Abstract: A vehicle brake-transmission-ignition interlock system includes a bi-stable solenoid operable to lock and unlock the shift lever in PARK position. Another bi-stable solenoid is operable to block and unblock ignition key movement to OFF position for removal. A controller is responsive to high and low input signals to operate both solenoids. An electric circuit connects to the controller and includes a brake switch closed and opened by applying and releasing the service brake and a parallel shift lever switch opened and closed by movement of the shift lever into and out of PARK position. An ignition switch in series with the brake switch is opened by key movement to OFF position and is closed by key movement to ACCESSORY and RUN positions. Another ignition switch in series with the shift lever switch is opened by key movement to OFF and ACCESSORY positions and is closed by key movement to RUN position.

Abstract: A manual transmission shifter, which comprises a ball mounting a shift lever, a lateral shift control arm, and a depending shift control member, is mounted in a plastic shifter housing having a plastic closure plate. The housing has a plurality of spaced integral resilient spring fingers contoured to form a socket for receiving the ball. The fingers are interconnected at their upper ends to define an upper opening for the shift lever. The spring fingers define an opening smaller than the ball diameter at their bottom free ends and flex to receive the ball and contract to snugly embrace the ball. The shift control arm projects through a side slot in the housing to enable up-and-down vertical movement of the control arm from a centered neutral position. An integral spring finger biases the control arm to the neutral position. The closure plate has an annular surface which embraces the bottom ends of the spring fingers to define the size of the socket.

Abstract: A mounting bracket assembly is disclosed for soft mounting a transmission shifter and simultaneously hard mounting a parking actuator to a vehicle floorboard. The bracket assembly comprises an elongated base plate having mounting holes for hard mounting the base plate longitudinally of the vehicle to the floorboard. The base plate has a pair of spaced rear upstanding flanges for mounting the parking brake actuator with its operating lever extending longitudinally of the vehicle. An elevated tower structure mounts the transmission shifter and includes depending legs which include four mounting pads. Cooperating mounting pads are formed on the base plate and interfit vertically with the leg mounting pads to locate the transmission shifter on the base plate with its operating lever extending beside the parking brake actuator operating lever.

Abstract: A shifter for an automatic transmission is prevented from shifting out of Park position when the ignition switch is on unless the service brake is applied. An articulated solenoid-operated blocking arm is positioned to selectively block movement of a locking pin to prevent the shift lever from leaving the Park position of the shift gate. A circuit, including switches responsive to ignition, service brake application and shift lever position, controls solenoid activation. A cam responsive to the shift lever release button and to the lever position controls the shift lever position switch. The blocking arm can comprise two segments joined by a hinge. In blocking position, the hinge lies on one side of the path of pin movement. If the pin release is prematurely actuated, the pin engages the blocking arm. Subsequent solenoid activation pushes the hinge overcenter so that pin force will collapse the blocking arm, enabling its movement out of blocking position by the solenoid.

Abstract: A parking brake actuator for a cable-operated vehicle parking brake, comprises a mounting bracket on the vehicle, a sector gear mounted on the mounting bracket for rotation about an axis to variably tension the cable. A pedal lever is coaxially pivoted on the mounting bracket for independent rotation between a brake release position and a plurality of brake apply positions. A spiral-wound spring extends between the operating lever and the drive plate for rotating the drive plate relative to the lever to apply an initial tension on the cable. A drive clutch couples the drive plate to the lever upon initial rotation of the lever out of brake release position to enable rotation of the lever to increasingly tension the cable and apply the parking brake. The drive clutch includes a pinion gear mounted on the lever in engagement with the sector gear.

Abstract: An automatic transmission shifter for a vehicle comprises a unitary glass reinforced nylon housing open at the bottom and having interconnected, spaced upper, side and end walls. A slot is formed in the upper wall, a pair of spaced aligned apertured bosses are formed in the side walls, and integral flanges extend from the side and end walls and incorporate a plurality of spaced apertures for mounting the housing to vehicle structure. A pair of spaced, aligned position control plates, each comprising a plurality of notches, are formed interiorly on the side walls, a plurality of detent notches are formed interiorly on the housing on one of the side walls below the position control plates, and a shift cable access opening is formed in one of the end walls. A shift lever assembly including an operating lever extends upwardly through the slot.

Abstract: A manual transmission shifter for operating a pair of transmission control cables includes a shift lever, a base, and a cross having first and second axles defining the first and second intersecting orthogonal axes. The first axle ends are pivotally mounted on the base for pivotal movement. A shift lever bracket mounts the shift lever and has a pair of spaced legs which are pivotally mounted on the second axle ends to enable relative pivotal movement of the shift lever about the second axis. A cable control member is attached at its lower end to one of the control cables and has a pair of spaced flanges at its upper end which are pivotally attached to the second axle outwardly of the shift lever bracket legs to enable pivotal movement of the cable control member about the second axis independent of pivotal movement of the shift lever. A bellcrank is pivotally mounted on the base on a third axis that is coplanar with the orthogonal axes.

