The invention relates to a shaft for manually guided lift vehicles and lift loaders equipped with a driving mechanism which has a steering head at its free end that contains gripping handles and operating switches for the driving and lifting operation of the vehicle.
A steering head on a shaft of a lift vehicle is known which comprises operating gripping handles directly connected with the stem of the shaft as well as having actuating control switches for the lift vehicle. Gripping handles are supported at a stem of the steering head by means of bows. The steering heads, during operation of the lift vehicles are subjected to multiple stress as a result of improper operating and handling which may damage parts of the steering head making the lift vehicle inoperative.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved steering head which has an easily exchangeable design.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by having the steering head comprising two cup elements which are detachably connected with one another. One cup element is fixedly connected with the shaft and is constructed as a supporting part for the second cup element, which contains the gripping handles as well as the operating switches.
It is advantageous if the supporting part is provided with at least two supporting noses which are arranged at a distance from each other and at opposite sides of a stem of the shaft. Corresponding supporting noses are provided on the second cup element, disposed opposite the forementioned supporting noses in a contacting manner. Fastening screws for connecting the two cup elements with one another are located in the noses.
It is also advantageous if the second cup element has an arcuately shaped cross-section and a bent connecting leg with a front edge which is provided with a surrounding shoulder into which a front edge of the supporting part overlaps from the outside. By such a construction the two cups are form-lockingly held together such that the joint that locks the outer surfaces of the two cup elements extends in a flush manner at the connecting area. To provide better support is preferable if the two cup elements each have receiving bores for the fastening screws that have axes that extend at a distance from the switch and from the gripping handle.
Plug in connections can be used to connect electrical connecting lines (from the switches on the second cup element) to the feeding lines in the supporting part.
The principal advantage achieved by the invention is, that as a result of its two-piece construction, the steering head is easily and rapidly exchangeable when the part of the steering head receiving the operating elements is damaged. This limits the time that the vehicle cannot be used and does not require the vehicle to be taken out of service.
In order to achieve this rapid exchanging of the one element of the steering head in a simple manner, the head is formed of two parts connected by way of two screws and with the supporting part at the shaft stem. The fastening screws can be reached in a straight line by means of a screwdriver without any impairment by any parts of the steering head.
By means of the special development of the two cup elements of the steering head with corresponding supporting noses and mutually engaging connecting edges, a sturdy structural unit is provided. Here the cup element (connected with the stem) essentially absorbs the forces occurring at the steering head.
So that a fast and problem-free disconnecting and connecting of the electrical lines takes place, the electrical feeding lines are connected with the other lines leading to the operating switches through one or more electrical plugs.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.