Steering mechanism

Claim 1

IN A VEHICLE ADAPTED TO BE DRIVEN IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS AND HAVING STEERABLE TRACTION MEANS FOR TURNING SAID VEHICLE, AN OPERATOR''S SEAT, A STEERING COLUMN SUPPORTING SAID SEAT IN FIXED RELATIONSHIP THEREWITH, A STEERING WHEEL CARRIED BY SAID COLUMN AND LOCATED OPPOSITE THE FONT OF SAID SEAT, A STEERING SHAFT CARRIED BY SAID COLUMN, ONE END OF SAID STEERING SHAFT BEING OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID STEERING WHEEL, THE OTHER END OF SAID STEERING SHAFT HAVING FIRST CLUTCH MEANS MOUNTED THEREON, A LATCH MEMBER CARRIED BY SAID COLUMN, PEDESTAL MEANS SUPPORTING SAID STEERING COLUMN FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT RELATIVE THERETO, SAID STEERING COLUMN AND SEAT BEING SWINGABLE SIMULTANEOUSLY RELATIVE TO SAID PEDESTAL ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS BETWEEN TWO OPERATIONAL POSITIONS IN WHICH THE OPERATOR FACES OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID VEHICLE, SECOND CLUTCH MEANS SUPPORTED BY SAID PEDESTAL MEANS AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID TRACTION MEANS, SAID SECOND CLUTCH MEANS BEING ENGAGEABLE BY SAID FIRST CLUTCH MEANS IN EACH OF SAID OPERATIONAL POSTIONS, MEANS CARRIED BY SAID PEDESTAL MEANS AND ADAPTED TO LOCKINGLY ENGAGE SAID LATCH MEMBER IN EACH OF SAID OPERATIONAL POSITIONS, AND MEANS CARRIED BY SAID COLUMN FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY DISENGAGING SAID CLUTCH MEANS AND SAID LATCH MEMBER IN EACH OF SAID OPERATIONAL POSITIONS TO PERMIT MOVEMENT OF SAID STEERING COLUMN AND SEAT BETWEEN SAID OPERATIONAL POSITIONS.