Steering mechanism

In a steering system of the class comprising a steering member movable to exert a steering effect, rotatable means responsive to rotation thereof for moving said steering member to produce said steering effect, and manually-operable steering control means for effecting control of the rotation of said rotatable means in response to changes in the position of said steering control means, the improvement comprising:

• motor means;
• double-acting free-wheeling clutch means;
• said clutch means comprising primary drive means, free wheel means, and releasable coupling means for rendering said primary drive means responsive to rotational drive applied thereto in either direction to rotate said free wheel means, and for rendering said free wheel means rotatable substantially free of said primary drive means in either direction with respect to said primary drive means;
• means connecting said free wheel means to said manually-operable steering control means and to said rotatable means to provide a direct rotational connection between them;
• and
• means connecting said motor means to said primary drive means to drive it in rotation when said motor means is operating;
• whereby both said motor means and said manually-operable steering control means are drivingly connected to said rotatable means except at times when said free wheel means is rotated with respect to said primary drive means, said steering control means at said times being operable to drive said rotatable means substantially independently of said motor means.