Steering column with rake and telescope adjustment

A locking assembly for an adjustable rake and telescope steering column, said locking assembly comprising:

• a rotary input shaft;
• a clamp responsive to reciprocating linear inputs for moving between locked and unlocked conditions;
• a motor having a rotary output;
• a drive shaft rotatably supported between a first end operatively connected to said rotary output of said rotor and a second end operatively connected to said rotary input for transmitting rotary motion therebetween;
• and
• a transmission disposed between said rotary input shaft and said clamp for converting rotary movement in a continuous angular direction from said rotary input shaft into reciprocating linear movement whereby said clamp is actuated from said locked condition to said unlocked condition and back to said locked condition without reversing the angular direction of said rotary output.

A method for adjusting the rake and telescope of a steering column assembly for a motor vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:

• affixing a compression bracket to the steering column;
• supporting the compression bracket upon a capsule bracket to allow arcuate and axial motion of the steering column relative to the vehicle;
• shuttling a locking mechanism between an unlocked condition in which the compression bracket is moveable relative to the capsule bracket and a locked condition in which the compression bracket is fixed relative to the capsule bracket and back to the unlocked condition;
• and
• said step of shuttling the locking mechanism including the step of rotating a drive shaft in a non-reversing angular direction.