Adjustable width control pod bracket assembly

A method for adjusting a control pod spacing distance between a right control pod and a left control pod of an operator seat of a work machine, wherein the right control pod and the left control pod are mounted on a right side bracket and a left side bracket, respectively of a control pod bracket assembly, and the right side bracket and the left side bracket are slidably coupled to a center bracket of the control pod bracket assembly, wherein the center bracket includes a right bracket guide slot and a left bracket guide slot that are elongated in a transverse direction that is approximately perpendicular to a center bracket longitudinal axis of the center bracket, wherein the right side bracket includes a right bracket guide hole and the left side bracket includes a left bracket guide hole, wherein a right bracket guide bolt is inserted through the right bracket guide slot and engages the right side bracket at the right bracket guide hole, wherein a left bracket guide bolt is inserted through the left bracket guide slot and engages the left side bracket at the left bracket guide hole, the method for adjusting the control pod spacing distance comprising:

• disengaging a right side bracket locking mechanism and a left side bracket locking mechanism;
• moving the right side bracket from a right side bracket first position to a right side bracket second position by moving the right side bracket relative to the center bracket to slide the right bracket guide bolt in the transverse direction from a right bracket guide slot first end to a right bracket guide slot second end;
• moving the left side bracket from a left side bracket first position to a left side bracket second position by moving the left side bracket relative to the center bracket to slide the left bracket guide bolt in the transverse direction from a left bracket guide slot first end to a left bracket guide slot second end;
• and
• engaging the right side bracket locking mechanism and the left side bracket locking mechanism.

An operator seat for a work machine comprising:

• a seat bottom;
• a right control pod;
• a left control pod;
• and
• a control pod bracket assembly comprising:
• a center bracket mounted beneath the seat bottom and including a right bracket guide slot and a left bracket guide slot that are elongated in a transverse direction that is approximately perpendicular to a center bracket longitudinal axis that extends from a front edge of the center bracket to a rear edge of the center bracket,
• a right side bracket including a right bracket guide hole and having the right control pod mounted thereon, wherein the right side bracket is slidably coupled to the center bracket to move between a right side bracket inward position and a right side bracket outward position, and wherein the right control pod is positioned above and to the right of the seat bottom,
• a left side bracket including a left bracket guide hole and having the left control pod mounted thereon, wherein the left side bracket is slidably coupled to the center bracket to move between a left side bracket inward position and a left side bracket outward position, and wherein the left control pod is positioned above and to the left of the seat bottom,
• a right bracket guide bolt that is inserted through the right bracket guide slot and engages the right side bracket at the right bracket guide hole so that the right bracket guide bolt is slidable in the transverse direction within the right bracket guide slot to allow the right side bracket to move between the right side bracket inward position and the right side bracket outward position,
• a left bracket guide bolt that is inserted through the left bracket guide slot and engages the left side bracket at the left bracket guide hole so that the left bracket guide bolt is slidable in the transverse direction within the left bracket guide slot to allow the left side bracket to move between the left side bracket inward position and the left side bracket outward position,
• a right side bracket locking mechanism that is selectively engageable to lock the right side bracket at the right side bracket inward position or the right side bracket outward position, and to unlock and allow the right side bracket to move between the right side bracket inward position and the right side bracket outward position, and
• a left side bracket locking mechanism that is selectively engageable to lock the left side bracket at the left side bracket inward position or the left side bracket outward position, and to unlock and allow the left side bracket to move between the left side bracket inward position and the left side bracket outward position,
• wherein the right control pod and the left control pod are spaced by a minimum control pod spacing distance when the right side bracket is in the right side bracket inward position and the left side bracket is in the left side bracket inward position, and wherein the right control pod and the left control pod are spaced by a maximum control pod spacing distance when the right side bracket is in the right side bracket outward position and the left side bracket is in the left side bracket outward position.