Shifting mechanism for automatic transmissions of vehicles

Claim 2

A shifting mechanism for an automatic change-speed transmission of vehicles; said mechanism comprising: shifting linkage means including a manually operable shifting lever for selecting respective operating conditions of an automatic transmission of the type having operating conditions corresponding to reverse speed, park, neutral, and at least one forward speed, and fixed template means including a shifting lever guide track for guiding movement of said shifting lever, said guide track including a plurality of spaced lever guide transmission operating positions corresponding to respeCtive operating conditions of said transmission, said guide track being configured with park and reverse speed positions disposed at opposite sides of and offset from any forward speed positions so as to preclude inadvertent movement of said shifting lever between a forward speed position and one of said park and reverse speed positions.

Claim 3

A shifting mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said guide track further includes a neutral position disposed between said park and reverse speed positions as well as between said forward speed positions and both of said park and reverse speed positions.

Claim 4

A shifting mechanism according to claim 2, wherein said guide track is of a substantially Y-shaped configuration with said park and reverse speed positions disposed at respective arms of the Y and with said forward speed positions disposed on the leg of the Y.

Claim 5

A shifting mechanism according to claim 3, wherein said neutral position is arranged at the top of the leg of the Y, and wherein the arms of the Y extend in a step-shaped manner from opposite sides of the top of the leg of the Y.

Claim 6

A shifting mechanism according to claim 4, wherein said guide track includes a plurality of forward speed positions disposed in a step-shaped offset manner along the leg of the Y, the uppermost of said forward speed positions corresponding to automatic forward speed operation of said transmission.

Claim 7

A shifting mechanism according to claim 5, wherein said forward speed positions include three non-automatic forward speed positions arranged on the leg of the Y below an automatic forward speed position.

Claim 8

A shifting mechanism according to claim 10, wherein said shifting linkage means includes a universal joint means operatively connected to a lower part of said shifting lever.

Claim 9

A shifting mechanism for an automatic change-speed transmission of vehicles, said mechanism comprising: shifting linkage means including a manually operable shifting lever for selecting respective operating conditions of an automatic transmission of the type having operating conditions corresponding to reverse speed, park, neutral, and at least one forward speed, template means including a shifting lever guide track for guiding movement of said shifting lever, said guide track including a plurality of spaced lever guide transmission operating positions corresponding to respective operating conditions of said transmission, said guide track being configured with park and reverse speed positions disposed at opposite sides of and offset from any forward speed positions so as to preclude inadvertent movement of said shifting lever between a forward speed positions and one of said park and reverse speed positions, and elastic means engaging with said shifting lever to maintain said shifting lever in each of the respective transmission operating positions of said guide track.

Claim 10

A shifting mechanism for an automatic change-speed transmission of vehicles, said mechanism comprising: shifting linkage means including a manually operable shifting lever for selecting respective operating conditions of an automatic transmission of the type having operating conditions corresponding to reverse speed, park, neutral, and at least one forward speed, template means including a shifting lever guide track for guiding movement of said shifting lever, said guide track including a plurality of spaced lever guide transmission operating positions corresponding to respective operating conditions of said transmission, said guide track being configured with park and reverse speed positions disposed at opposite sides of and offset from any forward speed positions so as to preclude inadvertent movement of said shifting lever between a forward speed positions and one of said park and reverse speed positions, and elastic means engaging with said shifting lever to maintain said shifting lever in each of the respective transmission operating positions of said guide track.

Claim 11

A shifting mechanism according to calim 8, wherein said elastic means includes leg springs arranged at opposite sides of the shifting lever and between the template means and the bearing bolt.

Claim 12

A shifting mechanism according to calim 8, wherein said elastic means includes leg springs arranged at opposite sides of the shifting lever and between the template means and the bearing bolt.

Claim 13

A shifting mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said template means is a single substantially planar plate member which extends substantially transverse to said shifting lever, said guide track extending through said plate member such that said shifting lever extends through said plate member within said guide track with a free end of said shifting lever on one side of said plate member and the other end of said shifting lever on the other side of said plate member and connected to other parts of said shifting linkage means.

Claim 14

A shifting mechanism according to claim 10, wherein said guide track in said plate member includes transmission operating positions corresponding to all respective operating conditions of said transmission.

Claim 15

A shifting mechanism accordiing to claim 11, wherein said guide track is of a substantially Y-shaped configuration with said park and reverse speed positions disposed at respective arms of the Y and with said forward speed positions disposed on the leg of the Y.

