Tractor transmission shift control

Claim 2

A shift control for a hydromechanical transmission comprising: support means having primary pivot means provided therein; range shift means pivotally mounted on said primary pivot means and connectible to a range change mechanism to shift said hydromechanical transmission between ranges upon pivotation of said range shift means, said range shift means having hold and shift means provided therein; speed shift means pivotally mounted on said primary pivot means and spaced apart from said range shift means, said speed shift means connectible to a speed change mechanism to shift said hydromechanical transmission between speeds upon pivotation of said speed shift means, said speed shift means having hold and shift means provided therein; main pivot means pivotally mounted on said primary pivot means and having secondary pivot means provided therein perpendicular to said primary pivot means; shift lever means carrying a shift lever and disposed between said range and speed shift means, said shift lever means pivotally mounted on said secondary pivot means of said main pivot means for pivotation around said secondary pivot means to engage and disengage said shift means of said range and speed shift means and around said primary pivot means to selectively move or not move said range and speed shift means, said shift lever means including range engagement means cooperating with said support means to engage said hold means in said range shift means to hold said range shift means in a fixed pivoted position when said shift lever means is out of engagement with said shift means of said range shift means, said shift lever means including speed engagement means cooperating with said support means to engage said hold means in said speed shift means to hold said speed shift means in a fixed pivoted position when said shift lever means is out of engagement with said shift means of said speed shift means whereby said speed shift means is held when said range shift means is shifted, said range shift means is held when said speed shift means is shifted, and both are held when said shift lever means is not is a position to shift either.

Claim 3

The shift control as claimed in claim 1 wherein said speed shift means has a pivoted neutral position in which said speed change mechanism shifts said hydromechanical transmission to a neutral configuration, and including guide means carried by said support means and having shift pattern means provided therein requiring said speed change means to be in the pivoted neutral position before said range change means can be shifted.

Claim 4

The shift control as claimed in claim 1 including guide means carried by said support means and having shift pattern means provided therein defining the movement of said shift lever means, said shift pattern means having stop means provided therein defining a plurality of range indicative stop positions when said shift lever means is pivoted in a first direction of pivotation, and wherein said shift lever means includes range stop means cooperating with said support means to define said plurality of range indicative stop positions when said shift lever means is pivoted in a second direction.

Claim 5

The shift control as claimed in claim 3 wherein said shift lever means includes detent means and said main pivot means includes range detent engagement means cooperative with said detent means to define said pivoted position when said shift lever means is engaged or disengaged from said shift means in said range shift means.

Claim 6

The shift control as claimed in claim 1 including high/low shift means pivotally mounted on said support means and connectible to high/low hydraulic valving to shift said hydromechanical transmission between speeds upon pivotation of said high/low shift means and wherein said shift lever means includes actuation means engageable with said high/low shift means to cause pivotation thereof when said shift lever means is pivoted around said second pivot means and engages said shift means in said speed shift means.

Claim 7

The shift control as claimed in claim 5 wherein said shift lever means includes detent means and said main pivot means has detent engagement means provided therein cooperative with said detent means to define high and low positions of said shift lever indicative of said high and low positions of said high/low shift means.

Claim 8

The shift control as claimed in claim 1 including park lockup means pivotally mounted on said support means and connectible to a park mechanism for selectively locking up or unlocking said hydromechanical transmission upon pivotation of said park lockup means, and wherein said shift lever means includes park engagement means for causing pivotation of said park lockup means to lockup said hydromechanical transmission in a pivoted park position of said shift lever means.

Claim 9

The shift control as claimed in claim 7 wherein said speed shift means has shift lockup means provided therein, and including guide means carried by said support means and having shift pattern means provided therein defining said pivoted park position and including means for biasing said shift lever means into engagement with said shift lockup means when said shift lever means is in said pivoted park position to lockup said speed shift means relative to said guide means.

Claim 10

The shift control as claimed in claim 1 including guide means carried by said support means and having shift pattern means provided therein defining pivoted positions of said range and speed shift means, and speed lockout means carried by said guide means in engagement with said range shift means and engageable with said speed shift means to limit pivotation thereof at predetermined pivoted positions of said range shift means.

