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Standard transmission vehicles typically comprise a steering column having
a shift socket thereon which is rotated during movement of the shift
lever. The shift lever typically extends generally radially into the shift
socket through a boss. A secure connection is made between the boss and
the shift lever by a pin extending transversely of the shift lever. The
shift socket boss of certain makes and models of vehicles have the
undesirable trait of breaking where the shift lever retaining pin is
inserted through the boss. In this circumstance, the vehicle driver has,
in his hand, an unconnected shift lever and is accordingly unable to
manipulate the transmission and thereby change gears therein.
The technique presently used to restore the vehicle to driving condition is
to replace the broken shift socket. This entails removal of the steering
wheel, removal of the horn wiring, removal of the turn signal indicator
wiring, removal of the broken shift socket, acquistion of a new shift
socket, painting the new shift socket to match the steering column,
replacing the shift socket, replacing the turn signal indicator wiring,
replacing the horn wiring, replacing the steering wheel and reattaching
the shift lever to the shift socket hub. Although this is not a major
repair, the costs including parts and labor is at least $25 and probably
closer to $35. As will become apparent more fully hereinafter, the
practice of this invention allows repair of the shift socket at
substantially less than half the replacement cost.
Disclosures of general interest are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,136,679;
3,051,279; 3,354,534 and 3,462,144.
In summary, one aspect of this invention comprises a method of strengthing
a steering column shift socket having a shift lever receiving boss
comprising the steps of securing a sleeve about the boss, placing a shift
lever through the sleeve in the boss, and securing the shift lever to the
sleeve.
Another aspect of this inventin comprises a steering column comprising a
repaired shift socket having an amputated pin retaining boss; a sleeve,
secured about the boss, having a shift lever connecting section disposed
beyond the end of the amputated boss; a shift lever disposed through the
sleeve in the boss; and means connecting the shift lever to the connecting
section.
Another aspect of this invention comprises a steering column shift socket
repair sleeve including a body having an axially extending passage
therethrough comprising a first section of first internal diameter for
closely receiving the boss of a steering column shift socket and a second
section of a second internal diameter less than the first diameter, a pair
of aligned openings transverse to the axis through the body intersecting
the passage in the second section for receiving a shift lever retaining
pin and means extending through the first section for attaching the body
to the shift socket boss.
IN THE DRAWINGS:
FIG. 1 is a broken isometric view of a steering column incorporating the
principles of this invention;
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view illustrating the severing and removal of
a broken portion of a shift socket boss and also illustrating installation
of a shift socket boss strengthening or repair sleeve;
FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the shift socket repair sleeve illustrated
in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a top view, partially in section, illustrating the installation
of the repair sleeve of this invention; and
FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 illustrating the positioning of a
strengthening sleeve about the boss of an unbroken shift socket.
Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a steering mechanism 10 of a
standard transmission vehicle comprising a steering column 12, a shift
socket 14 rotatably mounted on the column 12 and a steering wheel 16
comprising a hub 18, a horn 20, and a plurality of radially extending arms
22 extending from the hub 18 to a steering wheel rim 24. The steering
mechanism 10 incorporates a shift lever 26 for manipulating the vehicular
transmission in any suitable manner.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, the shift socket 14 comprises an external
generally frusto-conical outer wall 48 from which radially extends a boss
or hub 30 into which the shift lever 26 extends. The shift socket 14
comprises a central section 32 having a passage 34 therein for receiving a
shift tube (not shown) which receives the end of the shift lever 26 in a
conventional manner.
The shift lever 26 extends into the boss 30 and is captivated thereto by a
pin extending through a pair of transverse openings 36 as suggested in
FIG. 2. As mentioned previously, one difficulty experienced in shift
mechanisms of this type is that the boss 30 will break out along a
fracture line 38 thereby releasing the shift lever retaining pin from the
holes 36. Accordingly, the shift lever 26 is disabled and the driver
cannot manipulate the vehicular transmission.
