Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02785419 2012-08-01
=
LOCKING NON-METALLIC SINGLE LEVER CONTROL
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to a single lever control for use in
manually
manipulating a hydraulic valve spool of the type present in a directional
control valve and
commonly associated with hydraulically operated machinery. More specifically,
the present
invention serves as supplemental means in furthering one's safe operation of
hydraulically
operated machinery, particularly in regard to mitigating occurrences of injury
or damage to
property stemming from the unforeseeable contact and interaction thereof with
an electrical
source and/or inadvertent actuation of the lever control to cause unintended
operation of
working, hydraulic components associated therewith.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Most of today's heavily equipped machinery, substantially to the likes of a
front end
bucket loader, an earth mover, and an excavator, to name a few, operate
principally by means of
hydraulic fluid flow sustainably operating under moderate to high pressures,
typically in the area
of 1000-6000 p.s.i. As with most machinery of this type, hydraulic fluid is
pumped to a high
pressure and transmitted throughout the machinery to various actuators
particularly configured
and suited to cause a working, hydraulic component to operate and perform
work, such as
moving a frontward bucket of a front end loader to a desirable upward or
downward position, for
example. A gasoline- or diesel-operated engine or an electric motor typically
serve as means to
power the hydraulic pump. Pressurized fluid, on the other hand, is
preferentially controlled by
means of one or more directional control valves each being equipped with
hydraulic valve spools
and distributed through a defined network of hoses and tubes. The
attractiveness of hydraulic
machinery is due in large part to the ample amount of power that can be
transferred through the
defined network of small tubes and flexible hoses leading to and from the
hydraulic valve spools,
actuators, reservoirs, and pumps which collectively contribute to the making
of a hydraulic
circuit. The hydraulic valve spool of one particular type noted in the art can
be generally
described as comprising a central (neutral) position maintained with springs.
Depending on the
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manufacturer's design configuration, sliding the valve spool to a general fore
position opens the
valve to permit hydraulic fluid to flow to the actuator and from the actuator
to the reservoir.
Conversely, when the valve spool is allowed to return to a neutral (center)
position, the actuator
fluid paths are closed, locking the valve in position. Directional control
valves are usually
designed to be stackable, with one control valve serving each hydraulic
cylinder and one fluid
input supplying all the control valves in the stack. The valve spool positions
noted above might
be actuated by means of a mechanical lever control of the particular type
corresponding to the
present invention.
Associated with the configuration of the hydraulic circuit is a compilation of
structural
components, such as the bucket, track, frame, axles, and so forth, fabricated
from metallic
materials to further the structural integrity of the hydraulic machinery and
offer durability for
sustained long-term utilization and operation in the field. Given the presence
of metallic-
fabricated structural components with their associative conductive properties,
there exists
unforeseeable opportunities for unsafe operation of the hydraulic machinery
while in the field.
= 15 For instance, operation of a metal-tracked excavator or drilling
machine while in the field with
inappropriate marking of below-grade hazards, such as high powered electrical
lines, and
unforeseeable interaction and contact thereof with conductive structural
components, may have
profound impact on the equipment operator's health, perhaps to the extent of
serious injury or
even death from electrocution.
The art offers a variety of methods and devices for protecting the operator
from such
serious mishap, notably upon the instance the hydraulic machinery becomes an
energized
conductor by means of the noted inadvertent contact of the conductive
structural components
with an electrical source. The most simplistic form of protection might
comprise outfitting the
equipment operator with protective clothing fabricated with a non-conductive
material, such as
rubber-lined or insulated clothing, for example. However, any implementation
of this level of
protection may be inappropriate in some circumstances, particularly where one
operates
hydraulic machinery in warm or hot environments, among other uninviting
situations. Other
available protective measures may include safeguards integrated into and made
part of the
hydraulic machinery. For instance, in a boom truck aerial device, the operator
is generally
insulated from or isolated from electrical pathways by situating him/her in a
non-metallic,
workman's basket with further provisions of offering control mechanisms or
levers and linkages
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selectively covered with or fabricated from non-conductive materials, whereas
the main
structural components of the aerial device, such as the boom, turret, and
base, might be
fabricated from steel or equivalent material to maintain adequate levels of
structural strength.
An example of this safeguard approach is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No.
