Tilt steering column lock

摘要

Apparatus for releasably locking the tilt steering column assembly of an automotive vehicle in an adjusted position. A rack on the steering column assembly is engaged by a pawl to lock the steering column assembly in the position selected by the driver. A bracket is provided to hold the pawl engaged with the rack and prevent it from becoming disengaged. The tilt of the steering column can be re-adjusted by moving the bracket so that the pawl can disengage the rack. A wedge is provided for retaining the bracket in its position holding the pawl engaged with the rack. The rack has an arcuate series of teeth engageable with an arcuate series of pawl teeth. The pawl teeth includes a group of intermediate teeth of full size for full engagement with the rack teeth and at each end of the group of intermediate teeth a group of truncated teeth of shorter length than the teeth of the intermediate group to enable engagement and disengagement of the pawl and rack teeth without interference or binding.