Shift lever of a transmission for an automobile

A shift lever means for a transmission for an automobile comprising:

• (a) a first shift lever having a hollow portion at one end of said shift lever;
• (b) a second shift lever having a first end portion at one end of said second shift lever, the inner-diameter of said hollow portion of said first shift lever being larger than the outer-diameter of said end portion of said second shift lever, said first end portion of said second shift lever being located inside said hollow portion of said first shift lever, and said second shift lever having a second end portion portion linked to said transmission;
• (c) first and second elastic vibration damping member having a relatively low spring constant, both said first and second elastic damping members abutting both an outer peripheral surface of said second shift lever and an inner peripheral surface of said first shift lever;
• said first elastic damping member being disposed near an upper end of said end portion of said second shift lever and said second elastic damping member being disposed near a lower end of said end portion of said second shift lever;
• (d) a third elastic vibration damping member having a spring constant which is high relative to the spring constant of said first and second elastic damping members, said third elastic damping member abutting said inner peripheral surface of said first shift lever and not said outer peripheral surface of said second shift lever, thus forming a predetermined clearance between said third elastic damping member and said outer peripheral surface of said second shift lever, said third elastic damping member being disposed between said first elastic damping member and said second elastic damping member;
• wherein initial relative vibrational and gear-shifting movement between said first and second shift levers compresses substanitally only said first and second elastic damping members, and further relative vibrational and gear shifting movement between said first and second shift levers compresses all of said first, second and third elastic damping members.