Gear selector for a transmission

Claim 2

In a gear selector for a transmission having a rotatable shaft-like member and at least one pair of gears mounted for rotation about an axis which is common with the axis of rotation of said shaft-like member with means operatively connecting said gears in driving relation with each other: a. a gear selector element for each gear mounted non-rotatably on said shaft-like member adjacent a side of each said gear and adapted for axial movement relative thereto, b. means urging each said gear selector element axially away from the gear adjacent thereto, c. at least one connector element rotatable with each gear of said pair of gears at the side thereof adjacent said gear selector element, d. at least one cooperating connector element carried by each said gear selector element disposed to engage and rotate with said connector element which is rotatable with the gear adjacent thereto upon axial movement of said gear selector element toward said gear adjacent thereto and disposed to disengage said connector element which is rotatable with the gear adjacent thereto upon axial movment of said gear selector element away from said gear adjacent thereto, and e. an actuator member disposed to shift each said gear selector element toward the gear adjacent thereto so that its cooperating connector element moves into engagement with and rotates with said connector element which is rotatable with said gear adjacent thereto until said actuator member is shifted and said cooperating connector element carried by said gear selector element moves to a position in advance of said connector element rotatable with said gear.

Claim 3

A gear selector for a transmission as defined in claim 1 in which said connector element rotatable with the gear and said cooperating connector element carried by the gear selector element have cooperating surfaces which interlock with each other upon movement of said connector elements into engagement with each other.

Claim 4

A gear selector for a transmission as defined in claim 2 in which the portions of said connector elements which interlock with each other comprise engaging surfaces which slope forward and away from the gear adjacent thereto as viewed in the direction of rotation of said gear adjacent thereto.

Claim 5

A gear selector for a transmission as defined in claim 1 in which said connector element which is rotatable with said gear and said cooperating connector element carried by said gear selector element have sloping cam surfaces which are adapted to move into and out of engagement with each other upon axial movement of said gear selector element toward and away from said gear adjacent thereto.

Claim 6

A gear selector for a transmission as defined in claim 1 in which at least one movable stop member is carried by said gear selector element in position to engage and limit rearward rotary movement of an adjacent connector element which is rotatable with said gear and means is provided for moving said stop member out of the path of movement of said connector element which is rotatable with said gear prior to disengagement of said connector elements with each other.

Claim 7

A gear selector for a transmission as defined in claim 5 in which said stop member is provided with a sloping cam surface disposed to be engaged by an adjacent connector element rotatable with said gear upon forward rotary movement of said gear to move said stop member out of the path of forward movement of said connector element rotatable with said gear.

Claim 8

A gear selector for a transmission as defined in claim 1 in which the gears of said pair of gears are spaced axially from each other with a pair of said gear selector elements therebetween and said means urging said gear selector element axially away from the gear adjacent thereto comprises resilient means connected to and extending between said gear selector elements and urging said gear selector elements toward each other.

Claim 9

A gear selector for a transmission as defined in claim 7 in which each gear selector element carries angularly spaced laterally extending guide members and guide grooves therein with the guide members of one gear selector element riding in the guide grooves of the other gear selector element.

Claim 10

A gear selector for a transmission as defined in claim 8 in which said guide members are in position to engage and limit rearward movement of an adjacent connector element rotatable with an adjacent gear until said gear selector elements are moved away from each other whereupon said guide members move out of the path of movement of said connector element rotatable with said gear.

Claim 11

A gear selector for a transmission as defined in claim 9 in which said shaft-like member is provided with axially extending external splines which cooperate with axially extending internal splines on said gear selector elements.

Claim 12

A gear selector for a transmission as defined in claim 1 in which the connector element rotatable with each said gear is carried by an annular member mounted at the side of said gear and resilient means operatively connects said annular member to said gear.

Claim 13

In a gear selector for a transmission having a rotatable shaft-like member and at least one pair of gears mounted for rotation about an axis which is Common with the axis of rotation of said shaft-like member with means operatively connecting said gears in driving relation with each other: a. a gear selector element for each gear mounted non-rotatably on said shaft-like member adjacent a side of each said gear, b. at least one connector element rotatable with each gear of said pair of gears at the side thereof adjacent said gear selector element with each said gear selector element and the connector element rotatable with the adjacent gear being adapted for relative axial movement, c. means urging each said gear selector element and the connector element rotatable with the adjacent gear axially away from each other, d. at least one cooperating connector element carried by each said gear selector element disposed to engage and rotate with said connector element which is rotatable with the gear adjacent thereto upon relative axial movement of said gear selector element and the adjacent connector element rotatable with the gear toward each other and disposed to disengage said connector element which is rotatable with the gear adjacent thereto upon relative axial movement of said gear selector element and the adjacent connector element rotatable with the gear away from each other, and e. actuator means disposed to impart relative axial movement between each said gear selector element and the connector element rotatable with the gear adjacent thereto so that adjacent connector elements are movable into engagement with and rotate with each other until said actuator means is shifted and said cooperating connector element carried by said gear selector element moves to a position in advance of said connector element rotatable with said gear.

Claim 14

In a gear selector for a transmission having a rotatable shaft-like member and at least one pair of gears mounted for rotation about an axis which is Common with the axis of rotation of said shaft-like member with means operatively connecting said gears in driving relation with each other: a. a gear selector element for each gear mounted non-rotatably on said shaft-like member adjacent a side of each said gear, b. at least one connector element rotatable with each gear of said pair of gears at the side thereof adjacent said gear selector element with each said gear selector element and the connector element rotatable with the adjacent gear being adapted for relative axial movement, c. means urging each said gear selector element and the connector element rotatable with the adjacent gear axially away from each other, d. at least one cooperating connector element carried by each said gear selector element disposed to engage and rotate with said connector element which is rotatable with the gear adjacent thereto upon relative axial movement of said gear selector element and the adjacent connector element rotatable with the gear toward each other and disposed to disengage said connector element which is rotatable with the gear adjacent thereto upon relative axial movement of said gear selector element and the adjacent connector element rotatable with the gear away from each other, and e. actuator means disposed to impart relative axial movement between each said gear selector element and the connector element rotatable with the gear adjacent thereto so that adjacent connector elements are movable into engagement with and rotate with each other until said actuator means is shifted and said cooperating connector element carried by said gear selector element moves to a position in advance of said connector element rotatable with said gear.