Shifter housing assembly for multiple speed power transmission

A shifter housing assembly for a multiple speed power transmission comprising:

• a housing, said housing being formed integrally in one piece from a first metallic material and having a plurality of circumferentially open, part-cylindrical notches formed therein, each of said part-cylindrical notches having a diameter, a depth which is less than said diameter, and a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axes of said notches being spaced apart and being disposed parallel to one another;
• a plurality of generally cylindrical shifter rods, one of said plurality of generally cylindrical shifter rods being mounted for surface to surface sliding movement in each of said part-cylindrical notches along said longitudinal axis of said each of said plurality of part-cylindrical notches and engaging an as formed surface of said each of said plurality of notches;
• a circumferentially open interrupted notch extending transversely through said plurality of part-cylindrical notches, said interrupted notch having a depth;
• interlock mechanism means slidably positioned in said interrupted notch and engaging each of said plurality of shifter rods, said interlock mechanism means having a depth which is not greater than said depth of said interrupted notch;
• and a retainer formed from a second metallic material removably attached to said housing and retaining said plurality of shifter rods in said plurality of part-cylindrical notches, said retainer having a plurality of spaced apart, part-cylindrical notch portions, each of said plurality of part-cylindrical notch portions of said retainer being aligned with one of said plurality of part-cylindrical notches of said housing and defining a generally cylindrical passage therewith, said each of said plurality of part-cylindrical notch portions of said retaine engaging said one of said plurality of generally cylindrical shifter rods in surface to surface sliding engagement, said retainer further having spaced apart, flat, coplanar portions retaining said interlock mechanism in said interrupted notch, said second metallic material being different than said first metallic material.

A shifter housing assembly for a multiple speed power transmission comprising:

• a housing, said housing a first plurality of circumferentially open, part-cylindrical notches formed therein, each of said part-cylindrical notches in said first plurality having a diameter, a depth which is less than said diameter, and a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axes of said part-cylindrical notches in said first plurality being spaced apart and being disposed parallel to one another;
• a second plurality of circumferentially open, part-cylindrical notches, each of said part-cylindrical notches in said second plurality having a diameter, a depth which is at least as great as said second diameter, and a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axes of said part-cylindrical notches in said second plurality being spaced apart and being disposed parallel to one another, the longitudinal axis of each of said part-cylindrical notches in said second plurality being axially aligned with the longitudinal axis of one of said part-cylindrical notches in said first plurality;
• a plurality of generally cylindrical shifter rods, one of said plurality of generally cylindrical shifter rods being mounted in surface to surface sliding movement in each of said part-cylindrical notches in said first plurality along said longitudinal axis of said each of said part-cylindrical notches in said first plurality and in each of said part-cylindrical notches in said second plurality along said longitudinal axis of said each of said part-cylindrical notches in second plurality;
• a circumferentially open interrupted notch extending transversely through said first plurality of part-cylindrical notches, said interrupted notch having a depth;
• interlock mechanism means slidably positioned in said interrupted notch and engaging each of said plurality of shifter rods, said interlock mechanism means having a depth which is not greater than said depth of said interrupted notch;
• a first retainer removably attached to said housing and retaining said plurality of shifter rods in said first plurality of part-cylindrical notches, said first retainer having a plurality of spaced apart, part-cylindrical notch portions, each of said plurality of part-cylindrical notch portions of said first retainer being aligned with one of said first plurality of part-cylindrical notches of said housing and defining a generally cylindrical passage therewith, said each of said plurality of part-cylindrical notch portions of said first retainer engaging said one of said plurality of generally cylindrical shifter rods in surface to surface sliding engagement, said first retainer further having spaced apart, flat, coplanar portions retaining said interlock mechanism in said interrupted notch;
• and a second retainer removably attached to said housing and retaining said plurality of shifter rods in said second plurality of part-cylindrical notches.