Control pedal assembly

Claim 2

A control pedal assembly (10), comprising: first (16), second (18) and third (12) pedal portions, each of said pedal portions (16, 18, 12) having an edge portion positioned about a common axis (20), said first (16) and second (18) pedal portions each being pivotally movable relative to said third (12) pedal portion and extending in a common direction outwardly from said edge portion of said third (12) pedal portion, said third (12) pedal portion being movable relative to said first (16) and second (18) pedal portions, each one (12, 16, 18) of said pedal portions being separately movable and simultaneously movable with another (12, 16, 18) of said pedal portions.

Claim 3

A control pedal assembly (10) according to claim 1, further including: (a) first (106, 108,112) and second (39,44,46, 52,54,56,58,62,76) control members each being engageable with said first (16) and second (18) pedal portions, both said first and second control members being movable in response to movement of either one (16, 18) of said first (16) and second (18) pedal portions; and (b) a third (24,29) control member being engageable with said third (12) pedal portion and movable in response to movement of said third (12) pedal portion.

Claim 4

A control pedal assembly (10) according to claim 2, further including a first control system (105), said first control member (106,108,112) controlling said first control system (105) over substantially the entire range of movement of said first control member (106,108,112).

Claim 5

A control pedal assembly (10) according to claim 2, further including: (a) a first control system (32); and (b) means (64) for controlling said first control system (32) in response to movement of said second control member (39,44,46,52,54,56,58,62,76) over only a preselected portion of movement of said second control member (39,44,46,52,54,56,58,62,76).

Claim 6

A control pedal assembly (10) according to claim 4 further including a second control system (105), said first control member (106,108, 112) controlling said second control system (105) over substantially the entire range of movement of said first control member (106, 108,112).

Claim 7

A control pedal assembly (10) according to claim 2 wherein said first control member (106,108,112) includes: (a) a roller (106) being engageable across said first (16) and second (18) pedal portions; and (b) a linkage (108,112) connected to said roller (106) and movable in response to movement of said roller (106).

Claim 8

A control pedal assembly (10) according to claim 2 wherein said second control member (39,44,46, 52,54,56,58,62,76) includes: (a) a rotatable member (52); (b) a first linkage (39,44,46,54) connected between said first (16) pedal portion and said rotatable member (52); and (c) a second linkage (56,68,62) connected between said second (18) pedal portion and said rotatable member (52), said first linkage (39,44,46,54) rotating said rotatable member (52) in one direction in response to movement of said first (16) pedal portion and said second linkage (56,58,62) rotating said rotatable member (52) in another direction in response to movement of said second (18) pedal portion.

Claim 9

A control pedal assembly (10) according to claim 3 wherein said first control system (105) includes an engine, and said first control member (106,108,112) includes means (112) for regulating the speed of said engine (105).

Claim 10

A control pedal assembly (10) according to claim 4 wherein said first control system (32) includes a control valve (31) having a fluid input (34), a plurality (35,36) of fluid outputs, and means (104) for selectively directing fluid at said input (34) to one (35,36) of said outputs.

Claim 11

A control pedal assembly (10) according to claim 2 wherein said third control member (24,29) includes a control valve (29) and a movable control rod (24) controlling said valve (29) over substantially the entire range of movement of said rod (24).

Claim 12

A control pedal assembly (10) according to claim 10 wherein said control valve (29) is a fluid control valve having means (28) for modulating the pressure of fluid passing through said valve (29).

Claim 13

A control system for controlling an engine (105) and a transmission (32), comprising: (a) a pedal assembly (10) having first (16), second (18) and third (12) pedal portions, each one of said pedal portions (16, 18, 12) having an edge portion positioned about a common axis (20), said first (16) and second (18) pedal portions each being pivotally movable relative to said third (12) pedal portion and extending in a common direction outwardly from said edge portion of said third (12) pedal portion, said third (12) pedal portion being movable relative to said first (16) and second (18) pedal portions, each one (12, 16, 18) of said pedal portions being separately movable and simultaneously movable with another (12, 16, 18) of said pedal portions; (b) first control means (106, 108, 112) for controlling the speed of the engine (105) in response to movement of either one (16, 18) of said first (16) and second (18) pedal portions and being engageable with said first (16) and second (18) pedal portions; (c) second control means (39,44,46,52,54, 56,58,62,76) for controlling the transmission (32) for forward or reverse drive in response to movement of said first (16) pedal portion or said second (18) pedal portion and being engaged with said first (16) pedal portion and said second (18) pedal portion; and (d) third control means (24, 29) for modulating the transmission (32) in response to movement of said third (12) pedal portion between one position and another position and for neutralizing the transmission (32) in response to said third (12) pedal portion being at said one position, said third (12) pedal portion being biased to said one position and said third control means (24, 29) being engageable with said third (12) pedal portion.

