Patent US703024A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0076589A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Dual mode control lever assembly
Assignee: Deere and Co
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Filing: 1982-09-20
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2002-09-20
Abstract
Abstract A housing (12, 14) has a pivot member (20) rotatably mounted therein on a pivot pin (16). A pair of members (38, 40) are pivotally mounted on the pivot pin (16) adjacent opposite sides of the pivot member (20). The first member (38) is frictionally coupled (48,52,54) to the housing. The other member (40) is biased to a neutral position by a centering spring (66, 68). A cross arm (74,75) movable in the pivot member (20) to alternately couple and uncouple one or the other of the said pair of members (38, 40) from the pivot member, depending upon the energization state of a mode-select solenoid (24). A detent follower releasably holds the pivot member in a displaced position when in the spring-centered mode. A rotary potentiometer coupled to the pivot member generates an electrical signal representing the position of the pivot member (20) and a lever handle (26) attached thereto.
Inventors
- 👤 Carl Edwin Kittle
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 22:28
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05G; G05G17/00; G05G5/00; G05G5/06; G05G5/12; G05G5/14; G05G5/16; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/20; Y10T74/20576; Y10T74/20636; Y10T74/2066
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
122 words
A control lever assembly comprising a housing, an operator-movable control lever pivotally mounted in the housing, and friction means frictionally coupling the control lever to the housing to cause the lever to hold the position to which it is moved, characterised by resilient means (40 62,64) biased to urge the control lever (26,20) from a displaced position to a neutral position relative to the housing (12,14), and a selecting member (72,74,75) movable between a first position wherein it couples the control lever to the friction means (38, 48, 52, 54) while uncoupling the control lever from the resilient means, and a second position wherein it couples the control lever to the resilient means while uncoupling the control lever from the friction means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
122 words
A control lever assembly comprising a housing, an operator-movable control lever pivotally mounted in the housing, and friction means frictionally coupling the control lever to the housing to cause the lever to hold the position to which it is moved, characterised by resilient means (40 62,64) biased to urge the control lever (26,20) from a displaced position to a neutral position relative to the housing (12,14), and a selecting member (72,74,75) movable between a first position wherein it couples the control lever to the friction means (38, 48, 52, 54) while uncoupling the control lever from the resilient means, and a second position wherein it couples the control lever to the resilient means while uncoupling the control lever from the friction means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
A control lever assembly according to claim 1, further characterised by a transducer (90) responsive to movements of the control lever (26,20) for generating signals representing the position of the control lever relative to the housing (12,14).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A control lever assembly according to claim 1 or 2, further characterised by a solenoid actuator (24) for moving the selecting member (72,74,75) between its first and second positions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
A control lever assembly according to claim 4, characterised in that the solenoid actuator (24) and the selecting member (72,74,75) are carried by the control lever (26,20) for pivotal movement therewith.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
A control lever assembly according to claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the friction and resilient means (38,48,52,54 and 40,62,64) are pivotally mounted on the control lever pivot (16) adjacent opposite sides of the control lever (26,20).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
A control lever assembly according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterised by detent means (23,80) for releasably holding the control lever (26,20) in a displaced position against the action of the resilient means (40,62,64).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
A control lever assembly according to claim 6, further characterised by a second solenoid actuator (82) controlling the detent means (23,80) for engaging and disengaging the detent means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
89 words
A control lever assembly according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the control lever (26,20) has a radially extending bore (22) therein and a transverse opening (28,30) intersecting the bore, and in that the selecting member comprises a rod (72) slidably received by the bore and a cross arm fixed to the rod and extending through the opening to first and second ends (74, 75) engageable and disengageable with the friction and resilient means (38,48,52,54 and 40,62,64) upon movement of the rod in the bore.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
77 words
A control lever assembly according to claim 8, characterised in that the friction means includes a pivotally mounted friction member (38) having a slot (42) slidably receiving the first arm end (74) when the lever (26,20) and friction member are uncoupled, having a notch (44) receiving the first arm end when the lever and friction member are coupled together, and having a friction element (48,52,54) projecting therefrom and biased into sliding frictional engagement with the housing (12,14).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
89 words
A control lever assembly according to claim 8 or 9, characterised in that the resilient means comprises a pivotally mounted centering member (40) having a slot (56) slidably receiving the second arm end (75) when the lever (26,20) and centering member are uncoupled, a notch (58) receiving the second arm end when the lever and centering member are coupled together, and a centering spring (64) coupled between the housing (12,14,70) and the centering member (40) and biased to urge the centering member from a displaced to the neutral position.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
158 words
A control lever assembly according to claim 1, characterised in that the friction means comprise a first member (38) pivotally coupled to the housing (12,14) and a friction device (48,52,54) frictionally coupling the first member to the housing to yieldably resist relative motion therebetween; in that the resilient means comprise a second member (40) pivotally coupled to the housing and a resilient member (64) coupled between the second member and the housing and biased to urge the second member from a displaced position to a neutral position relative to the housing; and in that the selecting member is a third member (72,74,75) movable between a first position wherein it couples the first member (38) for movement with the control lever (26,20) while uncoupling the second member (40) from the control lever and a second position wherein it couples the second member (40) for movement with the control lever while uncoupling the first member (38) from the control lever.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
74 words
A control lever assembly according to claim 11, characterised in that the third member includes a body (72) slidably received in a bore (22) which extends longitudinally in the control lever (26,20) and a cross arm (74,75) fixed to the body (72) and having ends projecting axially from opposite sides of the control lever, each end (74,75) being engageable and disengageable with a corresponding one of the first and second members (38 and 40).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
81 words
A control lever assembly according to claim 12, characterised in that the first member (38) includes an arcuately-shaped recess (42) for receiving one end (74) of the cross arm when the third member (72,74,75) is in its second position and a notch (44) for receiving the one end (74) of the cross arm, the walls of the notch engaging the one end of the cross arm to prevent relative movement therebetween when the third member (72,74,75) is in its first position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
85 words
A control lever assembly according to claim 12 or 13, characterised in that the second member (40) includes an arcuately-shaped recess (56) for receiving the other end (75) of the cross arm when the third member (72,74,75) is in its first position and a notch (58) for receiving the other end (75) of the cross arm, the walls of the notch engaging the other end of the cross arm to prevent relative movement therebetween when the third nember (72,74, 75) is in its second position.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
58 words
A control lever assembly according to claims 11 to 14, characterised in that the housing (12,13) includes an arcuate slot (50) therein and the first member (38) includes a pin (48) extending through the slot, the friction device (52,54) being mounted on the pin and being frictionally and slidably engageable with portions of the housing surrounding the slot.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
80 words
A control lever assembly according to any of claims 11 to 15, characterised in that a finger (62) projects axially away from the body, the housing (12,14) includes a lug (70) projecting towards the second member, and the resilient member (64) has a coil portion surrounding the pivot (16) and first and second arms (66,68) projecting from the coil portion and biased to engage with the finger and the lug to thereby urge the second member to the neutral position.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
54 words
A control lever assembly according to any of claims 11 to 16, characterised by resilient means (76) biasing the third member (72,74,75) to one of its first and second positions, and actuator means (24) for moving the third member to the other of its first and second positions in response to an operator command.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
A control lever assembly according to any of claims 11 to 17, characterised in that a common pivot pin (16) pivotally couples the lever (26,20) and first and second members (38,40) to the housing (12,14).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
99 words
A control lever assembly according to any of claims 11 to 18, characterised in that a detent follower (80,84) is reciprocally mounted in the housing (12,14,18), the control lever (26,20) includes first and second sectorial arms (23,25), the first arm (23) has a curved outer peripheral surface having a detent recess (32 or 34) therein for receiving the detent follower to releasably hold the control lever in its displaced position and the second arm has means (36) on an outer peripheral surface thereof for operatively engaging a transducer (90,92) for generating signals representing the position of the control lever.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
40 words
A control lever assembly according to claim 19, further characterised by a detent actuator (82) responsive to a control signal for selectively urging the detent follower (80,84) towards the control lever (26,20) and into the detent recess (32 or 34).
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
64 words
A control lever assembly according to any of claims 11 to 20, characterised by a gear rack (36) formed on a peripheral surface of the lever (26,20), a gear wheel (92) rotatably supported on the housing (12,14) for meshing engagement with the gear rack, and a rotary potentiometer (90) mounted on the housing and having a shaft fixed for rotation with the gear wheel.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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