Speed control for small loader
AssigneeClark Equipment Company
InventorTimothy J. Bock
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A speed limit assembly for a vehicle includes a cam member having varying thickness, a frictional member, and a handle. The frictional member maintains sufficient frictional forces to resist movement of the cam member during ordinary operation of the vehicle. The handle may be manipulated by an operator of the vehicle to overcome the friction created by the frictional member and move the cam member into a desired position. A portion of a speed control handle on the vehicle abuts against the cam member to define an end of the range of motion of the speed control handle. A desired permitted range of motion may be set by moving the a portion of the cam member having a corresponding thickness into the path of the portion of the speed control handle.
Claims13
A vehicle comprising:
- an engine;
- at least one driven wheel rotating under the influence of the engine to move the vehicle;
- a speed control handle pivotable through a range of motion to control the rate of rotation of the driven wheel, the speed control handle including an engaging portion that moves along a path in response to pivoting of the speed control handle;
- a cam member having varying thickness, a stop portion of the cam member being the portion of the cam member in the path of the engaging portion of the speed control handle for a given position of the cam member;
- a frictional member creating sufficient frictional forces to resist movement of the cam member with respect to the rest of the vehicle during ordinary operation of the vehicle;
- and
- a handle manipulated by an operator of the vehicle to overcome the friction created by the frictional member and move the cam member into a desired position corresponding to a desired thickness of the stop portion to control speed limiting of the vehicle;
- wherein the engaging portion of the speed control handle abuts against the stop portion of the cam member to define an end of the range of motion of the speed control handle such that the range of motion of the speed control handle is limited as a function of the thickness of the stop portion to limit speed of the vehicle.
A speed limit assembly for a vehicle having a support plate with first and second sides, and a speed control handle pivotable through a range of motion, the speed control handle having an engaging portion, the assembly comprising:
- a cam member having varying thickness, a portion of the cam member in the path of the engaging portion of the speed control handle being a stop portion, the cam member being movable to adjust the portion of the cam member acting as the stop portion;
- a frictional member coupled to the cam member and abutting against the first side of the support plate to create sufficient frictional forces to resist movement of the cam member with respect to the support plate during ordinary operation of the vehicle;
- and
- a handle manipulated by an operator of the vehicle to overcome the friction created by the frictional member and move the cam member into a desired position corresponding to a desired thickness of the stop portion to control speed limiting of the vehicle;
- wherein the engaging portion of the speed control handle abuts against the stop portion of the cam member to define an end of the range of motion of the speed control handle such that the range of motion of the speed control handle and speed of the vehicle are limited as a function of the thickness of the stop portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.