Vehicle with steering mechanism
AssigneeHydro-Gear Limited Partnership
InventorThomas J. Langenfeld
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A steering mechanism for a vehicle having a frame and a prime mover is disclosed. Two steered wheels, steered by a steering mechanism, are near the front of the vehicle and a single non-steered wheel is near the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle has a deck that houses rotatable cutting blades. Portions of the deck are positioned in front of and adjacent each side of the rear wheel. A first rotatable cutting blade is positioned adjacent a first side of the rear wheel and a second rotatable cutting blade is positioned adjacent the opposite side of the rear wheel. One or more additional cutting blades are positioned in front of the rear wheel.
Claims17
A vehicle comprising:
- a vehicle frame having a longitudinal centerline;
- a steering mechanism supported by the vehicle frame;
- a first steered front wheel engaged to the steering mechanism and having a first axis of rotation, a second steered front wheel engaged to the steering mechanism and having a second axis of rotation;
- a rear axle supported by the vehicle frame rearward of the first and second front wheels, the rear axle having an axis extending therethrough;
- and
- at least one rear wheel mounted on the rear axle such that the at least one rear wheel intersects or is capable of intersecting the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle frame;
- wherein the steering mechanism is configured to enable a first turn of the vehicle in which the first axis of rotation intersects the second axis of rotation at a point exterior to the vehicle frame, such that a first reference line defined as being normal to flat ground and extending through the point does not intersect any portion of the vehicle frame.
A vehicle comprising:
- a vehicle frame having a longitudinal centerline;
- a steering mechanism supported by the vehicle frame;
- a first steered front wheel engaged to the steering mechanism and having a first axis of rotation, a second steered front wheel engaged to the steering mechanism and having a second axis of rotation;
- a rear axle supported by the vehicle frame rearward of the first and second front wheels, the rear axle having an axis extending therethrough;
- at least one rear wheel mounted on the rear axle such that the at least one rear wheel intersects or is capable of intersecting the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle frame;
- a first wheel motor that drives the first steered front wheel and a second wheel motor that drives the second steered front wheel, wherein the first axis of rotation intersects the first wheel motor and the second axis of rotation intersects the second wheel motor;
- wherein the steering mechanism is configured to enable a first turn of the vehicle in which the first axis of rotation intersects the second axis of rotation and the axis of the rear axle at a point exterior to the vehicle frame;
- and
- wherein, during the first turn of the vehicle, the point is exterior to the vehicle frame such that a first reference line defined as being normal to flat ground and extending through the point does not intersect any portion of the vehicle frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.