Steering systems

In a steering assembly for vehicles, having a movable travel direction adjustment means,

• a steering control system comprising a steering member movable at a variable speed between first and second positions,
• transmission means connecting said steering member to the travel direction adjustment means, whereby movement of said steering member between said positions effects through said transmission means a given displacement of said travel direction adjustment means,
• said transmission means comprising,
• at least one flexible shaft,
• a speed increasing gear mechanism having a speed increasing ratio of about 1:15 and connected between the steering member and one end of said flexible shaft for transforming a steering member input speed, identical to the speed of movement of the steering member, into a higher steering member output speed,
• a speed reduction gear mechanism having a speed reducing ratio of about 1.75:1 and connected to the other end of said flexible shaft for transforming an input speed, identical to said higher steering member output speed, into a lower output speed, means connected between said reduction gear mechanism and said adjustment means for displacing said adjustment means in response to movement of said steering member,
• said speed increasing ratio of said speed increasing gear mechanism being substantially greater than the spped decreasing ratio of said speed decreasing gear mechanism and said ratios together providing an overall speed increasing ratio of at least about 1:8.57 thereby to minimize the torsion effect of said flexible shaft so that the response of said travel direction adjustment accomplishing means to said steering member is relatively direct and there is no feeling of play in the steering member when it is actuated between said first and second positions.