Shipping and installation restraining clip for master cylinder input member

Claim 2

A shipping and installation clip for an actuator having a housing and a linearly movable input member projecting from said housing, said clip holding said input member in an extended position, said clip comprising a generally U-shaped member fitted on a peripheral portion of said input member between an end of said housing and abutment means provided on said input member, wherein said U-shaped member is formed with a pair of bifurcated legs separated by a slot of a width narrower than said abutment means, said U-shaped member is disposed with a face in engagement with said abutment means, said bifurcated legs are disposed straddling over said input member, said abutment means is a groove in said input member and said U-shaped member is removably placed with said bifurcated legs disposed in said groove, whereby said clip prevents actuation of said input member until removed therefrom.

Claim 3

In a hydraulic apparatus comprising a master cylinder having an input member linearly movable through an end of said master cylinder, a slave cylinder having an output member linearly movable relative to said slave cylinder, and a conduit connecting said master cylinder to said slave cylinder wherein said apparatus is filled with hydraulic fluid prior to shipment for installation on a functional structure for remote operation of a mechanism by said slave cylinder output member upon actuation of said master cylinder input member, means for holding said slave cylinder output member in a retracted position and means for holding said master cylinder input member in an extended position, wherein said means for maintaining said master cylinder input member is an extended position comprises a clip removably attached to said master cylinder input member, said clip having an end in abutment with corresponding abutment means integral with said input member and another end in abutment with the end of said master cylinder from which projects said input member, said clip comprising a generally U-shaped member fitted on a peripheral portion of said input member between the end of said master cylinder and said abutment means, said U-shaped member being formed with a pair of bifurcated legs separated by a slot of a width narrower than said abutment means, said U-shaped member being disposed with a face in engagement with the end of said master cylinder and another face in engagement with said abutment means, said bifurcated legs being disposed straddling over said output member, wherein said abutment means is a groove in said output member and said U-shaped member is removably placed with said bifurcated legs disposed in said groove.

Claim 4

In a hydraulic apparatus comprising a master cylinder having an input member linearly movable through an end of said master cylinder, a slave cylinder having an output member linearly movable relative to said slave cylinder, and a conduit connecting said master cylinder to said slave cylinder wherein said apparatus is filled with hydraulic fluid prior to shipment for installation on a functional structure for remote operation of a mechanism by said slave cylinder output member upon actuation of said master cylinder input member, means for holding said slave cylinder output member in a retracted position and means for holding said master cylinder input member in an extended position, wherein said means for maintaining said master cylinder input member is an extended position comprises a clip removably attached to said master cylinder input member, said clip having an end in abutment with corresponding abutment means integral with said input member and another end in abutment with the end of said master cylinder from which projects said input member, said clip comprising a generally U-shaped member fitted on a peripheral portion of said input member between the end of said master cylinder and said abutment means, said U-shaped member being formed with a pair of bifurcated legs separated by a slot of a width narrower than said abutment means, said U-shaped member being disposed with a face in engagement with the end of said master cylinder and another face in engagement with said abutment means, said bifurcated legs being disposed straddling over said output member, wherein said abutment means is a groove in said output member and said U-shaped member is removably placed with said bifurcated legs disposed in said groove.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said apparatus is a motor vehicle clutch actuating apparatus.

Claim 8

The method of claim 4 further comprising removing said clip after installation of said master cylinder and of said slave cylinder on a utilization mechanism.

Claim 9

The method of claim 5 wherein said utilization mechanism is a motor vehicle and said hydraulic apparatus is a clutch control apparatus.

Claim 10

A shipping and installation clip for an actuator having a housing and a linearly movable input member projecting from said housing, said clip holding said input member in an extended position, said clip comprising a generally U-shaped member fitted on a peripheral portion of said input member between an end of said housing and abutment means provided on said input member, wherein said U-shaped member comprises a generally channel-shaped body adapted to fit on a peripheral portion of said input member between the end of said housing and said abutment means provided on said input member, said body having a pair of substantially parallel sidewalls, said sidewalls having each a portion separated from an opposite portion of the other of said sidewalls by a space of a width less than the thickness of said input member, and said sidewall portions being elastically spreadable for allowing said input member to pass between said portions for attachment of said channel-shaped body upon said input member, whereby said clip prevents actuation of said input member until removed therefrom.

Claim 11

A shipping and installation clip for an actuator having a housing and a linearly movable input member projecting from said housing, said clip holding said input member in an extended position, said clip comprising a generally U-shaped member fitted on a peripheral portion of said input member between an end of said housing and abutment means provided on said input member, wherein said U-shaped member comprises a generally channel-shaped body adapted to fit on a peripheral portion of said input member between the end of said housing and said abutment means provided on said input member, said body having a pair of substantially parallel sidewalls, said sidewalls having each a portion separated from an opposite portion of the other of said sidewalls by a space of a width less than the thickness of said input member, and said sidewall portions being elastically spreadable for allowing said input member to pass between said portions for attachment of said channel-shaped body upon said input member, whereby said clip prevents actuation of said input member until removed therefrom.

Claim 12

The clip of claim 7 further comprising an outwardly extending flange at one end of said body.

