GB1604617A - Remote control mechanisms - Google Patents

Description

(54) REMOTE CONTROL MECHANISMS (71) We, TELEFLEX MORSE LIM ITED, a British Company of Christopher Martin Road, Basildon, Essex., do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to remote control mechanisms and more particularly to control boxes therefor.

According to the invention there is prou vided a control box comprising a pair of housing halves so formed as together to constitute a housing of a "single axis" control box and induding modifying means so that when in combination with a similar pair of housing halves they may constitute a housing of any of a plurality of different control boxes each providing for movement of the control member thereof about a multitude of axes.

The invention also includes a control box comprising a pair of housing halves so formed as together to constitute a housing of a "single axis" control box and including modifying means so that when in combination with another such pair of housing halves they may constitute either a housing of a "dual axis" control box providing for an "X" movement of the control member thereof or a housing of a "dual axis" control box providing for a "+" movement of the control member thereof.

The control box may be constructed to constrain the control member to execute only the "X" or "+" movements as the case may be, but not necessarily so.

In order that the invention may be well understood there will now be described some embodiments thereof, given by way of example only, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly sectioned, of a "single axis" control box; Figure 2 is a section along line Il-Il of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a section along line Ill-Ill of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a section along line IV-IV of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a plan view of the same control box and shows the direction of lever movement; Figure 6 is a section along line '71-v' of Figure 1 with the control box fitted with a boot seal; Figure 7 is a section along line VI--VI of Figure 1 again with the boot seal in position;; Figure 8 is an end elevation, partly sectioned, of the same control box; Figure 9 is a sectioned side elevation taken along line IX-IX of Figure 11 of a "dual axis" second control box giving an "X" movement of the control lever; Figure 10 is a scrap section illustrating a "plug in" cable connection; Figure 11 is a section along line XI-xI of Figure 9; Figure 12 is a section along line XII-XII of Figure 9; Figure 13 is an elevation, partly sectioned, taken along line XIII-XIll of Figure 11; Figure 14 is a plan view of the "dual axis" control box shown in Figures 9 and 11 to 13 and depicts the diagonal "X" direction of lever movement; Figure 15 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of a "dual axis" third control box giving a "+" movement of the control lever;; Figure 16 is a section along line XvI-XvI of Figure 15; Figure 17 is a plan view of the third control box broken away to show the interior thereof; Figure 18 is a plan view of the third control box and illustrates the "+" direction of the dual axis lever movement; Figures 19 to 23 show five different ways of mounting the "single axis" control box; Figures 24 to 26 show, in plan, a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 27 shows a sectioned side elevation of an alternative and preferred "single axis" control box to that shown in Figures 1 to 8; and Figure 28 shows a "single axis" giving "X" lever movement and "dual axis" giving "+" lever movement control boxes combined together.

Referring to Figures 1 to 8, a "single axis" control box 1 is so called because its operator lever 2 pivots about a single axis to translate a single control cable either way from a central position in response to the lever movement either way from a central position.

The control box 1 includes a housing H made up of a pair of hollow housing halves 3 and 4 of which the one is substantially a mirror image of the other except that the housing half 3 is deeper than the housing half 4.

The housing halves 3 and 4 are fastened together to complete the control box housing as by one or more screws 5. The operator lever 2 is fast with a block 6 which is mounted for pivotal movement in either sense about a single axis 7 between the housing halves 3 and 4. To that end, the block 6 has fast therein a pivot pin 8 journalled as by nylon bearings 9 in lugs 10 integral with the respective housing halves 3 and 4.

Also fast with the block 6 is a ball post 11 which bears in an aperture 12 fashioned in an operating rod 13. Reference is best made to Figure 9 for details of the operating rod and its mounting. In common with the ball post 11, the operating rod 13 is positioned centrally of the line of juxtaposition L of the two housing halves 3 and 4.

The operating rod 13 is mounted for linear movement in a vertical direction, as considered in Figure 9 (and Figure 1), in response to pivotal movement of the operator lever 2 about its single axis 7. Movement of the operator lever 2 to the left, as indicated by arrow 14 in Figure 5, will transmit via the ball post 11 an upward force to the operating rod 13 thereby to move the rod upwardly.

Conversely, pivotal movement of the operator lever about its single axis 7 in the opposite sense, as indicated by arrow 15, will cause the ball post 11 to transmit a downward force to the operating rod 13 and so urge the rod downwardly.

As will be appreciated, the ball post 11 will slide in the operating rod aperture 12 as it is swung up and down by pivotal movement of the operator lever 2, and hence the operating rod 13 is not constrained to move around an arc but, rather, can move linearly in a vertical direction, as described. The operating rod 13 has its lower end operably connected to the translatable core 16 of a control cable 17, and hence, by means of the aforesaid sliding connection between the ball.

post 11 and the operating rod 13, the control cable also is not subject to any actuate motion.