Claim 11

The shift control as claimed in claim 1 including high/low shift means pivotally mounted on said support means and connectible to high/low hydraulic valving to shift said hydromechanical transmission between speeds upon pivotation of said high/low shift means, and wherein said shift lever means includes activation means engageable with said high/low shift means to cause pivotation thereof when said shift lever means engages said shift means in said speed shift means and is pivoted around said second pivot means, and including high/low limiting means carried by said support means for blocking pivotation of said shift lever means around said second pivot means at predetermined pivoted positions of said range shift means.

Claim 12

A shift control for a hydromechanical transmission comprising: a longitudinally and vertically extending support member having a laterally extending main pivot pin provided therein; a range shift quadrant pivotally mounted on said primary pivot pin and connectible to a range change mechanism to shift said hydromechanical transmission between ranges upon pivotation of said range shift quadrant, said range shift quadrant having hold means provided therein and a lever slot provided therein at the top thereof; a speed shift quadrant pivotally mounted on said primary pivot pin spaced apart from said range shift quadrant and connectible to a speed change mechanism to shift said hydromechanical transmission between speeds upon pivotation of said speed shift quadrant, said speed shift quadrant having hold means provided therein and a lever slot provided therein at the top thereof; a main pivot member pivotally mounted around said primary pivot pin for pivotation in a vertical-longitudinal plane between said range and speed shift quadrants, said main pivot member having a longitudinally extending secondary pivot bore provided therein; a shift lever mechanism disposed around said main pivot member and including a secondary pivot pin pivotally engaging said secondary pivot bore in said main pivot member whereby said shift lever mechanism is pivotable in a vertical-longitudinal plane around said primary pivot pin and in a generally vertical-lateral plane around said secondary pivot pin, said shift lever mechanism including an integral shift lever pivotable therewith from a neutral position out of engagement with said range or speed shift quadrant around said secondary pivot pin to engage said lever slot in said range or said speed shift quadrant and pivotable therewith around said primary pivot pin when engaged with said range or said speed shift quadrant to cause respective pivotation thereof, said shift lever mechanism including range and speed engagement means pivotally secured to said support member respectively proximate said range or said speed shift quadrants for engaging said hold means in said respective range or speed shift quadrant when said shift lever is out of engagement with said lever slot in said respective range or speed shift quadrant; and a guide plate secured to said support member over said range and speed shift quadrants and having a shift pattern cutout provided therein encircling said shift lever and defining a plurality of pivoted positions thereof.

Claim 13

A shift control for a hydromechanical transmission comprising: a longitudinally and vertically extending support member having a laterally extending main pivot pin provided therein; a range shift quadrant pivotally mounted on said primary pivot pin and connectible to a range change mechanism to shift said hydromechanical transmission between ranges upon pivotation of said range shift quadrant, said range shift quadrant having hold means provided therein and a lever slot provided therein at the top thereof; a speed shift quadrant pivotally mounted on said primary pivot pin spaced apart from said range shift quadrant and connectible to a speed change mechanism to shift said hydromechanical transmission between speeds upon pivotation of said speed shift quadrant, said speed shift quadrant having hold means provided therein and a lever slot provided therein at the top thereof; a main pivot member pivotally mounted around said primary pivot pin for pivotation in a vertical-longitudinal plane between said range and speed shift quadrants, said main pivot member having a longitudinally extending secondary pivot bore provided therein; a shift lever mechanism disposed around said main pivot member and including a secondary pivot pin pivotally engaging said secondary pivot bore in said main pivot member whereby said shift lever mechanism is pivotable in a vertical-longitudinal plane around said primary pivot pin and in a generally vertical-lateral plane around said secondary pivot pin, said shift lever mechanism including an integral shift lever pivotable therewith from a neutral position out of engagement with said range or speed shift quadrant around said secondary pivot pin to engage said lever slot in said range or said speed shift quadrant and pivotable therewith around said primary pivot pin when engaged with said range or said speed shift quadrant to cause respective pivotation thereof, said shift lever mechanism including range and speed engagement means pivotally secured to said support member respectively proximate said range or said speed shift quadrants for engaging said hold means in said respective range or speed shift quadrant when said shift lever is out of engagement with said lever slot in said respective range or speed shift quadrant; and a guide plate secured to said support member over said range and speed shift quadrants and having a shift pattern cutout provided therein encircling said shift lever and defining a plurality of pivoted positions thereof.

