Lever bank for heavy vehicle

Abstract

A lever bank for implement controls on large construction or agricultural vehicles has a "home" position for operation of the levers. One of the levers has a handle which is larger than the handles of the other levers. This large handle provides a rest position for the operator such that the operator will know the location of the other handles relative to this one handle. The operator may thus rest a hand on this one lever, and know where the other levers are relative to the one lever without looking away from the direction of movement of the vehicle. This simplifies operation of the vehicle.

We claim: 
     
       1. A lever bank for a vehicle comprising: a plurality of levers, each of said levers being operable to control a function of an implement associated with a vehicle, each of said levers having a handle at an upper end, and one handle associated with one of said levers having a shape which is distinct from said handles of the other of said levers in said lever bank, said handles of said other said levers being generally similar in shape, such that an operator will be able to grasp said one handle and provide a home position for operation of said lever bank.   
     
     
       2. A lever bank as recited in claim 1, wherein said one handle has an enlarged surface area compared to said handles associated with the others of said levers. 
     
     
       3. A lever bank as recited in claim 2, wherein at least some of said plurality of levers are pivotable about a common axis, and said one lever is pivotable on said common axis. 
     
     
       4. A lever bank as recited in claim 3, wherein said handle of said one lever is enlarged relative to the handles of said other levers in both a dimension parallel to said axis and in a dimension perpendicular to said axis. 
     
     
       5. A lever bank for a vehicle comprising: a first row including a plurality of levers, each of said plurality of levers being operable to control an implement associated with a vehicle;   a second row including at least one lever, levers in said first row all being pivotable about a first axis, and said at least one lever in said second row being pivotable about an axis which is parallel to said first axis; and   each of said levers including a handle, said handle associated with at least one lever in said first row having an enlarged surface area compared with said handles of said other levers such that an operator will be able to find and grasp said handle of said at least one lever to define a home position.   
     
     
       6. A lever bank as recited in claim 5, wherein said handle of said one lever is enlarged relative to the handles of said other levers in both a dimension parallel to said axis and in a dimension perpendicular to said axis. 
     
     
       7. A lever bank as recited in claim 5, wherein said handles of said other levers being generally similar in shape.