Anti-rattle bushing

Claim 1

A molded plastic anti-rattle bushing adapted to prevent metal to metal contact between a lever arm and an actuator rod coupled thereto, the lever arm having an aperture and the actuator rod having a shepherd''s crook end, the bushing comprising a cylindrical body for axial insertion into the lever arm aperture and having an axial bore through which the shepherd''s crook end of the actuator rod is inserted, the bushing body having: a. an enlarged annular flange integral with and encircling the cylindrical body at one end and having a resilient and continuous lip portion on the periphery of said flange inclined outwardly and away from said end of said cylindrical body adapted to resiliently space the actuator rod from the lever arm in all positions of the latter during relative movement between the actuator rod and the lever arm, b. a stepped shoulder portion spaced from the other end effective to prevent withdrawal of the bushing body from the lever arm in a direction opposite to the direction of insertion, c. a tapered pilot portion extending from the stepped shoulder portion to the other end, d. a plurality of open-ended slots extending axially from the end of the pilot portion through the stepped shoulder portion and terminating subjacent the annular flange, and e. the body between the slots forming resilient fingers radially deflectable inwardly to facilitate insertion of the pilot portion through the lever arm aperture and radially deflectable outwardly to facilitate insertion of the shepherd''s crook end of the actuator rod through the bushing bore.