Abstract: The two stage check valve for the automatic transmission system provides a first member that opens in response to a first pressure and a second member which opens in response to a second pressure where the second pressure is higher than the first pressure.

Abstract: A rocker arm assembly for a valve train of an internal combustion engine which has a rocker arm that pivots on a support pin about an axis where a push rod contacts one end of the assembly and a valve shaft of a gas exchange valve contacts the other end of the assembly. A rocker arm is mounted on a support pin through a radial roller bearing for handling radial forces. An outer bearing support wall is attached to the rocker am and covers both ends of the support pin. Between the ends of the support pin and the outer bearing wall is a thrust washer for handling axial forces in the rocker arm assembly. The radial bearing assembly can have an outer bearing shell and an inner bearing shell where the outer bearing shell has a generally U-shaped configuration that covers the end wall of the support pin. The bottom wall of the outer bearing shell forms the outer bearing support wall for the thrust washer.

Abstract: The present invention broadly comprises a stator and clutch assembly for a torque converter including first and second halves for a stator, each formed from first and second single pieces. Blades for the stator are disposed within respective annuli for the first and second halves. The assembly also includes a one-way clutch. The first and second halves have inner circumferential portions configured to form a portion of the clutch. The assembly includes an axially displaceable plate connected to a hub. The plate and a circumferential portion are operatively arranged to form a portion of the clutch. In some aspects, the plate and the circumferential portion are arranged to lockingly engage and the assembly includes a displacement element arranged to urge the plate toward the circumferential portion. In some aspects, the plate and hub are formed from a single piece or the plate is axially displaceable with respect to the hub.

Abstract: A sealing element for rotatable parts is provided by the invention. To achieve low and uniform wear, automatic reshaping of the sealing surfaces for advancing wear, low friction forces, and long service life, the sealing element has sealing surfaces (4) and sealing counter surfaces (5), whose sealing effect is provided by the interaction of a sealing element (3, 11) constructed as a tractrix body with a correspondingly shaped sealing counter element (6, 13, 14).

Abstract: The combined radial/axial bearing (1, 18, 20, 22) according to the invention is distinguished in that an outer running track (13) of the axial bearing is formed by a radially inward-pointing rim (5) of the cylindrical sleeve (2), said rim adjoining an axially outward-projecting cylindrical portion (4) of the sleeve (2), while an inner running track (14) of the axial bearing is formed by a radially outward-pointing rim (8) of an inner ring (7) of the radial bearing or by a running disk (23), prolongations of axes of rotation (16) of the cylindrical rolling bodies (9) of the radial bearing intersecting with axes of rotation (17) of the cylindrical rolling bodies (12) of the axial bearing virtually at a center of the cylindrical rolling bodies (12) of the axial bearing. This ensures that both radial and axial loads can be transmitted in the case of a small radial construction space of the overall bearing arrangement.

Abstract: An electric starter for an internal combustion engine has a coaxial pinion drive mechanism for urging the pinion gear into a positively fully meshed arrangement with the flywheel of the internal combustion engine prior to full power application to the cranking motor. The pinion drive mechanism is incompressible throughout its motion. The drive solenoid has a solid plunger which is limited in its stroke corresponding to the fully meshed position of the pinion gear by a pair of electrical contacts which are shorted at full stroke by the plunger functioning as a contact therebetween. The cranking motor is operated at a slow rotation at all times prior to full meshing of the pinion gear to aid in meshing thus reducing tooth wear and gear lash.

Abstract: An electric vehicle battery pack including a plurality of batteries ganged together in an underlying tray. The tray preferably has a plurality of pockets therein each for receiving an individual battery. The batteries are interlocked one to the next and held in place in the tray by a housing which bears down on the batteries by means of a resilient spacer positioned between the tops of the batteries and the ceiling of the housing. The pack forms a structural part of the vehicle in which it is used.

Abstract: An electric engine starter that has a motor frame and a planetary gear mechanism is provided with an internal shield that is operative to prevent brush dust from entering the planetary gear mechanism. The shield is formed of steel and has an outer annular flange that, prior to assembly to the starter, is located at an angle to a plane that is normal to the longitudinal axis of the shield. When the shield is assembled to the starter, it is compressed between the motor frame and a support for the ring gear of the planetary gear mechanism. During this compression, the flange is deflected to develop a spring force. This spring force causes a gasket interposed between the flange and the motor frame to tightly seal against the motor frame. This spring force further causes the shield to tightly engage the ring gear support.

Abstract: An electric engine starter for cranking an internal combustion engine. The starter has a drive housing which is shaped to define a solenoid compartment and a starter drive compartment. The drive housing has a pair of spaced walls connecting the solenoid compartment to the starter drive compartment. A starter drive that includes a pinion gear and an overrunning clutch is located in the starter drive compartment. A shift lever retainer is located between the spaced walls of the drive housing and pivotally supports a shift lever. The retainer has outwardly projecting ribs and the spaced walls have inwardly projecting spaced ribs. These ribs impede the passage of water from the starter drive compartment to the solenoid compartment. The shift lever has a plate or flap which, in an at-rest position of the shift lever, forms a barrier for the passage of water from the starter drive compartment toward the retainer.

Abstract: A shift lever mechanism for an engine starter for translating axial movement of the plunger of a starter solenoid into axial movement of a starter drive pinion. The shift lever mechanism has a retainer that has two axially extending spaced arms. Each arm has an opening that is defined by a circular portion and a radially extending slot. A shut lever is pivotally supported by the retainer. The shift lever has opposed bosses that are respectively located in the openings in the arms. The bosses have radially extending ribs that are located in the slots. The slots and ribs allow the shift lever to be assembled to the retainer in only one proper orientation of the shift lever relative to the retainer.

Abstract: A starter solenoid for electric starting apparatus and its method of manufacture. The solenoid has hold-in and pull-in coils and a cap formed of insulating material that carries a start switch terminal and a motor terminal. Both terminals have axially extending internal bores and when the cap is moved into engagement with the case of the solenoid to secure it thereto end lead wires of the coils are inserted into the bores of the terminals. The terminals are radially crimped into engagement with the wires and the crimped portions are then welded to the wires. The ground connection for one end of the hold-in coil is made by inserting an end lead wire of the hold-in coil into the bore of a hollow metallic terminal that is carried by a metallic plate member, crimping the terminal to the wire and then welding the crimped portion to the wire.

Abstract: A starter solenoid for electric starting apparatus and its method of manufacture. The solenoid has hold-in and pull-in coils and a cap formed of insulating material that carries a start switch terminal and a motor terminal. Both terminals have axially extending internal bores and when the cap is moved into engagement with the case of the solenoid to secure it thereto end lead wires of the coils are inserted into the bores of the terminals. The terminals are radially crimped into engagement with the wires and the crimped portions are then welded to the wires. The ground connnection for one end of the hold-in coil is made by inserting an end lead wire of the hold-in coil into the bore of a hollow metallic terminal that is carried by a metallic plate member, crimping the terminal to the wire and then welding the crimped portion to the wire.