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US 5,823,284 AGranted
Utility vehicle
AssigneeCentral Mechanical Ltd.
InventorsDavid L. Hoar, Ronald G. Mersereau, Larry A. Welton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle having a hydrostatic drive and transmission having multi-range speed modes, a counter configured steering assembly providing for a turning radius less than would normally be commensurate with the length of the wheel base, and a suspension system having a resiliently deformable device for maintaining stability of the vehicle body and cargo during operation and for maximum operator comfort.
Claims11
A vehicle comprising, in combination,
- a vehicle frame and front and rear vehicle chassis, each of said front and rear chassis having wheels, hydrostatic wheel drive means, said hydrostatic wheel drive means including hydrostatic transmission means having a multi-range speed drive,
- a counter-configured steering assembly having a rotatable timing shaft, front and rear steering shafts each separately
- connected to said rotatable timing shaft, said front and rear steering shafts being operatively associated with said wheels of the respective front and rear chassis,
- force imparting means for rotating each of said steering shafts
- independently with said timing shaft equalizing the rotational speed of said front and rear steering shafts, and
- a suspension system suspending said vehicle frame on said front and rear chassis.
3 more elements
In a vehicle having a chassis comprised of spaced-apart front and rear assemblies, and
- front and rear wheels associated with a respective one of said spaced-apart assemblies,
- the improvement comprising hydrostatic wheel drive means, said drive means including a hydrostatic transmission means having a multi-range speed drive;
- in combination with a counter-configured steering assembly, said steering assembly comprising:
- a central rotatable timing shaft having a pair of opposed ends,
- a pair of opposed rotatable drive shafts, one each being operatively connected to a respective end of said timing shaft,
- connecting means associated with each of said drive shafts to operatively connect each of said drive shafts with respective front and rear wheels;
- hydraulic means associated with each of said drive shafts for selectively rotating each said drive shaft with said central timing shaft, when rotating, equalizing the rotational speed of s aid drive shafts.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.