Steering mechanism
AssigneeClark Equipment Company
InventorMac R. Doolittle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A steering mechanism for use in a vehicle, such as an industrial truck or the like, in which a two-way power steering actuator cylinder having a piston rod extending from both ends is supported from and above a steering axle by pivot tube and pivot shaft members which enable universal movement of the steering cylinder, the piston rod functioning also as a tie rod which is connected at each opposite end to a modified four-bar steering linkage which is in turn connected to a dirigible wheel. King post assemblies are secured to opposite ends of the steer axle which connect the four-bar linkages to the wheels. Each such linkage includes a steering link extended in length to connect the adjacent end of the actuator piston rod. One end of a guide link of the four-bar linkage is connected to the steering link intermediate the ends thereof.
Claims10
A steering mechanism for wheeled vehicles having right and left steer wheels comprising a transverse steer axle, a generally inverted U-shaped steering assembly surrounding said steer axle and connected to the steer wheels on opposite sides thereof, said steering assembly including steering arm and king post means operatively connected to each steer wheel at each side of the steer axle and tie rod means operatively connected at each opposite end to a said steering arm and king post means, said tie rod means including an hydraulic actuator, said steer axle being supported from said king post means, said tie rod means extending above said steer axle and operatively connected to said steer axle with said actuator being mounted for pivotal movements about a vertical axis and about a transverse horizontal axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.