7,416,053 issued to Chard,
et al. and entitled "Isolation Mechanism for Electrically Isolating Controls
of Boomed
Apparatus," wherein portions of a control handle and associated linkages are
fabricated from an
electrically non-conductive material insofar to establish a dielectric gap or
separation in between
the control handle and conductive structural components, a configuration of
which suffices to
isolate the operator from deadly phase-to-phase or phase-to-ground electrical
discharge occurring
from inadvertent contact of the aerial device's boom tip with that of an
electrical source.
Although the safety mechanism present and described in Chard, et al. may
adequately serve to
protect the operator, particularly with respect to a boomed apparatus
operating within a defined
environment, its application may be viewed as design limiting and unsuitable
for incorporation
into other hydraulically operated machinery having unique design
characteristics and build
requirements.
In addition to the noted unforeseen electrical hazards, there may instances in
the field
where the equipment operator is momentarily distracted or becomes inattentive
to the conditions
for safe operation of the hydraulic machinery and inadvertently contacts one
or more mechanical
lever controls that correspondingly actuates one or more of the valve spools
to cause working
components to unintentionally operate. It is quite plausible in this case that
any inadvertent
actuation of control mechanisms of this type may set forth undesirable
consequences, possibly to
the extent of harming the equipment operator, others situated nearby, and
property. The art does
offer mechanisms or devices that effectively serve to mitigate inadvertent
actuation of working
components to some degree, one of which may consists of equipping the
directional control
valve with a spring that functionally serves to return the control lever and
connected valve spool
to a neutral, closed position, generally operating to the likes of a momentary
switch commonly
associated with the electrical arts. However, such configured mechanism may
not be timely in
preventing the undesirable event from occurring in the first place. In other
words, the damage
may have arisen to a point of no return.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a single lever control that provides for
the manual
operation of a hydraulic valve spool of the type present in a directional
control valve and
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commonly associated with hydraulically operated machinery, particularly of
which further serves
to electrically isolate the operator from electrically charged pathways upon
the unforeseen
instance the conductive structural components of the hydraulic machinery
contacts an electrical
source and mitigates occurrences of inadvertent actuation of the directional
control valve to
cause unintended operation of working, hydraulic components, consequently of
which may arise
to injury to one or more persons situated nearby and/or damage to property.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to overcome the numerous drawbacks apparent in the prior art, a
single lever
control has been devised for manually manipulating and operating a hydraulic
valve spool of the
type present in a directional control valve and commonly associated with
various forms of
hydraulically operated machinery, such as front end loaders, excavators,
drilling machines,
cranes, and so forth.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a single lever
control that furthers
the safe operation of the hydraulic machinery by means of electrically
isolating an equipment
operator from deadly phase-to-phase or phase-to-ground electrical discharges
stemming from the
inadvertent contact of conductive structural components of the hydraulic
machinery with that of
an electrical source.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a single lever control
that is
mechanically configured for adaptation to and suited to operate various forms
of hydraulic valve
spools of the type offered and made available by a variety of manufacturers.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a single lever
control that
supplements the safe operation of the hydraulic machinery by mitigating
occurrences of
inadvertent actuation of the directional control valve that can cause the
hydraulic valve spool to
open and permit working, hydraulic components of the hydraulic machinery to
unintentionally
operate to the extent of possibly causing injury to nearby persons and/or
damage to property.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a single lever control
that can
effectively exist in a side-by-side, grouped configuration to correspond with
a stackable
arrangement of directional control valves without undue hindrance or
interference from
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neighboring control valves, thus furthering the safe operation of the
hydraulic machinery in the
field.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a single lever
control that offers top
placement of a decal or label indicating valve control operability or
capability for greater,
enhanced visibility to the equipment operator, consequently contributing to
reduced occurrences
of inadvertent actuation of the control valve that may lead to unintended
operation of one or
more working, hydraulic components.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a single lever
control which
accomplishes the foregoing and other objects and advantages and which is
economical, durable,
and fully effective in performing its intended functions without unduly
compromising the stock =
performance and operation of hydraulic machinery of the particular type
commonly known and
available in the art.
