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US 6,581,704 B2Granted
Steering controls
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorsCharles Thomas Law, William Andrew Clevenger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mechanism for adjusting or setting the effort required to move the steering levers of a vehicle is provided. The mechanism consists of a central mounting plate with which three separate bolt and spring arrangements are connected to control the resistance at the levers when they are moved between their forward and reverse positions. The mechanism is separately connected with structure on a steering shaft to allow resistance at each of the levers to be adjusted without substantially affecting operation of the pumps. Consequently, the vehicle may be more effectively steered as a result not interfering with its tracking or bringing about creep thereof.
Claims14
An earth moving vehicle comprising:
- a) a frame;
- b) left and right drive wheels carried by the frame, each of the wheels being rotatable to a forward, neutral and reverse position;
- c) first and second mounting brackets, each connected on opposite sides of the frame;
- d) first and second yokes attached, respectively, with the first and second mounting brackets;
- e) first and second pivot arms operatively attached with the first and second yokes, respectively;
- f) first and second hand control levers connected with a respective one of the first and second pivot arms, each of the levers being moveable from a neutral position in which the vehicle is stationary to either a forward or reverse direction such that either or both levers can be shifted from the neutral position so as to steer the vehicle;
- g) a steering shaft extending between the yokes;
- h) first and second sleeves mounted with the shaft for movement around it;
- i) first and second pumps carried by the frame and operatively coupled, respectively, with the left and right drive wheels to allow the wheels to rotate in their forward and reverse directions or maintain them in their neutral position;
- j) first and second linkages coupling the first and second sleeves, respectively, to the first and second pumps for adjusting the pumps and driving the wheels in their forward or reverse direction;
- and
- k) an adjustment mechanism for setting the resistance of both the first and second levers, and which includes a mounting plate coupled with at least one of the first and second pumps, the mounting plate including a bottom surface and front and rear walls.
9 more elements
An earth moving vehicle comprising:
- a) a frame;
- b) left and right drive wheels carried by the frame, each of the wheels being rotatable to a forward, neutral and reverse position;
- c) first and second mounting brackets, each connected on opposite sides of the frame;
- d) first and second yokes attached, respectively, with the first and second mounting brackets;
- e) first and second pivot arms operatively attached with the first and second yokes, respectively;
- f) first and second hand control levers connected with a respective one of the first and second pivot arms, each of the levers being moveable from a neutral position in which the vehicle is stationary to either a forward or reverse direction such that either or both levers can be shifted from the neutral position so as to steer the vehicle;
- g) a steering shaft extending between the yokes;
- h) first and second sleeves mounted with the shaft for movement around it;
- i) first and second pumps carried by the frame and operatively coupled, respectively, with the left and right drive wheels to allow them to rotate in their forward and reverse directions or maintain them in their neutral position;
- j) first and second linkages coupling the first and second sleeves, respectively, to the first and second pumps for adjusting the pumps and driving the wheels in their forward or reverse direction;
- and
- k) an adjustment mechanism for setting the resistance of both the first and second levers, the mechanism being free of operative connection with the pumps and including at least a plate and spring arrangement for enabling the relative adjustment of the resistance associated with each of the levers.
9 more elements
An earth moving vehicle comprising:
- a) a frame;
- b) left and right drive wheels carried by the frame, each of the wheels being rotatable to a forward, neutral and reverse position;
- c) first and second mounting brackets, each connected on opposite sides of the frame;
- d) first and second yokes attached, respectively, with the first and second mounting brackets;
- e) first and second pivot arms operatively attached with the first and second yokes, respectively;
- f) first and second hand control levers connected with a respective one of the first and second pivot arms, each of the levers being moveable from a neutral position in which the vehicle is stationary to either a forward or reverse direction such that either or both levers can be shifted from the neutral position so as to steer the vehicle;
- g) a steering shaft extending between the yokes;
- h) first and second sleeves mounted with the shaft for movement around it;
- i) first and second pumps carried by the frame and operatively coupled, respectively, with the left and right drive wheels to allow the wheels to rotate in their forward and reverse directions or maintain them in their neutral position;
- j) first and second linkages coupling the first and second sleeves, respectively, to the first and second pumps for adjusting the pumps and driving the wheels in their forward or reverse direction;
- and
- k) a mechanical adjustment mechanism for biasing the first and second levers against forward and reverse movement, the mechanism being free of operative connection of the pumps, and enabling relative adjustment of the resistance associated with each of the levers.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.