Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The present invention relates to a selector detent
means in a gear shift device on, or i:n conjunction with
a rotating sha~t, the axial displacement of which, from
: the neutral position, serves to select: a gate, whereas
the rotation thereof engages the gears, locking paths bei.ng
arranged in at least one locking ring secured to said ro-
tating shaft, said locking paths acting only in the selecting
direction, with at least one detent element which is guided
in the control housing and which, under the action of the
spring, is urged towards the locking path, a locking pro-
jection, acting in the direction of selection, arising
under the action of one or the other and making it easy
for the driver to find the gates as he moves the gear shift
lever and, under the additional action of a holding spring
assembly, the gearshift lever being guided back into pre-
determined gates and two d~tent elements being preferably
arranged laterally of the rotating shaft and facing each
: other.
: A device of this kind is known, for example from
German patent 30 00 577, Figure 2, wherein spherical elements
7 cooperate with a control ca~ 80. Devices of this kind
operate reliably and provide a locking projection which
extends over the selector positions and makes it easy to
find the gates. In conjunction with a holding spring as-
; sembly, the rota-ting shaft is also held, or returned into,
predetermined gate positions. As a result oi relatively
considerable friction in the guidance of the spher.ical
elements, the locking force in the selecting dlrection
is dependent not only upon spring forces, but also upon
produotion tolerances and -temperature. The production
of a device of this kind is complex and it is therefore
costly.
It is therefore an important ~im of the present in-
vent.ion
to optimize a selector detent meanc according to the afore-
mentioned prior art device, from the point of view of fric-
tion, with a view to obtaining smooth sh:ifting, but without
impairing -the effect of the detent means~ Also, to provide
a design of device which is simple and easily assembled.
The aforementioned aim is achieved by the present
invention in providing a selector detent means in a gear
shifting device on, or in conjunction with, a rotating
shaft, the axial displacement of which, fro~ the neutral
position, serves to select a gate, whereas the rotation
thereof engages the gears, locking paths being arranged
in at least one lock.ing ring secured to the rotating shaft,
the locking paths acting only in the selecting direction,
with at least one detent element which is guided in the
control housing and which/ under the action of the spring,
is urged towards the locking path, a locking projection,
acting in the direction of selection, arising under the
action of one or the other and ~aking it easy for the driver
to find the gates as he moves the gear shift lever and,
under the additional action of a holding spring assembly,
the gearshift lever being guided back into predetermined
ga-tes and two detent elements being preferably arranged
laterally of the rotating shaft and facing each other,
characterized in that the detent element is pivotably secured
in the control housing, the pivoting movement thereof being
restricted in a radially inner terminal position.
Whereas, according to the prior art, the detent
element is guided radially and is a-t all times pressed
by a spring against a locking path, which leads to relatively
high friction, a tiltiny motion produces very little friction
because the radius, around which the tilting motion occurs,
may be kept very small. The Eriction also acts only during
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a displacement/ e.g. during a double-H shi~t from the 3/4
gate to the 5/6 gate and possibly to the reverse gear gate.
In the case of displacements into the gates and gears of
the remaining forward speeds 1/2, 7/8, there is no friction
either in the shifting or the selecting direction because,
since the detent element is locked in the radially inner
position, there is no contact with the bottom of the locking
path. The basic principle of this arrangement also permits
a very simple and inexpensive design with reliable detent.
In addition to this, the reverse gear detent can also be
included. In the case of German patent 30 00 577,
(Figures 4 and 5), this requires separate detent elements
82.
In the case of the practical design, according
to the preferred embodiments disclosed, not only is friction
optimized, but the design is very simple, assembly is very
straightforward, and the detent lever, because of its
simple configuration, may be produced ready for installation
by precision stamping~
The arrangement according to one preferred embodi-
ment provides further simplification since only one end
of the detent mounting pins is secured in the control housing
and since lateral guidance of the detent lever is effected
in simple fashion, there is no need to provide a slot ~or
this guidance in the control housing.
The arrangement according to a further preferred
embodiment not only reduces the friction still further,
but also makes it possible to simplify the locking ring
and the attachment thereof. With the arrangement of at
least two detent levers facing each other, the rotating
shaEt bearings, as is known, are not sub~ected to reactions
in overcoming the locks~ IE reversal of the operative
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direction of the captive spring assembly takes place in
the middle of a lock in the lock ring, and if the lock
is designed, as per the present invention, with two effective
areas, a particularly favourable, simple and also variable
solution of the detent is obtained by the arrangement,
e.g. of gates 3/4 and 5/6 as in the case of a double H
shift, since the configuration of the effective areas of
the lock, and also the projection on the detent lever,
may be according to the effect desired.
