Transmission controls for low torque shifting

Claim 2

In combination an internal combustion engine, a carburetor, said carburetor having throttle valve means movable between closed and wide open valve positions to control the output torque of said engine by controlling the fuel air mixture fed to said engine, a variable vacuum source provided by said engine controlled by said throttle valve means, control means for said throttle valve means movable between first and second positions corresponding respectively to the closed and wide open positions of said throttle valve means, a change speed transmission, torque transmitting fluid unit means operatively connecting said engine to said transmission for continuously transmitting engine torque to said engine for all positions of said throttle valve means, manually operated shift lever means operatively connected to said transmission, pivot means mounting said lever means for turning movement to different predetermined positions to change the speed ratios of said transmission, a transmission selector detent plate, means operatively connecting said detent plate to said shift lever means, shiftable locking plunger meanS supported adjacent to said detent plate for engaging said detent plate, spring means for urging said locking plunger means into locking engagement with said detent plate to prevent movement of said detent plate and said shift lever means, and pneumatic diaphragm means directly and continuously operatively connected to said vacuum source and directly connected to said locking plunger means for shifting said locking plunger means from locking engagement with said detent plate in response to movement of said throttle valve control means to said first position corresponding to the closed position of said throttle valve to permit said shift lever means to be subsequently moved to one of said predetermined positions to change the speed ratio of said transmission.

Claim 3

In combination an internal combustion engine, said engine having a carburetor and a throttle valve for controlling the output torque of said engine by controlling air-fuel mixture fed to the engine, a vacuum source variable between high and low vacuum provided by said engine, operator means for moving said throttle valve to a plurality of throttle positions ranging from a closed throttle position to a wide open throttle position, a change speed transmission, fluid unit means operatively connecting said engine to said transmission for continuously transmitting engine torque to said transmission, shift lever means for said transmission, pivot means supporting said shift lever means for turning movement to different predetermined positions to change the speed ratios of said transmission, a detent plate having a plurality of spaced recesses operatively connected to said shift lever means and operatively connected to said transmission, plunger means for engaging said spaced recesses of said detent plate to prevent movement of said detent plate and said shift lever means, spring means operatively connected to said plunger means for urging said plunger means into engagement with said recesses, a vacuum operated control assembly operatively connected to said plunger means and directly to said source of vacuum, said vacuum operated control assembly having flexible diaphragm means therein, said diaphragm means having first and second sides, means connecting said first side directly to said plunger means, said first side being continuously pneumatically connected to atmospheric pressure, air passage means directly and continuously pneumatically connecting said second side of said diaphragm means to said vacuum source so that said diaphragm means urges said plunger means from locking engagement with said detent plate when said operator means has positioned said throttle valve means at a closed throttle position and said vacuum source has been varied to a predetermined high vacuum.

Claim 4

In combination an internal combustion engine, said engine having a carburetor and a throttle valve for controlling the output torque of said engine by controlling air-fuel mixture fed to the engine, a vacuum source variable between high and low vacuum provided by said engine, operator means for moving said throttle valve to a plurality of throttle positions ranging from a closed throttle position to a wide open throttle position, a change speed transmission, fluid unit means operatively connecting said engine to said transmission for continuously transmitting engine torque to said transmission, shift lever means for said transmission, pivot means supporting said shift lever means for turning movement to different predetermined positions to change the speed ratios of said transmission, a detent plate having a plurality of spaced recesses operatively connected to said shift lever means and operatively connected to said transmission, plunger means for engaging said spaced recesses of said detent plate to prevent movement of said detent plate and said shift lever means, spring means operatively connected to said plunger means for urging said plunger means into engagement with said recesses, a vacuum operated control assembly operatively connected to said plunger means and directly to said source of vacuum, said vacuum operated control assembly having flexible diaphragm means therein, said diaphragm means having first and second sides, means connecting said first side directly to said plunger means, said first side being continuously pneumatically connected to atmospheric pressure, air passage means directly and continuously pneumatically connecting said second side of said diaphragm means to said vacuum source so that said diaphragm means urges said plunger means from locking engagement with said detent plate when said operator means has positioned said throttle valve means at a closed throttle position and said vacuum source has been varied to a predetermined high vacuum.

Claim 5

In combination an internal combustion engine having a carburetor, an air intake manifold and a throttle valve for controlling the output torque of said engine by controlling the air-fuel mixture supplied to the engine, operator means for moving said throttle valve to a plurality of throttle positions ranging from a closed throttle position and a wide open throttle position, a change speed transmission, hydrodynamic fluid unit means drivingly connecting said engine to said transmission, shift lever means movable to different predetermined positions to change the speed ratios of said transmission, a pivotally mounted detent plate operatively connected to said shift lever means, plunger means engaging said detent plate to prevent movement of detent plate and said shift lever means, spring means for urging said plunger means into direct engagement with said detent plate, a vacuum control assembly operatively connected to said locking means and to said air intake manifold, said vacuum control assembly having flexible diaphragm means therein providing first and second sides, said first side of said diaphragm means being continuously connected to atmospheric pressure, means connecting said plunger means directly to said flexible diaphragm means, air passage means continuously connecting said second side of said diaphragm means of said vacuum control assembly to said air intake manifold, means mounting said diaphragm means in said control assembly so that said diaphragm means moves said locking means from locking engagement with said detent plate when said operator means has moved said throttle valve to a closed throttle position to establish a high vacuum on said second side thereof thereby allowing atmospheric pressure to move said diaphragm means and said plunger means from locking engagement with said detent plate and said spring means being operatively disposed around said plunger means for moving said plunger means into locking engagement with said detent plate when said operator means has moved said throttle valve to an open throttle position to reduce the vacuum effective on said diaphragm.

Claim 6

In combination an internal combustion engine having a carburetor, an air intake manifold and a throttle valve for controlling the output torque of said engine by controlling the air-fuel mixture supplied to the engine, operator means for moving said throttle valve to a plurality of throttle positions ranging from a closed throttle position and a wide open throttle position, a change speed transmission, hydrodynamic fluid unit means drivingly connecting said engine to said transmission, shift lever means movable to different predetermined positions to change the speed ratios of said transmission, a pivotally mounted detent plate operatively connected to said shift lever means, plunger means engaging said detent plate to prevent movement of detent plate and said shift lever means, spring means for urging said plunger means into direct engagement with said detent plate, a vacuum control assembly operatively connected to said locking means and to said air intake manifold, said vacuum control assembly having flexible diaphragm means therein providing first and second sides, said first side of said diaphragm means being continuously connected to atmospheric pressure, means connecting said plunger means directly to said flexible diaphragm means, air passage means continuously connecting said second side of said diaphragm means of said vacuum control assembly to said air intake manifold, means mounting said diaphragm means in said control assembly so that said diaphragm means moves said locking means from locking engagement with said detent plate when said operator means has moved said throttle valve to a closed throttle position to establish a high vacuum on said second side thereof thereby allowing atmospheric pressure to move said diaphragm means and said plunger means from locking engagement with said detent plate and said spring means being operatively disposed around said plunger means for moving said plunger means into locking engagement with said detent plate when said operator means has moved said throttle valve to an open throttle position to reduce the vacuum effective on said diaphragm.