HANDLE OR PEDAL ASSEMBLY

Abstract: A handle or pedal assembly for a riding mower (20) con­ sists of a knob (22) with an elongated cavity (52) and of a lever (28) of which the free end is received in the ca­ vity. The knob (22) is formed by injection moulding with an integral flap (48) which can be swung about a "hinge line" (60). The flap (48) carries a projection (62) which can be pressed into a mating opening (30) on the lever (28) to retain the knob (22) in position. Additionally, resilient splines (54) in the cavity engage the lever (28) to ensure that the knob (22) is a tight fit on it.

Description: This invention relates to a handle or pedal assembly comprising a handle or pedal knob having an elongated cavity therein extending from an inward end thereof and a handle or pedal lever an end of which is received in the knob cavity the knob having a swingable flap for engaging and disengaging the lever, and to a knob per se for such an assembly. There are several conventional types of knobs available for attachment to vehicle actuating levers. The first type is a friction fit knob which is forced over the free end of an actuating lever so that a friction fit between the internal surface of the knob and the external surface of the lever maintains the knob in position on the lever. While friction fit knobs are easily manufactured, they tend to be difficult to remove and to service. Additionally, after a period of time, they can lose the snugness of their original fit, and thus become too easily removable. The second type is a screw-on knob, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings. Screw-on knobs require multiple components, i.e. a knob body having a female insert mounted therein for receiving a male screw member usually machined on the end of the actuating lever receiving the control knob. The machining must be done with reasonable precision to ensure a good connection. These additional components and manufacturing steps make the screw-on knob expensive although it has reasonable reliability and serviceability. The third type is a knob having mechanical fasteners such as set screws. This knob, as with the screw-on knob, requires multiple components and precise manufacturing methods. Additionally, when using a set screw, at least one additional tool is required when servicing the knob in order to remove the knob from the actuating lever. A further type is a knob (US-A-1 818 992) having an integral inwardly pressed tongue which enters a recess in the inner end portion of the lever when the knob is in assembled position thereon. The projection of the tongue is such that when it is disposed in the recess its free end coacts with the outer or upper wall of such recess to prevent withdrawal of the knob from the lever. DE-A-3 245 716 from which the main claim starts discloses a swingable flap in the form of a whip and the lever is provided with an inclined plane such that when the knob is in assembled position thereon one leg of the flap is swung outwardly and the other leg of the whip inwardly into engagement with a shoulder formed in the lever. The knob can only be released from the lever by using a tool. Thus there is a need for a knob which can be easily and economically manufactured, and yet which is reliable and serviceable. According to the present invention the flap has a projection thereon or opening therein, the lever has a corresponding mating opening or projection respectively, and the flap can be swung without tools between an operative position in which said projection and opening are in press fit engagement and a free position in which said projection and opening are raised out of engagement with the lever. Preferably the flap has a flap nose extending beyond the inward end of the knob. The knob can be made as a single part by injection moulding and is therefore not expensive to produce. It can be mounted on, and dismounted from, the lever easily without tools and it can be designed to provide reliable service. The invention includes a knob per se for an aforesaid handle or pedal assembly of the invention. Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a small off-road riding mower using knobs of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a cross sectional side view of a prior art screw-on knob; Fig. 3 is a side view of a first embodiment of a speed control knob for the mower of Fig; 1; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the knob of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a side view of the knob of Figs 3 and 4 looking from the right in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the knob of Figs 3 to 5; Fig. 7 is a side view of a second embodiment of a speed control knob for the mower of Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the knob of Fig. 7 Fig. 9 is a side view of the knob of Figs 7 and 8 looking from the right in Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a bottom view of the knob of Figs 7 to 9 Fig. 11 is a sectional view of a first embodiment of an adjusting knob for the mower of Fig. 1 Fig. 12 is a side view of the knob of Fig. 11; Fig. 13 is a bottom view of the knob of Figs 11 and 12; Fig. 14 is a sectional view of a second embodiment of an adjusting knob for the mower of Fig. 1; Fig. 15 is a side view of the knob of Fig. 14; Fig. 16 is a bottom view of the knob of Figs 14 and 15; Fig. 17 is a side view of a first embodiment of a PTO control knob for the mower of Fig. 1; Fig. 18 is a cross sectional view of the knob of Fig. 17; Fig. 19 is a bottom view of the knob of Figs 17 and 18; Fig. 20 is a side view of a second embodiment of a PTO control knob for the mower of Fig. 1; Fig. 21 is a cross sectional view of the knob of Fig. 18; Fig. 22 is a bottom view of the knob of Figs 20 and 21; and Fig. 23 is a side view of a representative actuating lever upon which the knobs of Figs 3 to 22 can be mounted. A riding mower 20, in Fig. 1, has various handle and pedal assemblies of the invention in each of which a knob 22, 24 or 26 is attached to the free end of a corresponding lever actuating respectively the functions of: selecting the transmission mode and/or speed, positioning an attached mower deck, and engaging or disengaging a power take-off shaft. Such assemblies can, of course, be associated with other functions provided on a riding mower. Each knob 22, 24, 26 has a different external configuration and component design appropriate to its use in relation to the particular function involved. A conventional screw-on knob 40 of the "second type" referred to above which is shown in Fig. 2 consists of two components, namely a knob body 42 and a threaded female insert 44 received in a bore of the body extending upwardly from the base (i.e. inward end) thereof. The knob 40 is for screw engagement with a coventional actuating lever with a corresponding male threaded end portion (not shown). Although such a screw-on knob 40 is durable and serviceable, the insert 44 needs to be precisely positioned and well secured within the knob body 42, and the threaded end portion of the actuating lever to which it is attached must also be precisely machined. Thus manufacture and assembly is rather expensive. Turning again to the present invention the speed control knob 22, 24, 26 of Figs 3 to 6, 7 to 10, 11 to 13, 14 to 16, 17 to 19 and 20 to 22 has a knob body 50 with an elongated cavity 52 formed therein, the shape of which is related to the corresponding shape of an actuating lever 28 (see Fig. 23) to which the knob 22, 24, 26 will be attached. The wall of the cavity 52 has a plurality of resilient knife edge members or splines 54 formed thereon which are provided to ensure a tight fit between the knob 22, 24, 26 and the actuating lever 28 by reducing the cavity size to less than the size of the received actuating lever 28. Thus, when the knob 22, 24, 26 is attached to the actuating lever 28 the knife edges 54 are crushed, thereby allowing the lever 28 to be securely gripped by the individual knob. This feature of the knob construction reduces the tolerances required in the manufacture of both the knob and the lever. The knob body 50 has a slot 46 which extends in depth from the surface of the body to the cavity 52. The slot 46 opens at the base of the body 50 and a flap 48 which is connected to the body at a "hinge line" 60 at the top of the slot 46 is received within the slot and is resiliently biased toward the position in Figs 4, 8, 11, 14, 18 and 21. The flap 48 can be swung in and out of the slot 46 about the line 60, the resilient bias being provided by the design of the hinge line. The body 50 and flap 48 are formed integrally by injection moulding although they can be formed separately and subsequently connected. The hinge line 60 is desirably approximately mid-way up the body 50 as indicated in Fig. 4 but its positions will vary according to the length of the particular body. The flap 48 extends beyond the bottom of the body 50, and this extension or nose 58 diverges at 64 away from the axis of the knob 22, 24, 26 outwardly so that it can be gripped on the underside to lift it. In order to secure the knob 22, 24, 26 to the lever 28, the nose 58 has a projection 62 formed thereon. The projection 62 is designed to mate by press fit with a corresponding mating opening 30 formed in the actuating lever 28. The projection 62 can be on the flap nose 58 as in, for example, Fig. 8 or on a portion of the flap 48 such that it extends into the cavity 52 as in, e.g., Fig. 4. It is, of course, possible to provide the lever 28 with a projection, and the flap 48 with a mating opening. In order to attach the control knob 22, 24, 26 to the actuating lever 28, an assembler would align the end of the actuating lever 28 with the cavity 52 and slide the knob onto the lever 28 until the projection 62 engages the mating opening 30 formed in the lever 28. The control knob 22, 24, 26 would thus be securely, yet easily detachably mounted on the actuating lever 28. In order to remove the control knob 22, 24,26 from the actuating lever 28, an operator would grasp the end of the flap nose 58 by utilizing tapered portion 64 and pulling the nose 58 away from the surface of the actuating lever 28 thereby disengaging the projection 62 from mating opening 30 and then pulling the knob body 50 away from the end of the actuating lever 28. In a modified design, not illustrated, the flap 48 does not extend beyond the bottom of the body 50. It can incorporate a divergent nose, but this then is confined within the general contour of the body.