Claim 13

The clip of claim 7 further comprising a slit in one of said sidewalls for separating said resiliently spreadable sidewall portion from said sidewall, and a ramp interiorly formed on said resiliently spreadable sidewall portion for causing the distance separating said ramp from said other sidewall portion to be less than the thickness of said input member.

Claim 14

The clip of claim 7, wherein said abutment means is a shoulder abutment on said input member, and further comprising a partially annular end face at one end of said body for engagement with said shoulder abutment on said input member.

Claim 15

The clip of claim 10 further comprising a tapered surface formed at one end of said sidewalls for clearing said shoulder abutment on said input member in the course of pivoting engagement of said body with said input member and pivoting disengagement of said body from said input member.

Claim 16

The clip of claim 7 further comprising at least one projecting ear at one end of said body.

Claim 17

The clip of claim 12 further comprising an aperture disposed in said ear.

Claim 18

In a hydraulic apparatus comprising a master cylinder having an input member linearly movable through an end of said master cylinder, a slave cylinder having an output member linearly movable relative to said slave cylinder, and a conduit connecting said master cylinder to said slave cylinder wherein said apparatus is filled with hydraulic fluid prior to shipment for installation on a functional structure for remote operation of a mechanism by said slave cylinder output member upon actuation of said master cylinder input member, means for holding said slave cylinder output member in a retracted position and means for holding said master cylinder input member in an extended position, wherein said means for maintaining said master cylinder input member in an extended position comprises a clip removably attached to said master cylinder input member, said clip having an end in abutment with corresponding abutment means integral with said input member and another end in abutment with the end of said master cylinder from which projects said input member, said clip comprising a generally U-shaped member fitted on a peripheral portion of said input member between the end of said master cylinder and said abutment means, wherein said U-shaped member comprises a generally channel-shaped body adapted to fit on a peripheral portion of said input member between the end of said master cylinder and said abutment means, said body having a pair of substantially parallel sidewalls, said sidewalls having each a portion separated from an opposite portion of the other sidewalls by a space of a width less than the thickness of said input member, and said sidewall portions being elastically spreadable for allowing said input member to pass between said portions for attachment of said channel-shaped body upon said input member.

Claim 19

In a hydraulic apparatus comprising a master cylinder having an input member linearly movable through an end of said master cylinder, a slave cylinder having an output member linearly movable relative to said slave cylinder, and a conduit connecting said master cylinder to said slave cylinder wherein said apparatus is filled with hydraulic fluid prior to shipment for installation on a functional structure for remote operation of a mechanism by said slave cylinder output member upon actuation of said master cylinder input member, means for holding said slave cylinder output member in a retracted position and means for holding said master cylinder input member in an extended position, wherein said means for maintaining said master cylinder input member in an extended position comprises a clip removably attached to said master cylinder input member, said clip having an end in abutment with corresponding abutment means integral with said input member and another end in abutment with the end of said master cylinder from which projects said input member, said clip comprising a generally U-shaped member fitted on a peripheral portion of said input member between the end of said master cylinder and said abutment means, wherein said U-shaped member comprises a generally channel-shaped body adapted to fit on a peripheral portion of said input member between the end of said master cylinder and said abutment means, said body having a pair of substantially parallel sidewalls, said sidewalls having each a portion separated from an opposite portion of the other sidewalls by a space of a width less than the thickness of said input member, and said sidewall portions being elastically spreadable for allowing said input member to pass between said portions for attachment of said channel-shaped body upon said input member.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said U-shaped member further comprises an outwardly extending flange at one end of said body.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a slit in one of said sidewalls for separating said resiliently spreadable sidewall portion from said sidewall, and a ramp interiorly formed on said resiliently spreadable sidewall portion for causing the distance separating said ramp from said other sidewall portion to be less than the thickness of said input member.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said apparatus is a motor vehicle clutch actuating apparatus.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said abutment means is a shoulder abutment on said input member, and further comprising a partially annular end face at one end of said body for engagement with said shoulder abutment on said input member.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising a tapered surface formed at one end of said sidewalls for clearing said shoulder abutment on said input member in the course of pivoting engagement of said body with said input member and pivoting disengagement of said body from said input member.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising at least one projecting ear at one end of said body.

Claim 26

The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising an aperture disposed in said ear.

Claim 29

The method of claim 22 wherein said clip further comprises an outwardly extending flange at one end of said body.

Claim 30

The method of claim 22 further comprising removing said clip after installation of said master cylinder and of said slave cylinder on a utilization mechanism.

Claim 31

The method of claim 24 wherein said utilization mechanism is a motor vehicle and said hydraulic apparatus is a clutch control apparatus.

Claim 32

The method of claim 22, wherein said abutment means is a shoulder abutment on said input member, and said clip further comprises a partially annular end face at one end of said body for engagement with said shoulder abutment on said input member.

Claim 33

The method of claim 26 wherein said clip further comprises a tapered surface formed at one end of said sidewalls for clearing said shoulder abutment on said input member in the course of pivoting engagement of said body with said input member and pivoting disengagement of said body from said input member.

Claim 34

The method of claim 22 wherein said clip further comprises at least one projecting ear at one end of said body.

Claim 35

The method of claim 28 wherein said clip further comprises an aperture disposed in said ear.