In accordance with the present invention a single lever control has been
devised for
manually manipulating and operating a hydraulic valve spool of the type
present in a directional
control valve and commonly associated with hydraulic machinery, the single
lever control
principally comprising a handle assembly having an elongate shaft encased
within a non-metallic
outer casing, the elongate shaft having first and second ends each being
fixedly attached to a
non-metallic end cap and a pivot block, respectively, the outer casing further
comprising a
cylindrical cup for housing and containing therewithin a biasing element
whereupon an applied
force acting upwardly on the cylindrical cup, directionally toward the end
cap, correspondingly
causes the outer casing to move upwardly to the extent of lifting a latching
member pivotally
connected to the pivot block and releasing a locking mechanism, particularly
being suited to
provide for pivotal movement of the pivot block about a lever pin extending
therethrough and
associated with a vertical support member of a mounting assembly, the mounting
assembly
further comprising an adapter plate integrally connected to the vertical
support member and
having one or more mounting holes for receiving therethrough fasteners suited
to connect the
adapter plate to a select mountable portion of the directional control valve
and a large aperture
for receiving and accepting therethrough a moveable stem associated with the
hydraulic valve
spool, an arrangement of which allows a valve-actuating stem associated with
the pivot block to
engage and interact with the moveable stem as the single lever control is
selectively moved in a
general rearward or forward manner.
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Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become
apparent in
the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof when
read in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals
depict the same
parts in the various views.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way
of
example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a disassembled view of a preferred embodiment of the present
invention
illustrating a handle assembly apart from a mounting assembly and a flexible
boot;
FIG. 2 is a right side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the
present invention
>
illustrating a handle assembly pivotally connected to a mounting assembly
partially covered with
a flexible boot;
FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present
invention
illustrating a mounting assembly positioned and mounted atop a directional
control valve having
a movable stem integrally part of a hydraulic valve spool;
FIG. 4 is a right side elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the
present
invention illustrating a mounting assembly pivotally connected to a handle
assembly comprising
an outer casing covering an elongate shaft having a first end fixedly attached
to an end cap;
FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the present
invention
illustrating a mounting assembly pivotally connected to a handle assembly
comprising an outer
casing covering an elongate shaft having a first end fixedly attached to an
end cap and a second
fixedly connected to a pivot block;
FIG. 6 is a left side elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the
present invention
illustrating a handle assembly pivotally connected to a mounting assembly and
forwardly moved
along path P to permit a valve-actuating stem to engage and interact with a
movable stem
integrally part of a hydraulic valve spool;
FIG. 7 is a left side elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the
present invention
illustrating a mounting assembly pivotally connected to a handle assembly
comprising an outer
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casing covering an elongate shaft having a first end fixedly attached to an
end cap and a second
fixedly connected to a pivot block;
FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present
invention
taken on line 8-8 of FIG. 13 illustrating an end cap having an annular seat
for accepting therein a
second end of a spring;
FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present
invention
taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 13 illustrating a cylindrical cup and an end cap
having an annular seat
for accepting therein a second end of a spring;
FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present
invention
taken on line 10-10 of FIG. 13 illustrating a bottom member of a cylindrical
cup and an elongate
shaft encased within a non-metallic outer casing;
FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present
invention
taken on line 11-11 of FIG. 13 illustrating a second end of an elongate shaft
housed within a
lower end of a non-metallic outer casing;
FIG. 12 is a side cross sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the
present
invention taken on line 12-12 of FIG. 4 illustrating an elongate shaft
positioned interiorly within
an outer casing and having a first end fixedly attached to an end cap and a
second end fixedly
connected to a pivot block;
FIG. 13 is a rear elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the present
invention
illustrating a mounting assembly pivotally connected to a handle assembly
comprising an outer
casing covering an elongate shaft having a first end fixedly attached to an
end cap;
FIG. 14 is a front elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the present
invention
illustrating three single lever controls in a side-by-side configuration to
accommodate a stackable
arrangement of directional control valves;
FIG. 15 is a bottom plan view of the preferred embodiment of the present
invention
illustrating a valve-actuating stem positioned above a large aperture
extending through an
adapter plate of a mounting assembly; and
FIG. 16 is a top plan view of the preferred embodiment of the present
invention
illustrating an end cap fixedly attached to a first end of an elongate shaft
and positioned above a
flexible boot protectively covering a portion of a mounting assembly.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
While this invention is susceptible of being embodied in many different forms,
the
preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying
drawings and described
in detail hereinafter with the understanding that the present disclosure is to
be considered to
exemplify the principles of the present invention and is not intended to limit
the invention to the
embodiments illustrated and presented herein. The present invention has
particular utility as a
device for manually manipulating and operating a hydraulic valve spool of the
type present in a
directional control valve and commonly associated with hydraulically operated
machinery,
particularly being configured and suited to electrically isolate the operator
from electrically
charged pathways upon the unforeseen instance the conductive structural
components of the
hydraulic machinery contacts an electrical source and becomes an energized
conductor, with the
further added provision of mitigating occurrences of inadvertent actuation of
the directional
control valve to cause unintended operation of working, hydraulic components.
Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown generally at 10 a single lever
control
primarily comprising handle and mounting assemblies 12, 14 collectively
configured to isolate
and protect an operator of hydraulic machinery from electrically charged
pathways and mitigate
inadvertent actuation of a directional control valve 16 under the particular
circumstances
discussed hereinbefore. It is expressly noted herein that the mounting
assembly 14 of the
particular type described for and included in the present invention may
comprise one or more
specific configurations to correspond to a variety of directional control
valves being offered by
many of today's leading manufacturers. One form of directional control valve,
primarily for
purposes of describing and illustrating the present invention, may comprise
one or more single
hydraulic valve spools 18 each having separable capacity to slidably move back
and forth within
an interior chamber 20 integrally made part of the directional control valve.
Depending on the
manufacturer's design and configuration, the directional control valve of the
type generally
depicted in FIG. 3 may further comprise one or more inlet and outlet openings
22 extending
through an outer shell 24 of the directional control valve for connecting
thereto a defined
network of tubing and piping leading to and from a variety of components of a
hydraulic circuit,
such as a reservoir, pump, working hydraulic cylinder, and so forth. In
facilitating the movement
and transfer of pressurized hydraulic fluid within a typical hydraulic circuit
known in the art, the
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hydraulic valve spool 18 is slid ably positioned within the interior chamber
to generally permit
one or more passages (not shown) distinctively associated with and present in
the hydraulic valve
spool to align with any number or combination of the inlet and outlet openings
22. A movable
stem 26 integrally connected to the hydraulic valve spool and extending
outwardly partway from
the directional control valve's shell 24 serves as principal means for
manually manipulating the
hydraulic valve spool to a desirable open or closed position. The single lever
control 10 of the
present invention effectively serves this stated purpose as well as
effectuating other ancillary
utilitarian benefits expressed herein.
The handle assembly 12 is specifically shown in FIG. 4 to comprise an elongate
shaft 28
of cylindrical form having a predetermined diameter and length and first and
second ends 28a,
28b. Covering and encasing approximately the entire length of the elongate
shaft is a non-
metallic outer casing 30 configured with an inner cylindrical bore 32,
preferentially
corresponding to the approximate shape and length of the elongate shaft 28,
but having a cross-
sectional diameter slightly greater than that of the cross-sectional diameter
of the elongate shaft
to permit unhindered, slidable movement longitudinally thereabout. An upper
end 34 of the
outer casing 30, as preferably shown in FIG. 5, comprises a biasing element 36
that is effective
to bias the outer casing such that a force effective to overcome the biasing
force is necessary to
move the outer casing away from the second end 28b and toward the first end
28a of the elongate
shaft 28, as directionally designated by arrow U in FIG. 6. As a result, the
biasing element in
turn is singularly effective to bias the outer casing 30 generally toward the
second end of the
elongate shaft upon releasing any applied force to the biasing element, as
directionally
designated by arrow D in FIG. 7. While virtually any biasing element can be
used, in an
exemplary embodiment of the type shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the biasing element
36 takes on the
form of a spring 38 situated and retained within an annular space 40 formed by
an exposed
portion 42 of the elongate shaft extending upwardly through a bottom member 44
of a cylindrical
cup 46 and interior sidewall 46a thereof. In accord with this arrangement, the
first end 28a of
the elongate shaft is relatively positioned to extend beyond the height of the
cylindrical cup's
interior sidewall and an upper rim 46b integrally associated therewith,
particularly being
configured to allow access thereto for fixedly attaching a non-metallic end
cap 48 to the first end
of the elongate shaft as illustrated in FIG. 4. Further included as part of
the cylindrical cup 46, as
shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, is an underside ledge 50 integrally associated with
the bottom
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member 44 and extending radially outward from an outer sidewall 46c of the
cylindrical cup, a
structure of which supplementally serves in facilitating application of force