The operating rod 13 is slidably mounted in both the juxtaposed housing halves 3 and 4 and in a pair of spaced apart spring cups 18 and 19 which are themselves suitably mounted in the juxtaposed housing halves.

Circlips 20 and 21 are carried by the rod 13 to abut, in the central position of the operator lever 2, the top and bottom respectively of the upper and lower spring cups 18 and 19. Mounted about the rod 13 is a compression spring 22 whose ends abut the upper and lower spring cups 18 and 19. A sliding stop sleeve 23 is also mounted about the rod 13.

By the arrangement described, upward and downward travel of the operating rod 13 compresses the spring 22 so that pivotal movement under manual control of the operator lever 2 takes place against a spring bias.

Thereby, when the manual load on the lever 2 is released, the lever will be returned by the spring 22 to its central position.

More precisely, when the operating rod 13 moves downwardly, the upper circlip 20 urges the upper spring cup 18 downwardly, thereby to compress the spring 22 against the lower spring cup 19 which, itself, is seated in the housing halves 3 and 4 and prevented from downward movement. Similarly, upward travel of the operating rod 13 causes the lower circlip 21 to urge the lower spring cup 19 upwardly, with the result that the spring 22 is compressed against the upper spring cup 18 which is restrained by its seating in the housing halves 3 and 4 from upward movement.

The degree of travel of the operating rod 13, and hence the operator lever 2, is governed by the sliding stop sleeve 23 which prevents further travel of the respective spring cup 18 or 19 and, therefore, the operating rod 13 when it abuts both spring cups. Thus, by providing sleeves 23 of different lengths, variable degrees of pivotal motion of the operator lever 2 and linear travel of the cable 17 are available.

The cable 17 has its casing 24 clamped between the housing halves 3 and 4 against movement with the cable core 16 by means of a pair of nut and bolt assemblies 25.

The cable core 16 may be connected to the operating rod 13 in any suitable manner.

In a preferred connection, shown in Figure 10, the cable core rod end 26 is screwed into a tapered plug 27 and locked thereto by a nut 28.

The lower end of the operating rod 13 is fashioned with an aperture 30 for receiving the plug 27. An outwardly expanding circlip 29 is carried by the rod 13 to project into the aperture 30, and the tapered plug 27 can be pushed past the circlip 29 into the aperture and held therein by the circlip snapping into an annular groove 31 in the periphery of the plug.

The housing is sealed at its top end by a flexible rubber boot 32 which snaps over a gaiter mounting 33 integral with each of the housing halves 3 and 4, and also seals against the operator lever 2.

The described "single axis" control box 1 could have many applications. As said, the operator lever 2 is rotated either way about a single axis to either pull or push a cable core. The cable could operate by remote control from the control box any suitable mechanism. It is particularly intended that the control box should operate a spool valve of a hydraulic valve. As such, the control box is suitable for use in the remote control mechanism described in our copending United Kingdom patent application No. 24878/77 (Serial No. 1,604,616) and would then replace the control box featured in that mechanism.

In that environment of use, the present control box would be positioned in the driver's cab of a tractor and serve to control via a push-pull cable a hydraulic valve which could be located on an implement towed by the tractor and which hydraulically controls the function of that implement.

The construction of the present aforedescribed control box substantially constitutes a modular construction whereby a minimum number of parts can be assembled in different ways to provide three different control boxes giving three different modes of operation.

The simplest construction is that already described which basically constitutes two housing halves, one operating rod mechanism, and one operator lever with its block and a single ball post to operate the operating rod.

The second control box will now be described. For ease of understanding, similar parts in the already described first control box and the present (and more complicated) construction will be identified by similar reference numerals.

The second control box 1A has a single operator lever 2 which pivots about two mutually perpendicular axes to give an movement of the lever such that diagonal lever movement on one diagonal can translate one only of a pair of push-pull control cables whilst the other cable remains stationary, and diagonal lever movement on the other diagonal will translate the cable previously held stationary and not move the other cable (previously translated).

Referring now to Figures 9 and 11 to 14, the second control box comprises two identical housings H1 and H2 each constituted by a pair of housing halves 3 and 4, as before, arranged back-to-back with the shallow half 4 of the housing H1 abutting the deeper half 3 of the other housing H2. The two housings H1 and H2 are secured together by nut and bolt assemblies 34.

Each housing H1 and H2 includes a line of weakening W (see Figure 9) in the upper region of its opposite side walls Sd and Ss.

The abutting side walls Ss and Sd of the two secured together housings H1 and H2 respectively are broken away along those lines of weakening W so that the upper interiors of the housings communicate with one another and together provide a chamber spanning the overall depth of the juxtaposed housings.