Abstract: A foot operated actuator is provided for actuating a cable operated vehicle parking brake. The actuator comprises an input lever pivotally mounted on a support for movement to a plurality of brake applied positions where it is held by a pawl-and-sector latch. The lever is standardized and is adapted to receive a plurality of different interchangeable sectors. The sectors have outer peripheral cable-receiving grooves which can have a variety of outer profiles which determine the constant or variable output/input ratio of output cable travel per unit of input lever travel. The lever has a hub having an arcuate surface which receives a mating arcuate surface on the sectors. The sectors each have a radially inwardly depending lobed tab that is axially received in an axially open mating slot on the hub to lock the sectors to the hub.

Abstract: A brake operator for a vehicle having a cable-operated park brake mechanism comprises a pedal lever pivotally mounted on a mounting bracket for movement between a brake-released position and a range of brake-applied positions, and a lever latch for selectively releasably latching the lever in any selected brake-applied position. The cable is attached to the lever by a reel having a circular cable-engaging surface, the reel being pivotally mounted on the lever eccentrically of the lever pivot and being pivotable to wrap the cable onto the circular surface to move the cable relative to the lever to remove slack. The eccentric mounting provides a predetermined ratio of cable travel per unit of lever movement. The cable tangentially engages the reel surface at the same location on the lever in all positions of the reel to provide the same predetermined variable ratio in all positions of the reel.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for operatively connecting an operating rod to a parking brake latch release lever when a vehicle instrument panel is installed to a vehicle support structure. A handle is mounted on one end of the operating rod that is pre-installed in the instrument panel prior to panel installation. The other end of the rod is provided with an elongated fitting having a series of spaced annular ridges comprising leading camming surfaces and trailing locking surfaces. The latch lever mounts a receptor fitting having an entry funnel that enters a central bore. A spring clip includes fingers which enter the bore through slots. The operating rod is initially pulled out to release position. When the instrument panel is later installed, the projector rod is guided into the receptor bore by the funnel. As the rod fitting is inserted, the spring fingers are cammed over the ridges by the camming surfaces until the rod fitting is fully inserted.

Abstract: A park brake assembly (20) provides a hand or foot operated park brake actuator (30) connected to a drive reel (48) via a flexible motion transmitting core element (68). The drive reel (48) is connected to an isolator crank (56) via a lost motion connection (46). The isolator crank (56) is operatively connected to a control crank (76) which, in turn, directly actuates the park brake (26). The control crank (76) includes a lock sector (102) which coacts with a pawl (104) to selectively maintain the park brake (26) in a brake applied condition. When in the brake applied condition, the lost motion connection (46) allows the drive reel (48) to return to an unactuated position thereby eliminating all stresses from the actuator (30). The pawl (104) includes an elongated slot (108) and a trip spring (110) which coact to alternatively ratchet the pawl (104) against the lock sector (102) and then to disengage the pawl (104) from the lock sector (102) without requiring an independent release mechanism.

Abstract: A shifter for an automatic transmission is prevented from shifting out of park position when the ignition switch is on unless the service brake is applied. A solenoid-operated blocking member is positioned to selectively block movement of a detent pin to prevent the shift lever from leaving the park position of the shift gate. A circuit including switches responsive to ignition, service brake application and shift lever position controls solenoid activation. A cam responsive to the shift lever release button and to the lever position controls the shift lever position switch.

Abstract: A cable-operated park brake actuator for a vehicle park brake is shiftable between engaged and disengaged positions; it includes an operating cable for shifting the park brake between positions, and a cable acutating pedal lever located in the vehicle operator compartment for operating the cable to shift the park brake from disengaged to engaged position upon pedal lever movement from deactuated to actuated position. The park brake actuator is provided with means for positioning the pedal lever in deactuated position, characterized by a stop member located adjacent the pedal lever for engagement thereby in deactuated position. The stop member is mounted for movement between a shipping position, enabling movement of the pedal lever from an operational condition to a non-operational condition to create slack in the cable, and an operating position for engagement by the pedal lever in deactuated position. A spring biases the stop member to its operating position.

Abstract: A solenoid parking brake release assembly (10) for setting a parking brake (12) and automatically releasing the parking brake (12) includes a lever (26) connected to the foot pedal (28) for rotating a rack portion (30) upon depression thereof. The rack portion (30) coacts to rotate a gear (46) about which is a torsion spring (54) which frictionally grips the gear (46) to maintain same in a rotated position. The torsion spring (54) includes a first end connected to the core element (66) of a solenoid (64) such that upon energization of the solenoid (64), the core element (66) is drawn into the solenoid (64) which releases the frictionaly grip on the gear (46) allowing the parking brake (12) to be released. The solenoid (64) is energized by the gear voltage from the gear selector (14) of a vehicle transmission when the ignition is on, the parking brake (12) is depressed, and one of the forward or reverse gears are selected.