Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
Backqround of the Invention
Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to interrelated motor
and transmission controls and more particularly has reference
S to a single lever control having throttle braking in the neutral
throttle mode.
Description of the Prior Art~
Pertinent United States and foreign patents are found in
Class 192, subclasses .096 and .098 and Class 74, subclasses 372,
471R, 475, 476, 483, 491, 504, 511, 519, 523, 872, 875, 876 and
878 of the officiaI classifications of patents in the United
States Patent and ~rademark Office.
I Examples of pertinent patents are United States Patents
¦ 2,254,144; 3,127,785; 3,511,117; 3,581,603; 3,842,695 and 3,929,039.
In Patent 3,842,695, the lever and shaft are not capable
~ of axial movement, but a slider shaft in the lever assembly can
¦ be retracted. When the transmission is in the neutral position,
retraction of the slider shaft disengages key 96 having projection
loo from the driving gear 56 and pU115 pin 108 into hole llo.
Patent 3,581,603 discloses a similar mechanism. Patent 3,8~2,695
differs from the invention in several ways: first, the lock is
on the slider shaft, not the lever; second, the slider shaft is
nonrotatable; third, the lock is not spring biased. In Patent
3,581,603, the slider shaft is rotatable.
Patents 3,511,117 and 3,127,785 disclose control levers
which can be pulled outward when in neutral posit:ion, to open
4'a~
the throttle independently of the shift function. The control
lever is spring biased. In Patent 3,511,117, blocking flange
134 locks against reverse curved portion 133 of interlocking
plate 131 to prevent accidental shift while in the neutral
throttle mode. Lateral wings 135 or 136 are interposed between
the blocking flange 134 and gear 38 to prevent axial translation
of the control lever 18 except in the neutral position. Patent
3,127,785 has a similarly functioning plate 70 and flange 37.
I The lever in Patent 3,929,039 contains a spring-loaded
¦ 10 coupling shaft which can be disengaged while the lever is in a
¦ neutral position~ The coupling shaft has radially extending pins
¦ 25 which couple the main shaft to the throttle gear. Pressing
¦ in the coupling shaft against the spring disengages the pins
from the gear, and the gear from the shaft. In operation, this
mechanism functions in the reverse manner from the invention.
¦ No patent suggests the use of a friction plate and spring
¦ or a friction pad and profiled surface to prevent throttle creep
¦ in the neutral throttle operating mode. No patent suggests
! linking the friction plate to a throttle gear lock for economy
of manufacture and simplicity of operation.
Summary of the Invention
The present invention overcomes the problems which exist
in the prior art devices. In preferred form, the invention
provides a lever which permits throttle run up in neutral. A
shaft to wh-ich the lever is attached is slidable along its axis.
A double key on the shaft disenyayes frorn a shift gear, so that
the throttle controlling-shaft may rotate without moving the
shift gear. ~ shift gear lock and a throttle control arm are
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.
mounted on a distal end of the shaft opposite the lever. A pin
at the end of the lock aligns with a notch in the face of the
gear. When the lever is pulled out while in the neutral position,
the keys on the shaft disenyage from the gear, and the lock pin
is pulled into the notch in the gear. The throttle control arm,
being fixed to the shaft, is rotated, while the throttle gear is
locked against rotation. The throttle shift lock is spring-loaded,
the shoulder-aligned helical spring creating a frictional drag
between the throttle control arm and a friction plate borne against
the arm by the spring, thereby preventing throttle creep. Addi-
tional throttle braking is p~ovided by a friction pad which bears
against a specially profiled side of the throttle gear. The pad
force on the gear is adjusted by a scre~.
