Transportation vehicle steering apparatus
AssigneeDaimlerChrysler AG
InventorsChristian Weule, Ralf Krause, Holger Stubelt, Jeffrey J. Schwalm, William K. Cooper
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A guidance apparatus is used on a transit vehicle which includes separate steerable drive tires operated by a central guidance platform having four peripherally mounted wheels follow the contour of a guide rail. The guide wheels are spaced above the roadway on a guideway used by the steerable drive tires thereby providing the capability of both on-track and off-track driving of the vehicle. A steering linkage imparts the linkage of a guide plateform to one steerable drive tire and a drag link transmits the rotary motion to the second steerable drive tire.
Claims17
A steering apparatus for a vehicle adapted to travel on a guideway having a central guide rail parallel to a desired course of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle has a vehicle body with front and rear wheel assemblies, said steering apparatus having at least one of the front wheel assembly and the rear wheel assembly and comprising:
- a) a support frame adapted to be attached to the vehicle body;
- b) a stationary axle housing mounted to the support frame, wherein the axle housing contains an axle having an axle axis;
- c) a first steerable drive tire mounted at one end of the axle and a second steerable drive tire mounted at the other end of the axle;
- d) a guide frame pivotally mounted to the axle housing about a vertical guide frame axis to define a guide frame pivot point;
- e) four guide wheels pivotally mounted upon the guide frame about guide wheel axes to follow the guide rail;
- and
- f) wherein the guide frame is pivotally mounted to the axle housing through a ring bearing, wherein the ring bearing has a first race secured to the guide frame and a second race associated with the first race and secured to the axle housing and wherein the first race and second race are concentric circular rings defining a bore extending therethrough into which vehicle components may extend.
A steering apparatus for a vehicle adapted to travel on a guideway having a central guide rail parallel to a desired course of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle has a vehicle body with front and rear wheel assemblies, said steering apparatus having at least one of the front wheel assembly and the rear wheel assembly and comprising:
- a) a support frame adapted to be attached to the vehicle body;
- b) a stationary axle housing mounted to the support frame, wherein the axle housing contains an axle having an axle axis;
- c) a first steerable drive tire mounted at one end of the axle and a second steerable drive tire mounted at the other end of the axle;
- d) a guide frame pivotally mounted to the axle housing about a vertical guide frame axis to define a guide frame pivot point;
- e) four guide wheels pivotally mounted upon the guide frame about guide wheel axes to follow the guide rail;
- and
- f) a steering linkage extending from the guide frame to a first steerable drive tire hub of the first steerable drive tire and, through a first drag link connecting the first and second steerable drive hubs, to a second steerable drive tire hub of the second steerable drive tire, whereby when the guide frame rotates relative to the support frame the first steerable drive tire and the second steerable drive tire also rotate.
A steering apparatus for a vehicle adapted to travel on a guideway having a central guide rail parallel to a desired course of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle has a vehicle body with front and rear wheel assemblies, said steering apparatus having at least one of the front wheel assembly and the rear wheel assembly and comprising:
- a) a support frame adapted to be attached to the vehicle body;
- b) a stationary axle housing mounted to the support frame, wherein the axle housing contains an axle having an axle axis;
- c) a first steerable drive tire mounted at one end of the axle and a second steerable drive tire mounted at the other end of the axle;
- d) a guide frame pivotally mounted to the axle housing about a vertical guide frame axis to define a guide frame pivot point;
- e) four guide wheels pivotally mounted upon the guide frame about guide wheel axes to follow the guide rail;
- and
- f) a differential with a differential housing positioned on the axle housing and wherein the ring bearing surrounds the differential and a plane defining a periphery of the ring bearing intersects the differential housing.
A steering apparatus for a vehicle adapted to travel on a guideway having a central guide rail parallel to a desired course of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle has a vehicle body with front and rear wheel assemblies, said steering apparatus having at least one of the front wheel assembly and the rear wheel assembly and comprising:
- a) a support frame pivotally attached to the vehicle body about an axis parallel to the axle axis;
- b) a stationary axle housing mounted to the support frame, wherein the axle housing contains an axle having an axle axis;
- c) a first steerable drive tire mounted at one end of the axle and a second steerable drive tire mounted at the other end of the axle;
- d) a guide frame pivotally mounted to the axle housing about a vertical guide frame axis to define a guide frame pivot point;
- e) four guide wheels pivotally mounted upon the guide frame about guide wheel axes to follow the guide rail.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.