Lift gate mechanism

Claim 2

In a gear-shifting apparatus having a plurality of gear actuator members arranged for movement in a housing, a selector having engaging means mounted on a carrier member for selective engagement with one of said plurality of actuator members, said selector being mounted for pivotal movement to effect movement of a selected one of said actuator members; and gate means associated with one of said actuator members to prevent inadvertent engagement by said engaging means, the improvement comprising: means supporting said engaging means on said carrier member for generally vertical movement, said supporting means forming a cam follower; and means on said carrier member forming an arcuate cam surface; said cam follower being adapted to follow said arcuate cam surface upon application of upward force on said selector to thereby shift said engaging means about said gate means and into selective engagement with said one of said actuator members.

Claim 3

The apparatus as defined in claim 1 and further including biasing means on said engaging means normally biasing said engaging means into a first position out of engagement with said one of said actuator members.

Claim 4

The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein two arcuate cam surfaces are provided in opposed relationship on opposite sides of said carrier member, said cam follower extending between said cam surfaces and supported therein for movement along said surfaces.

Claim 5

The apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said cam follower is a shaft extending between said cam surfaces and said engaging means is mounted for rotation on said shaft.

Claim 6

The apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said carrier member is mounted for pivotal movement about a first axis and said shaft is mounted on said cam surfaces about a second axis transverse to said first axis.

Claim 7

The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said cam surface is formed in a generally vertical plane and said cam follower supports said engaging means in a plane generally perpendicular to said cam follower whereby movement of said cam follower along said cam surface effeCts generally vertical movement of said engaging means with respect to said gate means.

Claim 8

The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said plurality of actuator members include forward gear actuators; said one of said actuators is a reverse gear actuator and said actuator cam surface is adapted to provide the proper amount of restraint while permitting ease of shifting to reverse gear if desired.

Claim 9

The apparatus as defined in claim 7 and further including: biasing means on said cam follower and said engaging means to shift same into a non-engaging position with respect to said reverse gear actuator upon cessation of said upward force.

Claim 10

The apparatus as defined in claim 7 and further including: biasing means on said engaging means and said cam follower, said biasing means normally biasing said engaging means into a first position out of engagement with said one of said actuator members.

Claim 11

A gear-shifting apparatus comprising: a plurality of gear actuator members arranged for movement in a housing; a selector having engaging means mounted on a carrier member for selective engagement with one of said plurality of actuator members, said selector being mounted for pivotal movement about a first axis to thereby effect movement of a selected one of said actuator members; gate means associated with at least one of said actuator members, said gate means forming a stop abutment for said engaging means and normally preventing engagement of said engaging means with said one of said actuator members; cam and cam follower means mounting said engaging means on said carrier member for movement about an axis transverse to said first axis; a shaft along said transverse axis forming said cam follower, said cam means being arcuate in shape and formed in said carrier member for supporting said shaft, said engaging means being pivotally mounted on said shaft about said transverse axis for selective engagement with said plurality of actuating members and shiftable along said cam surface upon application of an upward force to thereby allow shifting of said engaging means about said gate means and into selective engagement with said one of said actuator members.

Claim 12

A gear-shifting apparatus comprising: a plurality of gear actuator members arranged for movement in a housing; a selector having engaging means mounted on a carrier member for selective engagement with one of said plurality of actuator members, said selector being mounted for pivotal movement about a first axis to thereby effect movement of a selected one of said actuator members; gate means associated with at least one of said actuator members, said gate means forming a stop abutment for said engaging means and normally preventing engagement of said engaging means with said one of said actuator members; cam and cam follower means mounting said engaging means on said carrier member for movement about an axis transverse to said first axis; a shaft along said transverse axis forming said cam follower, said cam means being arcuate in shape and formed in said carrier member for supporting said shaft, said engaging means being pivotally mounted on said shaft about said transverse axis for selective engagement with said plurality of actuating members and shiftable along said cam surface upon application of an upward force to thereby allow shifting of said engaging means about said gate means and into selective engagement with said one of said actuator members.

Claim 13

A gear shift mechanism comprising: at least one forward gear actuator; a reverse gear actuator; a selector having engaging means mounted on a carrier member for selectively engaging one of said forward gear actuators and said reverse gear actuator, said selector being pivotally mounted about an axis to effect movement of the selected one of said actuators; gate means associated with said reverse gear actuator to prevent inadvertent engagement by said engaging means; means mounting said engaging means on said carrier member for movement about an axis transverse to said first-mentioned axis; said mounting means including an arcuate cam surface formed on said carrier member; and cam-follower means on said engaging means, said cam-follower means forming said transverse axis whereby movement of said cam follower along said arcuate cam surface effects a generally vertical and pivotal movement of said engaging means with respect to said gate means and into engagement with said reverse gear actuator.

Claim 14

A gear shift mechanism comprising: at least one forward gear actuator; a reverse gear actuator; a selector having engaging means mounted on a carrier member for selectively engaging one of said forward gear actuators and said reverse gear actuator, said selector being pivotally mounted about an axis to effect movement of the selected one of said actuators; gate means associated with said reverse gear actuator to prevent inadvertent engagement by said engaging means; means mounting said engaging means on said carrier member for movement about an axis transverse to said first-mentioned axis; said mounting means including an arcuate cam surface formed on said carrier member; and cam-follower means on said engaging means, said cam-follower means forming said transverse axis whereby movement of said cam follower along said arcuate cam surface effects a generally vertical and pivotal movement of said engaging means with respect to said gate means and into engagement with said reverse gear actuator.

Claim 15

The apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said carrier member includes a pair of arcuate-shaped slots formed in the side walls thereof, said slots forming said cam surface; said cam follower comprising a shaft extending between said cam surfaces and wherein said engaging means is mounted on said shaft.