Objects of the invention are, therefore, to provide
improved braking apparatus for a control unit having a shaft
rotatably supported in and axially translatable with respect to
a housing, one end of the shaft connected to a control member
externally of the housing, translation of the member toward the
housing disengaging the shaft from a drive mernber rotatably
supported within the housing comprising, a friction plate mounted
on the shaft adjacent the control member, a helical spring connected
to the housing and friction plate at remote ends and surrounding the
end of the shaft bounded axially by the housing and friction plate
for resiliently urging the friction plate into frictional engagement
with the control member, the housing is provided with an external
annular shoulder concentrically spaced about the shaft, the end of
the spring adjacent the housing closely circumscribing the shoulder,
the control me~ber has a relatively large radial surface adjacent
the friction plate, the friction plate having a radial surface
configured to abut the control mernber along substantially the entire
,
8~
radial surface of the control rnember, locking means connected to
the friction plate for preventing rotation of the drive member
when the shaft is disengaged from the drive member, the locking
means comprises an axial member connected to the friction plate,
the housing has a bore, the axial member received within the bore,
and the drive member has a bore configured to receive the axial
member projecting through the housing when aligned with the bore
in the housing upon translation of the control member toward the
housing, the end of the axial member closely adjacent the surface
of the drive member when the bore in the drive member is moved
from alignment with the bore in the housing, thereby preventing
axial translation of the shaft, the axial member has an opening
adjacent the friction member, and the spring means has a radial
projection received within the opening in the axial member for
connecting the spring means to the axial member for supporting the
axial member and for resiliently urging the axial member away from
the drive member when the control member i5 translated away from
the housing, a friction pad connected to the housing adjacent the
drive member, the ~rive member having a radial end surface con-
figured to frictionally engage the friction pad sufficiently toprovide relatively large frictional resistance to the movement of
the surface across the friction pad, the surface further having
portions recessed from the friction pad sufficiently to provide
relatively small frictional resistance to khe movement of the
portions across the friction pad, a screw connected to the pad and
threadedly rece.ived within the housing for varyingly urging the
pad into frictional engagement with the drive member.
These and other and further objects and features of the
invention are apparent in the disclosure which includes the above
and below specifications and claims and drawings.
Brief Description of the Drawings
FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal cross section of a single lever
control embodying the features of the present invention.
FIGURE 2 is a top plan detail of the mounting flange shown
in FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 3 is a top plan detail of the collar shown in
FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal cross section taken substantially
along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3,
o FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal cross section of the hand lever
shown in FIGUR~ 1.
FIGURE 6 is a top plan detail of the throttle gear and
shifting gear shown in FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 7 is a rear plan view of the apparatus shown in
FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 8 is a sectional detail taken substantially along
the line 8-8 of FIGURE 1.
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Detailed Description of the Vrawinqs
Referring to Figure 1, a single lever control unit 1
is shown attached to a mounting board 2. Preferably, the unit
is adapted to sequentially operate a transmission and throttle
and, selectively, to operate the throttle independently of the
transmission.
The control unit 1 has a shaft 4 mounted in a housing
6 for rotational and axial movement. The shaft 4 is provided
with keys 8 adjacent an annular flange 10. The keys 8 are
lo configured to engage keyways 12 in a hub 14 rotatably mounted
in the housing 6. The flange 10 abuts an annular shoulder 16
on the hub 14 when the keys 8 and keyways 12 are engaged.
¦ The shaft 4 comrnunicates rotary actuating forces to the hub
¦ 14 through the keys 8.
¦ 15 A space 18 is provided adjacent the shaft 4 above
the annular flange 10 to permit axial translation of the
` shaft 4. When translated, the keys 8 and keyways 12
disengage, thereby permitting rotation of the shaft 4 withou-t
consequent rotation of the hub 14. The lower surface of the
keys 8 abut the upper surface of the hub 14 until further
rotation of the shaft 4 causes the keys 8 to realign with the
keyways 12.
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4~8
.g A spring 20 surrounds the end of the shaft 4.
The upper end of the spring 20 abuts an annular shoulder 22
on the housing 6. The lower end of the spring 20 abuts a
friction plate 24 mounted on the shaft 4 adjacent a throttle
actuating member 26 rigidly connected to the end of the shaft 4.
The spring 20 continuously urges the keys 8 and annular flange
10 on the shaft 4 toward the hub 14. This causes the keys 8
to automatically engage the keyways 12 when the shaft 4
rotates the keys 8 into alignment with the ~eyways 12.
The hub 14 has a throttle gear portion 30. The
throttle gear 30 is a Geneva type wheel which operatively
engages a Geneva wheel 32 rotatably mounted in the housing 6.
The Geneva wheel 32 is rigidly connected to a shift control
arm 34: the arm 34 and wheel 32 rotating simultaneously. As
shown infigure 6, rotation of the throttle gear 30 causes
rotation of the Geneva wheel shift gear 32 only when the teeth
of the gecrs 30 and 32 are meshed. Substantial rotation of
the throttle gear 30 in either di.rection causes the teeth of
the throttle gear 30 and shift gear 32 to disengage. Continued
rotation of the throttle gear 30 causes a reversed curve portion
34'of the shift gear 32 to mate with a curved surface 36 on
the throttle gear 30 to prevent rotation of the shift gear 32.