In this instance, the lever block 6 is not pivotally mounted in one housing between the lugs 10 thereon. Indeed, it will be appreciated that the lugs of the abutting side walls Ss and Sd have been removed together with the side wall portions bounded by the lines of weakening W. Instead, there is provided a reaction post 35 the lower part of which is formed as a Tee-bolt 36 which is slidably engaged in a Tee-slot 37a fashioned in one side of the deeper housing half 3 of the housing H2 and clamped therein by the abutting shallow housing half 4 of the housing H1. The reaction post 35 is restrained from rotation by having opposed side flats engaging complementary surfaces of the Teeslot 37a.

The upper region of the reaction post 35 is fashioned similarly to the operating rod 13 and has an aperture 38 therein. The lever block 6 carries, not one ball post 11 as before, but three such ball posts gila, lib and lic, as is best seen in Figure 11, which are arranged in the same plane and are substantially mutually perpendicular. The ball post ila bears in the reaction post aperture 38.

Since the control box 1A is required to operate a pair of push-pull cables 17, each housing H1, H2 has assembled to it a spring loaded operating rod 13 ...., identified respectively by suffixes A and B in Figure 11 ..... in the same manner as the housing H of the "single axis" control box with each such rod operably connected, as already described, to the respective control cable. The other two ball posts 1 ib and 1 ic bear, respectively, in the apertured operating rods 13A and 13B of the housings H1 and H2 respectively.

With the described arrangement, the operator can urge the operator lever 2 in either of two mutually perpendicular diagonal directions as indicated in Figure 14. When urged in one diagonal direction, the operating rod of one housing is urged upwardly or downwardly to correspondingly pull or push its control cable, in dependence on the direction of that diagonal movement, and during that time the operating rod of the other housing remains stationary. With the operator lever 2 urged in the other diagonal direction, the previously stationary operating rod is now urged upwardly or downwardly, as determined bv the direction of that diagonal movement, td pull or push, respectively, its control cable, the other . . previously moved operating rod now remaining stationary.

More particularly, when the operator lever 2 is moved in the diagonal direction indicated by arrow 39, the ball post 11a will rock in the aperture 38 of the reaction post 35, which takes most of the load, the operating rod 13A will act as a "steady", and the ball post lic will swing upwardly to translate upwardly the operating rod 13B and attached cable 17 of the housing H2.

When the operator lever 2 is moved on the same diagonal but in the opposite direction indicated by arrow 40, the ball post 1 la will rock in the opposite sense in the apertured reaction post 35, the operating rod 13A again acts as a "steady", and the ball post lic is swung downwardly to translate downwardly its operating rod 13B and connected cable of the housing H2.

Movement of the operator lever 2 on the other diagonal and in the direction denoted by arrow 41 causes the ball post 1 1a again to rock in the apertured reaction post 35, but this time the operating rod 13B acts as a "steady", and the ball post lib is swung downwardly to urge linearly downwardly its operatrod 13A together with the cable 17 connected thereto of the housing H1.

Operation of the operator lever 2 on the same diagonal but in the opposite direction indicated by arrow 42, rocks the ball post 1 la in the reaction post 35 and, with the operating rod 13B still serving as a "steady", the ball post llb is swung upwardly to translate upwardly the operating rod 13A and the connected cable 17 of the housing H1.

As with the first control box, the dual axis "X" control box would have a flexible rubber boot sealing off the upper region of the composite housing.

The dual axis "X" control box would be utilized when the control box is either to be at the side of the operator or between the operator's legs, since it is found that a diagonal arm movement is the easiest to apply.

The aforesaid control box could serve to operate a pair of spool valves, one by each control cable, of a pair of hydraulic valves, and hence control two functions. For example, the control box could be fitted to a combine harvester and used to operate two implements thereof.

The third control box will now be described. Again, parts of this control box similar to those in the first and second control boxes will be denoted by similar reference numerals.

In the third control box 1B, a single operator lever 2 pivots about two mutually perpendicular axes tn give a "+" movement of the lever such that longitudinal lever move ment will translate one only of a pair of push-pull control cables whilst the other cable remains stationary, and lateral lever movement will translate the cable previously held stationary and not move the other cable.

Exactly the same parts can be used for the third control box 1B as for the second control box 1A, the difference being in the way those parts are assembled together.

preferring now to Figures 15 to 18, it will be seen that the two housings H1 and H2 are juxtaposed so that their shallow housing halves 3 abut one another. For convenience, the housing H1 can be considered to have the same orientation as in the second control box, and the housing H2 to have been turned about through 180 degrees. The relatively reorientated housings H1 and H2 are secured together by nut and bolt assemblies 34, as before.

The same reaction post 35 is, this time, not positioned at the side of one of the housings and damped thereagainst by the other housing, but is positioned between the two housing halves 3 and 4 of a particular housing, namely the housing H2.

To this end, the housing . . .112... has a second Tee-slot 37b formed in its deeper housing half 3 in the side thereof opposite that having the Tee-slot 37a. The two Teeslots are also mutually laterally offset owing to the geometrical module proportions of the construction. It should be noted that the housing H1 also has the Tee-slots 37a and 37b, and although not used, it will be realized that they could be instead of those in the housing H2. Each housing is provided with the Tee-slots for full adaptability, although only the Tee-slots in one housing of-a pair come into use at any one time.

