Multi-purpose control means for industrial trucks and the like

Claim 1

IN A CONTROL SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE HAVING AN OPERATOR''S STATION, AN OPERATOR VEHICLE CONTROL MEANS LOCATED AT THE STATION COMPRISING SUPPORTING MEANS, PIVOT MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORTING MEANS, A MEMBER CONNECTED TO SAID PIVOT MEANS FOR UPWARD AND DOWNWARD PIVOTAL MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO THE SUPPORTING MEANS, A HANDLE MEMBER PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED UPON THE CONNECTING MEMBER AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM, SAID HANDLE MEMBER BEING SUPPORTED FOR ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT IN BOTH DIRECTIONS ABOUT ITS OWN AXIS BY THE CONNECTING MEMBER BEING ALSO ADAPTED TO CAUSE THE CONNECTING MEMBER TO BE PIVOTED UPWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY RELATIVE TO THE SUPPORTING MEMBER FOR EFFECTING A PLURALITY OF VEHICLE CONTROLS, SAID SUPPORTING MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID CONNECTING MEMBER AND WITH SAID HANDLE MEMBER SUCH THAT THE HANDLE MEMBER IS PROHIBITED FROM MOVING IN A PLANE TRANSVERSE TO THE PLANE OF MOVEMENT OF THE CONNECTING MEMBER TO AFFORD POSITIVE SUPPORT FOR THE OPERATOR IN A DIRECTION LONGITUDINAL OF THE VEHICLE.