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4~1~
The sequential shifting and throttling operations
~- of the control unit as well as the selective independent
throttling operation of the control unit can now be readily
understood. The throttle control arm 40 is connected to an
engine throttle operator (not shown). Similarly, the shift
control arm 34 is connected to a-transmission operator (not
shown~. The connections are made in a manner to permit
neutral idling of the engine when the throttle gear 30 and shift
gear 32 are aligned as in Figure 6. Rotation of the shaft
4 in one direction rotates the throttle gear 30 in the same
direction. Initially, the shift gear 32 is also rotated in
the same direction. When the reversed curve portion 34'of
the shift gear 32 abuts the curved portion of the throttle
gear 30, the shift gear 32 stops rotating. At this point,
the shifting of the transmission from neutral to an operative
gear, for example, forward gear, is complete. Continued
rotation of the shaft 4 causes rotation of the throttle gear
30 and throttle actuating member 26. Consequently, the
en~ine is throttled. When the shaft 4 is rotated in the
opposite direction, the throttle gear 30 and throttle
actuating member 26 rotate in a similar direction. Initially,
engine throttle is reduced. Continued rotation of the shaft
4 causes the teeth on the throttle gear 30 and shift gear 32
to mesh. The transmission is shifted from forward gear to
neutral. If the shaft 4 is further rotated, the transmission
is shifted from neutral to reverse gear. Reverse throttle is
:
4~
then applied by continued rotation of the shaft 4. In
! order to prevent throttling while the shifting gear 32 is
j rotating, the throttle control arm 40 is connected to the
throttle operator by an appropriate lost motion device, or
any similarly functioning device.
A locking arm 42 is connected to the friction
plate 24 and is received within an opening 44 in the housing
6. The end 46 of the spring 20 projects through an opening
in the locking arm 42 and is thereby connected to the locking
! lo arm 42. The throttle gear 30 is provided with a notch 48
¦ configured to receive the locking arm 42 when the notch 48
j is aligned with the opening 44 in the housing 6. The notch
48 is positioned to align with the opening 44 in the housing 6
when the throttle gear 30 and shift gear 32 are in neutral
alignment.
xial translation of the shaft 4 in neutral dis-
engages the keys 8 from the keyways 12 and projects the
locking arm 42 into the notch 48 in the throttle gear 30,
i thereby locking the throttle gear 30 and shift gear 32 in
~ 20 neutral position. Rotation of the shaft 4 throttles the
¦ engine. The spring 20 urges the friction plate 24 into
`l frictional engagement with the throttle actuating member 26
~ to prevent throttle creep. When the shaft 4 is rotated to
j the neutral position, the keys 8 automatically engage the
keyways 12 and the locking arm 42 automatically disengages the
notch 48 in the throttle gear 32 by means of axial loading
created by -the spring 20. The end 46 of the spring 20
`
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. .
4~8
~connected to the locking arm 42 facilitates removal of the
~ arm 42 from the notch 48 in the throttle gear 30 and supports
the arm 42.
When ~he throttle gear 30 is rotated from neutral
alignment, the notch 48 in the throttle gear 30 is moved from
alignment with the opening 44 in the housing 6. The locking
arm 42 prevents axial translation of the shaft 4.
A detent 50 is mounted in the housing 6 adjacent the
throttle gear 3~. The detent has a spring 52 which continuously
urges a roller 54 against the side of the throttle gear 30.
`~ The gear 30 is provided with spaced notches 56, 58 and 60
configured to receive the roller 54. The central notch 58
is positioned to receive the roller 54 when the throttle gear
30 is in neutral alignment. The side notches 56 and 60 are
positioned to recei~e the roller 54 when the reverse curved
portion 34'of the shift gears 32 is first rotated into
contact with the curved portion 3Ç of the throttle gear 30.
Engagement of the roller 54 with the notches 56, 58 and 60
tendsto lock the throttle gear 30 against rotation. The
operator of the control unit 1 i5 thereby given indications
that the engine is in neutral or forward or reverse gear.
Additionally, the side notches 56 and 60 are positioned to
; engage the roller 54 when the control unit 1, operating in
sequential mode, completes the shifting operation and begins
the throttling operation.
48
A friction pad 61 is connected to the end of a
_ screw 62 threadedly mounted in a housing 6. As best
shown in Figure 8, the pad 61 is positioned to abut a
specially profiled surface 64 of the throttle gear 30.
The surface 64 has a por~ion 66 recessed from the friction
pad 61~ the arc length of the portion 66 corresponding to
the amount of angular displacement of the throttle gear 30
during which the throttle gear 30 rotates the shifting
gear 32. When the control unit l operates in the shifting
mode, the friction pad 61 offers relatively little frictional
resistance to the rotation of the throttle gear 30 since
the friction pad 61 is aligned with the recessed portion
66 of the throttle gear 30. In the throttling mode, however,
the friction pad 61 is aligned with the portion 67 of the
profiled surface 64 of the gear 30 closely adjacent the
inward surface of the housing 6, thereby offering a relatively
large frictional resistance to the rotation of the throttle
gear 30. The amount--of frictional resistance offerred by
the pad 61 to the rotation of the gear 30 can be adjusted
by the screw 62.
