Patent ID: 7235901

Claim:
A loader having a frame, a drive to move the frame, a lift arm on the frame, a lift actuator for raising and lowering an outer end of the lift arm, a cab structure on the frame, an operator door for permitting entrance and egress from the cab, said door being hingedly mounted on the cab, a door latch, and a latch striker for the latch, said latch engaging the latch striker to hold the door closed, wherein the improvement comprises a two component sensor arrangement between the door and a portion of the cab adjacent the door opening positioned to sense whether the latch is in engagement with the latch striker to hold the door closed, wherein the latch striker comprises the portion of the cab, and a lockout for enabling and disabling operating functions, said sensor arrangement being connected to the lockout to disable the functions when the sensor arrangement indicates the door is not held closed, wherein the sensor arrangement comprises a switch carried on the door latch, and a switch actuator carried on the striker, said switch being a normally closed switch connected in a circuit for the lockout, the switch being opened when the door is closed and the latch is engaging the striker, a circuit connector from the switch to the lockout, the lockout being carried on the loader frame, the connector being separable to leave the circuit open when the door is removed from the loader frame and the circuit, the lockout being operable to enable the operating functions when the circuit is open.