Engine throttle linkage with motion-reversing feature

Abstract

The invention is primarily for use with earth-moving machinery, e.g., crawler tractors and the like. Machines are used in ways such that their operators like to be able have the engine "idle" at lower speed and manually accelerate it or at higher speed and manually decelerate it. The invention is an improvement in an engine throttle linkage of the type having a throttle rod and a pivot-mounted shaft for moving the rod in either of two directions for engine acceleration and deceleration, respectively. A pedal is depressed for pivoting the shaft and, consequently, moving the rod. The improvement is a motion-reversing mechanism with a lever-like member connected to the shaft and having first and second attachment points. An operator's pedal is coupled to one of the two attachment points by a linking stem. Pedal depression pivots the shaft in one direction or the other. Depressing the pedal accelerates or decelerates the engine, depending upon which attachment point is used. The inventive linkage also accommodates a hand-operated throttle lever and has provisions for setting and maintaining engine high or low idle speeds notwithstanding pedal movement.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.