The arrangements according to still other preferred
embodiments also have advantages, particularly in connection
with predetermined conditions of a gear shift.
Low friction locking spheres in a locking device
are disclosed in Figures 2 and 3 of Ger~an OS 30 ~7 117.
However, friction arises in the guide and such devices
are costly to produce. They are also in permanent operative
connection with the locking path.
Further details of the invention are described
hereinafter in conjunction with the example of embodiment
illustrated in the drawings attached hereto, the details
in which comprise objects of the invention. In the drawing:
Figure 1 illustrates the part of a gear shift
in the vicinity of the selector detent means, as seen from
the gearbox - underside - with two representations of the
~ocking rings;
Figure 2 is a cross-section of Figure l along
the line II-II;
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of Figure
1 in the direction of the rotating shaft;
Figure ~ illustrates the locking ring of a double-
H shiEt, ~ith the position of the detent lever projection
in individual gates.
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Referring in detail to the dra~ings. In Figure 1,
a rotating shaft 2, having a locking
ring 3 and ]ocks or stops 32, 32A is mounted in control
housing 4, locking ring 3 being connected to rotating shaft
2 by a retaining pin 35. Alternatively, locking rings
- indicated by thin broken lines - may be secured to
rotating shaft 2 by means of Seeger circlip rings. Two
first pins 5 are secured, each in a bearing boss 41 in
control housing 4, at ~ angles to rotating shaft 2 and
10 at a distance therefrom. Each of these pins carries a
detent lever 1 adapted to pivot about the same radially
of rotating shaft 2 and facing one another projections
11 on the detent levers 1 cooperating with locks 32, 32A
or locking rings 30. Each of the detent levers 1 is urged
towards the rotating shaft by a spring 6 which bears against
control housing 4, and is held by a second pin 5A, which
is mounted, in parallel with the first pin 5, approximately
in the plane of spring and of the projection on detent
lever 1, in the same way as the said first pin, in the
control housing, in conjunction with an elongated hole
12, in a radially inner position 8. A gap 81 is located
between locking path 31 or rotating shaft 2 and radially
inner position 8 of detent lever 1.
In Figure 2, which as indicated is a cross-section
of Figure 1, 41 are the bearing bosses in control housing
4 in which pins 5A are secured. Each detent lever 1 is
guided by plane surface 42 of the bearing boss and by sleeve
51 slipped onto pin 5, 5A, said pins bearing against gearbox
9, either directly or, as shown, via their heads, after
control housing 4 has been assembled. Springs 6 are
clamped between control housing 4 and -the detent levers
1, the latter also comprising a guide 13 or a supporting
surface 14 for the springs 6.
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Further to Figures 1 and 2, Figure 3 shows the
arrangement of detent levers 1 centrally of rotating shaft
2 with transverse pins 5, 5A which bear against gearbox
9 after control housing 4 has been assembled thereto.
Also shown is the arrangement, known per se, of holding
springs 7 between rotating shaft 2 and control housing
4.
Figure 4 shows the method of opera~ion and is
a diagrammatical section illustrating a locking r:ing 3
secured to a rotating shaft 2, with a representation of
gates R/C, 1/2, 3/4, 5/6, 7/8 of a double-H shift, with
projection 11 on detent lever I in some of the gates.
Projection 11 is held, by restriction of the pivoting
motion of detent lever 1, in elongated hole 12, by pin
; 5A (Figure 1) in such a manner that a gap 81 is provided
in the radial direction between the shoulder of locking
path 31 and projection 11, and locks 32, 32A bear only
upon effective areas 34. The holding spring assembly is
directed and arranged in such manner that the axial operative
direction reverses in the axial direction when projection
; 11 is in the middle of lock 32 so that, with the gear shift
lever in neutral, this lever, and thus the rotating shaft,
remains in the stepped down range - gates R/C, 1/2, 3/4
- without selecting force in gate 3/4, or is returned there-
to, whereas in the direct range - group drive 1:1 - it
remains in gate 5/6 or is returned thereto from gate 7t8.
During the selection of gates and changing of gears 3/4
to 1/2 and from 5/6 to 7/8, and vice-versa, no locking
forces are present - springs 6 - are in effect and there
is also no ~ric-tion, only the axially acting forces o~
the holding spring assembly.
Locking forces, from spring ~, are in eEfect
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only when ro-tating shaft 2 is displaced from gate 3/4 to
gate 5/6 and vice-versa, and during movement from gate
lt2 to the R/C gate. The limited pivoting motion of detent
lever 1 radially inwardly takes place when spring 6 is
preloaded.
Locks 32, 32A may also be on - projecting - or
in rotating shaft 2, i.e. they may be an integral part
thereof.
