Patent ID: 7267026

Claim:
A control lever comprising a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being configured for pivotal connection to a shaft, the control lever being operable in a shifting plane and a braking plane, the control lever having a pulling direction lying in the shifting plane, a releasing direction lying in the shifting plane, and a braking direction lying in the braking plane, wherein the shifting plane is substantially perpendicular to the braking plane, the control lever comprising: a releasing surface; a pulling surface opposite the releasing surface; a braking surface adjacent the pulling surface and the releasing surface; the pulling surface having a pulling surface proximal portion adjacent the proximal end of the lever and a first distal projection adjacent the distal end of the lever, wherein the first distal projection projects away from the pulling surface proximal portion in a first direction away from the braking plane; the releasing surface having a releasing surface proximal portion adjacent the proximal end of the lever and a second distal projection adjacent the distal end of the lever, wherein the second distal projection projects away from the releasing surface proximal portion in a second direction away from the braking plane; and the braking surface having a braking surface proximal portion adjacent the proximal end of the lever and a third distal projection adjacent the distal end of the lever, wherein the third distal projection projects away from the braking surface proximal portion in a third direction away from the shifting plane.