The reaction post 35 is clamped in the Tee-slot 37b by a protruding wall 43 integral with the shallow housing half 4 of the housing H2. Obviously, the shallow housing half 4 of the housing H1 also has such a wall 43 aligned with the, at this time, inoperative Tee-slot 37b of that housing.

To enable the lever block 6 with its ball posts 1 la, llb and 1 1c to be operably positioned, the weakened region of the wall Ss between the line of weakening W therein of the housing H2 is broken away (instead of the wall Sd of that housing) so again forming a chamber spanning the two housings.

Each housing H1, H2, as before, is provided with its spring biased operating rods 13A, 13B, respectively. The three ball posts are operably connected with those operating rods and the reaction post 35. If the ball post 1 la is, as before, positioned in the apertured reaction post 35, then the ball posts 11b and 11c would operably connect in the operating rods 13B and 13A, respectively.

In operation, the operator can urge the operator lever 2 in either of two mutually perpendicular directions, either longitudinally or laterally, as indicated in Figure 18. When moved on one line of movement, the operating rod of one housing is urged upwardly or downwardly to correspondingly pull or push its control cable, in dependence on the direction along that line of movement, during that time the operating rod of the other housing remaining stationary. With the operator lever 2 moved on the other line of movement, the previously stationary operating rod is now urged upwardly or downwardly, as determined by the direction along that second line of movement, the pull or push, respectively, its control cable, the other . . . previously moved . . . operating rod remaining stationary.

Thus, when the operator lever 2 is moved longitudinally away from the operator in the direction indicated by the arrow 44, the ball post 1 la will rock in the apertured reaction post 35, which takes most of the load, the operating rod 13B will act as a "steady", and the ball post 1 ic will swing downwardly to translate downwardly the operating rod 13A and push downwardly the attached cable 17 of the housing H1.

When the operator lever 2 is moved longitudinally towards the operator in the opposite direction indicated by the arrow 45, the ball post lia will rock in the opposite sense in the reaction post 35, the operating rod 13B will again act as a "steady", and the ball post lic will be swung upwardly to upwardly translate the operating rod 13A and pull upwardly the second attached cable 17 of the housing H1.

Transverse movement of the operator lever 2 of the operator in the direction of the arrow 46 rocks the ball post 1 la in the reaction post 35, but now the operating rod 13A acts as a "steady", and the ball post lib is swung downwardly to translate downwardly the operating rod 13B and push downwardly the attached cable 17 of the housing H2.

When the operator transversely moves the operator lever 2 in the opposite direction as indicated by the arrow 47, the ball post 1 la rocks in the opposite sense in the reaction post 35, the operating rod 13A again acts as a "steady", and the ball post 1 ib swings upwardly to translate upwardly the operating rod 13B and pull upwardly the second attached cable 17 of the housing H2.

The third control box could be utilized in the same environment of use as the second control box since it can serve to control two spool valves. It would be used when the control box is to be positioned immediately forwardly of the operator since then the "+" direction of movement of the operator lever is the most convenient.

As best seen in Figure 16, the housing halves 3 and 4 of each housing H1 and H2 are fashioned so as to make a "click" con nection with one another, as by one housing half haviong a raised lip 48 and the other a complementary recess 49. Similarly, the two housings themselves may be so joined.

Each of the three control boxes is construted so as to have available to it five different mounting options. These will now be described and illustrated with reference to the first "single axis" control box, but are equally available to either of the "dual axis" constructions, as will be readily appreciated.

As shown in Figure 19, the vertical side 50 of the housing H has two keyhole slots 51 formed therein (partly in the housing half 3 and partly in the housing half 4) to take hexagonal head bolts 52 by which the control box 1 can be bolted endwise on to a support structure.

Figure 20 shows a pair of angles 53 bolted at 54 to opposite side faces 55 of the housing, the horizontal legs 56 of the angles being apertured at 57 so that they can rest on a horizontal support surface and be bolted thereto.

Figure 21 again shows an endwise vertical mounting, but this time the dovetailed vertical end face 58 is slid downwardly on to a complementary bracket 59 which would be rigidly fixed to the equipment.

In Figure 22, there is shown a vertical sidewall mounting, three mounting bolts 60 bolting the support structure 61 to the housing side face 55 at holes 62 (shown in Figure 20).

An angled face mounting is depicted in Figure 23, in which keyhole slots 63 fashioned in the composite angled end face 64 of the housing H receive the hexagon heads of bolts 65 securing the housing to a structure 66.

A particular advantage of the described modular construction is that there results a reduced inventory of parts needed to be stocked by the manufacturer to meet the customer demand and, also, which the customer needs to stock to meet his own field requirements.

The geometric module dimensions appropriate to the hereinbefore described control boxes have not been detailed since those skilled in the art, having regard to the information given herein, will be able readily to determine what the geometry and module proportions should be in any particular case.

