Apparatus for controlling transmission gear shift selection

Claim 1

In an automotive engine having an electrical power source and an automatic or semi-automatic transmission including a manually operated transmission gear shift lever having at least two forward drive positions, an apparatus comprising: (a) a speed sensing means for sensing the rotational speed of said engine and generating an output signal when said engine reaches a preselected rotational speed; and (b) a gear shifting means for changing the shift positions of said gear shift lever from a first drive position to a second drive position automatically in response to said output signal from said speed sensing means, said gear shifting means including (i) a latch actuable between open and closed positions, (ii) a normally de-energized solenoid having a plunger connected to said latch and operable to move said latch to said open position when said solenoid is energized by said electrical power source, (iii) a relay means for allowing the energizing of said solenoid by said power source in response to said output signal from said speed sensing means, and (iv) an actuating means, including a spring biased linkage mechanism operably connected to said gear shift lever and said latch, for actuating the movement of said gear shift lever from said first drive position to said second drive position in response to movement of said latch from the closed to the open position, thereby causing gear shifting to occur when said engine reaches said preselected rotational speed.