Shift mechanism for a five speed transaxle transmission

A shift mechanism for controlling a multiple speed transmission comprising:

• a torque input shaft;
• a first countershaft;
• a second countershaft;
• gearing defining multiple torque delivery paths including multiple pairs of gears carried by said input shaft and said first and second countershafts;
• synchronizer clutch means carried by the first and second countershafts and associated with one gear of each pair for drivably connecting said one gear to its associated countershaft;
• a differential gear assembly;
• torque output gearing connecting said differential gear assembly with said first and second countershafts whereby torque is delivered from said gearing to said differential assembly;
• a first shift rail and a second shift rail;
• first and second shift forks mounted slidably on said first shift rail, and a third shift fork mounted slidably on said second shift rail for moving the synchronizer clutch means thereby driveably connecting one gear of each gear pair to its associated countershaft;
• a linkage mechanism for effecting shifting movement of said first, second and third shift forks including:
• a shift selector shaft adapted for rotary and axial movement mounted in transverse disposition with respect to said first shift rail;
• a relay lever mounted for rotation and sliding motion in transverse disposition with respect to said shift selector shaft having first and second operating arms engaged respectively with said shift selector shaft and said first shift rail whereby axial movement of said selector shaft produces axial movement of said first shift rail and rotary motion of said selector shaft produces rotary motion of said first shift rail;
• a first bellcrank pivotably mounted in transverse disposition with respect to said first shift rail having a first end engaged with said third shift fork;
• a reverse idler pinion slidably mounted on a support shaft for movement into and out of engagement with reverse drive gears on said input shaft and said first countershaft;
• a second pivotably mounted bellcrank having a first end disposed adjacent said first shift rail and a second end engaged with and adapted to slide said reverse idler pinion on its support shaft;
• a shift collar secured to said first shift rail adjacent said relay lever having an operating arm adapted to engage the first end of said second bellcrank, whereby said second bellcrank is engaged by the arm of said shift collar upon rotation of said first shift rail whereafter said second bellcrank is pivoted and the reverse idler pinion is shifted as a result of axial motion of said first shift rail and said selector shaft;
• and
• selector means mounted on said first shift rail adapted to rotate into registry selectively with the second end of said first bellcrank and the first and second shift forks whereby axial movement of said first shift rail produces axial shifting movement of said synchronizer clutch means.