Rather than replacing the shift socket 14, there is provided a repair
sleeve or collar 40 which is installed on the shift socket 14 while
leaving the shift socket 14 attached to the steering column 12. The sleeve
40 comprises a body 42 desirably of metal having an axially extending
passage 44 therethrough comprising a first passage section 46 and a second
passage section 48 of lesser diameter leaving a shoulder 50 on the inside
of the body 42. The end 52 closest to the shift socket 14 is desirably of
complex configuration in order to closely fit adjacent the outer wall 28.
Although any suitable means may be provided for securing the sleeve 40 to
the boss 30, the body 42 may provide a plurality of threaded openings 54
for receiving a like plurality of set screws 56. A desirable advantage
afforded by the complex configuration of the end 52 is to allow placement
of the threaded openings 54 as close as possible to the base of the boss
30. It will accordingly be seen that the portion of the sleeve 40 nearest
the base of the boss 30 comprises a section for anchoring the sleeve 40 to
the base 30. It will likewise be apparent that any other suitable means
may be provided for securing the sleeve 40 to the base 30 including, but
not limited to, screws threaded into the boss 30, glue, solder and the
like.
Extending through the sleeve body 42 and intersecting the second passage
section 48 are a pair of aligned openings 58 disposed in a connecting
section of the sleeve 40. During installation of the shift lever 26, the
openings 58 are aligned with an opening 60 through the shift lever 26 in
order to receive a pin 62 for securing the shift lever 26 to the sleeve
40. It will accordingly be seen that the shift lever 26 is attached to the
sleeve 40 which is in turn attached to the amputated portion of the boss
30.
In repairing a broken shift socket in which one or both of the shift lever
pin retaining holes 36 have been broken out, as along fracture lines 38,
the repairman severs the boss 30 along a line 64 as by the use of a
hacksaw or other suitable device thereby cutting away the broken portion
66 of the boss 30 and leaving an amputated portion 68. The broken portion
66 is then discarded. The repair sleeve 40 is then connected to the shift
lever 26 by passing the pin 62 through the aligned openings 58, 60. The
shift lever 26 is then inserted into the amputated boss portion 68 so that
the terminal end 70 of the shift lever 26 engages the transmission shift
tube (not shown) in a conventional manner. The set screws 56 are then
advanced through the threaded openings 54 into securing engagement with
the amputated boss portion 68. It will accordingly be apparent that the
shift socket 14 has been repaired without removing the same from the
steering column 12 thereby avoiding much of the time and effort now
expended in replacing broken shift sockets.
In the alternative, the repair sleeve 40 may be inserted on and secured to
the amputated boss portion 68 followed by insertion of the shift lever 26
and placement of the pin 62.
As heretofore described, the strengthening sleeve 40 of this invention has
been used to repair a broken shift socket. It may be desirable, under
certain circumstances, to strengthen the boss 30 of the shift socket 14
rather than wait for the boss 30 to fail. If desirable, the end of the
boss 30 may be severed along the line 64 and the strengthening sleeve 40
inserted over the amputated boss portion 68.
Referring to FIG. 5, there is illustrated a technique for strengthening an
unbroken shift socket without requiring amputation of a portion of the
shift lever receiving boss. For purposes of brevity, analogous elements
are referred to with analogous reference characters with only the
differences between the embodiments of FIGS. 4 and 5 being specifically
discussed. As is apparent from FIG. 5, the boss 130 is unbroken and is
surrounded by a strengthening sleeve 140. The strengthening sleeve 140
differs from the sleeve 40 only in that the passage 146 therethrough is of
substantially uniform diameter so that the openings 158 in the sleeve 140
may be aligned with the openings 136, 160 in the unamputated boss 130 and
shift lever 126 respectively.
When it is desired to utilize the strengthening sleeve 140, it is necessary
only to remove the pin connecting the boss 130 and the shift lever 126,
remove the shift lever 126 from the boss 130, slide the sleeve 140 over
the boss 130, reinsert the shift lever 126 in the boss 130, place the pin
162 through the aligned openings 158, 136, 160 and advance the set screws
156 into securing engagement with the boss 130.
It will accordingly be seen that there is provided a technique for
repairing and/or strengthening a broken shift socket while leaving the
same attached to a steering column.
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