Abstract: A shifter assembly for a shifting a vehicle transmission via a telescopeable transmission shift cable is provided. The shifter assembly includes a base, a shift lever pivoted to the base, a cable-actuating arm pivotally attached to the shift lever and adapted for operative connection to the transmission shift cable, and a coupler for securing the cable-actuating arm to the shift lever in an adjusted position. The coupler is movable between an adjustment-permitting position where a length variation in the transmission cable can be accommodated, and an interlocked position where the cable-actuating arm is secured to the shift lever. A manual, pawl-biased actuator on the shift lever is adapted to engage the coupler to move the coupler from the installed position to the interlocked position when the transmission cable is at a desired position.

Abstract: A vehicle park/lock mechanism with a novel control module in which is located a locking mechanism, an electrically actuated actuator for actuating said locking mechanism said module including a control switch which is actuated in response to the actuation of the locking mechanism. A restraining member is provided to prevent actuation of such switch to assure complete unlocking of the locking mechanism before the switch is actuated.

Abstract: A cable connector for a vehicle shifter includes an anchor configured to mateably receive a sheath of a cable assembly, and further includes a connector rod configured to receive a telescopable cable rod extending from the cable assembly. The vehicle shifter includes a base having a bracket supporting the anchor, and a shift mechanism pivotally attached to the base and operably connected to the connector rod. The shifter is installed in the vehicle by manipulating the shifter so that the sheath is inserted into the anchor with the cable rod extending through the anchor into the connector rod. The shifter is secured to the vehicle by clips that snap attach to a vehicle mounting bracket. The anchor is secured to the sheath by a first spring clip, and the cable rod is secured to the connector rod by a second spring clip,. which clips snap attach to the respective parts of the cable assembly as the shifter is snap attached to the vehicle.

Abstract: A shift lever indicator assembly is provided for use in conjunction with a shift lever having a pivot axis. The shift lever indicator assembly comprises a housing having a housing track. An indicator member having a flag portion is slidably located within the housing track. The indicator member also includes an indicator arm connected to the flag portion, the indicator arm being connected to the shift lever such that the flag portion will be moved about the pivot axis of the shift lever when the shift lever is moved while allowing the flag portion to move lateral to an arc about the pivot axis.

Abstract: A vehicle transmission shifter in which a locking member is movable along aligned and opposite directions to a locked or unlocked position. A mechanical advantage means, preferably a toggle joint, is connected to one end of the locking member for either restraining or moving the locking member in response to the electromagnetic attracting and repelling force. One of the magnetic attracting or retracting forces causes the locking member to move and be held in the locked position and the other of the magnetic attracting or retracting force causing the locking member to be moved to an unlocked position.

Abstract: A park lock mechanism having a lockout arm which, if it is accidentally moved to a lock position while the pawl of the shifting lever is in another gear position, it is movable by the pawl from such lock position to a third position permitting entry of the pawl into the park position and the lockout arm is then returned to its original lock position.

Abstract: A mechanism for adjusting the space or gap between a rigid, spherical boot and the periphery of an opening in a console trim plate through which the shift lever of the shifting mechanism extends. The mechanism provides both radial adjustment for providing a uniform gap and also allows for the assembly to be easily adjusted up or down with respect to the opening in the console trim plate.

Abstract: A vehicle transmission shifter in which a locking member is movable along a line in opposite directions to a locked position or unlocked position. A mechanical advantage means, preferably a toggle joint, is connected to one end of the locking member for either restraining or moving the locking member in response to the energization of an electrical coil of an electrical module which actuates an armature, or so-called module actuator, in a direction orthogonal to the toggle joint. The module actuator is biased to substantially align the axes of the toggle joint in which position the locking member is in locked position restrained from movement. When the brake of the vehicle is applied, the coil is energized and the module actuator is moved by the energization of the coil to break the knee of the toggle joint to unlock the locking member.

Abstract: A shift lever assembly for a vehicle is provided. The shift lever assembly ncludes a vertically oriented detent plate having a Z-shaped slot defining a 2-wheel-drive (2H) position, a 4-wheel-drive (4H) position, a neutral (N) position, and a 4-wheel-drive low-speed (4L) position. An actuator pivotally mounts to the detent plate and transfer case, the actuator including a first arm including a connector adapted to connect to a shift mechanism on a vehicle transfer case, and a second arm. A lever subassembly pivotally mounts to the actuator second arm and includes a detent pin adapted for movement in the Z-shaped slot. The lever subassembly is biased so that the detent pin engages the Z-shaped slot. As the lever subassembly is moved along a first path, it drives the connector on the actuator along a corresponding second path to shift the shifting mechanism.

Abstract: A drop-in type shifter is provided for an automotive transmission, the shifter employing one or more washer-like flat springs for spring biasing a shift stick to a predetermined position on the shifter and actuatable for changing the drive ratio of the transmission when the shift stick is pivoted. A base is adapted for mounting the shifter on the transmission. A spherical socket is disposed on the base, and a spherical ball is disposed on the shift stick, the shift stick being received in the ball for pivotally mounting the shift stick on the base. One or more flat washer-like springs are provided having an aperture through which the upper end of the shift stick extends, the washer-like spring being normally planar in an unstressed condition but being compressible into a curvilinear predetermined cross-sectional shape as installed.

Abstract: A vehicle transmission shifter mechanism having a shift lever frame including a roller detent, a shift lever shiftable to a plurality of different shift positions and a feel positioner for providing a feel to a vehicle operator for establishing each of the shift positions is provided with an improvement, the improvement being a leaf spring configured in a U-shaped arrangement at one end to quick connect into a pair of spaced apertures in a plate on the shift lever, and configured at the other end with opposing fingers to snappingly quick connect to a roller for rollingly engaging the roller detent. The roller is biased against the roller detent which generates reactive forces on the one end of the leaf spring causing the one end to be securely retained in the spaced apertures in the plate and causing the roller to be securely retained in the opposing fingers on the other end.