It is appreciated that the control unit l is readily
adaptable for use with power boat engines. Consequently,
sleeve bearings 68, 69 and 71 are provided to seal the unit l
and to prevent damage to the components of the unit l due to
the environment.
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~'~L41~8
An interlock collar 70 and a collar retainer 72 are
connected to the control unit 1 prior to mounting the control
unit 1 on the mounting surface 2. A neutral interlock hand
lever 74 is connected to the end of the shaft 4 projecting
through the opening 76 in the mounting surface 2. The lower
end of the hand lever cap 78 surrounds a portion of the inter-
lock collar 70 and is provided wi.th means to lock the hand
lever 74 against further rotation when the hand lever 74 is
moved to a neutral position.
As shown most clearly in FIGURE 5, the hand lever 74
has a block 80 slidably mounted within the cap 78. The block
80 is connected to a release button 82 by an arm 84 slidably
mounted within the shaft 86 of the hand lever 74. A spring 88
connected to the arm 84 and the shaft 86 urges the block 80
. 15 toward the center of the cap 78. A screw 90 projects through
. a slot in the arm 84 and is received within a sliding block
92 formed inside the shaft 86-to keep-the--arm 84 in proper
. alignment. Moving the button 82 in the direction indicated by
. the numeral 94 slides the block 80 toward the side of the cap
¦ 20 78. When the button 82 is released, the spring 88 causes the
block 80 to automatically move toward the center of the cap 78.
. The cap 78 is positioned on the collar 70 in a manner
which enables the radially inward surface of the block 80 to
: abut the radially outward surface of the upper a~ial portion102 of the collar 70. The cap 78 is connected to the shaft 4
¦ and rotates with the shaft 4. Rotation of the shaft 4 causes
I the block 80 to move along the surface 102 of the collar 70.
-, A notch 100 provided in the upper axial portion 102 of the
collar 70 is configured to receive the block 80 when the block
80 is aligned with the notch. Preferably, the notch 100 is
. - 13 -
~ ;
positioned to engage the block 80 when the hand lever 74 and
shaft 4 are rotated to a neutral position. Engagement of a
block 80 and notch 100 prevents further rotation of the hand
lever 74 and shaft 4.
Moving the button 82 in the direction indicated by
- numeral 94 moves the block ~0 toward the side o~ the cap 78,
thereby disengaging the block 80 and the notch 100. The hand
lever 74 and shaft 4 can then be rotated from the neutral
position. When the hand lever 74 and shaft 4 are returned to
~10 the neutral position, the spring 88 causes the block 80 to
j automatically engage the notch 100 thereby automatically pre-
I venting further rotation of the hand lever 74 and shaft 4.
¦ The collar 70 is held against the housing 6 by the
retainer 72 which overlies an annular flange 104 on the lower
115 axial portion 106 of the collar 70. The retainer 72 is pro-
i vided with serrations 108 configured to engage serrations 110
on the lower axial portion 106 of the collar 70 adjacent the
flange 104. The serrations 108 and llo prevent rotation of the
collar 70 when engaged. Prior to mounting the control unit 1
on the mounting plate 2, the collar 70 is oriented in the
retainer 72 in any desired position. Preferably, the collar 70
is oriented in a manner which positions the interlock notch 100
to engage the block 80 when the hand lever 74 is in an appropriate
neutral orientation.
Cap 78 is provided with an annular shoulder 112 which
abuts the outward surface of the mounting board 2 when the keys
8 on the shaft 4 engage the keyways 12 :in the hub 14. When the
shaf~ 4 is translated axially to disengage the ke~s 8 and key-
ways 12, the shoulder 112 is spaced from the surface of the
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~9L8~
mounting board 2 therehy providing an indication to the
operator that the control unit 1 is in the neutral throttle
mode of operation.
In an alternative embodiment, the cap 78 is positioned
on the collar 70 in a manner which enables the axially inward
surface of the block 80 to abut the axially outward end of
the upper axial portion 102 of the collar 70 when the hand
lever 74 is rotated from the neutral position while the control
unit 1 is in the neutral throttle mode of operation. When the
hand lever 74 is rotated to the neutral position, the block 80
engages the notch lOO,thereby permitting axial translation of
the shaft 4 and engagement of the keys 8 with the keyways 12
under loading from the spring 20. ~he hand lever 74 is rotated
from the neutral position in the manner previously described.
While the invention has been described with reference
to a specific embodiment, the exact nature and scope of the
invention is defined in the following claims.
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