The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 27, 1978
Filed:
Feb. 28, 1977
Thomas E Cochran, Yorkville, IL (US);
Caterpillar Tractor Co., Peoria, IL (US);
Abstract
A control linkage arrangement for use in a vehicle drive. The drive includes a speed control apparatus having a movable control element for causing the speed of the drive to vary in accordance with the positioning of the control element. Manual control of the operation of the vehicle is effected by an adjustment of a manually operable speed lever which is connected to the movable control element by an improved linkage arrangement. The linkage arrangement includes a ball connector received in a guide channel for effecting rotation of a pivot member connected to the speed control means. Selective positioning of the ball connector in the guide channel effects selective movement of the pivot member in either of opposite directions of rotation and to an extent controlled by the movement of the manually operable speed lever. The ball connector is connected to the speed lever by an extensible device and a range control is provided for varying the extension thereof so as to adjust the disposition of the guide channel relative to a pivot axis of the speed lever to correspondingly vary the effect of the speed lever movement relative to the amount of speed control effected by the device. A lock may be provided for selectively locking the device with the guide channel aligned with the pivot axis of the speed lever so as to preclude operation of the drive notwithstanding a pivoting operation of the speed lever.