This invention concerns mechanical connections between control rod ends and a pivot pin, as are commonly used to connect control rods to a pin in transmission linkages for automobiles.
In these connections, it is now usual to incorporate a soft elastomeric isolator between the rod and the pin to minimize the transmission of vibrations to a shift lever for example which is gripped by the hand of the driver of an automobile. A disadvantage of such isolators has been the looseness or lash introduced into the connection by the pin contact compressing the isolator material.
Such looseness has also been introduced by the clearances necessary to assemble the component parts of the connection.
Labor costs are also incurred by the need to fit together complex components to complete the connection when the automobile is assembled, and the need to insure proper assembly.
Another difficulty has been involved in attempting to reduce the force necessary to fit the pin to the connection to simplify assembly while still insuring that an adequately high separation force would be required to disconnect the pin after the connection is made to prevent unintended disconnection.
It is the object of the present invention to provide an arrangement and method for connecting one end of a rod to a headed pin which incorporates a vibration isolator without introducing excessive looseness in the connection.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such an arrangement and method in which there are minimal clearances necessary for assembly purposes.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such an arrangement and method which requires only low installation forces while insuring that separation forces are sufficiently high to preclude unintended disconnection of the components.