However, to assist the reader there will now be briefly described a second embodiment shown in Figures 24 to 26. Again, a control box may be used on its own or in combination with another similar control box orientated in either of two different positions to give a "+" or "X" lever movement. The individual control box may be regarded as being constructed basically as that in the first embodiment. However, in this instance, different lever blocks 6 are required for the two duel axis constructions to suit the particular geometrical modules.

Referring first to Figure 24, a single axis control box H is shown in which the depth d of the shallow housing 4 is 15 units and the depth D of the deeper housing 3 is 27 units making a total depth D + d of 42 units.

The spacing S between the axis of the operating rod 13 . . . and the axis of the ball post 11 . . . and the centre of the Tee-slot 37a is 20.5 units. The distance D1 between the centre of the Tee-slot 37a and the axis of the operating rod 13 is 30 units and is centrally positioned of the length L of the housing. The Tee-slot 37b which is not shown in Figure 24 but is in Figures 25 and 26 is directly vertically below the lever 2 and hence also is 30 units from the rod 13. The plane P containing the centres of the Tee-slots 37a and 37b is at right angles to the line of junction L which contains the centres of the Tee-slots 37b and operating rod 13.

Figures 25 and 26 show, respectively, a dual axis "X" and "+" control box each consisting of two housings H1 and H2 constructed generally and orientated, as in the first embodiment It should be emphasized that the dimension H3 (equals H1 + H2) in Figure 25 is the same as the dimension D3 in Figure 26 and is calculated using the Pythagorus Theorem. As such, D3 . . . and hence H3 . . . is 4w' + D12 equals 1800 units, when D and D1 are 30 units, i.e. D3 is approximately 42 units.

An alternative "single axis" control box 80 is shown in Figure 27. Generally, its construction is similar to that of the "single axis" control box as featured in Figures 1 to 8. The principal difference is that the ball post connection between the operator lever and the operating rod is replaced by a direct acting link.

The operator lever 81 is fast with a block 82 which is mounted for pivotal movement in either sense within a housing 83 formed by a pair of housing halves (similar to the housing halves 3 and 4) secured together.

To that end, the block 82 is fast with a horizontal pivot pin 84 journalled for rotation in those housing halves. The block 82 is slotted at 85, and a short link 86 has one end mounted by a horizontal pivot pin 87 within that slot and its other end mounted by a horizontal pivot pin 88 within the slotted end 89 of an operating rod 90 which is mounted for vertical movement within the housing halves. Shifting of the operator lever 81 to the left as viewed in Figure 10 will transmit via the link 86 an upward force to the rod 90 thereby to translate the rod upwardly. Conversely, shifting of the operator lever 81 to the right will transmit via the link 86 a downward force to the rod 90 to translate the rod downwardly.

The operating rod 90 has its lower end connected to the translatable core 16 of the control cable 17 whose casing 24 iq fixed against movement . . . both by means to be described, so that pivotal motion of the operator lever 81 will translate the cable core in one direction or the other and so actuate the hydraulic valve.

The operating rod 90 is mounted for sliding vertical movement in the housing halves within a pair of upper and lower abutment members 91 and 92 respectively which are themselves seated in the housing halves. Circlips 93 and 94 are carried by the rod 90 to abut, in the central position of the operator lever 81, the top and bottom respectively of the upper and lower abutment members 91 and 92. Mounted about the rod 90 is a compression spring 95 whose ends seat against the abutment members 91 and 92.

By the arrangement described, upward and downward travel of the operating rod 90 effects compression of the spring 95 so that pivotal movement in either sense from neutral under manual control of the operator lever 81 takes place against a spring bias.

Thereby, when the manual load on the lever 81 is released, the lever will be returned by the spring 95 to its central, or neutral, position.

More precisely, when the operating rod 90 moves downwardly, the upper circlip 93 urges the upper abutment member 91 downwardly thereby to compress the spring 95 against the lower abutment member 92 which, itself, is seated in the housing so as to be prevented from downward movement. Similarly, upward travel of the operating rod 90 causes the lower circlip 94 to urge the lower abutment member 92 upwardly, with the result that the spring 95 is compressed against the upper abutment member 91 which is restrained by its seating in the housing halves from upward movement.

Means are provided for limiting the degree of travel of the operating rod 90 and hence the operator lever 81. The means comprise a pair of lugs 96 on the lower abutment member 92 which slide in vertical slots 97 in the housing, and a pair of lugs 98 (displaced through 900 relative to the lugs 96) on the upper abutment member 91 which slide in vertical slots 99 in the housing.

Thus, the degree of travel available to the operating rod is governed by the lengths of the slots 97 and 99, and by varying the length of one set of slots relative to the other the lever 81 can be arranged to pivot further in one sense from neutral than the other and hence actuate the hydraulic valve further in one direction . . . which may be desirable in certain applications.

