Automatic transmission ratio indicator for use in the instrument cluster of an automotive vehicle

Claim 1

An indicator assembly for indicating visually the drive range position of an automatic power transmission mechanism in an automotive vehicle driveline having a steering wheel column assembly with a rotatable transmission selector shaft, an indicator base adapted to be secured to a stationary part of said steering column assembly, an indicator lever pivotally mounted on said base for oscillation in a plane proximate to and parallel to the plane of said base, a pivot pedestal carried by said base, one end of said lever being mounted pivotally on said pedestal and being adapted to shift thereon in a radial direction relative to the pivot axis as said lever is rotated, the other end of said lever being a pilot portion carried thereon, a pilot groove formed in said base receiving said pilot portion, said groove being generally linear and situated in a direction transverse to the pivot axis of said pedestal, a pointer carried by said other end of said lever, a dial having a face secured to said base and positioned in a plane generally parallel to the plane of motion of said pointer as said lever is oscillated about said pedestal, a flexible cable secured to said lever at a location intermediate the ends thereof, a cable housing surrounding said cable, an anchor abutment in the plane of motion of said lever defining one extreme operating position of said lever, a slip clutch connecting means between said cable and said lever at said intermediate location whereby said cable may move relative to said lever as force is applied to said cable upon engagement of said lever with said abutment, said cable housing and said cable being connected to relatively movable portions of said steering wheel column assembly, one of said movable portions being said selector shaft whereby relative motion of said cable housing and said cable is effected upon movement of said selEctor shaft.