US1585935A - Lever - Google Patents

Description

May 25, 1926.

J. l. MUNCY LEVER Filed July 6, 1925 INVENTOR do/v/v Nwvcv I 'ATTORNE'Y? UNH'EQ STATES 1,585,935 PATENT FFHZE.

JOHN I. MUNCY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR. TO THE STUDEBAKER COB- ]?ORATION', OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, A CORLORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

LEVER.

Application filed July 6,

This invention relates to pressed metal shifter yokes or forks and similar lever devices for use in shifting the gears in automobile transmissions or in other machines provided with a shifter element.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a shifter yoke, or similar de vice, of pressed metal, which will be light in weight, economical to manufacture, and which may be easily formed to shape with few operations and which will withstand the shocks and strains imposed upon it.

A further object is to form a shifter yoke or similar device by first stamping out a blank from a sheet of metal, then pressing the same to form a centrally located flange and, lastly, by bending the same at the middle to form a pair of parallel legs or arms and a central aperture.

These being among the objects of the present invention, same consists of certain features of construction and combinations of parts to be hereinafterdescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings, and then claimed, having the above and other objects in view.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates a suitable embodiment of the present invention and in which like numerals refer to like parts:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a completely formed shifter yoke.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the blank from which the shifter yoke is formed.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the shifter yoke after the flanged portion is formed by bending along the dotted line shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an elevational view of the shifter yoke after it is bent around a bar to its finished shape.

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 55 of Figure 4:.

Previous to this time, shifter yokes and the like have been made of castings and forgings and it has been discovered that the present invention of using pressed metal is a decided improvement thereon, in that a shifter yoke such as is shown in Figure 1 can be produced at much lower cost and greater economy without sacrificing strength and yet be of greatly reduced weight.

In producing the shifter yoke or fork as shown in Figure 1, a blank such as shown in Figure 2 is first stamped out of a piece of sheet metal, and, as shown, comprises a flat 1925. Serial No. 41,679.

piece of stock having a substantially straight upper surface 19 and relatively narrow ends 12, the metal extending inwardly and clownwardly from the ends along a curve 20 to the lower surfaces or faces 18 which are parallel to the upper surface and which are separated by a notch out upwardly therefrom and which comprises curved end portions 17, and straight connecting surface 21. The metal above the dotted line a (Figure 2) is then bent upwardly perpendicular to the plane of the stamping to form a vertically extending flange 13 of substantially constant height adjacent the notch and gradually tapering down therefrom to a point adjacent the ends 12. The stamping, as thus formed is placed in a bending machine and that part immediately above the notch, comprising the straight portion 21 is bent around a bar 16,

as shown in Figure 4, until the lower faces 18 as shown in Figures 2 and 3, assume parallel but slightly spaced relation, and the lower ends, as shown in Figure 1, are then weld-- ed together as shown at 22. The notch 17, during this bending operation is formed into a circular aperture 14 which is adapted to receive the shaft (not shown) to which the yoke or fork is to be secured, the upper portion of the flange 1.3 being bent around its upper portion to effect a continuation of the aperture 14 and thereby affording an increased bearing area for the shaft in the aperture, the aperture and the continuing .wall of the flange 13 being preferably reamed to provide a closer fit for the same. The ends 12, in the operation of bending, become the usual yoke or fork ends for engaging a collar or other part (not shown) which such yokes are adapted to control, and these ends may be thickened if desired, as shown, by either upsetting them or by welding or brazing additional metal thereto.

Aligned openings 15 are drilled in the flange 13 below the aperture 14 or in a posi tion to slightly intersect the shaft which is to be received therein. The openings 15 receive a bolt which, when drawn up, because of the slot 23 formed between the parallel faces 18, draws the apertured end of the yoke closely about the shaft to thereby clamp it to the same.

These operations are very simple to accomplish and it can be readily seen that shifter yokes and lever devices of a like character can be produced more easily and more economically than by any of the other methods used heretofore.

Formal changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the invention described, without departing from the spirit and substance of the broad invention, the scope of which is commensurate With the appended claims.

lVhat I claim is 1. The method of forming a lever from sheet metal comprising stamping a blank portion therefrom, forming a centrally positioned flange thereon perpendicular to the plane of said blank, and bending said blank portion in a plane transversely to its edges to bring the opposite ends of one edge into adjacent relationship, and thereafter seuring said ends together.

2. The method of forming a lever from sheet metal comprising stamping a blank portion therefrom formed with extending end portions and an elongated recess having rounded sides, forming a central flange adjacent said notch at substantially ninety degrees thereto, and bending the same upon itself in a plane transversely to its edges to form an aperture adapted to receive lever actuating means and bring said extending end port-ions parallel to each other, and thereafter securing said ends together.

The method of forming a lever from sheet metal comprising forming a blank having extended end portions and an elongated recess having rounded sides, forming a central flanged portion adjacent said recess at substantially ninety degrees thereto, bending the same upon itself in the plane of the blank to form an aperture adapted to receive lever actuating means and bring said extending end portions parallel to each other, Welding the metal to secure said end portions together, and thickening the Width of the ends of said extending end portions.

4. The method of forming a shifter yoke from sheet metal comprising forming a blank provided with an elongated notch in one edge and outwardly extending end portions at the ends of said edge, bending the metaladjacent said notch to form a perpendicularly extending flange bounding on the edge of said notch, then bending said flange at said notch about a line perpendicular to the plane of said blank to form said notch into an aperture and to bring the opposite ends of said edge into adjacent relationship, and thereafter securing said edge ends together to form said end portions into yoke arms.

The method of forn'iing a lever from sheet metal comprising forming a blank having an elongated notch in one edge thereof, bending the metal opposite said notch about a line intersecting an edge of said notch to form a flange perpendicular to the plane of said blank, and thereafter bending said blank at said flange adjacent said notch and in the plane of said blank to bring the edges of said blank adjacent said notch into spaced but parallel relation thereby forming said notch into an aperture, and thereafter Welding said edges together at a point remote from said aperture.

5. The method of forming a lever from sheet metal comprising forming a blank with an elongated notch in one edge thereof, bending the metal adjacent said notch to form a flange perpendicular to the plane of said blank bounding on said notch, bending said flange to form said notch into an aperture and to bring the edge of said blank on the opposite sides of said notch into substantially parallel and adjacent relationship, and thereafter Welding together the end portions of said edge remote from said notch.

Signed by me at Detroit, Michigan, U. S. A., this 27th day of June, 1925.

JOHN I. MUNCY.

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