Mechanism for correct steering in reverse

A mechanism used on a vehicle, comprising:

• right and left drive wheels coupled with the vehicle,
• a transmission operatively coupled with the right and left drive wheels and having a driving portion and a steering portion, wherein
• the driving portion is operatively connected with the right and left drive wheels for rotatably driving the right and left drive wheels and having forward, neutral and reverse modes to drive said right and left drive wheels at a plurality of speeds in forward and reverse directions, and
• the steering portion is operatively connected with the right and left drive wheels for changing the relative speeds of the right and left drive wheels to execute vehicle turns,
• a steering control input coupled with the steering portion of the transmission and operatively shiftable by an operator for controlling the steering portion, and
• when the drive portion of the transmission is propelling the vehicle in a forward direction, shifting of the steering control input in a first direction increases the forward speed of the right drive wheel and decreases the forward speed of the left drive wheel, and
• when the drive portion of the transmission is propelling the vehicle in a forward direction, shifting of the steering control input in a second direction decreases the forward speed of the right drive wheel and increases the forward speed of the left drive wheel, and
• when the drive portion of the transmission is propelling the vehicle in the reverse direction, shifting of the steering control input in the first direction decreases the reverse speed of the right drive wheel and increases the reverse speed of the left drive wheel, and
• when the drive portion of the transmission is propelling the vehicle in the reverse direction, shifting of the steering control input in the second direction increases the reverse speed of the right drive wheel and decreases the reverse speed of the left drive wheel, and
• an operator engagable steering member is supported by the vehicle in an operator station, and is shiftable in right and left directions,
• a steering device operatively extending between the steering member and the steering control input such that
• when the driving portion of the transmission is propelling the vehicle in a forward direction the steering device shifts the steering control input in the second direction as the steering member is shifted to the right, and
• when the driving portion of the transmission is propelling the vehicle in a forward direction the steering device shifts the steering control input in the first direction as the steering member is shifted to the left, and
• when the driving portion of the transmission is propelling the vehicle in a reverse direction the steering device shifts the steering control input in the first direction as the steering member is shifted to the right, and
• when the driving portion of the transmission is propelling the vehicle in a reverse direction the steering device shifts the steering control input in the second direction as the steering member is shifted to the left,
• the steering control input is pivotable in first and second directions,
• an arm is fixed with the steering control input,
• an elongate member is coupled with the arm spaced from the steering control input, and is shiftable in two opposite directions generally along an axis of the elongate member for shifting the arm and steering control input in the first and second directions,
• a cam member pivotable about a cam axis, and coupled with the steering member for pivoting about the cam axis in first and second opposite directions corresponding to the respective right and left directions the steering member shifts,
• the elongate member is coupled with the cam member and is shiftable between two positions on opposite sides of the cam axis, the elongate member being coupled with the cam member on one side of the cam axis when the vehicle is operating in the forward directions of travel, and is coupled with the cam member at a location on the other side of the cam axis when the vehicle is operating in the reverse direction,
• an actuating device operatively extends between the elongate member and a drive control engagable by the operator to select the forward or reverse direction of vehicle travel, and the actuating device shifts the elongate member between the elongate member's two positions as the drive control is manipulated to change the vehicle between forward and reverse directions of travel,
• said actuating device further comprises at least one shifting device carried by the cam member and operatively coupled with the elongate member, said shifting device being adapted to shift the elongate member to a proper position with respect to the cam axis as the operator selects the forward and reverse modes of vehicle travel.