Shift inhibitor

A transmission locking system for selectively preventing shifting of a transmission, the transmission including internal gearing with a plurality of gears and manually-operable gear selection apparatus including a transmission selector shaft interconnected between a rod connected to a shifting handle in a vehicular cab of a vehicle having the transmission, the transmission locking system comprising

• a swing arm securable to the transmission selector shaft of a transmission so that the swing arm extends upwardly from the transmission selector shaft and is movable therewith, the swing arm having a top surface located above the transmission selector shaft,
• locking means with a body and a movable locking rod disposed above the top surface of the swing arm,
• capture means on the swing arm for receiving the movable locking rod so that further movement of the swing arm is prevented and the transmission selector shaft is immobilized thereby preventing further shifting of the transmission, the capture means having a body,
• the movable locking rod movable with respect to the body of the capture means,
• solenoid means interconnected with the locking means for controlling movement of the movable locking rod and for selectively removing the movable locking rod from the capture means,
• control apparatus interconnected between the solenoid means and a power source for controlling the solenoid means, the control apparatus including an ignition key switch which must be in an ON position for power to flow to the solenoid means to retract the movable locking rod from the capture means permitting gear shifting,
• the capture means having a window through the top surface of the swing arm for receiving and holding the movable locking rod,
• the movable locking rod biased and pre-loaded by a spring urging the movable locking rod outwardly from the body of the capture means so the movable locking rod bears continuously against the top surface of the swing arm as the swing arm moves under the movable locking rod so that the movable locking rod moves into the window when the window moves under and adjacent the movable locking rod,
• the solenoid means comprising an electrical solenoid with a solenoid coil within which the movable locking rod is movably disposed, the movable locking rod moving in response to electrical current flow in the solenoid coil.

A transmission system for a vehicle having a cab, the transmission system comprising

• a case,
• internal vehicle gearing with multiple gears mounted in the case,
• manually-operable gear selection apparatus including a selector shaft connected to a rod,
• a shifting handle connected to the rod, the shifting handle positionable in the cab of a vehicle,
• a transmission locking system, the transmission locking system comprising
• a swing arm secured to the transmission selector shaft, the swing arm extending upwardly from the transmission selector shift and movable therewith, the swing arm having a top surface located above the transmission selector shaft,
• locking means with a body and a movable locking rod disposed above the top surface of the swing arm,
• capture means on the swing arm for receiving the movable locking rod so that further movement of the swing arm is prevented and the transmission selector shaft is immobilized thereby preventing further shifting of the transmission, the capture means having a body,
• the movable locking rod movable with respect to the body of the capture means,
• solenoid means interconnected with the locking means for controlling movement of the movable locking rod and for selectively removing the movable locking rod from the capture means,
• control apparatus interconnected between the solenoid means and a power source for controlling the solenoid means,
• the capture means having a window through the top surface of the swing arm for receiving and holding the movable locking rod,
• the movable locking rod biased and pre-loaded by a spring urging the movable locking rod outwardly from the body of the capture means so the movable locking rod bears continuously against the top surface of the swing arm as the swing arm moves under the movable locking rod so that the movable locking rod moves into the window when the window moves under and adjacent the movable locking rod.