Patent attributes
The present invention relates to a control apparatus for a hydraulic machine comprising: a remote control unit, a valve arrangement for activation means of the remote control unit, each valve arrangement comprising a first valve means in fluid communication with a second valve means; a controller means operable to control the opening and closing of the first valve means of the associated valve arrangement to regulate the flow of hydraulic fluid from the first valve means to the second valve means, wherein, the second valve means in each valve arrangement is moved between first and second configurations to enable the functions of the hydraulic machine to switch between remote control mode and cab control mode when the conditions dictate that it may no longer be practical or safe for a user to remain in the cab. The invention also relates to a method of fitting the control apparatus to a hydraulic machine, and to an interface harness for connecting the control apparatus to such a hydraulic machine. Once the control apparatus is fitted the hydraulic machine may be operated in either manual or remote mode. When the conditions that necessitated the use of remote operation have passed the operator may return to the cab and operate the machine again as a standard machine.