to the biasing
element. In like form to the annular space 40 associated with the cylindrical
cup depicted in
FIG. 12, the end cap 48 comprises an annular seat 52 substantially formed by
an interior
cylindrical wall 54 of the end cap and an outer sidewall 56 of a centralized
socket 58, wherein
the centralized socket is geometrically configured to correspond with and
accept therein the first
end 28a of the elongate shaft 28. In assembled form, notably in relation to
the biasing element
36 shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, first and seconds ends 38a, 38b of the spring are
configured to fit
within and engage the annular space 40 and annular seat 52 of the cylindrical
cup 46 and end cap
48, respectively, particularly in such manner to securely hold thereinbetween
the spring to
prevent its disfiguration and displacement therefrom while interim forces act
on the biasing
element to achieve and permit rearward or forward motion of the single lever
control 10. In
further respects of assembly, as shown in FIG. 12, the interior cylindrical
wall 54 of the end cap
slightly abuts the outer sidewall 46c of the cylindrical cup, with the upper
rim 46b thereof
generally accompanying the annular seat 52 alongside the placement of the
second end 38b of
the spring. Accordingly, as the biasing element 36 accepts an applied force,
the upper rim 46b
will generally contact an underside area 60a of a planar member 60 of the
fixed end cap 48, thus
limiting the extent by which the outer casing 30 and integrally connected
cylindrical cup 46 can
longitudinally travel about and upwardly along the elongate shaft 28.
Supplementing the
configuration of the planar member 60 is an upper facing surface 60b having
general planar
characteristics for accepting thereon and affixing thereto a variety of labels
designating operative
functionality of the single lever control 10, particularly being useful in
mitigating inadvertent
actuation of the single lever control during field operation of the hydraulic
machinery.
Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 12, the second end 28b of the elongate shaft is
shown
connected to a pivot block 62 that permits the handle assembly 12 to pivotally
travel relatively to
the mounting assembly 14 as a force is being applied to the biasing element 36
and the single
lever control is generally moved in a rearward or forward manner along path P
in FIG 6. The
pivot block as shown in FIG. 1 preferably comprises an upper planar member 64
having an
upward-positioned socket 66 for accepting therein and fixedly attaching the
second end 28b of
the elongate shaft, with the upper planar member being preferably orientated
perpendicular to the
elongate shaft 28 to establish an overall linear relationship of the handle
assembly 12. In an
CA 02785419 2012-08-01
alternative embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in FIG. 14,
the upper planar
member 64 may comprise an angular relationship M relatively to the positioning
of an adapter
plate 68 of the mounting assembly 14 to establish an overall non-linear
relationship of the handle
assembly 12, purposefully to allow the handle assembly to be angularly
positioned relatively
apart from neighboring single lever controls 10. Accordingly, a grouped or a
side-by-side
configuration of single lever controls 10 is feasibly possible, permissively
to the extent of
conforming to the stackable arrangement of directional control valves 16 for
expanded, effective
operation and control of the hydraulic machinery. Further associated with a
forward face 62a of
the pivot block is a valve-actuating stem 70 that extends outwardly therefrom
a predetermined
distance to engage and interact with the movable stem 26 associated with the
hydraulic valve
spool 18 of the directional control valve. The valve-actuating stem may
comprise a myriad of
configurations to generally conform to the manufacturers' specific geometric
configurations of
the movable stem, more particular in relation to the available mechanical
means for manually
manipulating the hydraulic valve spool to a desirable position. However, for
purposes of
illustrating one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the valve-
actuating stem 70 is
generally shown in FIG. 6 to comprise a pedestal structure 72 having an
integral protuberance 74
extending outwardly therefrom with a rounded or tapered appearance such as to
allow it to
slidably travel about and traverse within a receptacle 76 of the movable stem
without undue
hindrance, particularly upon the handle assembly 12 being moved in a general
rearward or
forward direction along path P in FIG. 6 to permit the valve-actuating stem 70
to directionally
manipulate the movable stem 70 of the hydraulic valve spool 18 either upwardly
or downwardly,
respectively.