Claim 14

The shift control as claimed in claim 11 wherein said speed shift quadrant has a pivoted neutral position in which said speed change mechanism shifts said hydromechanical transmission to a neutral configuration and said shift pattern cutout in said guide plate includes a single neutral cutout at which said shift lever can be engaged with and disengaged from said lever slot in said speed shift quadrant and said speed latch can be respectively disengaged from and engaged with said hold slot in said speed shift quadrant.

Claim 15

The shift control as claimed in claim 11 wherein said shift pattern cutout in said guide plate includes a plurality of range stop cutouts whereat said shift lever must be pivoted laterally in a first direction while being pivoted longitudinally in a first direction to shift ranges, said support member includes a range stop finger, and said shift lever mechanism includes a range stop bracket having a plurality of fingers abuttable with said range stop finger whereat said shift lever must be pivoted laterally in a second direction while being pivoted longitudinally in a second direction to shift ranges whereby said shift lever moves in a Z pattern in shifting said hydromechanical transmission from one range to another.

Claim 16

The shift control as claimed in claim 13 wherein said main pivot member has a configured surface provided thereon, and said shift lever mechanism includes a detent device engaging said configured surface to define said pivoted position where said shift lever is engaged or disengaged from said lever slot in said range shift quadrant.

Claim 17

The shift control as claimed in claim 11 including a high/low lever pivotally mounted on said support member and connectible to high/low hydraulic valving to shift said hydromechanical transmission between speeds upon pivotation of said high/low lever, and wherein said high/low lever mechanism includes an arcuate actuation member abutting said high/low lever to normally prevent pivotation thereof and to cause pivotation thereof when said shift lever mechanism is piovted around said secondary pivot pin to engage said shift lever in said lever slot in said speed shift quadrant.

Claim 18

The shift control as claimed in claim 15 wherein said main pivot member has oppositely disposed flats provided thereon having oppositely drilled countersinks provided therein and said shift lever mechanism includes a pair of oppositely disposed detent devices provided therein successively interactive with said offset countersinks upon lateral pivotation of said shift lever when engaging said speed shift quadrant to define high and low positions of said shift lever indicative of said high and low positions of said high/low lever.

Claim 19

The shift control as claimed in claim 11 including a park lockup arm pivotally mounted on said support member and connectible to a park mechanism for selectively locking up or unlocking said hydromechanical transmission upon pivotation of said park lockup arm and wherein said shift lever mechanism includes a park engagement member engageable with said park lockup arm to cause pivotation and holding thereof upon pivotation of said shift lever to a fully pivoted park position as established by said shift pattern cutout in said guide plate.

Claim 20

The shift control as claimed in claim 17 wherein said shift pattern cutout includes a laterally extending park cutout, said guide plate includes biasing means for urging said shift lever in said park cutout laterally toward said speed shift quadrant, and said speed shift quadrant has a park lock slot provided therein engageable with said shift lever disposed laterally in said park cutout when said speed shift quadrant is in the pivoted neutral position to prevent movement of said speed shift quadrant.

Claim 21

The shift control as claimed in claim 11 wherein said range shift quadrant has a longitudinally extending cam groove provided therein, said speed shift quadrant has a lockout notch provided therein, and including a laterally movable pin bracket carried by said guide plate extending into said cam groove and extending proximate said lockout notch, said pin bracket laterally movable by said cam groove to engage and disengage from said lockout notch to respectively limit and allow pivotation of said speed shift quadrant.

Claim 22

The shift control as claimed in claim 11 including a high/low lever pivotally mounted on said support member and connectible to high/low hydraulic valving to shift said hydromechanical transmission between speeds upon pivotation of said high/low lever, wherein said shift lever mechanism includes an arcuate activation member abutting said high/low lever to normally prevent pivotation thereof and to cause pivotation thereof when said shift lever mechanism is pivoted around said secondary pivot pin to engage said shift lever in said lever slot in said speed quadrant, and including a first pivotable member pivotable in said vertical-longitudinal plane upon engagement with said range shift quadrant and a second pivotable member pivotable in a horizontal plane in response to pivotation of said first pivotable member to cover a portion of said shift pattern cutout and block pivotation of said shift lever around said secondary pivot pin.