The cable casing 24 is affixed as by swaging to a hollow hub 100 which is mounted in the halves of the housing 83 as bv cotter bolts 101 which makes for positive securement. The cable core 16 is affixed as by swaging to a rod 102 whose upper end terminates in an enlarged head 103. The head 103 fits within a threaded hole 104 in the lower end of the operating rod 90. A bush 105 is slidably mounted on the rod 102 to screw into the hole 104 and so trap the head 103 therein. The bush 105 has a polygonal end 106 so that purchase thereon can be obtained with a spanner.With this construction, the cable core 16 can be readily connected (and disconnected) from the operating rod 90 by pivoting the operator lever 81 to urge the rod 90 so that its lower end projects outwardly from the housing 83 at which time the rod head 103 can be inserted into the hole 104, the bush 105 threaded by hand into the same hole and then turned home by a spanner.

The control box 80 provides for demounting from the vehicle cab by carrying a blade spring 107 having a central dimple 108 and having its ends mounted in recesses 109 in an angled wall of the housing 83. A stud plate 110 is secured to the cab and is fashioned to be received in recesses 111 in the same housing wall and receive at its central aperture 112 the spring dimple 108. The arrangement is such that the control box can be slid downwardly upon the stud plate 110, and the blade spring 107 will bear against the plate to prevent rattling. As will be appreciated, the construction described provides for mounting the control box 80 to an angled wall of the cab. Mounting of the control box to a vertical cab wall is also provided for by the opposite vertical face 113 of the housing 83 having similar recesses 109 and 111.

The housing 83 is sealed at its top end by a flexible rubber boot 114 which snaps over the upper end walls of the housing halves and also seals against the operator lever 81.

Referring now to Figure 28, a particular feature of note which applies to all the described embodiments is that the basic construction lends itself to a series of control boxes, for example a "single axis" 1, a "dual axis" with "X" lever movement 1A and a "dual axis" with "+" lever movement 1B, being through bolted as at 115 thereby enabling boxes to be ganged together in a common mounting and providing easily accessible manual control over a multitude of functions as governed by the individual boxes.

It will be appreciated, in relation to the "dual axis" control boxes, that the operator lever is not actually constrained to move only in the "X" or "+" directions, as the case may be. Such constraint could be obtained by the provision of a suitable gate within which the lever would move. Without such constraint, the operator lever is free to make universal movement and take up intermediate positions between the "intended" "X" and "+" paths, with the result that any combination of cable movements can be achieved and both cables can be translated at the same time by differing or the same amounts.

As will also be realized, the centralising spring is not fundamental to this invention and may be omitted along with the spring cups or abutment members in which event a tubular bearing block could be provided to guide the vertically movable operating rod.

If wished, suitable means would be provided for limiting the degree of vertical movement available to the operating rod in place of those described previously.

Attention is drawn to our copending patent application No. 8101520 (Serial No.

1,604,618) which has been divided out from the present application.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A control box comprising a pair of housing halves so formed as together to constitute a housing of a "single axis" control box and including modifying means so that when in combination with a similar pair of housing halves they may constitute a housing of any of a plurality of different control boxes each providing for movement of the control member thereof about a multitude of axes.

2. A control box comprising a pair of housing halves so formed as together to constitute a housing of a "single axis" control box and including modifying means so that when in combination with another such pair of housing halves they may constitute either a housing of a "dual axis" control box providing for an "X" movement of the control member thereof or a housing of a "dual axis" control box providing for a "+" movement of the control member thereof.

3. A control box as claimed in claim 2, wherein said control member is constrained only to execute said "X" movement in the first-mentioned "dual axis" control box.

4. A control box as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein said control member is constrained only to execute said "+" movement in the second-mentioned "dual axis" control box.

5. A control box as claimed in claim 2, wherein said housing halves are formed to be assembled to one another and when so assembled to be fastened to another such pair of assembled housing halves, either with said two housing pairs in one relative orientation, to constitute therewith said housing of one of said "dual axis" control boxes or, with said two housing pairs in a second relative orientation, to constitute therewith said housing of the other of said "dual axis" control boxes.

6. A control box as claimed in claim 5, wherein said one and said second relative orientations are displaced through 1800.

7. A control box as claimed in claim 6, wherein said housing halves when so assembled to one another together provide a first means for mounting an axially movable operating

