← Back to Patent Explorer
US4237752A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Apparatus for controlling a plurality of mechanisms

Assignee: Caterpillar Industrial Inc
•
Filing: 1978-10-06
•
Granted: 1980-12-09
•
Expires: 1998-10-06
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract Apparatus (10) for controlling a plurality (12, 16) of mechanisms, including a pedal (20), a first device (44) for permitting the pedal (20) to move in a substantially straight line to regulate a first mechanism (12), and a second device (24, 58, 60), for permitting the pedal (20) to pivot to regulate a second mechanism (16). In a specific embodiment, the pedal (20) is moved substantially linearly to shift a vehicle transmission control valve (12) into forward, reverse, or neutral positions, whereas the pedal (20) is pivoted to increase engine speed. The second device (24, 58, 60) also prevents linear movement of the pedal (20) when the pedal (20) has been pivoted to preselected amount.

Inventors

  • 👤 Harold V. Hildebrecht

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-04 15:30
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05G; G05G1/00; G05G1/30; G05G1/305; B; B60; B60W; B60W10/00; B60W10/04; B60W10/10; B60W30/00; B60W30/18; B60W30/18181; B60W2540/00; B60W2540/10; B60W2710/00; B60W2710/10; B60W2710/1005; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/20; Y10T74/20012; Y10T74/20018; Y10T74/20055; Y10T74/20073; Y10T74/20189; Y10T74/20528; Y10T74/20534

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim 92 words
Apparatus (10) for controlling a plurality (12, 16) of mechanisms, comprising: (a) a pedal (20); (b) first means (44, 46) for controlling said pedal (20) to move in a substantially straight line to regulate a first mechanism (12); and (c) second means (24, 58, 60) for controlling said pedal (20) to pivot to regulate a second mechanism (16), said second means including means (58, 60) for preventing said pedal (20) from moving in a substantially straight line when said pedal (20) is pivoted a preselected amount to regulate the second mechanism (16).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 92 words
Apparatus (10) for controlling a plurality (12, 16) of mechanisms, comprising: (a) a pedal (20); (b) first means (44, 46) for controlling said pedal (20) to move in a substantially straight line to regulate a first mechanism (12); and (c) second means (24, 58, 60) for controlling said pedal (20) to pivot to regulate a second mechanism (16), said second means including means (58, 60) for preventing said pedal (20) from moving in a substantially straight line when said pedal (20) is pivoted a preselected amount to regulate the second mechanism (16).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 33 words
Apparatus (10) according to claim 1 wherein said means (58, 60) for preventing includes: (a) a projection (58) connected to said pedal (20); and (b) index means (60) for receiving said projection (58).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 58 words
Apparatus (10) according to claim 2 wherein said index means (60) includes an opening (60a) and wherein said second means (24, 58, 60) for controlling includes a pivot (24) connecting said pedal (20) to said first means (44, 46) for controlling, said projection (58) moving into said opening (60a) in response to the pivoting of said pedal (20).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 29 words
Apparatus (10) according to claim 1 further including means (28a) for regulating a third mechanism (54) in response to movement of said pedal (20) in a substantially straight line.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 103 words
Apparatus (10) for controlling a plurality (12, 16) of mechanisms, comprising: (a) a pedal (20) (b) first means (44, 46) for controlling said pedal (20) to move in a substantially straight line to regulate a first mechanism (12), said first means including a linkage (44) having an upper link (22), a lower link (40), and a pair (26, 28) of links being pivotally connected between said upper link (22) and said lower link (40), said linkage (44) being connected to said pedal (20); and (c) second means (24, 58, 60) for controlling said pedal (20) to pivot to regulate a second mechanism (16).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 103 words
Apparatus (10) for controlling a plurality (12, 16) of mechanisms, comprising: (a) a pedal (20) (b) first means (44, 46) for controlling said pedal (20) to move in a substantially straight line to regulate a first mechanism (12), said first means including a linkage (44) having an upper link (22), a lower link (40), and a pair (26, 28) of links being pivotally connected between said upper link (22) and said lower link (40), said linkage (44) being connected to said pedal (20); and (c) second means (24, 58, 60) for controlling said pedal (20) to pivot to regulate a second mechanism (16).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 17 words
Apparatus (10) according to claim 5 wherein said pedal (20) is connected to said upper link (22).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 18 words
Apparatus (10) according to claim 6 wherein said pedal (20) is pivotally connected to said upper link (22).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 111 words
Apparatus (10) for controlling a transmission control valve (12) of a vehicle having an engine (16), comprising: (a) a pedal (20); (b) first means (44) for controlling said pedal (20) to move to a plurality of positions in a substantially straight line; (c) means (28a, 46, 48) for shifting the control valve (12) between a plurality of drive modes in response to the linear position of said pedal (20); and (d) second means (24, 58, 60) for controlling said pedal (20) to pivot to regulate the speed of the engine (16) and for preventing the straight line movement of said pedal (20) when said pedal (20) is pivoted a preselected amount.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 111 words
Apparatus (10) for controlling a transmission control valve (12) of a vehicle having an engine (16), comprising: (a) a pedal (20); (b) first means (44) for controlling said pedal (20) to move to a plurality of positions in a substantially straight line; (c) means (28a, 46, 48) for shifting the control valve (12) between a plurality of drive modes in response to the linear position of said pedal (20); and (d) second means (24, 58, 60) for controlling said pedal (20) to pivot to regulate the speed of the engine (16) and for preventing the straight line movement of said pedal (20) when said pedal (20) is pivoted a preselected amount.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 19 words
Apparatus (10) according to claim 8 wherein said first controlling means (44) includes a linkage (22, 26, 28, 40).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 27 words
Apparatus (10) according to claim 9 wherein said linkage (22, 26, 28, 40) includes a movable link (22), said pedal (20) being connected to said movable link.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 28 words
Apparatus (10) according to claim 10 wherein said second means (24, 58, 60) for controlling includes a pivot (24) connecting said pedal (20) to said movable link (22).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 97 words
Apparatus (10) according to claim 8 wherein said second means (24, 58, 60) for controlling includes: (a) an index (60) positioned in proximity to said pedal (20) and having a plurality of apertures (60a, 60b, 60c), each corresponding to one of the drive modes; and (b) a projection (58) extending from said pedal (20) towards said index (60), said pedal (20) being pivotally supported by said first means (44) for controlling and said index (60) receiving said projection (58) in any one of said apertures (60a, 60b, 60c) in response to the pivoting of said pedal (20).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 38 words
Apparatus (10) according to claim 8 further including means (28a, 52, 54, 56) for preventing engine start-up in response to said pedal (20) being in any position other than a position corresponding to a drive mode of neutral.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 36 words
Apparatus (10) according to claim 13 wherein said engine start-up preventing means (28a, 52, 54, 56) includes means (56) for providing a signal in response to said pedal (20) being in the position corresponding to neutral.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2493592A Cited
US3359821A Cited
US3608399A Cited
US3613482A Cited
US3630326A Cited
US3845674A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1983-12-09 1984-06-09 1984-12-09 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1987-12-09 1988-06-09 1988-12-09 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1991-12-09 1992-06-09 1992-12-09 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag