Implement hand support and control

An implement control system for use with an article of construction machinery includes an implement adapted for mounting to an article of construction equipment, the implement including first and second ranges of motion, a hand support adapted for mounting to the article of construction equipment in the vicinity of an operator, the hand support including a base, an end portion upstanding at a first angle from the base and a hand grip extending outwardly from the end portion, the hand grip defining a distal end thereof and an opening between the hand grip and the base adapted for permitting an operator's fingers to extend therebetween in order to grip the hand grip, a first control lever movably mounted to the distal end of the hand grip, the first control lever being operably connected to the implement for controlling the first range of motion and adapted for movement thereof by an operator's thumb, a second control lever movably mounted to the base, the second control level being operably connected to the implement for controlling the second range of motion and adapted for movement thereof by an operator's fingers.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
The present invention relates generally to a hand control for use in the 
operator cab of an article of construction equipment and, more 
particularly, to a hand control which serves both as a grip for supporting 
the operator while operating the article of construction equipment and as 
an implement control for operating an implement of the article of 
construction equipment. 
BACKGROUND ART 
Various hand controls are known which are adapted for operating 
construction equipment in rough terrain. Such hand controls desirably 
stabilize movement of the hand of the operator while permitting the 
operator to actuate various switches and levers. 
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,066 a control console assembly is 
provided having a hand rest adapted to receive the hand of an operator 
such that the heel of the operator's hand remains in intimate contact with 
a raised portion of the hand rest. The various controls for the operating 
function of the earthworking vehicle are controlled by the fingers of the 
operator without having to move the heel of his hand from the raised 
portion of the hand rest. This allows the operator to have a more finite 
and smooth control of the various operating functions of the construction 
equipment even though his body is being jostled around due to the 
earthworking vehicle traversing rough terrain. 
Although the control console assembly in U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,066 meets and 
exceeds the demands of the operating functions for which it was designed 
to control, there is nevertheless a need for a hand control which, in 
addition to stabilizing movement of the hand of the operator while 
permitting the operator to actuate various switches and levers, also 
serves as a hand grip for supporting the operator's body during machine 
operation. Such a hand control is preferably adapted for use with the 
implement controls of the construction equipment. 
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
According to one embodiment of the present invention, an implement control 
system for use with an article of construction machinery is disclosed, the 
implement control system comprising an implement adapted for mounting to 
an article of construction equipment, the implement including first and 
second ranges of motion, a hand support adapted for mounting to the 
article of construction equipment in the vicinity of an operator, the hand 
support including a base, an end portion upstanding at a first angle from 
the base and a hand grip extending outwardly from the end portion, the 
hand grip defining a distal end thereof and an opening between the hand 
grip and the base adapted for permitting an operator's fingers to extend 
therebetween in order to grip the hand grip, a first control lever movably 
mounted to the distal end of the hand grip, the first control lever being 
operably connected to the implement for controlling the first range of 
motion and adapted for movement thereof by an operator's thumb, a second 
control lever movably mounted to the base, the second control lever being 
operably connected to the implement for controlling the second range of 
motion and adapted for movement thereof by an operator's fingers. 
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a control system 
for use with an article of construction machinery is disclosed, the 
control system comprising a first hand support adapted for mounting to an 
article of construction equipment at one side of an operator, the first 
hand support including a first control lever adapted for movement thereof 
by an operator's thumb and a second control level adapted for movement 
thereof by an operator's fingers, a second hand support adapted for 
mounting to the article of construction equipment at the other side of the 
operator, the second hand support including a base, an end portion 
upstanding at a first angle from the base and a hand grip extending 
outwardly from the end portion, the hand grip defining a distal end 
thereof and an opening between the hand grip and the base adapted for 
permitting an operator's fingers to extend therebetween in order to grip 
the hand grip, the second fixed hand support including a third control 
lever adapted for movement thereof by an operator's thumb and a fourth 
control lever adapted for movement thereof by an operator's fingers. 