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (30)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. 105 is slidably mounted on the rod 102 to screw into the hole 104 and so trap the head 103 therein. The bush 105 has a polygonal end 106 so that purchase thereon can be obtained with a spanner. With this construction, the cable core 16 can be readily connected (and disconnected) from the operating rod 90 by pivoting the operator lever 81 to urge the rod 90 so that its lower end projects outwardly from the housing 83 at which time the rod head 103 can be inserted into the hole 104, the bush 105 threaded by hand into the same hole and then turned home by a spanner. The control box 80 provides for demounting from the vehicle cab by carrying a blade spring 107 having a central dimple 108 and having its ends mounted in recesses 109 in an angled wall of the housing 83. A stud plate 110 is secured to the cab and is fashioned to be received in recesses 111 in the same housing wall and receive at its central aperture 112 the spring dimple 108. The arrangement is such that the control box can be slid downwardly upon the stud plate 110, and the blade spring 107 will bear against the plate to prevent rattling. As will be appreciated, the construction described provides for mounting the control box 80 to an angled wall of the cab. Mounting of the control box to a vertical cab wall is also provided for by the opposite vertical face 113 of the housing 83 having similar recesses 109 and 111. The housing 83 is sealed at its top end by a flexible rubber boot 114 which snaps over the upper end walls of the housing halves and also seals against the operator lever 81. Referring now to Figure 28, a particular feature of note which applies to all the described embodiments is that the basic construction lends itself to a series of control boxes, for example a "single axis" 1, a "dual axis" with "X" lever movement 1A and a "dual axis" with "+" lever movement 1B, being through bolted as at 115 thereby enabling boxes to be ganged together in a common mounting and providing easily accessible manual control over a multitude of functions as governed by the individual boxes. It will be appreciated, in relation to the "dual axis" control boxes, that the operator lever is not actually constrained to move only in the "X" or "+" directions, as the case may be. Such constraint could be obtained by the provision of a suitable gate within which the lever would move. Without such constraint, the operator lever is free to make universal movement and take up intermediate positions between the "intended" "X" and "+" paths, with the result that any combination of cable movements can be achieved and both cables can be translated at the same time by differing or the same amounts. As will also be realized, the centralising spring is not fundamental to this invention and may be omitted along with the spring cups or abutment members in which event a tubular bearing block could be provided to guide the vertically movable operating rod. If wished, suitable means would be provided for limiting the degree of vertical movement available to the operating rod in place of those described previously. Attention is drawn to our copending patent application No. 8101520 (Serial No.

1,604,618) which has been divided out from the present application.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A control box comprising a pair of housing halves so formed as together to constitute a housing of a "single axis" control box and including modifying means so that when in combination with a similar pair of housing halves they may constitute a housing of any of a plurality of different control boxes each providing for movement of the control member thereof about a multitude of axes.

2. A control box comprising a pair of housing halves so formed as together to constitute a housing of a "single axis" control box and including modifying means so that when in combination with another such pair of housing halves they may constitute either a housing of a "dual axis" control box providing for an "X" movement of the control member thereof or a housing of a "dual axis" control box providing for a "+" movement of the control member thereof.

3. A control box as claimed in claim 2, wherein said control member is constrained only to execute said "X" movement in the first-mentioned "dual axis" control box.

4. A control box as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein said control member is constrained only to execute said "+" movement in the second-mentioned "dual axis" control box.

5. A control box as claimed in claim 2, wherein said housing halves are formed to be assembled to one another and when so assembled to be fastened to another such pair of assembled housing halves, either with said two housing pairs in one relative orientation, to constitute therewith said housing of one of said "dual axis" control boxes or, with said two housing pairs in a second relative orientation, to constitute therewith said housing of the other of said "dual axis" control boxes.

6. A control box as claimed in claim 5, wherein said one and said second relative orientations are displaced through 1800.

7. A control box as claimed in claim 6, wherein said housing halves when so assembled to one another together provide a first means for mounting an axially movable operating

rod and a second means for mounting a reaction post, and when said housing halves are fastened to said another such pair of housing halves together therewith provide a third means providing for optional mounting of said reaction post, the arrangement being such that when said two housing pairs are fastened together in said one relative orientation the spacing of said two first means from one another is the same as when said two housing pairs are fastened together in said second relative orientation and the spacings of each of said first means from said second means in said one relative orientation are equal and the same as the spacings of each of said first means from said third means in said second relative orientation.

8. A control box as claimed in daim 7, wherein one of said housing halves is deeper than the second of said housing halves, and wherein in said one relative orientation of said housing pairs said one housing half of one pair is back-to-back with said one housing half of the other pair, and in said second relative orientation of said housing pairs said one housing half of one pair is back-to-back with said second housing half of the other pair.

9. A control box as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of said housing halves has a peripheral wall with a line of weakening (con stituting said modifying means) therein, said peripheral walls lying opposite one another when said housing halves are assembled to form a pair, and said housing pairs will make one or the other of said back-to-back relationships at said peripheral walls, by which those peripheral walls which will abut when said housing pairs are fastened to one another may be broken away at said lines of weakening therein at which time the interior of one housing pair will communicate with the interior of the other housing pair.

10. A control box as daimed in claim 9, including a pair of said operating rods and one said reaction rod mounted in said two first means and said second means respectively when said housing halves are assembled to one another and said assembled housing pairs are fastened to one another in said one relative orientation, and further induding said control member in the form of a lever with means operatively mounted in said operating rods and said reaction rod.