Claim 23

A shift control for a hydromechanical transmission comprising: a longitudinally and vertically extending support member having a laterally extending main pivot pin provided therein; a range shift quadrant pivotally mounted on said primary pivot pin and connectible to a range change mechanism to shift said hydromechanical transmission between ranges upon pivotation of said range shift quadrant, said range shift quadrant having a plurality of laterally extending holding slots provided therein at the bottom thereof and a laterally extending lever slot provided therein at the top thereof; a speed shift quadrant pivotally mounted on said primary pivot pin and connectible to a speed change mechanism to shift said hydromechanical transmission between speeds upon pivotation of said speed shift quadrant, said speed shift quadrant having a laterally extending holding slot provided therein at the bottom thereof and a laterally extending lever slot provided therein at the top thereof; a main pivot member pivotally mounted on said range and speed shift quadrants for pivotation in a vertical-longitudinal plane therebetween, said main pivot member having a longitudinally extending secondary pivot bore provided therein; a shift lever mechanism disposed around said main pivot member and including a secondary pivot pin pivotally engaging said secondary pivot bore in said main pilot member whereby said shift lever mechanism is pivotal in a vertical-longitudinal plane around said primary pivot pin and in a vertical-lateral plane around said secondary pivot pin, said shift lever mechanism having an integral shift lever extending therefrom pivotal therewith around said secondary pivot pin to engage said lever slot in said range or said speed shift quadrant and pivotal therewith around said primary pivot pin when engaged with said range or said speed shift quadrant to cause respective pivotation thereof, said shift lever mechanism including laterally disposed range and speed shift quadrant proximate arcuate members and range and speed latches pivotally fixed to said support member engaging said respective arcuate members to be pivoted thereby to normally engage said holding slots in said range and speed shift quadrants and to disengage respectively therefrom when said shift lever respectively engages said lever slots in said range and speed shift quadrants; and a guide plate secured to said support member over said range and speed shift quadrants and having a shift pattern cutout provided therein encircling said shift lever and defining a plurality of pivoted positions thereof.

Claim 24

A shift control for a hydromechanical transmission comprising: a longitudinally and vertically extending support member having a laterally extending main pivot pin provided therein; a range shift quadrant pivotally mounted on said primary pivot pin and connectible to a range change mechanism to shift said hydromechanical transmission between ranges upon pivotation of said range shift quadrant, said range shift quadrant having a plurality of laterally extending holding slots provided therein at the bottom thereof and a laterally extending lever slot provided therein at the top thereof; a speed shift quadrant pivotally mounted on said primary pivot pin and connectible to a speed change mechanism to shift said hydromechanical transmission between speeds upon pivotation of said speed shift quadrant, said speed shift quadrant having a laterally extending holding slot provided therein at the bottom thereof and a laterally extending lever slot provided therein at the top thereof; a main pivot member pivotally mounted on said range and speed shift quadrants for pivotation in a vertical-longitudinal plane therebetween, said main pivot member having a longitudinally extending secondary pivot bore provided therein; a shift lever mechanism disposed around said main pivot member and including a secondary pivot pin pivotally engaging said secondary pivot bore in said main pilot member whereby said shift lever mechanism is pivotal in a vertical-longitudinal plane around said primary pivot pin and in a vertical-lateral plane around said secondary pivot pin, said shift lever mechanism having an integral shift lever extending therefrom pivotal therewith around said secondary pivot pin to engage said lever slot in said range or said speed shift quadrant and pivotal therewith around said primary pivot pin when engaged with said range or said speed shift quadrant to cause respective pivotation thereof, said shift lever mechanism including laterally disposed range and speed shift quadrant proximate arcuate members and range and speed latches pivotally fixed to said support member engaging said respective arcuate members to be pivoted thereby to normally engage said holding slots in said range and speed shift quadrants and to disengage respectively therefrom when said shift lever respectively engages said lever slots in said range and speed shift quadrants; and a guide plate secured to said support member over said range and speed shift quadrants and having a shift pattern cutout provided therein encircling said shift lever and defining a plurality of pivoted positions thereof.

