Steering system for vehicles and vehicles having same

A skid steered vehicle comprising:

• a chassis;
• at least one first rotatable ground-engaging element rotatably mounted on the chassis proximate a first transverse side of the chassis and at least one second rotatable ground-engaging element rotatably mounted on the chassis proximate a second transverse side of the chassis so that rotation of the at least one first rotatable ground-engaging element and the at least one second rotating ground-engaging element moves the vehicle;
• a propulsion system mounted on the chassis and operatively connected to the at least one first rotatable ground-engaging element and the at least one second rotatable ground-engaging element for driving the ground-engaging elements;
• and,
• a steering system comprising:
• a variable-speed steering power input device mounted on the chassis separately from the propulsion system;
• an asymmetrical steering differential operatively connected to the steering power input device to receive a single power input from the steering power input device to rotate the asymmetrical steering differential,
• the asymmetrical steering differential rotatably mounted on the chassis proximate the first side of the chassis separately from the propulsion system so that the asymmetrical steering differential is free to rotate relative to the chassis, and
• the asymmetrical steering differential having a first differential shaft and a second differential shaft, the asymmetrical differential imparting a greater speed change on the second differential shaft than the first differential shaft during operation of the asymmetrical steering differential,
• a first steering output shaft connected to the first differential shaft and operatively connected to the at least one first rotatable ground-engaging element, the first steering output shaft experiencing a speed change when the asymmetrical steering differential receives the single power input from the steering power input device;
• a second steering output shaft connected to the second differential shaft and operatively connected to the at least one second rotatable ground-engaging element, the second steering output shaft experiencing the same speed change as the first steering output shaft but in an opposite rotational direction from the first steering output shaft when the asymmetrical steering differential receives the single power input from the steering power input device,
• a speed reducer connecting the second steering output shaft to the second differential shaft so that the second steering output shaft experiences the same speed change but in an opposite rotational direction as the first steering output shaft when the asymmetrical steering differential receives power from the steering power input device.