11. A control box as claimed in daim 10, wherein said reaction rod will act as a fixed fulcrum and said lever can be pivoted in either of opposite senses about one axis passing through said reaction rod and one of.

said operating rods and further pivoted in either of opposite senses about a second axis passing through said reaction rod and the other of said operating rods.

12. A control box as claimed in claim 11, wherein said one axis and said second axis are mutually perpendicular, and said lever is constrained to pivot only about said two axes, the arrangement being such that when said lever is pivoted about said one axis said one operating rod will act as a "steady" and said other operating rod will be axially moved, and when said lever is pivoted about said second axis said other operating rod will act as a "steady" and said one operating rod will be axially moved.

13. A control box as claimed in claim 10, wherein said reaction rod will act as a fixed fulcrum and said lever can be universally pivoted thereabout in such a manner as to axially move one operating rod only whilst the other operating rod remains stationary, axially move said other operating rod only whilst said one operating rod remains stationary, or axially move both operating rods either by the same or different amounts and in the same or different directions.

14. A control box as claimed in claim 9, including a pair of said operating rods and one said reaction rod mounted in said two first means and said third means respectively when said housing halves are assembled to one another and said assembled housing pairs are fastened to one another in said second relative orientation, and further including said control member in the form of a lever with means operatively mounted in said operating rods and said reaction rod.

15. A control box as claimed in claim 14, wherein said reaction rod will act as a fixed fulcrum and said lever can be pivoted in either of opposite senses about one axis passing through said reaction rod and one of said operating rods and further pivoted in either of opposite senses about a second axis passing through said reaction rod and the other of said operating rods.

16. A control box as claimed in claim 15, wherein said one axis and said second axis are mutually perpendicular, and said lever is constrained to pivot only about said two axes, the arrangement being such that when said lever is pivoted about said one axis said one operating rod will act as a "steady" and said other operating rod will be axially moved, and when said lever is pivoted about said second axis said other operating rod will act as a "steady" and said one operating rod will be axially moved.

17. A control box as claimed in claim 14, wherein said reaction rod will act as a fixed fulcrum and said lever can be universally pivoted thereabout in such a manner as to axially move one operating rod only whilst the other operating rod remains stationary, axially move said other operating rod only whilst said one operating rod remains stationary, or axially move both operating rods either by the same or different amounts and in the same or different directions.

18. A control box as claimed in claims

10 and 14, wherein said reaction rod, said operating rods and said lever comprise the same components whether they are fitted to the housing pairs fastened together in said one relative orientation or in said second relative orientation.

19. A control box as claimed in claim 7, wherein said housing halves when so assembled to one another also provide said first means for mounting an axially movable operating rod when said housing halves are used alone to constitute the housing of said "single axis" control box, so that identical operating rods can be used for said "single axis" control box and either of said "dual axis" control boxes.

20. A control box as claimed in claim 19, wherein said control member is in the form of a lever which is pivotally mounted in said housing and which is operatively connected by means to said operating rod which is mounted in said first means.

21. A control box as claimed in claim 10, claim 14 or claim 20, including spring means resisting axial movement of the or each one operating rod from a position corresponding to a neutral position of said lever.

22. A control box as claimed in claim 10, claim 14 or claim 20, wherein said means comprise one or a plurality of ball posts operatively mounted within an aperture in said operating rod or rods and said reaction post (in the case of a "dual axis" box).

23. A control box as claimed in claim 7 or claim 19, wherein the or each of said first means comprises a housing chamber formed partly in one housing half and partly in the other housing half of a pair, and including a pair of spring abutment members mounted on the associated operating rod within said housing chamber and abutting opposite ends of said spring, a first urging means being carried by said operating rod to urge, upon axial movement of said rod in one direction, one of said abutment members to move with said rod to compress said spring against the other abutment member which seats, at that time, in said housing chamber against axial movement, and a second urging means being carried by said operating rod to urge, upon axial movement of said rod in the opposite direction, said other abutment member to move with said rod to compress said spring against said one abutment member which seats, at that time, in said housing chamber against axial movement.

24. A control box as claimed in claim 10, claim 14 or claims 20, including means for limiting the degree of axial travel available to the or each said operating rod.

25. A control box as claimed in claim 24, said limiting means comprises cooperating projection and track means of said abutment members and said housing chamber.

26. A control box as claimed in claim 10 or claim 14, wherein said reaction rod has a Tee end and said second and third means includes a Tee slot in said deeper housing half for receiving said Tee end.

27. A control box as claimed in claim 10, claim 14 or claim 20, including a push-pull cable operatively associated with each operating rod so that the core thereof will be axially displaced upon axial movement of the associated operating rod.

28. A control box as claimed in claim 1, including a leaf spring biased stud plate slidably mounted with respect to said housing so that said housing with said leaf spring can be slid upon said stud plate with said leaf spring bearing thereagainst.

29. A control box as claimed in claim 20, wherein said means comprises a link pivotally mounted to said lever and to said operating rod.

30. A control box substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.