Shift lever assembly

Claim 2

A shift lever assembly for changing the speed of a rotatable shaft, comprising: (a) a first plate containing a slot having at least three pairs of notches formed thereon, two pairs of said notches corresponding to two speed positions and said third pair of notches corresponding to a neutral position which is located between said two speed positions; (b) a second plate containing a slot with a recess formed thereon corresponding to said neutral position; (c) a movable rod attached to said rotatable shaft and passing through said slots formed in said first and second plates; (d) a knob attached to said rod having stop means engageable with said notches of said first plate to position said rod in said speed positions and said neutral position; and (e) abutment means for preventing said rod from moving directly from one speed position to the next until said rod is rotated while in the neutral position.

Claim 3

The shift lever assembly of claim 1 wherein said rod is spring-loaded downward.

Claim 4

The shift lever assembly of claim 2 wherein said rod can be rotated from 0 to 180 degrees.

Claim 5

The shift lever assembly of claim 1 wherein said stop means includes a deep stop and a pair of shallow stops.

Claim 6

The shift lever assembly of claim 4 wherein shallow stops are aligned parallel to each other.

Claim 7

The shift lever assembly of claim 5 wherein said knob contains a direction of movement indicator.

Claim 8

A shift lever assembly for changing the speed of a power take-off shaft of a tractor, comprising: (a) a first plate containing a linear slot having a pair of notches corresponding to each speed position and to a neutral position, said neutral position located between said speed positions; (b) a second plate aligned adjacent to said first plate containing a linear slot with a circular recess located at said neutral position; (c) a movable spring-loaded rod attached to said power take-off shaft and passing through said slots formed in said first and second plates; (d) a knob attached to said rod having stop means engageable in said notches of said first plate to position said rod in said speed positions and in said neutral position; and (e) an abutment member fixed to said rod and engageable in said circular recess of said second plate for preventing said rod from moving directly from one speed position to a second speed position until said rod is rotated while in the neutral position.

Claim 9

A shift lever assembly for changing the speed of a power take-off shaft of a tractor, comprising: (a) a first plate containing a linear slot having a pair of notches corresponding to each speed position and to a neutral position, said neutral position located between said speed positions; (b) a second plate aligned adjacent to said first plate containing a linear slot with a circular recess located at said neutral position; (c) a movable spring-loaded rod attached to said power take-off shaft and passing through said slots formed in said first and second plates; (d) a knob attached to said rod having stop means engageable in said notches of said first plate to position said rod in said speed positions and in said neutral position; and (e) an abutment member fixed to said rod and engageable in said circular recess of said second plate for preventing said rod from moving directly from one speed position to a second speed position until said rod is rotated while in the neutral position.

Claim 10

The shift lever assembly of claim 7 wherein said rod is spring-loaded downward.

Claim 11

The shift lever assembly of claim 7 wherein said rod can be rotated from 0 to 180 degrees.

Claim 12

The shift lever assembly of claim 7 wherein said abutment is a circular step-like disc having an upper portion and a larger lower portion.

Claim 13

The shift lever assembly of claim 10 wherein only said upper portion of said abutment is engageable in said circular recess of said second plate.

Claim 14

A shift lever assembly for changing the speed of a power take-off shaft of a tractor, comprising: (a) a first plate containing a linear slot having at least three pairs of notches formed therein and having two pairs of projections located adjacent to the middle pair of notches, said middle pair of notches corresponding to a neutral position and said other two pairs of notches corresponding to two speed positions; (b) a second plate vertically aligned to said first plate containing a linear slot with a circular recess located at said neutral position; (c) a movable rod spring-loaded downward which passes through said slots formed in said first and second plates; (d) linkage means for connecting a first end of said rod to said power take-off shaft; (e) a knob attached to a second end of said rod having stop means engageable in said notches of said first plate to position said rod in said speed positions and in said neutral position; and (f) an abutment member fixed to said rod below said second plate an engageable in said circular recess of said second plate when said rod is moved to said neutral position, said abutment member preventing said rod from being moved directlyy from one speed position to the second speed position until said rod is rotated while in the neutral position.

Claim 15

A shift lever assembly for changing the speed of a power take-off shaft of a tractor, comprising: (a) a first plate containing a linear slot having at least three pairs of notches formed therein and having two pairs of projections located adjacent to the middle pair of notches, said middle pair of notches corresponding to a neutral position and said other two pairs of notches corresponding to two speed positions; (b) a second plate vertically aligned to said first plate containing a linear slot with a circular recess located at said neutral position; (c) a movable rod spring-loaded downward which passes through said slots formed in said first and second plates; (d) linkage means for connecting a first end of said rod to said power take-off shaft; (e) a knob attached to a second end of said rod having stop means engageable in said notches of said first plate to position said rod in said speed positions and in said neutral position; and (f) an abutment member fixed to said rod below said second plate an engageable in said circular recess of said second plate when said rod is moved to said neutral position, said abutment member preventing said rod from being moved directlyy from one speed position to the second speed position until said rod is rotated while in the neutral position.