Remote master shift control

A remote master shift control mechanism for mechanically shifting a remotely controlled change gear transmission by applying a selected rotational and axial movement to a connecting rod operatively connected to the remotely controlled shifting mechanism of the transmission, said master control mechanism characterized by:

• a control housing adapted to be mounted remote from the transmission;
• a master control shaft mounted in said housing for axial movement along and rotational movement about its axis relative to the housing, at least one end of said master control shaft extending from said housing for operative driving connection to said connecting rod;
• a master shift lever extending from said housing and terminating at a free end for manipulation by an operator, said master shift lever attached to said master control shaft at a clevis joint fixing said lever and said shaft for joint rotation about the axis of said control shaft and permitting pivotal movement of said control lever relative to said control shaft about a pivot axis intersection and substantially perpendicular to the axis of said control shaft, said clevis joint defined by a pivot pin received in a first bore provided in said control shaft and in a second bore provided in said master shift lever, said first and second bores being coaxial and extending substantially perpendicular to the axis of said master control shaft;
• said housing defining a pair of opposed contact surfaces extending substantially parallel to said pivot axis to define a slot therebetween in which a portion of said master shift lever is received, said portion of said master shift lever received in said slot extending in the opposite direction from said pivot pin as does the portion for said shift lever extending from said housing for manipulation by said operator and having a transverse dimension measured in the direction of the axis of said master control shaft generally equal to the width of said slot measured in the direction parallel to the axis of said control shaft whereby movement of said master shift lever in a plane containing said pivot axis will result in said portion moving through said slot and said shift lever and control shaft rotating as a unit about the axis of said control shaft and movement of said control lever in a plane containing the axis of said control shaft will result in said portion of said shift lever contacting one of said opposed surfaces to define a reaction point about which said control lever is pivotably moveable and said control shaft will move axially along its axis with said shift lever.