Gear shift fork for shifting a transmission

A shifting rocker (2), for a transmission, consisting of:

• a first arm (4) having a sliding sleeve mount (8) and an integral second arm (6) having an opposed sliding sleeve mount (12), the sliding sleeve mount (8) and the opposed sliding sleeve mount (12) facing and being coaxially aligned with one another to define a first pivot axis (14) pivotally supporting a sliding sleeve therebetween;
• a lever arm (16) being directly coupled to and formed integral with the shifting rocker (2) such that the lever arm (16) is rigidly, immovably fixed with respect to the shifting rocker (2), the lever arm (16) supporting a first bearing point (20), and the second arm (6) supporting a second bearing point (22) and the first bearing point (20) and the second bearing point (22) together define a second pivot axis (18) which facilitates pivoting movement of the shifting rocker (2) about the second pivot axis (18) via the first and second bearing points (20, 22) with the lever arm (16) and the first and the second arms (4, 6) being located between the first bearing point (20) and the second bearing point (22);
• the first pivot axis (14) being substantially parallel to the second pivot axis (18);
• the first sliding sleeve mount (8) and the opposed second sliding sleeve mount (12) each have a laterally inwardly facing surface, and the lever arm (16) being connected to the shifting rocker (2) in an area located laterally between the inwardly facing surfaces and the lever arm (16) terminating at a location between the first pivot axis (14) and the second pivot axis (18);
• the second end of the lever arm (16) supports a pin (28) and both the pin (28) and the second end of the lever arm (16) are located between the first pivot axis (14) and the second pivot axis (18) so as to facilitate providing a shifting force to be applied to the pin (28) for pivoting the shifting rocker (2) about the second pivot axis (18);
• a first end of the lever arm (16) terminates at and is connected to the shifting rocker (2) in an area (26) located between the two pivot points (20, 22) with the second pivot axis (18) being located between the first pivot axis (14) and the connection of the lever arm (16) to the shifting rocker (2), and the pin (28) extending generally parallel the first and the second pivot axes (14, 18);
• and
• the first bearing point (20) being supported along the lever arm (16) at a location which is spaced from the connection of the lever arm (16) to the shifting rocker (2) and also spaced from the pin (28) supported by the second end of the lever arm (16), and at least a remote portion of the pin (28) being laterally displaced from the second sliding sleeve mount (12), generally parallel to both the first and second pivot axes (14, 18), by a greater distance than both a lateral displacement of a remote end of the first arm (4) from the second sliding sleeve mount (12) and a lateral displacement of a remote end of the first bearing point (20) from the second sliding sleeve mount (12).

A shifting rocker (2), for a transmission, consisting of:

• first and second arms (4, 6), the first arm (4) being integral with an end of a bridge and the second arm (6) being integral with an opposite end of the bridge, the first and the second arms (4, 6) extending away from the bridge to form an essentially U-shaped member;
• an end of the first arm (4), remote from the bridge having a first sliding sleeve mount (8) and the second arm (6) comprising a second sliding sleeve mount (12), remote from the bridge, and a second bearing point (22), adjacent the bridge, the first sliding sleeve mount (8) and the second sliding sleeve mount (12) being coaxially aligned with one another to define a first pivot axis (14);
• a lever arm (16) comprising a first end, a second end and a first bearing point (20) which is located along the lever arm (16) between the first and the second ends of the lever arm (16), the first bearing point (20) and the second bearing point (22) being coaxially aligned with each other to define a second pivot axis (18);
• the first pivot axis (14) being parallel to the second pivot axis (18) and the lever arm (16) extending closely along but spaced from the first arm (4) so that the first arm (4) is located between the lever arm (16) and the second arm (6);
• the first end of the lever arm (16) being integrally coupled to the bridge remote from the second pivot axis (18) and the lever arm (16) extends adjacent the first arm (4) such that the second end of the lever arm (16) is located between the first pivot axis (14) and the second pivot axis (18);
• the first sliding sleeve mount (8) and the opposed second sliding sleeve mount 12 each have a laterally inwardly facing surface, and the lever arm 16 being connected to the shifting rocker (2) in an area located laterally between the inwardly facing surfaces;
• the second end of the lever arm (16) comprises a pin (28) to which a shifting force is applied to facilitate pivoting of the shifting rocker (2) about the second pivot axis (18), the lever arm (16) being located between the pin (28) and the shifting rocker (2) and the pin (28) extending from the lever arm (16) directly away from the shifting rocker (2), and the pin (28) extending generally parallel the first and the second pivot axes (14, 18);
• and
• the first bearing point (20) being supported along the lever arm (16) at a location which is spaced from the coupling of the lever arm (16) to the bridge and also spaced from the pin (28) supported by the second end of the lever arm (16), and at least a portion of the pin (28) having a greater lateral displacement from the second sliding sleeve mount (12) than any portion of either the first arm (4) or the first bearing point (20) have from the second sliding sleeve mount (12), and the direction of lateral displacement being parallel to both the first and second pivot axes (14, 18).