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method for 
controlling an implement of an article of construction machinery is 
disclosed, the implement including first and second ranges of motion, the 
article including a hand support having a base, an end portion upstanding 
at a first angle from the base and a hand grip extending outwardly from 
the end portion, the hand grip defining a distal end thereof and an 
opening between the hand grip and the base, a first control lever movably 
mounted to the distal end of the hand grip and operably connected to the 
implement for controlling the first range of motion, and a second control 
lever movably mounted to the base and operably connected to the implement 
for controlling the second range of motion, the method comprising the 
steps of (a) gripping the handgrip with a hand of an operator such that 
the fingers of the hand extend through the opening to grip the handgrip 
and thereby support the operator, (b) moving the first control lever with 
the thumb of the hand and thereby moving the implement within the first 
range of motion, and (c) moving the second control lever with the fingers 
of the hand and thereby moving the implement within the second range of 
motion.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the 
invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in 
the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It 
will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the 
invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications 
in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles 
of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would 
normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. 
Referring now to FIG. 1, an article of construction equipment 10 is 
disclosed which, in the preferred embodiment, is a track-type tractor 
including implements in the form of a blade 12 and ripper 14. As is known 
in the art, ripper 14 is utilized at the back portion of tractor 10 to 
break up soil and rocks of the underlying earth. Ripper 14 includes a 
movable frame 16 and movable ripper teeth 18, both of which are 
hydraulically operable via cylinders 20 and 22, respectively, from the 
operator's station 24. Ripper frame 16 is movable in a vertical direction 
or generally normal to the underlying earth to control the depth of cut of 
the ripping operation. Similarly, ripper teeth 18 are movable fore and aft 
or generally parallel with the underlying earth to control the angle of 
cut of the ripping operation. Blade 12 is also generally movable in 
vertical and horizontal directions, it being understood that such vertical 
and horizontal directions include rotation about corresponding horizontal 
and vertical axes. 
Referring now to FIG. 2, the operator station 24 is shown. When seated, the 
tractor's speed and direction is controlled at the left side of the 
operator by control console assembly 26. The implement operation is 
controlled at the right side of the operator by implement hand support and 
control 28. 
The construction and operation of control console assembly 26 is further 
detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,066, the contents of which are hereby 
incorporated by reference. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,066, 
control console assembly 26 includes a pair of levers mounted adjacent to 
a hand rest and operatively actuated by the fingertips of the operator's 
hand. A rotary knob is oriented on the side of the hand rest and operative 
to be rotated by the thumb of the operator's hand. The heel of the 
operator's hand rests on a hand rest such that the heel of the operator's 
hand remains in intimate contact with a raised portion of the hand rest. 
As such, the operator's hand is supported relative to tractor 10 so that 
the operator's thumb and fingertips have a more finite and smooth control 
of the various operating functions of the construction equipment. 
Prior art implement controls have included a joystick operable along two 
axes corresponding to the axes of the implement operation. However, as the 
operator is jostled during implement operation, unintentional actuation of 
the implement can result. Also, it is ergonamically desirable for the 
operator to be able to support himself. As such, it is desirable for the 
operator to be able to support himself with the same hand that operates 
the ripper control during operation of the ripper. 
Referring now to FIGS. 3-5, hand support and control 28 provides such 
support and control by providing a fixed hand grip in conjunction with the 
implement controls. In the specific preferred embodiment shown, hand 
support and control 28 controls the ripper operation and includes a base 
30, an end portion 32 upstanding at a first angle 34 from base 30, and a 
hand grip 36 extending outwardly from end portion 32 so as to define a 
distal end 38 of the hand grip 36 and an opening 40 for finger clearance 
between hand grip 36 and base 30. Because hand grip 36 is fixed relative 
to tractor 10 and includes finger clearance sufficient for the operator to 
wrap his fingers around the grip, the operator can securely position 
himself using his right hand wrapped around grip 36, while adjusting speed 
and direction with his left hand resting on control console assembly 26. 