Claim 14

A control system for controlling an engine (105) and a transmission (32), comprising: (a) a pedal assembly (10) having first (16), second (18) and third (12) pedal portions, each one of said pedal portions (16, 18, 12) having an edge portion positioned about a common axis (20), said first (16) and second (18) pedal portions each being pivotally movable relative to said third (12) pedal portion and extending in a common direction outwardly from said edge portion of said third (12) pedal portion, said third (12) pedal portion being movable relative to said first (16) and second (18) pedal portions, each one (12, 16, 18) of said pedal portions being separately movable and simultaneously movable with another (12, 16, 18) of said pedal portions; (b) first control means (106, 108, 112) for controlling the speed of the engine (105) in response to movement of either one (16, 18) of said first (16) and second (18) pedal portions and being engageable with said first (16) and second (18) pedal portions; (c) second control means (39,44,46,52,54, 56,58,62,76) for controlling the transmission (32) for forward or reverse drive in response to movement of said first (16) pedal portion or said second (18) pedal portion and being engaged with said first (16) pedal portion and said second (18) pedal portion; and (d) third control means (24, 29) for modulating the transmission (32) in response to movement of said third (12) pedal portion between one position and another position and for neutralizing the transmission (32) in response to said third (12) pedal portion being at said one position, said third (12) pedal portion being biased to said one position and said third control means (24, 29) being engageable with said third (12) pedal portion.

Claim 15

A control mechanism (64), comprising: (a) first means (72) for moving in either of two directions and having first (74) and second (77) sides; (b) second means (86, 88, 90) for moving with said first moving means (72) over only a preselected portion of movement of said first moving means (72); (c) means (92, 94, 96, 100) for releasably coupling said first moving means (72) to said second moving means (86, 88, 90); and (d) means (68, 70, 78, 80) for lifting said first moving means (72) from said second moving means (86, 88, 90) in response to movement of said second moving means (86, 88, 90) over the preselected portion for permitting further relative movement between said first moving means (72) and said second moving means (86, 88, 90), including first (70) and second (68) spaced-apart cams, said first moving means (72) being movable between said cams (68, 70), and first (80) and second (78) cam surfaces at said first (74) and second (77) sides, respectively, and being in contact with said first (70) and second (68) cams, respectively, in response to movement of said second moving means (86, 88, 90) over the preselected portion.

Claim 16

A control mechanism (64), comprising: (a) first means (72) for moving in either of two directions and having first (74) and second (77) sides; (b) second means (86, 88, 90) for moving with said first moving means (72) over only a preselected portion of movement of said first moving means (72); (c) means (92, 94, 96, 100) for releasably coupling said first moving means (72) to said second moving means (86, 88, 90); and (d) means (68, 70, 78, 80) for lifting said first moving means (72) from said second moving means (86, 88, 90) in response to movement of said second moving means (86, 88, 90) over the preselected portion for permitting further relative movement between said first moving means (72) and said second moving means (86, 88, 90), including first (70) and second (68) spaced-apart cams, said first moving means (72) being movable between said cams (68, 70), and first (80) and second (78) cam surfaces at said first (74) and second (77) sides, respectively, and being in contact with said first (70) and second (68) cams, respectively, in response to movement of said second moving means (86, 88, 90) over the preselected portion.

Claim 17

A control mechanism (64), comprising: (a) first means (72) for moving in either of two directions, including a first bar (72) having a notch (84); (b) second means (86, 88, 90) for moving with said first moving means (72) over only a preselected portion of movement of said first moving means (72), including a second bar (88) spaced from said first bar (84) and a pin (90) extending from said second bar (88) into said notch (84); (c) means (92, 94, 96, 100) for releasably coupling said first moving means (72) to said second moving means (86, 88, 90); and (d) means (68, 70, 78, 80) for decoupling said first moving means (72) from said second moving means (86, 88, 90) in response to movement of said second moving means (86, 88, 90) over the preselected portion for permitting further relative movement between said first moving means (72) and said second moving means (86, 88, 90).

Claim 18

A control mechanism (64), comprising: (a) first means (72) for moving in either of two directions, including a first bar (72) having a notch (84); (b) second means (86, 88, 90) for moving with said first moving means (72) over only a preselected portion of movement of said first moving means (72), including a second bar (88) spaced from said first bar (84) and a pin (90) extending from said second bar (88) into said notch (84); (c) means (92, 94, 96, 100) for releasably coupling said first moving means (72) to said second moving means (86, 88, 90); and (d) means (68, 70, 78, 80) for decoupling said first moving means (72) from said second moving means (86, 88, 90) in response to movement of said second moving means (86, 88, 90) over the preselected portion for permitting further relative movement between said first moving means (72) and said second moving means (86, 88, 90).