Claim 25

The shift control as claimed in claim 21 wherein said speed shift quadrant has a pivoted neutral position in which said speed change mechanism shifts said hydromechanical transmission to a neutral configuration and said shift pattern cutout in said guide plate includes a laterally extending neutral cutout at which said shift lever can be engaged with and disengaged from said lever slot in said speed shift quadrant and said speed latch can be respectively disengaged from and engaged with said hold slot in said speed quadrant and includes a longitudinally extending neutral cutout along which said shift lever can be pivoted around said primary pivot pin without causing pivotation of either said range or speed shift quadrant.

Claim 26

The shift control as claimed in claim 21 wherein said shift pattern cutout in said guide plate includes a plurality of laterally extending range stop cutouts whereat said shift lever must be pivoted laterally towards said speed shift quadrant while being pivoted longitudinally in a first direction to shift ranges, said support member has a range stop finger extending vertically upward therefrom proximate the bottom of said shift lever mechanism, and said shift lever mechanism includes a range stop bracket depending therefrom having a plurality of fingers abuttable with said range stop bracket when said shift lever is being pivoted longitudinally in a direction opposite the first direction, to require said shift lever to be pivoted laterally away from said range shift quadrant shifting said hydromechanical transmission from one range to another.

Claim 27

The shift control as claimed in claim 23 wherein said main pivot member has a pair of offset parallel surfaces provided thereon connected by a ramp, and said shift lever mechanism includes a detent device movable across said ramp to define said pivoted positions around said secondary pivot pin wherein said shift lever is engaged or disengaged from said lever slot in said range shift quadrant.

Claim 28

The shift control as claimed in claim 21 including a high/low lever pivotally mounted on said support member and connectible to high/low hydraulic valving to shift said hydromechanical transmission between speeds upon pivotation of said high/low lever, and wherein said high/low lever mechanism includes an arcuate actuation member abutting said high/low lever to normally prevent pivotation thereof and to cause pivotation thereof when said shift lever mechanism is pivoted around said secondary pivot pin to engage said shift lever in said lever slot in said speed shift quadrant.

Claim 29

The shift control as claimed in claim 25 wherein said main pivot member has oppositely disposed flats provided thereon having oppositely drilled offset countersinks provided therein and said shift lever mechanism includes a pair of oppositely disposed detent devices provided therein successively interacted with said offset countersink upon lateral pivotation of said shift lever when engaging said speed shift quadrant to define high and low positions of said shift lever indicative to said high and low positions of said high/low lever.

Claim 30

The shift control as claimed in claim 21 including a park lockup arm pivotally mounted on said support member and connectible to a park mechanism for selectively locking up or unlocking said hydromechanical transmission upon pivotation of said park lockup arm and wherein said shift lever mechanism includes a park engagement member engageable with said park lockup arm to cause pivotation and holding thereof upon pivotation of said shift lever to a fully pivoted park position as established by said shift pattern cutout in said guide plate.

Claim 31

The shift control as claimed in claim 27 wherein said shift pattern cutout includes a laterally extending park cutout, said guide plate includes biasing means for urging said shift lever in said park cutout laterally toward said speed shift quadrant, and said speed shift quadrant has a park lock slot provided therein engageable with said shift lever disposed laterally in said park cutout when said speed shift quadrant is in the pivoted neutral position to prevent movement of said speed shift quadrant.

Claim 32

The shift control as claimed in claim 21 wherein said range shift quadrant has a longitudinally extending cam groove provided therein, said speed shift quadrant has a lockout notch provided therein, and including a laterally movable pin bracket carried by said guide plate extending into said cam groove and extending proximate said lockout notch, said pin bracket laterally movable by said cam groove to engage and disengage from said lockout notch to respectively limit and allow pivotation of said speed shift quadrant.

Claim 33

The shift control as claimed in claim 21 including a high/low lever pivotally mounted on said support member and connectible to high/low hydraulic valving to shift said hydromechanical transmission between speeds upon pivotation of said high/low lever, wherein said shift lever mechanism includes an arcuate activation member abutting said high/low lever to normally prevent pivotation thereof and to cause pivotation thereof when said shift lever mechanism is pivoted around said secondary pivot pin to engage said shift lever in said lever slot in said speed quadrant, and including a first pivotable member pivotable in said vertical-longitudinal plane upon engagement with said range shift quadrant and a second pivotable member pivotable in a horizontal plane in response to pivotation of said first pivotable member to cover a portion of said shift pattern cutout and block pivotation of said shift lever around said secondary pivot pin.