GB1237826A - Motor vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

1,237,826. Controlling motor vehicles. FORD MOTOR CO. Ltd. 11 Oct., 1969, No. 50038/69. Heading B7H. [Also in Division E2] A motor vehicle has a transmission 4 which can be set in either a neutral or a driving condition by a driver-operable transmission control, a passenger door which can be put in an open position by fluid supplied to a door actuator through a driver-operable door control valve 3, an interlock 5 which is operable by the fluid supplied through the door control valve to prevent the transmission control being put into a driving position while the door is in the open position and a sensor 6 responsive to the transmission control to disconnect the door actuator and interlock from the door control valve when the transmission is in the driving condition so that the door can be opened by operation of the door control valve only when the transmission is in a neutral condition. A passenger door (not shown) of a public service vehicle can be opened by compressed air when supplied to an actuating mechanism 1 via door control valve 3. The transmission 4 includes a gear selecting mechanism operable by e.g. a gear-shift lever. A sensor 6 in the transmission senses whether or not the gear selecting mechanism is in a neutral condition and if it is, allows compressed air to be passed to the interlock 5 to lock the gear selecting mechanism in neutral and operate the actuating mechanism 1. The sensor comprises a spool 12 connected to the gear selecting mechanism and having an annular recess 14, which in the position of the spool shown, connects an inlet 15 and an outlet (not shown). The outlet is connected to inlet 10 of the interlock which has a plunger 7 normally retracted (as shown) but movable into a recess 11 in the gear selecting mechanism. Operation.-With the gear selecting mechanism engaged the passenger door cannot be opened since the spool 12 of sensor 6 is not in a position to allow passage of air to the interlock 5. When the gear selecting mechanism is in neutral the spool 12 is moved to position its recess 14 as shown. If the driver-operable door control 3 is set to a " door open " position, compressed air from source 2 is supplied to interlock 5 to move its plunger 7 into recess 11 and to door actuating mechanism 1. The door control 3 must be re-set to a " door closed " position, closing the door, to release the interlock 5 before the gear selecting mechanism can again be engaged.