Locking system for adjustable position steering column

摘要

The vehicle steering column has a rake adjustment and a telescope adjustment. The adjustment mechanism includes a compression bracket with a telescope slot, a rake bracket with a rake slot and a rake bolt that passes through the telescope slot and the rake slot. A wedge lock is mounted on the rake bolt and positioned in the rake slot and the telescope slot. Rake and telescope teeth on the wedge lock are held out of engagement with a rake tooth rack and a telescope tooth rack during rake and telescope adjustment. The rake bolt is tightened to hold a selected adjustment position and the telescope teeth on the wedge lock engage the telescope tooth rack. During a collision the rake teeth on the wedge lock are moved into engagement with the rake tooth rack to fix the rake and telescope adjustments.