaces spaced from said recess; selector means including a selector pin mounted to move relative to said master lever for engagement with said selected locator surfaces when engaged in said recess and for engagement with a selected one of said series of stepped surfaces; stop means on said stationary plate for limiting displacement of said master lever in one direction when said selector means is engaged with one of said series of stepped surfaces and for limiting displacement of said master lever in the opposite direction, whereby displacement of the master lever alternately against the stop means causes the slave lever and the shift arm on the transmission to pivot in increments.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 including means connected to said pin for biasing said pin into engagement with said recess and said series of stepped surfaces, and operating means carried on said master lever for displacing said pin against its bias for engaging said pin selectively with said recess and said series of stepped surfaces.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
79 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said master shift lever has a lower portion with bifurcations straddling said stationary plate and an elongated slot in each bifurcation, said operating means including a carriage mounting said selector pin transversely to said plane and in said slots, grip means to displace said carriage relative to said master lever, and a spring mounted on said master lever and engaging said carriage for urging said pin into a limit position in the slots.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
70 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said pin is disposed transversely to said plane and said stop means includes a notch in said stationary plate providing an abutment surface spaced from said locator surfaces on said plate and located in the path of movement of said pin when said pin is engaged with one of said series of stepped surfaces and said master lever is displaced in said one direction.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
57 words
Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said stop means includes a supplemental abutment surface provided by said notch in said stationary plate for limiting displacement of said master lever in said opposite direction, said supplemental abutment surface being spaced from said first-mentioned abutment surface in the path of movement of said selector means in said opposite direction.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
124 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said master and slave levers pivot on a common axis and one of said locator surfaces corresponds to a neutral transmission setting, said locator surfaces corresponding to said first and second ranges ascending in stepped fashion outwardly from said pivot axis and terminating in an arcuate pin-guide surface located a predetermined radial distance from said common pivot axis, said slave lever having a similar arcuate pin-guide surface also located at said distance and extending between the recess and the stepped surfaces on said slave lever, said pin-guide surfaces cooperating to prevent the selector pin from being inadvertently engaged with the stepped surfaces of the slave lever when said pin is disengaged from said recess in said slave lever.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
79 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 including a pair of limit surfaces located beyond said predetermined distance, said limit surfaces confronting one another in spaced relation in the path of movement of said selector pin when said selector pin is disengaged from both said slave lever recess and said stepped surfaces and said master lever is pivoted in alternate directions, whereby said selector pin engages said limit surfaces to limit pivotal movement of said master lever about its pivot axis.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
67 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 including means engageable by said selector pin and operable when said selector pin is engaged with one of the stepped surfaces on said slave lever to bias said master lever in said opposite direction and away from one of said stop means for disengaging said selector pin from its engaged stepped surface on the slave lever at the completion of an upshift.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
108 words
Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said master lever biasing means includes a movable plate pivotally mounted to and alongside said stationary plate, said movable plate having an ear displaceable into and out of registry with said one stop means on said stationary plate, and a spring member connected to said movable plate and said stationary plate to pivot said movable plate on its axis for normally maintaining said ear out of registry with said stop means so that said pin engages said ear before engaging said one stop means, whereby the master lever is urged away from the one stop means at the completion of an upshift.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
88 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the stepped surfaces on said slave lever have rise portions extending outwardly from the pivot axis of the slave lever and tread portions disposed at an angle with respect to said rise portions to define a series of bights, said bights being selectively engageable by said selector pin to cause said slave lever to pivot in the same direction as the master lever, and including means to arrest motion of the slave lever at the completion of an upshift between said ranges.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
96 words
Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said stop means includes an abutment surface extending outwardly from the pivot axis of the slave lever for a distance corresponding substantially to the total extension of the rise portions of the stepped surfaces so that said selector pin engages said abutment surface when said master lever is pivoted in said one direction to complete an upshift, each tread being dimensioned between the rise portions of the stepped surfaces an amount corresponding to the amount of pivotal movement of the slave lever required to effect an upshift between each range.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
79 words
Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said motion arresting means includes a tab on said stationary plate having an inclined surface disposed at an angle to said abutment surface and in the path of movement of the selector pin and a similarly inclined surface on one of said treads, said selector pin being cylindrical and being engaged between said inclined surfaces at the completion of an upshift from first to second ranges to arrest motion of the slave lever.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
95 words
Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said tread having said inclined surface is located outwardly of said pivot axis further than an inner one of said treads, said outer tread corresponding to said first speed range, and including a heel extending outwardly from the pivot axis of the slave lever in confronting spaced relation with the rise portion associated with said inner tread, so that said selector pin is engaged between said heel and said abutment surface at the completion of an upshift from second to drive ranges to arrest motion of the slave lever.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
74 words
Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said motion arresting means includes a latch plate pivotally mounted to said stationary plate, said latch plate having an ear engageable by said selector pin to displace said latch plate in the same direction as the slave lever, and cooperative latching means on said latch plate and said slave leveR engageable upon displacement of said master lever through a predetermined arc to arrest motion of the slave lever.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
50 words
Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said latching means includes a pawl on said latch plate and a series of teeth on said slave lever, said pawl being displaceable into the path of movement of said teeth to engage at least one thereof upon pivotal movement of said master lever.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
77 words
Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said latch plate is mounted on one side of said stationary plate and said slave lever is mounted on the other side of said stationary plate, said stationary plate having an aperture with said pawl extending through said aperture into operating relation with said teeth on said slave lever, and including a spring member connected to said latch plate and said stationary plate for normally spacing said pawl from said teeth.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said slave lever has an aperture in registry with the aperture in said stationary plate and said teeth are formed on said slave lever and extend into its aperture.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
92 words
Apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said tread portions are located at predetermined radial distances increasing in said one direction about said slave lever pivot axis so that pivotal movement of the master lever in said one direction causes the slave lever and latching plate to move in the same direction for effecting an upshift with said spring member operating to pivot said latching plate and master lever in the opposite direction for causing the selector pin to disengage the tread of one bight and to engage the tread of another bight.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said one direction is clockwise, said teeth depend downwardly into the aperture in the slave lever with said pawl projecting upwardly toward said teeth.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said one direction is counterclockwise and said teeth project upwardly into the aperture in the slave lever with the pawl depending downwardly toward said teeth.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3490291A
Cited
US3520208A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-09-10 | 1977-03-12 | 1977-09-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-09-10 | 1981-03-12 | 1981-09-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-09-10 | 1985-03-12 | 1985-09-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |