Hand-held control means

Claim 1

A hand-held device for controlling the operation of powered equipment by the natural movements of an operator''s thumb comprising: a handle grip member having a lower portion contoured to be comfortably gripped by the fingers of the right hand of the operator and an angular control portion extending from the handle grip lower portion and having specific control components deployed within ready reach of the thumb of said right hand; said lower portion tapering from a wider base area remote from said control portion to a narrower area adjacent said control portion for more securely accomodating the operator''s right index finger; said control components including a rotatable control knob in the lower left quadrant of said angular control portion immediately above the operator''s right thumb for permitting variable control of equipment connected thereto; a toggle switch disposed immediately above said rotatable control knob for selecting the circuits to be thumb-controlled thereby; and ON-OFF recessed pushbutton controls opposite said toggle switch for starting and stopping by thumb action the operation of the equipment to which said device is connected, said control components being recessed within the outer configuration of the control portion so that accidental actuation of the control member either by the operator''s thumb or by other means is avoided; and a control cable having a plurality of connectors therein removable received axially in said lower portion at the ends thereof remote from said control portion.