Abstract: A floor mounted manually operable shifter assembly for use with a vehicle manual transmission having a gear shifter selectively pivotal to a plurality of positions about longitudinal and transverse axes. The gear shifter assembly base has a pivotally mounted bellcrank lever, including an upstanding first arm and a rearwardly extending dish-shaped second arm, defining an upwardly concave semi-spherical raceway formed with a reverse gear position notch. An end fitting, pivoted on the shifter lower end, is adapted to apply a clockwise pivoting force on the raceway during the shifter's rearward travel which force overrides an interlock cable core counter-clockwise biasing force on the bellcrank lever. During the end fitting's forward travel on the raceway the cable core biases the raceway into counterclockwise sliding contact with the end fitting.

Abstract: A shift control lever assembly for use with a transmission shift control mechanism, wherein the assembly includes a palm abutting knob housing an actuating assembly secured to an operating button extending from an end of the palm abutting knob. A push rod extends downwardly from the latter for actuating the shift control mechanism. A ramp is formed on the actuating assembly, and a ball is rotatably mounted at the top end of the push rod for cooperation with the ramp to urge the push rod downwardly upon manual depression of the operating button.

Abstract: A vehicle park interlock system has a gearshift selector assembly coupled with an ignition locking slider receiving mechanism. The system prohibits the vehicle gearshift from being moved from a park position without the vehicle ignition mechanism being unlocked, e.g. in an off, on or start position.

Abstract: A vehicle park interlock system has a column mounted ignition pin locking slider receiving device adapted to couple with an ignition pin locking slider of the ignition system of the vehicle. The ignition pin locking slider receiving device is coupled with a gearshift selector assembly forming the system. The system prohibits the vehicle gearshift from being moved from a park position without the vehicle ignition mechanism being unlocked, e.g. in an off, on, or start position.

Abstract: A self-adjusting gear shift lever assembly serving as a link in the shift cable connection between the transmission and the shift lever providing a spring preload on the shift cable and fastener means for adjusting backlash and build tolerances in the shift cable. Two embodiments of the assembly each include a relatively rotatably interconnected lever member and clamp plate. One embodiment has a D-shaped opening formed in the clamp plate for being secured to the transmission shift shaft, with the fastener means on the clamp plate and pin means on the lever member for mounting the end of the shift cable, and a tension spring between the lever member and clamp plate. The other embodiment has the D-shaped opening formed in the lever member, with the fastener means on the lever member and the pin mounting means on the clamp plate, and a compression spring between the lever member and clamp plate.

Abstract: An arrangement for readily joining a plastic handgrip knob to a metal gearshift rod in a positive non-slip manner. The handgrip includes a plastic core member molded with an axial blind bore defining a linear key therein extending a predetermined axial distance from the upper terminus at the bore closed end to its lower terminus spaced from the bore open end. The junctures of the key sides with the internal surface of the bore define a pair of fillets coextensive with the key with the fillets being tapered from a maximum chordal distance at the key lower terminus to minimum chordal distance at the bore closed end. The rod is formed with a keyway extending from the rod upper end a predetermined distance sufficient to receive the key therein.

Abstract: A shift lever mechanism for use with a vehicle automatic transmission. A pivoting lever supports an upwardly spring biased plunger for fore and aft travel in a detent slot. The detent slot is formed in a cylindrical plate portion formed substantially concentric with the transverse pivot axis of the lever. The plunger is made from plastic material and is formed with a pair of transverse wall portions each having a plurality of mirror image step-up blocks. The slot includes a series of interconnected notches having progressively decreasing widths in both its fore and aft directions from a central dual mode notch. The notches define locating edges which successively contact and position the upwardly biased plunger step-up blocks during either fore or aft travel from the central notch to define a plurality of modes for the transmission.