Shift fork actuated position sensor

#This invention relates generally to off-road motor vehicles, such as tractors, and more particularly, to a transmission having shift fork assemblies engageable with slidable shift collars associated with synchronizers to effect a shifting from one gear to another.

#Tractor transmissions typically utilize at least two gear shifting assemblies to provide several ranges of gear selections and a plurality of individual gear selections within each range. The shifting of gears to make a selection of ranges or gears within the selected range normally involve the sliding movement of a shift fork on a shift rail to effect the corresponding sliding movement of a shift collar.

#The mounting of the shift fork assembly within the transmission requires a positional adjustment of the shift fork relative to the corresponding gear or synchronizer so that proper positional relationships therebetween can be attained and maintained. The servicing of shift fork assemblies is also a concern as shift forks require disassembly and replacement on a periodic basis. The losing of small parts, such as are found in the detents used for holding the shift forks in a selected position, within the transmission is completely unacceptable as such parts can find their way between intermeshing gears to damage expensive transmission components.

#The advantages of this invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed disclosure of the invention, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a tractor incorporating the principles of the instant invention, a portion of the tractor being broken away to better shown the transmission and the controls for effecting a shifting of the transmission;

#FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the transmission taken along lines 2--2 of FIG. 1, looking downwardly into the top of the transmission;

#Referring now to the drawings and, particularly, to FIG. 1, a representative view of an agricultural tractor incorporating the principles of the instant invention can best be seen. Left and right references are used as a matter of convenience and are determined by standing at the rear of the tractor and facing the forward end in the normal direction of travel. The tractor chassis 10 is supported above the ground in a conventional manner by front wheels 11, which on large tractors are typically drivingly powered, and rearward drive wheels 19 rotatably mounted in a customary transversely spaced orientation.

#The chassis supports a conventional engine 12 serving to provide operational power for the tractor T and an operator's cab 15 positioned in an elevated location. The operator's cab 15 includes a steering wheel 16, positioned forwardly of the conventional operator's seat 17, to operate the steering of the front wheels 11 through manipulation of the hydraulic cylinder 18 controlling the articulation of the tractor chassis 10 in a known conventional manner. The operator's cab 15 is also provided with conventional operative controls, such as the transmission control lever 21, to permit the operative control of the tractor T.

#The tractor T is provided with a transmission 20 supported on the chassis 10 to receive rotational power from the engine 12 and transfer rotational power to the front and rear wheels 11, 19 at selected speeds of operation. The transmission control lever 21, which is mounted in the operator's cab 15 within normal reach of the operator's seat 17, effects a shifting of the available speeds of operation through a push/pull cable 2, as will be described in greater detail below. The transmission 20 is divided between an upper part 23, housing a set of first gears 31 for providing various speeds of operation for a given input rotational speed from the engine 12, and a lower part 24, providing a set of second gears 36 operatively engaged with the set of first gears 31 to provide a plurality of ranges of speeds of operation through which each of the speeds of operation are operable.