Claims: A handle or pedal assembly comprising a handle or pedal knob (22, 24, 26) having an elongated cavity (52) therein extending from an inward end thereof and a handle or pedal lever (28) an end of which is received in the knob cavity (52), the knob (22, 24, 26) having a swingable flap (48) for engaging and disengaging the lever (28) characterised in that the flap (48) has a projection (62) thereon or opening therein, the lever (28) has a corresponding mating opening (30) or projection respectively, and the flap can be swung without tools between an operative position in which said projection and opening are in press fit engagement and a free position in which said projection and opening are raised out of engagement. An assembly according to claim 1 characterised in that the flap (48) has a flap nose (58) extending beyond the inward end of the knob (22, 24, 26). An assembly according to claim 2 characterised in that the flap nose (58) diverges outwardly from the axis of the knob (22, 24, 26) so as to facilitate lifting it. An assembly according to claim 2 or 3 characterised in that the said flap projection (62) or opening is on or in the flap nose (58). An assembly according to any preceding claim characterised in that the elongated cavity (52) has resilient splines (54) on its wall which are deflectable by the lever end. An assembly according to any preceding claim characterised in that the knob (22, 24, 26) is formed as a single part including the knob flap (48) by injection moulding. An assembly according to any of claims 1 to 5 characterised in that the knob (22, 24, 26) is formed by injection moulding the knob flap (48) and the remainder of the knob as separate parts, and then joining the parts.

Inventors: CHASE, WILLIAM EDWARD, HUHMANN, VIRGIL PAUL, KUHN, JOHN BOYD, STRICKER, DAVID KEITH
Applicants: DEERE & COMPANY
Application year: 1987
Main classification: G05G1
IPC codes: G05G1, B29C45, B29C65