Odometer shaft retainer and support
AssigneeChrysler Motors Corporation
InventorsJoseph T. Betterton, Alfred H. Glover, Bruce Hepler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A support and retainer for a shaft to be supported in spaced overlying relation to a base member as found in an odometer assembly, including an upstanding projection or post which has a bearing portion for support purposes and further including an adjacent retainer member which extends generally parallel to the post and has a free end normally overlying the shaft end but movable in the shaft's axial direction to allow passage of the shaft end against the post's bearing.
Claims4
In a device including a base member with at least one shaft supported in spaced relation thereto, an improved shaft support and retainer mechanism to allow installation of the shaft by simple movement thereof in the shaft's radial direction toward the base member, comprising:
- a support post projecting from the base member having a bearing configuration at its outward end against which the shaft is adapted to rest;
- a separate retainer member projecting from the base member adjacent to and along side of the support post, the retainer member configured with an aperture therethrough in the direction of the axis of the shaft, this aperture being formed by spaced side legs and an end portion configured and positioned so that the shaft extends through the aperture when in its installed position and whereby the end portion of the retainer overlies the shaft to prevent radial movement of the shaft away from the support post;
- the legs of the retainer being constructed so a relatively low force in the shaft's axial direction flexes the retainer to move its end portion so that the end of the shaft may pass thereby and into engagement with the support post whereafter the retainer returns to its unstressed condition with the end portion overlying the shaft.
In an odometer assembly including a base member and at least one shaft supported in spaced relation thereto, an improved shaft support and retainer mechanism to allow installation of the shaft to the base by simple movement of the shaft in its radial direction toward the base member, comprising:
- a support post projecting from the base member having a bearing configuration at its outward end against which the shaft is adapted to rest when in the installed position;
- a separate retainer member projecting from the base member adjacent to and along side the support post, the retainer member configured with an aperture therethrough in the direction of the axis of the shaft, this aperture being defined by spaced side legs and an end portion configured and positioned so that the shaft extends therethrough in the direction of the axis of the shaft when in the installed position and whereby the end portion of the retainer overlies the shaft to prevent radial movement of the shaft away from the support post;
- the legs of the retainer being constructed so that a relatively low force in the shaft's axial direction will flex the retainer to move its end portion so that the shaft end may pass thereby and into engagement with the support post whereafter the retainer returns to its unstressed condition with its end portion overlying the shaft;
- an inclined surface formed on the end portion of the retainer positioned to interact with the end of the shaft so that the aforesaid flexing is automatically produced by movement of the shaft in its radial direction toward the bearing portion of the support post.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.