Working machine joystick assembly

A working machine joystick assembly for controlling a working machine of the type having a body, a working arm attached to the body, a working implement attached to a distal end of the working arm, and a drive arrangement for propelling the working machine, the joystick assembly comprising:

• a controller configured and arranged to control a plurality of functions of a working machine;
• a first electronic joystick in communication with the controller;
• and
• a plurality of actuators in communication with the controller, each actuator configured to actuate a function associated with a working arm of a working machine;
• wherein the first electronic joystick comprises four axes of movement comprising side to side movement along an x-axis, front to back movement along a y-axis, and up and down movement along a z-axis,
• wherein the first electronic joystick is configured to transmit electronic signals to the controller in response to being displaced along an axis from a neutral position;
• wherein the controller is configured to receive the electronic signals from the first electronic joystick, and to transmit an electrical signal to one or more of the plurality of actuators to actuate said actuators;
• wherein the joystick assembly is configured such that the controller actuates a different actuator for controlling a different function associated with the working arm, dependent upon the axis of displacement of the first electronic joystick;
• wherein displacement of the first electronic joystick along the x-axis, y-axis and z-axis from a neutral position directly controls movement of the working implement in three-dimensional space with respect to the body of a working machine such that displacement of the first electronic joystick along the x-axis, y-axis and z-axis controls movement of the working implement along the x-axis, y-axis and z-axis, respectively, to provide a direct correlation between displacement of the first electronic joystick and movement of the working implement in three-dimensional space;
• and
• wherein the body is configured to rotate with respect to the drive arrangement, and wherein rotational movement of the first electronic joystick controls slewing of the body about a vertical axis with respect to the drive arrangement.