Operating conjunctively with the valve-actuating stem of the pivot block is
means for
locking and securing the handle assembly 12 relatively to the mounting
assembly 14 to mitigate
occurrences of inadvertent rearward or forward pivotal movement of the single
lever control 10
and subsequent actuation of the directional control valve. Locking and
securing means is
preferentially shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 to comprise a latching member 78
generally of u-shaped
configuration having an intermediate support section 80 integrally connected
to and situated in
between first and second arms 82, 84 with corresponding first and second ends
82a, 84a being
diametrically positioned apart from one another. In particular to the
preferred embodiment, the
latching member 78 is positioned adjacent to and below the upper planar member
64, with the
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first and second ends 82a, 84a thereof being pivotally connected to forward
and rearward faces
62a, 62b of the pivot block, respectively, or more specifically, holes 82b,
84b extending through
the first and second ends and an arm bore 88 selectively aligned therewith and
extending through
front and rear upper corners 90, 92 of the pivot block slidably receive a rod
86, a configuration of
which facilitates free pivotal movement of the latching member and latching
and unlatching of a
locking mechanism 94 without undue hindrance. As shown in FIG. 7 the locking
mechanism 94
comprises a pin 96 generally extending outwardly from below the intermediate
support section
80, preferably midway in between each of the arms 82, 84. The pin is more
specifically
configured to fit within and engage a slot 98 formed into a vertical support
member 100
associated with the mounting assembly 14 of the particular type shown in FIG.
7 and moves
within a slot track 102 integrally associated with the pivot block 62 to
adequately guide the
locking mechanism 94 as it is being pulled in an upwardly manner to correspond
with the applied
force acting on the biasing element 36. In furthering the operation of the
locking mechanism in a
manner consistent with the preferred embodiment, the intermediate support
section 80
supplementally comprises a first aperture 104 generally positioned above the
pin 96 for which is
suited to accept and fit therein a lower hooked end 106 of a link 108. In like
manner, an upper
hooked end 110 of the link, of particular form depicted in FIG. 13, is
configured to fit within and
engage a second aperture 112 extending through a lower end 30a of the outer
casing 30. Hence,
in accord with this configuration, any applied force to the biasing element 36
subsequently
causes the outer casing to effectuate corresponding upward movement of the
latching member 78
that enables the release of the pin 96 from its mating position within the
slot 98. In order to limit
the extent of binding or twisting that may occur between the outer casing and
latching
mechanism upon operation of the single lever control 10, the lower end 30a of
the outer casing,
as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, is interiorly configured with a groove 114 of
geometric proportion
to spatially accommodate a mid-sectional portion 108a of the link, a structure
sufficing to
establish continuity of the hooked ends 106, 110. In instances of constructing
the preferred
embodiment, the lower end of the outer casing comprises a thicker wall portion
30b than that of a
midsection 30c of the outer casing to accommodate fabrication of the groove
without weakening
the integrity of the casing's structure particular to this location.
Furthermore, the intermediate
support section may comprise an indent 116 preferentially positioned above the
aperture 104 and
pin 96 to spatially accommodate the mid-sectional portion 108a of the link and
prevent binding
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of the link at it correspondingly travels upwardly and downwardly with the
movement of the
outer casing 30.
In providing for pivotal movement of the handle assembly 12 relatively to the
mounting
assembly 14, the pivot block 62 shown in FIG. I preferably comprises a bore
118 generally
extending perpendicularly through left and right sideward members 62c, 62d and
parallel to
forward and rearward faces 62a, 62b thereof, the bore of which being
configured to accept
therein a lever pin 120 having an inward end 120a fixedly attached to and
extending
perpendicularly outward from the vertical support member 100 of the mounting
assembly. In
assembled form, substantially to the likes shown in FIG. 5, the pivot block 62
is slidably
positioned about the lever pin after being first accommodated by a first set
of spacers 122 being
situated in between the left sideward member 62c and vertical support member,
a configuration
of which further promotes adequate clearance thereinbetween and unhindered
pivotal movement
of the pivot block about the lever pin. A second set of spacers 124 is also
shown in FIG. I,
specifically being located in between the right sideward member 62d and a
locking, open-ended
washer 126 that is adaptably suited to fit within an annular groove 128
associated with an
outward end 120b of the lever pin. By means of this configuration, lateral
movement of the
pivot block apart from the vertical support member 100 as well as from the
lever pin 120 is
particularly minimized as the handle assembly 12 is moved rearwardly or
forwardly to control
the single hydraulic valve spool 18 of the directional control valve 16.
