Volvo Trucks North America, Inc.

David L Kenny

William Gremminger

An over-the-highway truck or tractor equipped with a gear shift lever selectively foldable from an operating position to a folded position is disclosed. The gear shift lever includes upper and lower lever portions relatively telescopically and rotatably connected. The upper lever portion includes a generally L-shaped slot, while the lower lever portion carries a pin slidably engageable with and guided by the L-shaped slot for relative guiding movement of the lever portions. A tapered leg of the slot is arranged to allow relatively telescopic and pivotal movement between the lever portions and a foot of the slot extends laterally from the leg. The foot allows relatively rotatable movement between the lever portions to engage the pin and foot in the operating position. A coil spring urges the lever portions apart so that when the pin is within the leg the lever portions are relatively moveable axially. When the pin is within the leg the spring urges the first and second lever portions apart a predetermined distance. When the pin is positioned near an end of the leg remote from the foot, the portions are relatively pivotable between the aligned and out of the way lever portions.

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Greensboro, NC, United States of America

David L Kenny