Abstract: A compound shift lever mechanism employs a noise and vibration damper assembly for isolating an upper shift lever from a lower shift lever of a transmission. In a preferred form, the levers are held in spaced, coaxial alignment for unitary movement in a plurality of planes by a damper which comprises two parts. The first part is a cylindrical elastomeric sleeve defining axially spaced female end portions comprising bores which frictionally overlie and snugly encase the two lever end portions which extend thereinto. The second part is a cylindrical metallic shell which circumferentially encapsulates the elastomeric sleeve which contains the respective ends of the upper and lower levers. The shell thus radially encapsulates both of the end portions, as well as the sleeve, which incorporates a midportion containing a radial internal barrier to prevent direct physical contact between the extremities of the levers.

Abstract: A transmission shift lever biasing assembly includes a plunger pin having a shoulder, the pin containing a plurality of reduced diameter detent grooves along its longitudinal axis at an end opposite the shoulder. Each groove defines a pair of opposed ramps, and an end cap is adapted to receive and contain a portion of the plunger containing the grooves and ramps. An annular pusher element surrounds the plunger pin, and includes angled cam surfaces adapted to engage a plurality of balls interposed between the pusher element and an end face of the housing. The pusher element bears against the balls by means of a spring contained within the housing. The spring is seated on the shoulder of the plunger pin and bears against the pusher element to urge the balls into one of the detent grooves corresponding to a selected shift rail.

Abstract: A shift tower housing and the outer housing of a vehicle transmission are both formed with a bolt pattern that permits mounting of the shift tower and associated shift lever in both a forward control position and a center control position. Each of the shift bars in the transmission is formed with a pair of notches, a forward notch and a center notch for engaging the lower end of the shift lever in the forward control and center control positions respectively. An interlock bracket is trapped and retained by a mounting plate prior to the installation of the shift tower and is adjustable between the center and the forward positions. The interlock bracket includes a pair of arms for engaging the notches in the shift bars not being engaged by the shift lever to prevent movement of the non-selected shift bars during actuation of the transmission.

Abstract: A four way two position interlock air valve adapted to selectively provide air pressure to a servomotor to shift the range section of a transmission. The valve spool is moved by applying pressure to one end thereof while exhausting pressure from the other. The upper side of the spool has a recessed portion within which a valve slide is positioned. The slide is operative to provide communication between a pressurized inlet port and the one of two outlet ports connected to the servomotor depending on the position of the valve spool. The slide is urged upwardly against the inner surface of the valve body by a wave spring. The area of the upper side of the slide is smaller than the area of the lower side thereof and an aperture connects the two sides such that air pressure controlled thereby also urges the slide upwardly against the valve body.

Abstract: Apparatus including a pair of opposed conveyor belts for feeding a plurality of superimposed continuous sheets of refrigerated, thermoplastic material. The active runs of the conveyor belts are guided over platens movable toward and away from each other in a direction normal to the path of movement of the sheet material to generate the necessary tractive forces required to advance the sheet material between the conveyor belts. The platens distribute the tractive forces uniformly over a large sheet contacting area of the belts to prevent cracking and rupturing of the sheet material. Means are provided for compressing the spaced-apart clamping assemblies of a frame assembly to which the sheets are attached for further processing.