DEVICE FOR A MANEUVER MEMBER AT A ROTABLE DRIVER'S SEAT

Abstract: A device for a maneuver member (1) comprising a pivotable and turnable, preferably T-shaped maneuver lever (2) for regulating the speed and direction of run of a slip-steered vehicle, the said maneuver member being attached to the rotable driver's seat (3) of the vehicle. The device is characterized in that the maneuver member (1) is attached to the driver's seat (3) rotably and linked with the stationary part (4a) of the foot (4) of the driver's seat by means of connecting members (6, 7, 8, 9) which maintain the direction of the maneuver (1) relative the longitudinal axis of the vehicle as the maneuver member (1), during rotation of the driver's seat (3), follows along a circular path around the foot (4) of the driver's seat.

Description: Device for a maneuver member at a rotable driver's seat The present invention is concerned with a device for a maneuver member comprising a pivotable and turnable, preferably T-shaped maneuver lever for regula¬ ting the speed and direction of run of a slip-steered vehicle, the said maneuver member being attached to the rotable driver's seat of the vehicle. Working machines and other vehicles on which the driver, depending on the phases of work, must look both forwards and rearwards are usually provided with rotable driver's seats. In slip-steered vehicles, on which the maneuvering of the vehicle takes place by means of a single T-shaped maneuver lever, the maneuver member was, in prior art, mounted on a console projecting from the driver's seat and following the movement of rotation of the seat. With the driver's seat in the original position, the vehicle is arranged so that it is driven forwards when the maneuver lever is shifted forwards from its starting position, and rearwards when the maneuver lever is shifted rearwards from its starting position, and it is turned in the direction in which the maneuver lever is turned around its longitudinal axis. As a result of the fixed installation, the whole maneuver member is turned on rotation of the driver's seat so that the same side of the maneuver member is all the time directed towards the driver. When the driver's seat has been turned, e.g., by 180° from its original position, a certain shift of the maneuver lever will result in a directly opposite movement of the vehicle, as compared with what could be expected. If, e.g., the driver shifts the maneuver lever rearwards and, at the same time, turns it to the right, the vehicle will move forwards and turn to the left. Owing to this, at least an unexperienced driver has very great problems in maneuvering such a vehicle, in particular in narrow passages. The object of the present invention is to eliminate this problem, which is achieved thereby that the maneuver member is attached to the driver's seat rotably and linked with the stationary part of the foot of the driver's seat by means of connecting members which main- tain the direction of the maneuver member relative the longitudinal axis of the vehicle as the maneuver member, during rotation of the driver's seat, follows along a circular path around the foot of the driver's seat. By means of this arrangement, the maneuver lever retains its logical function irrespective of how the driver's seat is turned. The other characteristics of the invention come out from the accompanying patent claims 1 to 6. In the following, the invention will be de- scribed in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing, which shows an example of how a maneuver member can be arranged at a rotable seat in accordance with the invention. The maneuver member 1 with the maneuver lever 2, which is in this case T-shaped, is, according to the present invention, rotably attached to the rotable driver's seat 3 and connected to the stationary part 4a of the foot 4 of the driver's seat in such a way that, during rotation of the driver's seat 3, the maneuver member 1 follows along a circular path around the foot 4 of the driver's seat while retaining its direction rela¬ tive the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. By means of this arrangement, the directions of the maneuver move¬ ments of the maneuver lever 2 remain logical all the time, irrespective of the position at each particular time adopted by the driver's seat. The vehicle is always set to move in the direction in which the maneuver lever 2 is shifted, and it always turns towards the side to which the maneuver lever 2 is turned around its longitudinal axis in the particular case. The maneuver member 1 may be mounted either on a console projecting forwards from the driver's seat or on one of the arm rests 5 of the driver's seat, preferably the right one. The latter alternative may be concerned mainly in the case that the maneuvering of the vehicle is servo-assisted, whereby the maneuver member 1 consists of a valve member provided with two passages, which are regulated independently from each other by means of one and the same maneuver lever 2. The maneuver member 1 can be connected to the stationary part 4a of the foot 4 of the driver's seat 4, e.g., by means of a vertical shaft 6 stationarily mounted to the bottom side of the maneuver member 1 and provided with a cogwheel 7 or equivalent at its bottom end, which said cogwheel 7 is, by means of an endless chain 8, con¬ nected to an equally large cogwheel 9 stationarily fixed to the said stationary part 4a. As a result of this arrangement, the maneuver member 1 will always He directed in the same direction relative the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The connection of the maneuver member 1 to the stationary part 4a of the foot 4 of the driver's seat may also be achieved by means of a twist-proof wire, whose top end is fixed to the bottom side of the maneuver mem¬ ber 1 and whose bottom end is passed into the preferably column-shaped foot 4 of the driver's seat 3 and fixed to its stationary part 4a. .The latter solution is somewhat simpler and less expensive to accomplish than the former one. The drawing does not show the connecting pipes to the servo aggregate of the vehicle, nor the regulating members, e.g., for the hydraulic pumps of the vehicle, but these can be drawn appropriately along the arm rest 5 of the driver's seat and along its back as well as through its foot 4 to the said components of the vehicle.

Claims: WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. Device for a maneuver member (1) comprising a pivotable and turnable, preferably T-shaped maneuver lever (2) for regulating the speed and direction of run of a slip-steered vehicle, the said maneuver member being attached to the rotable driver's seat (3) of the vehicle, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the maneuver member (1 ) is attached to the driver's seat (3) rotably and linked with the stationary part (4a) of the foot (4) of the seat by means of connecting members (6,7,8,9) which maintain the direction of the maneuver member (1) relative the. longitudinal axis of the vehicle as the maneuver member (1), during rotation of the driver's seat (3) , follows along a circular path around the foot (4) of the driver's seat. 2. Device as claimed in claim 1 , c h a r ¬ a c t e r i z e d in that the maneuver member (1) is mounted on one of the arm rests (5) of the driver's seat. 3. Device as claimed in claim 2, c h a r ¬ a c t e r i z e d in that the connecting members (6,7,8,9) comprise a vertical shaft (6) stationarily mounted to the bottom side of the maneuver member (1), a cogwheel (7) or equivalent fitted at the bottom end of the said shaft (6) , in line with this, an equally large cogwheel (9), fixed to the stationary part (4a) of the foot (4) of the driver's seat, as well as an endless chain (8) passed over these said cogwheels (7,9) . 4. Device as claimed in claim 2, c h a r - a c t e r i z e d in that the connecting member com¬ prises a twist-proof wire, whose top end is fixed to the maneuver member (1) and whose bottom end is passed into the preferably column-shaped foot (4) of the driver's seat and fixed to its stationary part (4a) . 5. Device as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the maneuver member (1) is supposed to regulate the steering and drive functions on a hydrostatically driven vehicle. 6. Device as claimed in claim 5, c h a r ¬ a c t e r i z e d in that the maneuvering is servo- assisted.

Inventors: CARLSON TORE, CARLSON, TORE
Applicants: CARLSON PROJECT KB KY, CARLSON PROJECT KB. KY.
Application year: 1985
Main classification: B60N1
IPC codes: B60N2, B62D11, E02F9