Abstract: A modular vehicle transmission shifter mechanism and method of manufacture in which the shifter mechanism is so constructed that it is adapted for use with different transmissions of different vehicles by providing standard components for supporting a pawl detent member and a position feel detent member. The standard components include a detent support member having attachments cooperating with attachments on the detent members, such attachments for each pawl member and said attachments for each position feel detent member being identical requiring only the change in configuration in the notches of the pawl detent member and the undulations in the position feel detent member. This shifter includes a unique shifting handle assembly and an improved support structure for the detent support member.

Abstract: A shift mechanism for the transmission of a vehicle in which a locking arm is provided to prevent shifting of the shift lever, the locking condition of the locking arm being controlled by a magnetic latch which includes a permanent magnet that produces a magnetic flux to hold the arm in locked position. A coil is provided in the magnetic latch to produce a magnetic flux that opposes the magnetic flux produced by the permanent magnet to destroy the holding force of the permanent magnet when a brake switch is closed to energize the coil thus permitting the locking arm to be moved to an unlocked position and the shift lever to be shifted.

Abstract: A shifter mechanism is provided with an elongated handle having a bore extending along an axis longitudinally of the handle, a rod extending through the bore for actuating a pawl, and a pawl member, the rod and pawl member being provided with a novel connection arrangement for connecting the pawl member to the lower end of the rod. In particular, the connection arrangement includes the lower rod end having an opening at its extreme end extending into a recess within the rod, the recess being defined by a wall, and the pawl member having an upwardly extending upper end adapted to be inserted into the recess. More particularly, the opening and the recess in the lower rod end and the upper end of the pawl each have cross sections whereby the upper end of the pawl member is receivable axially along the bore axis through the opening and into the recess.

Abstract: A shift mechanism for a vehicle includes a detent plate having a notch defining a park gear position, a shift lever with a handle, the shift lever being pivotally movable with respect to the detent plate, and a solenoid driven slideable plate movably attached to the shift lever and having a pawl-like tooth for engaging the notch and holding the shift lever in the park gear position. A solenoid is mounted to the shift lever and directly connected to the slideable plate for controlling the movement of the slideable plate, and hence in turn controlling the movement of the shift lever out of the park gear position. The solenoid includes a solenoid coil which is operably connected to a manually actuatable switch located on the shift lever handle.

Abstract: A locking mechanism and system for a vehicle shifter in which the shifting lever is locked in a park lock position until the brakes of the automotive vehicle are applied and/or the steering lockout mechanism located in the steering column of the vehicle is released by the ignition key of the vehicle. In one embodiment of the invention the pawl of the shifting lever is restrained by a lockout arm through which the brake mechanism and the lockout cable extending to the steering column are connected. In another embodiment, the lockout cable is eliminated by providing two electrical control modules operatively connected to the brake mechanism and the ignition key switch which controls the steering lockout mechanism. These two modules are connected in a unique circuit so that the shifting lever cannot be shifted out of park to other gear positions until the brake is applied and the steering lockout mechanism is released by the ignition key switch.

Abstract: In a vehicle shift lever assembly for a vehicle in which the shift lever is offset to one side of the transmission actuator arm and in which the lockout mechanism is released by depressing the shift lever, a means is provided to minimize undesirable tipping or turning of the shift lever. Within the preferred form, a plunger and plunger housing combination is provided with sufficient bearing surfaces to minimize tipping and an anti-rotation pin is provided to minimize turning of the shift lever. A detent is also provided to minimize the lockout pin from jumping out of the notch in the lockout plate except when a depressing force is applied to the shift lever.

Abstract: A drop-in type shifter for an automotive transmission is provided that is spring biased with relatively flat washer-like springs. The shifter comprises an elongate shift stick having an upper end and a lower end. The upper end is manually actuable and the lower end is adapted for insertion in an automotive transmission for changing the drive ratio of the transmission when the shift stick is pivoted. A base is provided for mounting the shifter on the transmission and a spherical socket is disposed on the base. A spherical ball is disposed on the shift stick between the upper and lower ends of the shift stick and the ball is received in the spherical socket for pivotally mounting the shift stick on the base. A channel is provided which bisects the socket. The ball is provided with a rocking shaft having first and second ends disposed on adjacent sides of the ball and extending into the channel for stabilizing the pivotable shift stick for pivotable movement about first and second orthogonal axes.

Abstract: A drop-in shifter for a manual transmission includes an elongated base, a shift stick mounted on the base for multi-axis movement and a depending gear actuating lever. An elongated rail is supported on the base by spaced bearings for rotational and lateral shifting movement. The shift stick has a lower end pivoted to the rail. The gear actuating lever is fixed to the rail at a point spaced from the shift stick. The lever extends through the base which is bolted to the transmission. Multi-axis movement of the shift stick is translated into multi-axis movement of the gear actuating lever through the bearings and rail.

Abstract: A transmission shifter for vehicles, the shifter being of the type for transmitting gear shift movements to a transmission through a pair of .Iadd.elongated actuators such as .Iaddend.flexible shielded cables. The shifter comprises a shift lever which is pivotable about mutually orthogonal axes. Pivotal movement of the shifter about one axis is translated into a linear displacement of one of the .[.flexible shielded cables.]. .Iadd.actuators.Iaddend.. Pivotal movement of the shifter about the other axis is translated .Iadd.through a member that is pivotably mounted about an axis offset from the aforesaid orthogonal axis .Iaddend.into a linear displacement of the other .[.flexible shielded cable.]. .Iadd.actuator.Iaddend.. A push button actuated lockout means is provided for locking out the reverse position.