US 4,361,203 AGranted

Power steering system for motor vehicle

AssigneeVeda, Inc.

InventorFloyd E. Buschbom

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A motor vehicle having a plurality of drive wheels and a steerable wheel. The steerable wheel is rotatably mounted on the frame with an upright steering post. A hydraulic powered transversely movable cylinder is connected to a sprocket mounted on the steering post with a pair of chains. The cylinder is linearly movable relative to a piston and a transverse rod. Adjustable members connect opposite ends of the rod to the frame and hold the rod in linear tension. The cylinder is supplied with hydraulic fluid under pressure from a pump driven by an internal combustion engine. A control valve having a spool connected to the vehicle steering wheel controls the flow of hydraulic fluid under pressure from the pump to the cylinder thereby steering the vehicle.

Claims31

Dependent claims

A vehicle comprising:

a frame, a pair of drive wheel means and a steerable wheel operatively associated with the frame and engageable with the ground, first means rotatably mounting said steerable wheel on the frame for movement about a generally upright axis to steer said vehicle, said first means including an upright spindle and means rotatably mounting the spindle on the frame for rotation about a generally upright axis, second means connected to said spindle for rotating said spindle about said upright axis, said second means including linearly movable cylinder means having a chamber, piston means located in the chamber, stationary rod means connected to the piston means to locate the piston means in longitudinal alignment with said upright axis, said rod means having opposite ends, first mount means for supporting one end of the rod means on the frame, second mount means for supporting the other end of the rod means on the frame, first adjustable means connecting the one end of the rod means to the first mount means, second adjustable means connecting the other end of the rod means to the second mount means, said first and second adjustable means holding the rod means in tension along the length thereof, said cylinder means being movable relative to the piston means and rod means, power transmitting means connecting the cylinder means with the spindle whereby on linear movement of the cylinder means relative to the rod means and piston means, the spindle is rotated about the generally upright axis to turn said steerable wheel about said upright axis to steer the vehicle, said power transmitting means including first and second elongated flexible members, said first flexible member being connected to one end of the cylinder means and the spindle, said second flexible member being connected to the other end of the cylinder means and the spindle, means to selectively supply and drain fluid under pressure to and from opposite ends of said cylinder means to move said cylinder means in selected opposite linear directions relative to the rod means and piston means, fluid operated motor means mounted on the first means operatively associated with the steerable wheel to rotate the steerable wheel, line means connected to the fluid operated motor means for carrying fluid under pressure to and from the motor means, said line means having a coiled section located around the spindle, and means for holding the coiled section above said steerable wheel and around said spindle.

A vehicle comprising:

a frame, a plurality of wheel means operatively associated with the frame and engageable with the ground, first means rotatably mounting one of said wheel means on the frame for movement about a generally upright axis to steer said vehicle, second means connected to said first means for rotating said first means, said second means including cylinder means having a chamber, piston means located in the chamber, rod means connected to the piston means, means mounting the second means on the frame, said piston means and cylinder means being movable relative to each other, power transmitting means connecting the second means with the first means whereby on relative movement of the piston means and cylinder means the first means is rotated about the generally upright axis to turn said one of said wheel means about said upright axis to steer the vehicle, means to supply fluid under pressure to said second means to provide relative movement of said piston means and cylinder means in selected opposite linear directions, fluid operated motor means mounted on the first means operably associated with the one of said wheel means to rotate said one of said wheel means, line means connected to the fluid operated motor means for carrying fluid under pressure to and from the motor means, said line means having a coil section located around the first means adjacent the frame, and retainer means for holding the coil section above the one of said wheel means.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A vehicle comprising:

a frame, a pair of drive wheel means and a steerable wheel operatively associated with the frame and engageable with the ground, first means rotatably mounting said steerable wheel on the frame for movement about a generally upright axis to steer said vehicle, said first means including an upright spindle and means rotatably mounting the spindle on the frame for rotation about a generally upright axis, second means connected to said spindle for rotating said spindle about said upright axis, said second means including linearly movable cylinder means having a chamber, piston means located in the chamber, stationary rod means connected to the piston means to locate the piston means in longitudinal alignment with said upright axis, said rod means having opposite ends, first mount means for supporting one end of the rod means on the frame, second mount means for supporting the other end of the rod means on the frame, first adjustable means connecting the one end of the rod means to the first mount means, second adjustable means connecting the other end of the rod means to the second mount means, said first and second adjustable means holding the rod means in tension along the length thereof, said cylinder means being movable relative to the piston means and rod means, power transmitting means connecting the cylinder means with the spindle whereby on linear movement of the cylinder means relative to the rod means and piston means, the spindle is rotated about the generally upright axis to turn said steerable wheel about said upright axis to steer the vehicle, said power transmitting means including first and second elongated flexible members, said first flexible member being connected to one end of the cylinder means and the spindle, said second flexible member being connected to the other end of the cylinder means and the spindle, means to selectively supply and drain fluid under pressure to and from opposite ends of said cylinder means to move said cylinder means in selected opposite linear directions relative to the rod means and piston means, fluid operated motor means mounted on the first means operatively associated with the steerable wheel to rotate the steerable wheel, line means connected to the fluid operated motor means for carrying fluid under pressure to and from the motor means, said line means having a coiled section located around the spindle, and means for holding the coiled section above said steerable wheel and around said spindle.