초록 ▼

A control lever mechanism is provided for being mounted to a cowl of a main body of a materials handling vehicle. The control lever mechanism may comprise at least one lever structure including a control lever having a section which falls within or is approximately parallel with a lowermost view pla

A control lever mechanism is provided for being mounted to a cowl of a main body of a materials handling vehicle. The control lever mechanism may comprise at least one lever structure including a control lever having a section which falls within or is approximately parallel with a lowermost view plane of a view zone of an operator, wherein the operator view zone includes at least one view plane positioned above the lowermost view plane, and apparatus for mounting the lever structure to the main body cowl.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A control lever mechanism mounted to a cowl of a main body of a materials handling vehicle having at least one fork comprising: at least one lever structure including a control lever having one section which defines a non-orthogonal angle with vertical, said control lever comprising another secti

1. A control lever mechanism mounted to a cowl of a main body of a materials handling vehicle having at least one fork comprising: at least one lever structure including a control lever having one section which defines a non-orthogonal angle with vertical, said control lever comprising another section, a further section and a distal section, said one section extending from said another section, said another section extending from said further section and said distal section extending directly from said one section in a direction away from said at least one fork and being located in a plane, which plane is closer to horizontal than to vertical; andapparatus for mounting said lever structure to the main body cowl, said further section including a generally linear portion extending away from said mounting apparatus. 2. A control lever mechanism as set out in claim 1, wherein said control lever has first, second, third and fourth sections, said third section defining said one section, said another section being defined by said second section, said further section being defined by said first section and said fourth section defining said distal section. 3. A control lever mechanism as set out in claim 2, wherein said one section is vertically spaced from both said first and second sections. 4. A control lever mechanism as set out in claim 3, wherein said fourth section includes an operator gripping portion and is joined directly to said one section, said one section being joined directly to said second section. 5. A control lever mechanism as set out in claim 2, wherein said first and second sections meet to define a first obtuse angle, said second and third sections meet to define a second obtuse angle, said third and fourth sections meet to define a third obtuse angle and said second, third and fourth sections have approximately a U-shape. 6. A control lever mechanism as set out in claim 5, wherein said fourth section includes an operator gripping portion. 7. A control lever mechanism as set out in claim 5, wherein a first side surface of said control lever is positioned in a first plane and a second side surface of said control lever is positioned in a second plane which is generally parallel to said first plane. 8. A control lever mechanism as set out in claim 1, wherein said lever structure further comprises a support element coupled to an end of said control lever and having a face positioned in a plane that is angled to a plane containing a side surface of said lever. 9. A control lever mechanism as set out in claim 8, wherein said support element comprises a boss coupled to said control lever. 10. A control lever mechanism as set out in claim 9, wherein said control lever end includes a bore and said boss extends at least part way through said bore and is welded to said control lever end. 11. A control lever mechanism as set out in claim 8, wherein said lever assembly further comprises an extension element coupled to said control lever end and being adapted to be coupled to a valve linkage and having a side wall parallel to said face of said support element. 12. A control lever mechanism as set out in claim 8, wherein said support element includes a bore and said apparatus for mounting said lever structure to the main body cowl comprises a bracket coupled to the main body cowl and a pin extending through said bore in said support element and holes in said bracket. 13. A control lever mechanism as set out in claim 1, wherein said at least one lever structure comprises first and second lever structures, said first lever structure including a first control lever having one section which defines a non-orthogonal angle with vertical and said second lever structure including a second control lever having one section which defines a non-orthogonal angle with vertical. 14. A control lever mechanism as set out in claim 13, wherein said first lever structure further comprises a first support element coupled to an end of said first control lever and having a first face positioned at a first angle to a plane containing a side surface of said first lever and said second lever structure further comprises a second support element coupled to an end of said second control lever and having a second face positioned at a second angle to a plane containing a side surface of said second lever, said second angle being greater than said first angle. 