Single-lever straight-line motion device for single, double and crossed drive on hydraulic pilot devices

Claim 2

A single lever straight line device capable of being operated by a single lever and being supported on a piloting device body by means of a support fork projecting from a top side of said piloting device body, said piloting device body including at least four pushers extending from a top side of said piloting device body, said lever being rotatably disposed with respect to said piloting device body and with respect to a longitudinal axis of said lever, said straight line device including: (a) a pair of cams rotatably disposed with respect to said piloting device body, each said cam for operatively contacting a respective pair of said pushers; (b) a pair of pin members, each housed within a respective said cam and protruding upwardly from a top surface of said cam in which it is housed; (c) a pair of elongated elements disposed along an oblique axis relative to a longitudinal axis of said lever, said elongated elements being constrained to move with said lever, said elongated elements transmitting movement of said lever to said pin members housed within said cams, such that said pin members undergo congruent motion with respect to said elongated elements, said elongated elements and said pin members being rotatably disposed relative to said piloting device body, each said pin member having a fork-shaped portion and each said elongated element having fork-shaped end portions of each end thereof; and (d) first and second spherical elements, each having a first circumferential groove housing a said fork-shaped end portion of a said elongated element and a second circumferential groove housing a said fork-shaped portion of a said pin member.

Claim 3

The single lever straight line device as in claim 1, wherein said fork-shaped portions and said fork-shaped end portions include means for preventing disengagement of said elongated elements from said pin members.

Claim 4

A single lever straight line device capable of being operated by a single lever and being supported on a piloting device body by means of a support fork projecting from a top side of said piloting device body, said piloting device body including at least four pushers extending from a top side of said piloting device body, said lever being rotatably disposed with respect to said piloting device body and with respect to a longitudinal axis of said lever, said straight line device including: (a) a pair of cams rotatably disposed with respect to said piloting device body, each said cam for operatively contacting a respective pair of said pushers; (b) a spindle protruding from a lower end of said lever, said spindle and said lever having a common longitudinal axis; and (c) a ring element in which said spindle is housed, such that said spindle can rotate with respect to said longitudinal axis of said spindle and said lever, said spindle having a circumferential groove for partially receiving a pair of spherical elements, said ring having a pair of through-holes disposed adjacent said circumferential groove of said spindle, said through-holes partially receiving respective ones of said spherical elements, each said spherical element extending beyond an extremity of a said through-hole to contact a said cam.

Claim 5

A single lever straight line device capable of being operated by a single lever and being supported on a piloting device body by means of a support fork projecting from a top side of said piloting device body, said piloting device body including at least four pushers extending from a top side of said piloting device body, said lever being rotatably disposed with respect to said piloting device body and with respect to a longitudinal axis of said lever, said straight line device including: (a) a pair of cams rotatably disposed with respect to said piloting device body, each said cam for operatively contacting a respective pair of said pushers; (b) a spindle protruding from a lower end of said lever, said spindle and said lever having a common longitudinal axis; and (c) a ring element in which said spindle is housed, such that said spindle can rotate with respect to said longitudinal axis of said spindle and said lever, said spindle having a circumferential groove for partially receiving a pair of spherical elements, said ring having a pair of through-holes disposed adjacent said circumferential groove of said spindle, said through-holes partially receiving respective ones of said spherical elements, each said spherical element extending beyond an extremity of a said through-hole to contact a said cam.

Claim 6

A single lever straight line device capable of being operated by a single lever and being supported on a piloting device body by means of a support fork projecting from a top side of said piloting device body, said piloting device body including at least four pushers extending from a top side of said piloting device body, said lever being rotatably disposed with respect to said piloting device body relative to an axis substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said lever and with respect to a longitudinal axis of said lever, said straight line device including: (a) a pair of cams rotatably disposed with respect to said piloting device body, each said cam for operatively contacting a respective pair of said pushers; (b) a pair of pin members, each housed within a respective said cam, each pin member being rotatable relative to its longitudinal axis and including a fork-shaped end portion protruding upwardly from a top surface of a said cam in which it is housed; (c) a pair of elongated elements each constrained to move with said lever relative to said piloting device body both when said lever rotates relative to said longitudinal axis of said lever and when said lever rotates with respect to said piloting device body relative to said substantially perpendicular axis, each elongated element being free to rotate relative to a longitudinal axis thereof which is disposed substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said lever, each elongated element having a fork-shaped end portion; and (d) first and second spherical elements, each having a first circumferential groove housing a said fork-shaped end portion of a said elongated element and a second circumferential groove perpendicular to a said first groove and housing a said fork-shaped end portion of a said pin member.

Claim 7

A single lever straight line device capable of being operated by a single lever and being supported on a piloting device body by means of a support fork projecting from a top side of said piloting device body, said piloting device body including at least four pushers extending from a top side of said piloting device body, said lever being rotatably disposed with respect to said piloting device body relative to an axis substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said lever and with respect to a longitudinal axis of said lever, said straight line device including: (a) a pair of cams rotatably disposed with respect to said piloting device body, each said cam for operatively contacting a respective pair of said pushers; (b) a pair of pin members, each housed within a respective said cam, each pin member being rotatable relative to its longitudinal axis and including a fork-shaped end portion protruding upwardly from a top surface of a said cam in which it is housed; (c) a pair of elongated elements each constrained to move with said lever relative to said piloting device body both when said lever rotates relative to said longitudinal axis of said lever and when said lever rotates with respect to said piloting device body relative to said substantially perpendicular axis, each elongated element being free to rotate relative to a longitudinal axis thereof which is disposed substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said lever, each elongated element having a fork-shaped end portion; and (d) first and second spherical elements, each having a first circumferential groove housing a said fork-shaped end portion of a said elongated element and a second circumferential groove perpendicular to a said first groove and housing a said fork-shaped end portion of a said pin member.

Claim 8

The single lever straight line device as in claim 4, wherein said fork-shaped end portions of said elongated elements and said fork-shaped portions of said pin members include means for preventing disengagement of said elongated elements from said pin members.

Claim 9

The single lever straight line device as in claim 3, further comprising: (a) a pair of elongated elements disposed along an oblique axis relative to a longitudinal axis of said lever, said elongated elements being free to rotate around said oblique axis and being constrained to move with said lever, said elongated elements transmitting movement of said lever to said pin members housed within said cams such that said pin members undergo congruent motion with respect to said elongated elements, said pin members being rotatably disposed relative to said piloting device body, ech said pin member having a fork-shaped portion, each said elongated element having a fork-shaped end portion; and (b) first and second spherical elements, each having a first circumferential groove housing a said fork-shaped end portion of a said elongated element and a second circumferential groove housing a said fork-shaped portion of a said pin member.

Claim 10

The single lever straight line device as in claim 3, wherein said fork-shaped portions and said fork-shaped end portions include means for preventing disengagement of said elongated element from said pin members.