1. A locking mechanism for a reverse shift rail of a transmission, the reverse shift rail being configured to move axially in a first direction from a neutral position to activate a drive gear range, and in a second direction from the neutral position to activate a reverse gear range, the transmission including a rail selector with a wing configured to engage with the reverse shift rail, and a reverse inhibitor configured to selectively dampen the reverse shift rail from moving in the second direction, the locking mechanism comprising:
a main body positionable and operatively rotatable around at least a portion of the reverse shift rail; and
an arm extending from the main body, the arm being configured to engage with the wing to enable the main body to rotate from a first position;
wherein the arm is configured to come into contact with the reverse inhibitor when the reverse shift rail disengages from the drive gear range to the neutral position.
2. The locking mechanism of claim 1 further comprising a spring operatively attached to the main body, the spring being configured to bias the main body to the first position.
3. The locking mechanism of claim 2 wherein the spring is positionable between the main body and the reverse shift rail.
4. The locking mechanism of claim 2 wherein the spring is a torsion spring.
5. The locking mechanism of claim 1 wherein the reverse shift rail has a shift lug having an axial portion aligned substantially parallel to the reverse shift rail, and a transverse portion aligned substantially perpendicular to the reverse shift rail, and wherein the arm is positionable between the reverse inhibitor and the transverse portion of the shift lug in the neutral position.
6. The locking mechanism of claim 1 wherein the reverse inhibitor has a tabbed extension, the arm being configured to engage with the tabbed extension to selectively inhibit axial movement of the reverse shift rail in the second direction.
7. A transmission comprising:
a reverse shift rail configured to move axially in a first direction from a neutral position to activate a drive gear range, and in a second direction from the neutral position to activate a reverse gear range;
a main shift rail aligned substantially parallel to the reverse shift rail and being configured to move in an axial direction and to rotate around an axis, the main shift rail having a rail selector with a laterally extending wing configured to selectively engage with the reverse shift rail to enable the axial movement of the reverse shift rail;
a reverse inhibitor configured to selectively dampen the reverse shift rail from moving in the second direction; and
a locking mechanism having:
a main body disposed around and operatively rotatable around at least a portion of the reverse shift rail; and
an arm extending from the main body, the arm being configured to engage with the wing to enable the main body to rotate from an original position;
wherein the arm is configured to come into contact with the reverse inhibitor when the reverse shift rail disengages from the drive gear range to the neutral position.
8. The transmission of claim 7 wherein the drive gear range is fifth gear.
9. The transmission of claim 7 further comprising a spring operatively attached to the main body, the spring being configured to bias the main body to the first position.
10. The transmission of claim 8 wherein the spring is positioned between the main body and the reverse shift rail.
11. The transmission of claim 8 wherein the spring is a torsional spring.
12. The transmission of claim 7 wherein the reverse shift rail has a shift lug having an axial portion aligned substantially parallel to the reverse shift rail, and a transverse portion aligned substantially perpendicular to the reverse shift rail, the axial portion being configured to receive the laterally extending wing of the rail selector.
13. The transmission of claim 12 wherein the arm is positioned between the reverse inhibitor and the transverse portion of the shift lug in the neutral position.
14. The transmission of claim 12 further comprising an inhibitor shaft aligned substantially parallel with the reverse shift rail and positioned within the transverse portion of the shift lug, the reverse inhibitor being disposed around and rotatable around the inhibitor shaft.
15. The transmission of claim 7 wherein the reverse inhibitor has a tabbed extension configured to engage with the arm of the locking mechanism to selectively inhibit axial movement of the reverse shift rail in the second direction.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A programmable apparatus for performing a plurality of user-selectable control functions, the apparatus comprising:
a. a database for storing a plurality of items associated with each of the control functions, the items including, for each function:
i. at least one procedure for performing a plurality of actions associated with the control function;
ii. a specification of at least one state associated with each procedure;
b. means facilitating selection of a procedure in the database;
c. means responsive to the selection for accessing the database and causing performance of the selected procedure to achieve the states specified therein; and
d. means for monitoring at least one resource associated with the actions of the procedure and, based thereon, determining whether the specified states have been achieved.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the performance means is responsive to executable instructions causing it to respond, in causing performance of the action, to the state determined by the monitoring means.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the items further include a list of resources associated with the action, the performance means being configured to establish control connections to the listed action resources to perform the action.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the items further include a list of resources associated with the state, the monitoring means being configured to establish monitoring connections to the listed state resources to determine the state.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 comprising:
a. an inputoutput module for connection to at least one inputoutput point on a controlled machine; and
b. a computer memory comprising a plurality of registers and flags for containing data associated associated with the action, the state resources including the at least one inputoutput point and the registers and flags.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means facilitating selection and the means responsive to the selection comprise:
a. compiler;
b. a series of high-level instructions including instructions invoking the at least one procedure; and
c. a database manager, responsive to procedure-invoking instructions, for locating the at least one procedure;
the compiler compiling the high-level instructions and the procedure into a machine-executable run-time program.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising memory means for storing the run-time program.
8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the run-time program accesses, during execution, at least one state item by means of the database manager.
9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the items further include a template specifying at least one performance characteristic, the monitoring means evaluating the resource against the at least one performance characteristic during performance of the action, the run-time program accessing, during execution, at least one performance-characteristic item by means of the database manager.
10. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a programming interface for accepting the high-level instructions and the items, the programming interface communicating with the database manager so as to cause storage of the items in the database.
11. A programmable apparatus for performing a plurality of user-selectable control functions the apparatus comprising:
a. a database for storing a plurality of items associated with each of the control functions, the items including, for each function:
i. at least one procedure for performing an action associated with the control function;
ii. a specification of at least one state associated with the control function; and
iii. a template specifying at least one performance characteristic, the monitoring means evaluating the resource against the at least one performance characteristic during performance of the action;
b. means facilitating selection of an action in the database;
c. means responsive to the selection for accessing the database and causing performance of the selected action; and
d. means for monitoring a resource associated with the action and, based thereon, determining the state specified in the database.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:
a. the performance characteristic comprises a plurality of parameter limit value ranges; and
b. the template specifies a limit procedure associated with at one of the limit value ranges, the performance means causing performance of the limit procedure if the parameter value falls within the limit value range.
13. An apparatus having a programmable processor and a memory for performing a plurality of user-selectable control functions, the apparatus comprising:
a. a database for storing a plurality of items associated with each of the control functions, the items including, for each function:
i. at least one procedure for performing an action associated with the control function;
ii. a specification of at least one state associated with the control function;
b. a first software routine stored on the memory and adapted to be executed by the processor for facilitating selection of a procedure in the database;
c. a second software routine stored on the memory and adapted to be executed by the processor that responds to the selection for accessing the database and causing performance of the selected procedure to achieve the state specified therein; and
d. a third software routine stored on the memory and adapted to be executed by the processor for monitoring at least one resource associated with the action of the procedure and, based thereon, determining whether the specified state has been achieved.
14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the items further include historical parameter values associated with completions of the action or performances of the limit procedure.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the monitoring means is configured to dynamically update the historical parameter values upon completion of an action or performance of the limit procedure.