Dana Corporation

Timothy R Zuehlke

George A Willford

Kurt R Baer

John M Loeffler

A clutch actuator includes an outer cylinder housing having a plurality of ramps formed on an inner cylindrical surface thereof. Each of the ramps has a radially inwardly facing surface which includes a forwardly facing tapered surface and a rearwardly facing tapered surface. A hollow cylindrical piston is disposed concentrically within the outer cylinder housing and has a plurality of axially extending protrusions formed thereon. Preferably, the number of such protrusions is equal to the number of the ramps formed on the outer cylinder housing, and the protrusions are circumferentially interleaved within the ramps formed on the outer cylinder housing. Each of the protrusions has a radially outwardly facing surface which includes a forwardly facing tapered surface and a circumferentially extending groove. An inner cylinder housing is disposed concentrically within the piston. The outer and inner cylinder housings are fixed in position and define an annular chamber within which the piston can reciprocate axially. The piston is connected to a release sleeve of a clutch by means of a snap ring which is disposed within the grooves formed in the protrusions of the piston. Thus, the piston is connected to the release sleeve for axial movement therewith to operate the clutch. To disconnect the clutch actuator from the clutch, the piston is moved axially to a point where the snap ring engages the rearwardly facing tapered surfaces provided on the ramps of the outer cylinder housing. The rearwardly facing tapered surfaces provided on the ramps move the snap ring out of the grooves formed in the protrusions, thereby disconnecting the piston from the release sleeve.

Clutch actuator

An interlock assembly for a vehicle transmission prevents more than one of a plurality of shift rails from being simultaneously moved axially out of a central neutral position to a gear engaging position. The interlock assembly includes an interlock plate having four semi-circular cut-outs (one for each of the shift rails) and two relative large interior openings. The interlock assembly further includes a backing plate which is somewhat smaller than the interlock plate and has two relatively small interior openings. A pair of threaded fasteners extend through the small openings of the backing plate and through respective spacer bushings disposed in the large interior openings of the interlock plate into threaded engagement with the housing of the hydraulic actuator. The spacer bushings prevent the interlock plate from being frictionally engaged between the backing plate and the housing of the hydraulic actuator. As a result, the interlock plate is loosely supported on the threaded fasteners and can slide freely in any direction relative thereto. Each of the four cut-outs of the interlock plate is formed having opposed tapered edges which cooperate with tapered grooves formed on the exterior surfaces of the four shift rails. When any one of the four shift rails is moved out of the central neutral position, the interlock plate slides to extend into the grooves of the other three shift rails. Thus, the interlock plate prevents the other shift rails from moving until all are in the central neutral position.

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Toledo, OH, United States of America

Timothy R Zuehlke