Locking apparatus for shift lever of automatic transmission

A locking apparatus for an electrically operated shift lever of an automatic transmission, in which shifting of the shift lever is locked in a specified shift position, and the locking of the shift lever is released by a predetermined operation of an operator, comprising:

• (a) a detent pin adapted to be moved to a lock releasing position from a lock position by the operator when the shift lever is shifted from said specified shift position to another shift position;
• (b) an electrically operated actuator for retaining said detent pin in said lock position and for withdrawing said detent pin to said lock releasing position upon said predetermined operation of said operator;
• and
• (c) a shift lock releasing means including a key for withdrawing said detent pin from said lock position by said electrically operated actuator, when said key is operated in a specified position by the operator, such that said detent pin can be moved to said lock releasing position even when electric power is not available to operate said actuator, thereby permitting the shifting of the shift lever, wherein said shift lock releasing means includes a manual operating means for releasing said detent pin from the lock position by the operation of the operator and a key cylinder interlocking means which permits movement of said manual operating means by inserting key and operating it to a specified position, said key cylinder interlocking means adapted to permit the movement of said manual operation means by pushing-in the key after operation thereof to said specified position.