Method of arranging function controls for a vehicle

Claim 1

Controls for the functional elements of a vehicle such as a motor grader comprising: a control console pivotally mounted on the floor of the operator's station; an elongated pivot shaft extended transversely through the console and having exposed ends left and right of the console as viewed by the operator behind the console; a plurality of control levers mounted in a side-by-side arrangement on both exposed shaft ends, each lever having a function indicia theron; a stack of function control valves mounted together in a transverse side-by-side arrangement forwardly of the control console, each valve having a hydraulic fitting operably connecting the valve to its respective function elements of the vehicle, each lever operably connected by linkage to a respective control valve whereby movement of a lever operates the particular valve to which it is connected, a first lever for operating a left blade lift control valve, a second lever for operating a right blade lift control valve, and a third lever for an optional function control valve, each of these three specified control valves having a "float" condition built therein: said first lever and said second lever located on opposite ends of said pivot shaft; said third lever located on said pivot shaft next adjacent said second lever; said left blade lift control valve and said right blade lift control valve disposed at opposite ends of said control valve stack similar to the respective locations of said first and second levers; said optional functional control valve disposed next adjacent said right blade lift control valve; and hydraulic fittings for said left blade lift function valve and said optional functional control valve reversible with each other.