Abstract: A control system for a pneumatic actuator uses pressurized gases, such as air, as the actuating medium. Such gases and particularly air commonly contain moisture which condenses to form a liquid, such as water, which collects in a closed chamber of an expandable chamber assembly in the pneumatic actuator. In cold climates, the water freezes, preventing proper control of the pneumatic actuator. By providing a control system having a valve positioned elevationally higher or in close proximity to a pneumatic actuator and a tube which extends into the closed chamber of the expandable chamber assembly, water which is contained in the closed chamber is expelled from the elevationally lowest portion of the assembly when the valve is shifted to exhaust the air from the control system.

Abstract: In the operator's station of many construction vehicles, there is a critical lack of space in which to mount the control levers (12) used to operate the vehicle. The use of mechanical linkages and motion translating devices between the control lever (12) and the actuator has required complicated mechanisms and excessive hardware for the mounting and positioning of the respectively connected components. The mounting apparatus (10) of this invention overcomes these problems by employing a detent mechanism (38) that functions as a rotational positioner between the control lever (12) and an actuating switch (60) assembly as well as an axial positioner used in the mounting of the respective components. The mounting apparatus (10) allows the control lever (12) and the actuating switch (60) to be mounted together for rotation about a single axis (X) to provide a very axially compact mechanism.

Abstract: A transmission and parking brake control system for a vehicle is disclosed including a brake for inhibiting movement of the rotary drive train thereof, a transmission shiftable between neutral and a plurality of speed range drive conditions for operation of the vehicle, a transmission control arrangement operatively connected to the transmission for selectively establishing the neutral and the drive conditions including a lever assembly shiftable substantially in a plane for selecting the drive conditions and shiftable normal to the plane at the neutral condition into a parking condition, and a brake arrangement operatively connected to the brake for engagement and disengagement thereof, the brake arrangement including an actuator which is responsive to movement of the lever assembly into the parking condition for affecting remote engagement of the brake without mechanical interconnecting linkage or the like.