Automotive Products, Inc.

Other

David K Mienko

Keith V Leigh-Monstevens

David L Wrobleski

John G Vander Poorte

A hydraulic apparatus for remotely controlling the operative mode selector of a motor vehicle automatic transmission. The apparatus comprises a master cylinder having an input member operatively connected to the transmission operative mode selection or shift lever placed at the disposal of the motor vehicle operator, and a slave cylinder mounted on or proximate the transmission casing and having an output member connected to the transmission operative mode selector, the master cylinder and the slave cylinder being placed in fluid communication through flexible conduits such that each displacement of the master cylinder piston as a result of displacement of the master cylinder input member causes a corresponding displacement of the slave cylinder piston coupled to the slave cylinder output member. The master cylinder is provided with a built-in reservoir of hydraulic fluid connected to the working chambers, one on each side of the master cylinder piston, by valved passageways permitting flow of fluid from the reservoir to the low pressure chamber and closing the high pressure chamber from the reservoir so as to compensate for slow changes in hydraulic fluid volume due to expansion and contraction. The master cylinder and the slave cylinder are pivotably and adjustably mounted to a stationary support bracket by a ball and socket arrangement having an eccentric mounting aperture.

Hydraulic shift for motor vehicle transmission

An annular insert disposed at one end of a hydraulic cylinder and embedded in the material of the cylinder housing during molding of the housing. The insert has an internal groove in which a conventional retainer and abutment member in the form of an elastic spring steel split ring is engaged, whose function it is to act as a direct abutment preventing the piston disposed reciprocably in the cylinder from being pushed out of the open end of the cylinder, in some structures. In other structures the annular insert acts directly as a retaining member for the end of a sleeve installed in the cylinder housing, or indirectly through the intermediary of an end cap.

Hydraulic cylinder annular insert for retainer member

A remote control mechanism connects the shifting lever of a motor vehicle to the vehicle gearbox or transmission, and has a drive member connected to the shifting lever, and a driven member operatively connected to the transmission shift rail. The drive member is supported for both linear motion for selecting a gear, and rotary motion for shifting into a gear. The driven member is supported for both linear motion and rotary motion. A push-pull cable transmits the linear motion of the drive member to the driven member, and master and slave hydraulic linear actuators transmit the rotary motion of the drive member to the driven member so that the transmission is responsive to the shifting lever being moved along two perpendicular paths of motion in a gear shifting pattern. In another embodiment, master and slave hydraulic linear actuators connect the drive and driven members for transmitting both the linear and the rotary motion of the drive member to the driven member.

Hydraulic remote control for motor vehicle manual shift transmission

An interlock switch mounted in the end of a hydraulic slave cylinder adapted to operate the release mechanism of a motor vehicle mechanical clutch, the slave cylinder being hydraulically connected to a master cylinder having an input member operable by the motor vehicle clutch pedal. The switch is adapted to close the motor vehicle starter relay circuit for a position of the slave cylinder output member corresponding to full release of the clutch, such that the clutch must be fully released in order to allow starting the motor vehicle engine. Preferably, the switch takes the form of a pair of concentric sleeves, each carrying appropriate contacts for closing the circuit, one of the sleeves being reciprocable in unison with the slave cylinder output member, and the other sleeve being automatically adjustable for initial position adjustment and for subsequent readjustment to compensate for wear of the clutch, such that closure of the switch always corresponds to a full release of the motor vehicle clutch.

Growing community of inventors

Clawson, MI, United States of America

David K Mienko