Abstract: A lever lockout assembly includes a pair of lever supports and a pair of slide supports mounted on a housing. A lever member is rotatably supported by the lever supports. The lever member has a pair of arms separated by a notch. A lockout slide is slidably supported by the slide supports. The lockout slide has a ridge portion and a recess portion. The lockout slide is slidable to a lockout position wherein the ridge portion is received by the notch and the ridge is engagable with the arms to prevent rotation of the lever member. The lockout slide is also slidable to an unlocked position wherein the recess portion is aligned with the notch and the arms are rotatable through the recess portion. A handle projects from an end of the lockout slide. The lockout slide is a rigid bar with a polygonal cross-sectional shape. An edge of the bar forming the ridge portion. The lockout slide includes a pair of detent recess formed in a surface thereof.

Abstract: A lever lockout assembly includes a housing, a lever support mounted on the housing, a lockout support mounted on the housing, a lever member, and lockout member pivotally supported by the lockout support. The lever member has a pivot plate and a lip projecting from the pivot plate. The pivot plate is rotatably supported by the lever support, and the pivot plate has notch formed in an outer surface thereof. The lockout member is pivotal to a lockout position wherein the lip is received by the notch, and to an unlocked position wherein the lip is outside of the notch and the pivot plate is rotatable. A lockout spring member projects from the lockout member and extends through a U-shaped slot in a cover of the housing.

Abstract: The invention relates to an acoustic panel assembly. There is a need for a simple and inexpensive acoustic panel assembly. An acoustic panel assembly includes a rigid panel with an opening. The panel has an edge rib surrounding the opening, and a wall spaced apart from and surrounding the edge rib. The panel assembly also includes a frame member and a sound control sheet. The frame member has an outer border and a plurality of cross-pieces extending between different parts of the border. A compression rib projects forwardly from an inner edge of the border. The sound control sheet is mounted in and fills the opening. The sheet has an outer edge portion held between the rib of the rigid panel, the wall of the rigid panel, the border of the frame and the compression rib of the frame. The compression rib projects into a rear side of the sheet. The sheet forms a shoulder. The shoulder and the edge rib form a coach joint. The frame cross-pieces engaging a rear surface of the sheet.

Abstract: A lever lockout assembly includes a pair of lever supports and a pair of slide supports mounted on a housing. A lever member is rotatably supported by the lever supports. The lever member has a pair of arms separated by a notch. A lockout slide is slidably supported by the slide supports. The lockout slide has a ridge portion and a recess portion. The lockout slide is slidable to a lockout position wherein the ridge portion is received by the notch and the ridge is engagable with the arms to prevent rotation of the lever member. The lockout slide is also slidable to an unlocked position wherein the recess portion is aligned with the notch and the arms are rotatable through the recess portion. A handle projects from an end of the lockout slide. The lockout slide is a rigid bar with a polygonal cross-sectional shape. An edge of the bar forming the ridge portion. The lockout slide includes a pair of detent recess formed in a surface thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to an acoustic panel assembly. There is a need for a simple and inexpensive acoustic panel assembly. An acoustic panel assembly includes a rigid panel with an opening. The panel has an edge rib surrounding the opening, and a wall spaced apart from and surrounding the edge rib. The panel assembly also includes a frame member and a sound control sheet. The frame member has an outer border and a plurality of cross-pieces extending between different parts of the border. A compression rib projects forwardly from an inner edge of the border. The sound control sheet is mounted in and fills the opening. The sheet has an outer edge portion held between the rib of the rigid panel, the wall of the rigid panel, the border of the frame and the compression rib of the frame. The compression rib projects into a rear side of the sheet. The sheet forms a shoulder. The shoulder and the edge rib form a coach joint. The frame cross-pieces engaging a rear surface of the sheet.

Abstract: The invention relates to a control console assembly with a hand rest. There is a need for a control console hand rest which reduces the possibility of unintentional throttle control lever movement. A throttle control lever projects above a console deck. A dome projects from the deck. The lever projects through a slot in a center portion of the dome. The center portion and a first side portion of the dome are connected together by a side wall which faces towards the center portion and lies in a vertical plane. A thumb-receiving recess is formed in a second side portion adjacent to the slot. The deck includes an upper deck and a lower deck. A depression formed by a finger of the lower deck extends around an end of the first portion and is bordered by a side wall. The depression can receive and support part of an operator's hand.

