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Nelson
Kruschandl built the Borzoi single seat sports car to evaluate the
'Joystick' type twin handle lever control shown below, the subject
of British patent GB 2218187 A, granted in June of 1992.
Twin handed
joystick controls and switchgear
Even
before it was completed, the Borzoi was used to demonstrate the ease with which one handed driving
may be achieved. Featured in several media articles in 1990,
including: The Evening Argus, Eastbourne
Gazette and
Evening
Standard, and Meridian television, then appeared at the Bexhill 100 motor
festival in 1991 and the Daily Telegraph in 1992.
Unfortunately,
the power steering rack was never fitted to truly show the system
at its best. Unlike
the GM joystick cars of the sixties and Volvo joystick cars
of the eighties, the Borzoi used a mechanical configuration, to
comply with DOT safety regulations, so could be incorporated into
production vehicles.
Bibliographic
data: GB2218187 (A) ― 1989-11-08
Automobile
combination lever control or joystick
| Page bookmark |
GB2218187
(A) - Automobile combination lever control or
joystick |
| Inventor(s): |
KRUSCHANDL NELSON
JAMES +
(NELSON
JAMES * KRUSCHANDL) |
| Applicant(s): |
KRUSCHANDL NELSON
JAMES +
(NELSON
JAMES * KRUSCHANDL) |
| Classification: |
|
| Application number: |
GB19880010842 19880506 |
| Priority number(s): |
GB19880010842 19880506 |
| Also published as: |
|
Abstract
of GB2218187 (A)
A
lever or joystick with vertical handles, is arranged mechanically and
electrically to combine all the main control functions of a motor
vehicle by the following method: Steering by pushing left or right.
Accelerating by pushing back and braking by pushing forward.
De-Clutching by pulling in a hand lever mounted on the joystick
handles & selecting gear ratio by pushing electric switches
located above the clutch lever may also be effected. A Pod or Console
also optionally attached to the joystick and within easy reach of the
handle grips carries the usual electrical switchgear to operate: The
Ignition - Indicators - Lights - Wipers - Horn ... of the motor
vehicle.
(
1 ) AUTOMOBILE COMBINATION LEVER CONTROL OR JOYSTICK
DESCRIPTION
This
invention relates to a method of steering, braking, accelerating,
gear selection & de-clutching a motor vehicle, using a single
combination lever control or joystick.
Motorised vehicles including cars, vans & trucks for use on
the public highways use a system whereby separate levers and a
geared wheel have to be coordinated by the Driver to effect
directional & velocity change control. The system is clumsy,
taking many hours of rehearsal to reach a stage of familiarization
whereby a person-having normal faculties can control a vehicle so
equipped.
Concentration and Driver fatigue soon lead to reduced performance.
Moreover, the expense of manufacturing & fitting many separate
control devices, could be reduced if combined in one compact unit.
This present system groups all the controls onto a single lever or
joystick, located comfortably for the seated Driver. Two hand grip
stations are fitted atop the joystick which enables either hand to
be freed when required for supplementary control usage & other
normal duties, although it is possible to drive a vehicle equipped
in this way single handed. To accelerate the vehicle, the Driver
merely pulls the hand grips back. To brake, the Driver pushes the
lever forward. To steer, the Driver pushes left to go left or
right to go right. A hydraulic hand operated clutch lever ( motor
cycle style ) is located on one hand grip station - left or right
- depending on the Driver's need/ preference. Electric push button
switches placed above said clutch lever provide gear selection
options of up and down ration via solenoid operation.
Vehicles using an automatic gear box need not of course require a
clutch lever or push button gear selection.
Placed approximately 100 mms before the joystick handles - within
easy reach is a pod/console containing the usual electrical switch
gear to control Ignition - Indicators - Lights - Wipers - Horn.
This pod/console is attached to and moves with the joystick, to
provide constant location relative to hand position whilst
driving.
The joystick action is geared to provide moderate movements at the
joystick handles. Power assistance via hydraulic: Pump -
Apportioning Valve - Two Way Slave Ram . . ease the steering
movements. Joystick motion connects with conventional rack or
recirculating ball type steering gear - via a suitable rose or
metalastic joint on a common axis with the hydraulic slave power
ram.
Similarly, conventional vacuum servo assistance is applied to
braking movements to reduce the Driver's operating inputs. Remote
brake fluid reservoirs are linked to the brake Master Cylinder
with flexible hydraulic hoses - the Master
Cylinder being mounted upon the joystick itself.
(
2 ) AUTOMOBILE COMBINATION LEVER CONTROL OR JOYSTICK
CLAIMS
1.
A combination lever control or joystick for motor vehicle control
comprising a. tubular main shaft with vertical hand grips. Connections
to the said main shaft via ball & hinge joints, rods, cable, hydraulic
couplings, electric wiring & motivators to link the 'Driver as
demanded
by positional placing of the main shaft using the hand grips, with
steering
to left or to right, accelerating by pulling back & braking by pushing
forward.
2. A combination lever control as claimed in Claim 1. wherein a Thand -opereted
lever'is provided parallel to one hand grip & hinged at one end to
operate
de-clutching of the vehicle via hydraulic means.
3. A combination lever control as claimed in Claim 1. or 2. wherein
electrical
switches are provided above the hydraulic clutch lever to control gear
selection via solenoids.
4. A combination lever control as claimed in any preceeding Claim, wherein
a
Pod or Console is 'attached to the moving main shaft within easy reach of
the
hand grips containing the usual electrical switch gear to operate:
Ignition - Indicators - Lights - Wipers - Horn of the motor vehicle.
5. A combination lever control substantially as described herein with
reference to the accompanying description.
PATENT
CLASSIFICATION
LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS B62
MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00 ; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M)[C9503] B62D
Steering controls, i.e. means for initiating a change of direction of the vehicle
The
inventor later filed a patent in respect of Electric vehicle refuelling: 2253379
which is some 50
pages and may qualify as a Guinness
World Record.
See
the Car development build stages of the Borzoi prototype car using these
links:-
Borzoi
Chassis | Borzoi
Bodywork | Borzoi
Joystick | Borzoi
Styling | Borzoi
Engine
CHASSIS |
LOADING-SERVO |
CARTRIDGE | MOTORS |
INSTRUMENTS |
WIND-TUNNEL
|
If
your land speed record car cannot refuel itself like this, you are
at a huge disadvantage. Blueplanet is around 66% the weight of a
car that does not have cartridge exchange refueling for the same
performance.
Blueplanet
has inbuilt battery loaders. It does not need a 
complicated
service station to refuel itself in under 2 minutes. |
|
and
names Blueplanet Ecostar and Bluebird
are trademarks ™. The Blueplanet BE3 vehicle configuration is
registered ®. All other trademarks hereby acknowledged.