Steering console providing digital readout displays
AssigneeInternational Harvester Company
InventorDean C. Santis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A steering console for tractors providing digital readout displays activated by a keyboard strategically located within easy finger reach of the operator. A multitude of vital tractor functions are automatically continuously monitored and, simply by touch of appropriate colored switch pads on the keyboard, the operator at will changes the digital displays to the different functions he desires to read. In one preferred embodiment thereof, my invention forms part of a unitary tilt-telescope steering wheel arrangement and displays dual digital readouts, such as of the ground speed and engine speed for being viewed for comparison side by side and simultaneously in the console.
Claims21
For use in an engine-powered wheel tractor vehicle equipped with a first engine-connected vehicle member and a second wheel-connected vehicle member, the improvement comprising:
- a vehicle operator's steering station having instrument clusters remotely located thereat and disposed essentially in a common instrument panel plane and including digital display means operative to give rate readouts;
- an instrument keyboard so operatively related to the instrument clusters as to be disposed in a keyboard plane closer to the operator and slightly below the instrument clusters as viewed by the operator;
- and pivoted steering column structure common to the clusters and keyboard and supporting same so that as located on the steering column structure they occupy spaced-apart parallel instrument panel and keyboard planes in the operative relationship described;
- transducers associated with the first and second vehicle members for generating pulse signals at frequencies proportional to the tachometer rate at which the engine is making revolutions and the rate at which the wheels are turning, and
- operating means including the keyboard and connected to the transducers and the display means to selectively compute and separately operate the latter so as to display accurate engine tachometer digital readouts and ground speed digital readouts.
For use in an engine-powered wheel tractor vehicle equipped with a first engine-connected vehicle member and a second wheel-connected vehicle member, the improvement comprising:
- a vehicle operator's station having instrument clusters remotely located thereat and disposed essentially in a common instrument panel plane and including digital display means operative to give rate readouts;
- an instrument keyboard so operatively related to the instrument clusters as to be disposed in a keyboard plane closer to the operator and slightly below the instrument clusters as viewed by the operator, said keyboard being nonrotatable;
- and pivoted structure common to the clusters and keyboard and supporting same so they occupy spaced-apart parallel instrument panel and keyboard planes in the operative relationship described;
- transducers associated with the first and second vehicle members for generating pulse signals at frequencies proportional to the tachometer rate at which the engine is making revolutions and the rate at which the wheels are turning;
- operating means including the keyboard and connected to the transducers and the display means to selectively compute and separately operate the latter so as to display accurate engine tachometer digital readouts and ground speed digital readouts;
- and
- means to tilt the common pivoted structure comprising a tilt steering wheel, and steering shaft means journalled on a slant in the pivoted structure and connected at the upper end to support the steering wheel for freedom of movement in different directions.
For use in an engine-powered wheel tractor vehicle equipped with a first engine-connected vehicle member and a second wheel-connected vehicle member, the improvement comprising:
- a vehicle operator's station having instrument clusters thereat disposed essentially in a common instrument panel plane and including digital display means operative to give rate readouts;
- steering column structure supporting the instrument clusters secured against movement;
- an instrument keyboard telescopically related to the supporting steering column structure for support nonrotatably but in a plurality of planes of the keyboard parallel to the instrument panel plane;
- transducers associated with the first and second vehicle members for generating pulse signals at frequencies proportional to the tachometer rate at which the engine is revolving and the rate at which the wheels are turning;
- and
- means including the keyboard and a keyboard connected multiple wire cable and making electrical interconnection with the transducers and the display means to selectively compute and separately operate the latter so as to display accurate engine tach digital readouts and ground speed digital readouts.
For use in an engine-powered wheel tractor vehicle equipped with a first engine-connected vehicle member and a second wheel-connected vehicle member, the improvement comprising:
- a vehicle operator's station having instrument clusters thereat disposed essentially in a common instrument panel plane and including digital display means operative to give rate readouts;
- steering column structure supporting said clusters with the instrument panel plane remotely confronting the operator for ready viewing;
- an instrument keyboard and means mounting same to said supporting steering column structure in parallel to the clusters appreciably nearer the operator;
- a fixed frame and means to pivot the supporting steering column structure on the frame into adjusted tilt axis angles;
- transducers associated with the first and second vehicle members for generating pulse signals at frequencies proportional to the tachometer rate at which the engine is making revolutions and the rate at which the wheels are turning;
- and
- means including the keyboard and connected to the transducers and the display means to selectively compute and separately operate the latter so as to display accurate engine tachometer digital readouts and ground speed digital readouts.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.