GB678419A - Control mechanism for change speed gears of motor vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

678,419. Change-speed control. OPEL AKT.-GES., A. Aug. 28, 1950 [Aug. 30, 1949], No. 21178/50. Addition to 661,525. Class 80 (ii). A steering-column-mounted hand shift-lever 8, operates the sliding and turning. selector-shaft 30 of a 3-speed and reverse vehicle changespeed gear through a shift-rod 9 mounted parallel to the column to slide and turn on fixed axial pins 12, 15 on the column, the pins having spherical enlargements, that 17 at the upper end providing a fulcrum for the hand-lever 8 which latter has a pin 20 engaging the outwardlyturned forked end of the rod 9, whilst the enlargement 18 at the lower end fulcrums an arm 23, levered by an offset ball-end 22 of a curved finger 21 at the cranked lower end of the rod 9. A link 25 rigidly connects the arm 23 with a similar arm 31 which fulcrums on a ball-ended fixed stud 27 and is engaged by a ball 28 on an arm 29 fast to the gear selector-shaft 30. Selecting movement of the hand-lever 8 in the plane of the column thus moves the rod 9 axially in the same direction, swinging the lower arm 23 in the same plane and, through the link 25, swinging the arm 31 perpendicular to the gear selector-shaft 30 and thus moving the latter axially, whilst rotary movement of the lever 8 about the axis of the rod 9 turns the latter and the arm 23 about the same axis, which, through the link 25 turns the arm 31 about the axis of the gear selector shaft 30, thus turning the latter to establish a gear. A spring 52 in the upper end of the rod 9 biases the lever 8 downwards into the 2nd and high plane, and springs 24 load the ball joints. Gear shift arms 37, 39, Fig. 4. are journalled on the selector-shaft and clutched selectively thereto by a diametral pin 41 on the shaft engaging notches 43 in the adjacent end faces of the arms when the shaft slides axially for selection. That arm 37 or 39 not locked to the shaft 30 is locked against all movement by a ball 44 or 45 engaging a recess in the arm and released by a shaft-groove 47 or 48 when the shaft 30 is moved axially to clutch the appropriate arm. The usual spring detents retain the arms 37, 39 in set positions, Fig. 5 (not shown).