Abstract: The invention relates to a control console assembly with a hand rest. There is a need for a control console hand rest which reduces the possibility of unintentional throttle control lever movement. A throttle control lever projects above a console deck. A dome projects from the deck. The lever projects through a slot in a center portion of the dome. The center portion and a first side portion of the dome are connected together by a side wall which faces towards the center portion and lies in a vertical plane. A thumb-receiving recess is formed in a second side portion adjacent to the slot. The deck includes an upper deck and a lower deck. A depression formed by a finger of the lower deck extends around an end of the first portion and is bordered by a side wall. The depression can receive and support part of an operator's hand.

Abstract: The invention relates to a adjustable mounting assembly. There is a need for a simple adjustable and lockable mounting assembly. A mounting assembly adjustably supports a platform relative to a base. The assembly includes a plurality of adjustable length legs. Each leg has a first end pivotally coupled to the base and a second end pivotally coupled to the platform. An arm projects transversely away from each leg into the space surrounded by the legs. A locking or clamping device is located in the space surrounded by the legs and pivotally receives an inner end of each arm. The clamping device including a tension adjust member which can be tightened to prevent relative movement between the arms, and thus, the legs. The clamping device includes first and second plates which form a plurality of apertures therebetween. Each aperture pivotally receives a pivot ball on the inner end of each arm.

Abstract: The invention relates to an acoustic panel assembly. There is a need for a simple and inexpensive acoustic panel assembly. An acoustic panel assembly includes a parent panel and an insert panel. The parent panel has a higher density body and a sound reflecting skin. The insert panel is mounted to the parent panel, and includes a sound absorbing body, a lower density rim and a sound transmitting skin. The parent panel includes a border portion which surrounds an opening which engages an outer edge of the insert panel. The border portion and the edge engage each other and form an interlocking joint. The border portion defines an annular groove which receives the outer edge of the insert panel. The body of the parent panel comprises a higher density expanded polypropylene material, and rim body of the insert panel comprises a lower density expanded polypropylene material.

Abstract: The invention relates to an acoustic panel assembly. There is a need for a simple and inexpensive acoustic panel assembly. An acoustic panel assembly includes a parent panel and an insert panel. The parent panel has a higher density body and a sound reflecting skin. The insert panel is mounted to the parent panel, and includes a sound absorbing body, a lower density rim and a sound transmitting skin. The parent panel includes a border portion which surrounds an opening which engages an outer edge of the insert panel. The border portion and the edge engage each other and form an interlocking joint. The border portion defines an annular groove which receives the outer edge of the insert panel. The body of the parent panel comprises a higher density expanded polypropelyene material, and rim body of the insert panel comprises a lower density expanded polypropelyene material.

Abstract: A wiper cover is mounted in an opening in a vehicle housing and receives a wiper arm which pivots within the opening. The cover has a hollow body mounted in the opening, a rear flap which projects upwardly and forwardly from a rear side of the body, and a front flap which projects upwardly and rearwardly from a front side of the body. The front flap extends above and overlaps a portion of the rear flap. The flaps substantially cover the opening and slidably engage the wiper arm as it pivots within the opening. The body has upper and lower flanges which form a groove therebetween which receives an edge of the housing. The flaps include a notch and a recess which receives the wiper arm when the wiper arm is in a park position.

Abstract: The invention relates to a adjustable mounting assembly. There is a need for a simple adjustable and lockable mounting assembly. A mounting assembly adjustably supports a platform relative to a base. The assembly includes a plurality of adjustable length legs. Each leg has a first end pivotally coupled to the base and a second end pivotally coupled to the platform. An arm projects transversely away from each leg into the space surrounded by the legs. A locking or clamping device is located in the space surrounded by the legs and pivotally receives an inner end of each arm. The clamping device including a tension adjust member which can be tightened to prevent relative movement between the arms, and thus, the legs. The clamping device includes first and second plates which form a plurality of apertures therebetween. Each aperture pivotally receives a pivot ball on the inner end of each arm.