While maintaining this grip, the operator can further operate the ripper 
controls as described hereinafter. 
A first control lever 42 is rotationally mounted to distal end 38 of hand 
grip 36 and defines a first axis of rotation 44. Control lever 42 controls 
vertical movement of ripper 14 via rotation about axis 44. Rotation of 
lever 42 is most readily accomplished by the operator's thumb. As viewed 
in the direction of arrow 46, clockwise rotation of lever 42 moves ripper 
14 upward, and counterclockwise rotation of lever 14 moves ripper 14 
downward. 
A second control lever 48 is rotationally mounted to base 30 and defines a 
second axis of rotation 50. Control lever 48 controls fore and aft 
movement of ripper teeth 18 via rotation about axis 50. Rotation of lever 
48 is most readily accomplished by the operator's fingers. 
In the specific preferred embodiment shown, axis 44 is normal to or 
perpendicular to axis 50. 
Both levers 42 and 48 are biased towards a non-actuating neutral position 
in which the ripper frame and teeth positions are maintained. For example, 
to set the ripper in a desired down position with its teeth angled inward 
a desired degree, the operator rotates levers 42 and 48 counterclockwise. 
Once the desired ripper position is achieved, the operator releases both 
levers which, under bias, return to their non-actuating neutral position 
thereby maintaining the desired ripper position. 
Lever 42 is mounted to a shaft 60 received in a bore 62 of grip 32. Shaft 
60 extends the full length of grip 32 and is simply supported therein 
against non-metallic bearings 64. The distal end 66 of shaft 60 includes a 
keyed portion 68 adapted for receipt indexed within a correspondingly 
keyed rotary position sensor 70. Distal end 66 of shaft 60 is received 
through and attached within a lobed member 72 by a retaining pin 74. A 
first pin 76 extending from end portion 32 and a second pin 78 extending 
from lobed member 72 are received between overlapping ends 80,82 of a 
spring 84 disposed about shaft 60. As shaft 60 is rotated clockwise from 
its neutral position, second pin 78 rotates end 80 of spring 84 while end 
82 is held in place by first pin 78. Conversely, as shaft 60 is rotated 
counterclockwise from its neutral position, first pin 76 rotates end 82 of 
spring 84 while end 80 is held in place by first pin 78. 
In a similar fashion, lever 48 is mounted to a shaft 90 received in a bore 
92 of base 30. Shaft 90 is similarly supported by non-metallic bearings 94 
and includes at its distal end 96 a keyed portion 98 adapted for receipt 
indexed within a correspondingly keyed rotary position sensor 100. Distal 
end 96 of shaft 90 is similarly attached within a lobed member 102, and 
first and second pins 104,106 similarly cooperate with spring 108 to bias 
lever 48 toward its neutral position. 
Rotary position sensors 70 and 100 are position sensors of Caterpillar 
design which mount within recesses of base 30 and receive keyed portions 
68 and 98, respectively. In the specific preferred embodiment shown, these 
position sensors are Caterpillar P/N 134-6067 available from Caterpillar's 
parts facility at 120 Detroit Pkwy, Morton, Ill., 61550-1857 and described 
in corresponding Caterpillar literature available under such part number, 
the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Each of 
sensors 70 and 100 sense rotational shaft position and produce an 
electronic position signal corresponding to shaft position. An electronic 
controller receives the position signal and controls the implement 
hydraulic control valving in response to the position signal. The 
controller is contemplated as controlling the implement hydraulic control 
valving linearly as a function of shaft position as well as non-linearly 
as a function of both shaft position as well as degree of change in shaft 
position (small degrees of change in shaft movement yielding slow rates of 
speed of implement operation--large degrees of change in shaft movement 
yielding fast rates of speed of implement operation). 
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the 
drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as 
illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that 
only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all 
changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are 
desired to be protected.