Claim 16

A shifting mechanism for an automatic change-speed transmission of vehicles; said mechanism comprising: shifting linkage means including a manually operable shifting lever for selecting respective operating conditions of an automatic transmission of the type having operating conditions corresponding to reverse speed, park, neutral, and at least one forward speed, template means including a shifting lever guide track for guiding movement of said shifting lever, said guide track including a plurality of spaced lever guide transmission operating positions corresponding to respective operating conditions of said transmission, said guide track being configured wiith park and reverse speed positions disposed at opposite sides of and offset from any forward speed positions so as to preclude inadvertent movement of said shifting lever between a forward speed position and one of said park and reverse speed positions, and support bracket means, wherein said shifting linkage means includes a universal joint means operatively connected to a lower part of said shifting lever, and wherein said shifting linkage means includes an abutment means for the shifting lever arranged intermediate the template means and the universal joint means, said abutment means being formed by a substantially cylindrical bearing bolt extending transverse to the longitudinal extent of said shifting lever, said bearing bolt being guided in a guide groove of said support bracket means.

Claim 17

A shifting mechanism for an automatic change-speed transmission of vehicles; said mechanism comprising: shifting linkage means including a manually operable shifting lever for selecting respective operating conditions of an automatic transmission of the type having operating conditions corresponding to reverse speed, park, neutral, and at least one forward speed, template means including a shifting lever guide track for guiding movement of said shifting lever, said guide track including a plurality of spaced lever guide transmission operating positions corresponding to respective operating conditions of said transmission, said guide track being configured wiith park and reverse speed positions disposed at opposite sides of and offset from any forward speed positions so as to preclude inadvertent movement of said shifting lever between a forward speed position and one of said park and reverse speed positions, and support bracket means, wherein said shifting linkage means includes a universal joint means operatively connected to a lower part of said shifting lever, and wherein said shifting linkage means includes an abutment means for the shifting lever arranged intermediate the template means and the universal joint means, said abutment means being formed by a substantially cylindrical bearing bolt extending transverse to the longitudinal extent of said shifting lever, said bearing bolt being guided in a guide groove of said support bracket means.

Claim 18

A shift mechansim according to claim 13, further comprising elastic means engaging with said shifting lever to maintain said shifting lever in each of the respective transmission operating positions of said guide track.

Claim 19

A shifting mechanism according to claim 14, wherein said elastic means includes leg springs arranged at opposite sides of the shifting lever and between the template means and the bearing bolt.

Claim 20

A shifting mechanism according to claim 15, wherein said shifting linkage means includes an entrainment means positioned adjacent said universal joint means, said entrainment means being engageable with said shifting lever at a position intermediate said template means and said universal joint means, said entrainment means being movable with said shifting lever when said shifting lever is moved to said reverse speed and park positions to facilitate shifting of the transmission to reverse speed and park.

Claim 21

A shifting mechanism for an automatic change-speed transmission of vehicles; said mechanism comprising: shifting linkage means including a manually operable shifting lever for selecting respective operating conditions of an automatic transmission of the type having operating conditions corresponding to reverse speed, park, neutral, and at least one forward speed, and template means including a shifting lever guide track for guiding movement of said shifting lever, said guide track including a plurality of spaced lever guide transmission operating positions corresponding to respective operating conditions of said transmission, said guide track being configured with park and reverse speed positions disposed at opposite sides of and offset from any forward speed positions so as to preclude inadvertent movement of said shifting lever between forward speed position and one of said park and reverse speed positions, wherein said shifting linkage means includes a universal joint means operatively connected to a lower part of said shifting lever, and wherein said shifting linkage menas includes an entrainment means positioned adjacent said universal joint means, said entrainment means being engageable with said shifting lever at a position intermediate said template means and said universal joint means, said entrainment means being movable with said shifting lever when said shifting lever is moved to said reverse speed and park positions to facilitate shifting oF the transmission to reverse speed and park.

Claim 22

A shifting mechanism for an automatic change-speed transmission of vehicles; said mechanism comprising: shifting linkage means including a manually operable shifting lever for selecting respective operating conditions of an automatic transmission of the type having operating conditions corresponding to reverse speed, park, neutral, and at least one forward speed, and template means including a shifting lever guide track for guiding movement of said shifting lever, said guide track including a plurality of spaced lever guide transmission operating positions corresponding to respective operating conditions of said transmission, said guide track being configured with park and reverse speed positions disposed at opposite sides of and offset from any forward speed positions so as to preclude inadvertent movement of said shifting lever between forward speed position and one of said park and reverse speed positions, wherein said shifting linkage means includes a universal joint means operatively connected to a lower part of said shifting lever, and wherein said shifting linkage menas includes an entrainment means positioned adjacent said universal joint means, said entrainment means being engageable with said shifting lever at a position intermediate said template means and said universal joint means, said entrainment means being movable with said shifting lever when said shifting lever is moved to said reverse speed and park positions to facilitate shifting oF the transmission to reverse speed and park.