Abstract: An adjustable position retaining/mounting aperture is provided having an elongated slot, a pair of retaining arms, and a spring. One wall of the elongated slot has a plurality of depressions and ridges, this scalloped wall also forms an upper wall of the retaining arms. The retaining arms are mirror images of one another, with each having a wide main body portion and a narrow neck portion. The aperture is designed for use with plastic materials and, as such, the narrow neck portions of the arms serve as living hinges allowing the main body portions to flex within the aperture. The spring is adjacent to the retaining arms and comprises a thin strip of material in the form of an arch which flexes when one of the retaining arms is deflected enough to make contact with the spring. The arch shape of the spring tends to urge the retaining arms back to their original position.

Abstract: One or more coupling assemblies are located at each opposite end of a first part and a second part. Each coupling assembly includes an elongated slot formed in the first part and a corresponding latch device which projects from the second part and which is releasably receivable by the slot. The latch device includes a tab and a pair of spaced-apart fingers projecting from the second part. The tab is positioned between the fingers. The fingers project generally linearly and parallel with respect to each other, and define a plane. The tab has a base, a first leg and a second leg. The base extends generally parallel to the fingers. The first leg extends away from the plane and from a first end joined to the base to a second end joined to the second leg. The second leg and extends towards the plane and away from the second end of the first leg. The first and second legs form an apex which is spaced apart from the plane of the fingers. The first part forms a pair of ramp surfaces adjacent to the ends of each slot.

Abstract: A method is provided for producing dimensionally stable rotationally molded parts from semi-crystalline materials. A test mold is constructed having dimensions closely approximating the desired dimensions of the final part. A test part is then molded in the test mold using conventional rotational molding techniques. After the test part has partially cooled, it is removed from the mold, allowed to cool to ambient temperature, measured and annealed in an oven. During annealing, the part is heated to the crystallization temperature, midway between the glass transition temperature and the crystalline melting temperature. After annealing, the part is allowed to cool to ambient temperature and measured again. The post annealing dimensions are then compared with the dimensions determined before annealing to determine the amount of shrinkage. A production mold is then constructed to take into account the amount of shrinkage calculated.

Abstract: The roof structure of a work vehicle cab is provided with a roof panel having a top surface exposed to the outside and a bottom surface facing the interior of the cab. A sound insulating foam liner is located under the roof panel and secured thereto by adhesives. The bottom surface of the foam liner is provided with ventilating channels. The ventilating channels have two sidewalls and a top wall extending between the sidewalls. A headliner is located below the foam liner and encloses the ventilating channels formed in the foam liner thereby forming ventilating ducts. A headliner mounting structure is also disclosed in which upstanding flanges around the perimeter of the headliner have slots that receive inward extending tabs on the frame to support the headliner.

Abstract: A one piece rotational molded roof for a vehicle cab is provided in which separate inlet and outlet air ducts are molded in the roof. The ducts are formed by molding upper and lower panels that are widely spaced to form the ducts and which are closely spaced about the periphery of the ducts. After a solid surface layer is molded, a second resin charge containing a foaming agent is dropped in the mold. This resin coats interior of the solid surface layer and later foams. The foam expands and extends completely between the closely spaced upper and lower panels of the solid surface layer to seal between the inlet and outlet air ducts. The foam is rigid to strengthen the roof.

Abstract: The roof structure of a work vehicle cab is provided with a roof panel having a top surface exposed to the outside and a bottom surface facing the interior of the cab. A sound insulating foam liner is located under the roof panel and secured thereto by adhesives. The bottom surface of the foam liner is provided with ventilating channels. The ventilating channels have two sidewalls and a top wall extending between the sidewalls. A headliner is located below the foam liner and encloses the ventilating channels formed in the foam liner thereby forming ventilating ducts. A headliner mounting structure is also disclosed in which upstanding flanges around the perimeter of the headliner have slots that receive inward extending tabs on the frame to support the headliner.