15. A control lever mechanism as set out in claim 14, wherein each of said first and second control levers has first, second, third and fourth sections, said third section defining said one section. 16. A control lever mechanism as set out in claim 15, wherein said fourth section of said second control lever has a length that is greater than a length of said fourth section of said first control lever. 17. A control lever mechanism as set out in claim 13, wherein said first and second control levers are cut from a solid, generally planar sheet of metal. 18. A control lever mechanism mounted to a cowl of a main body of a materials handling vehicle comprising: at least one lever structure including a control lever having first, second, third and fourth sections, said second, third and fourth sections having approximately a U-shape, and said fourth section including an operator gripping portion, said third section being vertically spaced from said second section, wherein said fourth section extends directly from said third section and is located in a plane closer to horizontal than to vertical; andapparatus for mounting said lever structure to the main body cowl, said control lever first section having a generally linear portion extending away from said mounting apparatus. 19. A control lever mechanism as set out in claim 18, wherein said lever structure further comprising a support element coupled to an end of said control lever and having a face positioned in a plane that is angled to a plane containing a side surface of said control lever. 20. A control lever mechanism as set out in claim 18, wherein at least said second, third and fourth sections extend into an operator compartment of the materials handling vehicle. 21. A control lever mechanism mounted to a cowl of a main body of a materials handling vehicle comprising: at least one lever structure including a control lever having a bore and a support element coupled to an end of said control lever, said support element comprising a boss extending at least part way through said control lever bore, fixed to said control lever end and having a face positioned in a plane that is angled to a plane containing a side surface of said control lever; andapparatus for mounting said lever structure to the main body cowl. 22. A control lever mechanism as set out in claim 21, wherein said control lever end includes said bore and said boss is welded to said lever end. 23. A control lever mechanism as set out in claim 21, wherein said lever structure further comprises an extension element coupled to said control lever end and being adapted to be coupled to a valve linkage and having a side wall parallel to said face of said support element. 24. A control lever mechanism as set out in claim 21, wherein said boss is fixed to said control lever so as not to move relative to said control lever. 25. A control lever mechanism as set out in claim 21, wherein said boss comprises an internal bore. 26. A control lever mechanism mounted to a cowl of a main body of a materials handling vehicle comprising: at least one lever structure including a control lever and a support element coupled to an end of said control lever, said support element having a face positioned in a plane that is angled to a plane containing a side surface of said control lever; andapparatus for mounting said lever stricture to the main body cowl , wherein said at least one lever structure comprises first and second lever structures having first and second control levers, respectively, said first lever structure further comprises a first support element coupled to an end of said first control lever and having a first face positioned at a first angle to a plane containing a side surface of said first lever and said second lever structure further comprises a second support element coupled to an end of said second control lever and having a second face positioned at a second angle to a plane containing a side surface of said second lever, said second angle being greater than said first angle. 27. A control lever mechanism mounted to a cowl of a main body of a materials handling vehicle having at least one fork comprising: at least one lever structure including a control lever having one section which defines a non-orthogonal angle with a vertical plane, said control lever comprising another section and a distal section, said one section extending from said another section and said distal section extending directly from said one section in a direction away from said at least one fork and being located in a plane, which plane is closer to horizontal than to vertical, wherein all of said one section and said distal section are located to one side of a vertical plane passing through a pivot point of said lever when said lever is in a neutral position; andapparatus for mounting said lever structure to the main body cowl. 28. A control lever mechanism mounted to a cowl of a main body of a materials handling vehicle having at least one fork comprising: at least one lever structure including a control lever having one section which defines a non-orthogonal angle with vertical, said control lever comprising another section and a distal section, said one section extending from said another section, said one section and said another section having approximately the same length and said distal section extending directly from said one section in a direction away from said at least one fork and being located in a plane, which plane is closer to horizontal than to vertical; andapparatus for mounting said lever structure to the main body cowl.