In furthering the attachment of the single lever control 10 to the directional
control valve,
the adapter plate 68 of the mounting assembly 14 is shown in FIG. 3 to fit
about and over a select
mountable portion of the directional control valve. In particular, the adapter
plate 68, as
illustrated in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, comprises a
geometric
configuration most resembling a rectangle, with an edge portion 68a thereof
being suited to
fixedly attach thereto the vertical support member 100 in perpendicular
fashion, substantially as
shown in FIG. 4. However, like the valve-actuating stem 70 in terms of its
adaptability, the
adapter plate may comprise one or more configurations that are most suited to
accommodate the
structure and unique design characteristics associated with the mountable
portion of the
directional control valve 16. Accordingly, in this regard, the adapter plate
as exemplarily
depicted in FIG. 15 may comprise a large aperture 130 extending therethrough
to permit passage
and accommodate the positioning of the moveable stem 26 of the hydraulic valve
spool, mainly
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CA 02785419 2012-08-01
=
to the extent for allowing the valve-actuating stem to gain accessibility to
and engage the
moveable stem and subsequently actuate and control the directional control
valve to a pre-select
operable position. In securing the mounting assembly 14 to the directional
control valve in a
manner most consistent with the preferred embodiment, the adapter plate 68 is
further shown in
FIG. 16 to comprise one or more mounting holes 68b exclusively provided for
accepting an
equivalent number of bolts 132 or similar forms of fasteners available in the
art. In protecting
operable components most associated with the moveable stem of the hydraulic
valve spool, a
portion of the handle assembly 12 and more fully the mounting assembly 14 is
covered or
encased with a flexible boot 134. The boot, as shown in FIG. 1, generally
comprises a top 134a
with an integrated neck 134b extending upwardly therefrom and an opening 134c
centralized
among four sidewalls 134d that drape downwardly over the mounting assembly,
the opening
being of sufficient diametric size to slidably fit about the midsection 30c of
the outer casing 30
while allowing friction to hold it in place at a preselect position,
preferentially at or near an area
where the midsection joins the thicker wall structure 30b of the outer casing,
as depicted in FIG.
6.
It can be seen from the foregoing that there is provided in accordance with
this invention
a simple and easily operated device that furthers the safe operation and
control of hydraulic
machinery, particularly being configured and suited to electrically isolate
the operator from
electrically charged pathways upon the unforeseen instance the conductive
structural components
of the hydraulic machinery contacts an electrical source and becomes an
energized conductor.
Moreover, the single lever control 10 comprises unique functional
characteristics most suited to
mitigate occurrences of inadvertent actuation of the directional control valve
that may arise to
unintended operation of working, hydraulic components and subsequently lead to
injury to
nearby persons and/or damage to property. It is obvious that the components
comprising the
single lever control 10 may be fabricated from a variety of materials,
providing such selection or
use of materials possess the capacity to withstand forces acting thereon
throughout its duration of
use in manually manipulating the hydraulic valve spool 18 of the type commonly
associated with
the directional control valve 16. Accordingly, it is most desirable, and
therefore preferred, to
construct the outer casing 30, elongate shaft 28, and end cap 48 of the handle
assembly 12 from a
rigid, non-metallic material such as fiberglass, nylon or polypropylene, to
name a few most
readily available in the art. Aluminum, steel or an equivalent material, which
specifically
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CA 02785419 2012-08-01
possess physical properties of strength and rigidity, effectively serve as
suitable material types to
construct the pivot block 62, and mounting assembly 14, preferentially to the
extent of ensuring
sustained and reliable use of the single lever control 10.
While there has been shown and described a particular embodiment of the
invention, it
will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and
alterations can be made
therein without departing from the invention and, therefore, it is aimed in
the appended claims to
cover all such changes and alterations which fall within the true spirit and
scope of the invention.
=
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