Abstract: Apparatus for mounting a speed control switch housing on the steering wheel assembly of an automobile. The steering wheel assembly defines an enclosure for an air bag canister. The switch housing is applied over an opening in the enclosure adjacent to the free end portion of a mounting bracket in the enclosure. The housing has a pair of hollow bosses extending toward but spaced from the free end portion of the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket is flexibly resilient and capable of flexing toward and away from the speed control switch housing. Screws carried by the bosses thread into the free end portion of the mounting bracket with sufficient tension to flex the free end portion toward the bosses but without contacting the bosses so that the speed control switch housing is drawn securely against a wall of the steering wheel assembly.

Abstract: A vehicle steering wheel has an armature which defines a structural circular steering wheel. The armature has a depressed central body portion providing a well for an air bag canister. A center pad which supports the air bag canister in the well extends across the well between the spokes, with a gap between each spoke and the edge of the pad. A spacer is provided between each spoke and the edge of the center pad so that the gaps are of equal width. The air bag canister is mounted to the body portion of the steering wheel by pins extending through openings in the body portion and conical springs surrounding the pins. The openings are substantially larger in diameter than the pins to permit the pins to shift radially and facilitate exact centering of the pad with respect to the spokes to maintain the gaps of uniform width. This mounting of the canister also accommodates shifting of the canister when a marginal portion of the center pad is depressed to close a horn switch and sound the horn.

Abstract: An inner seal boot, outer support boot cover, and bezel frame arrangement for enclosing the gap between the movable shift lever and an opening through which the lever of a vehicle transmission passes. The one-piece rubber boot cover has an upper conical-shaped sheath portion, an intermediate frusto-conical shaped flexible bellows portion, and a lower composite laminated base portion sealing enclosing a substrate core of thin sheet metal. The bellows portion has its lowermost convolute terminating in a groove defined in part by the substrate core with the groove dimensioned for releasable locking engagement of the bezel frame rectangular opening.