Steering system

Claim 2

A steering system for a four wheel truck having a frame, two front wheels and two back wheels for either conventional steering, oblique steering or rotational steering of said truck comprising: said front two wheels and said rear two wheels each having a cylinder and piston assembly connected to each wheel for rotating said wheels with the assemblies for the front wheels being connected together and the assemblies for the rear wheels being connected together; first releasable holding means connected between the frame and the front wheel connected assemblies for connecting and releasing said front assemblies from the frame; second releasable holding means connected between the frame and the rear wheels connected assemblies for connecting and releasing said rear assemblies from the frame; hydraulic actuated means for selectively actuating each of said cylinder and piston assemblies and said first and second releasable holding means and for rotating said wheels whereby said truck may be conventionally steered, steered obliquely, or circularly rotated about its vertical axis; and said hydraulic actuated means includes: a steering rod; means for moving said steering rod; gear means for laterally moving each of said connected assemblies; and piston and cylinder actuatEd drive releasable connecting means connected between the steering rod and said gear means.

Claim 3

A steering system for a four wheel truck having a frame, two back wheels and two front wheels for either conventional steering, oblique steering or rotative steering of the truck comprising: each of said wheels having a vertical axis rotatably connected to said frame; a wheel rotation assembly connected to each vertical axis for rotating the connected wheel, the assemblies connected to the back wheels being connected together, and the assemblies connected to the front wheels being connected together; releasable holding means connected between each of the connected assemblies and said frame; a drive rod; releasable connecting means between the drive rod and each of the connected assemblies for connecting selectively the movement of the drive rod to the connected assemblies for rotating the wheels; and control means for selectively actuating the wheel rotation assemblies, the releasable holding means, and the releasable connecting means for selectively steering the truck conventionally, obliquely, or rotatively.

Claim 4

A steering system for a four wheel truck having a frame, two back wheels and two front wheels for either conventional steering, oblique steering or rotative steering of the truck comprising: each of said wheels having a vertical axis rotatably connected to said frame; a wheel rotation assembly connected to each vertical axis for rotating the connected wheel, the assemblies connected to the back wheels being connected together, and the assemblies connected to the front wheels being connected together; releasable holding means connected between each of the connected assemblies and said frame; a drive rod; releasable connecting means between the drive rod and each of the connected assemblies for connecting selectively the movement of the drive rod to the connected assemblies for rotating the wheels; and control means for selectively actuating the wheel rotation assemblies, the releasable holding means, and the releasable connecting means for selectively steering the truck conventionally, obliquely, or rotatively.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the releasable holding means including: a releasable holding piston and cylinder assembly; and a pin and coacting receiving opening, one of which is on the frame and the other on the releasable holding assembly.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein: a steering gear is connected to each vertical axis; and a rack meshing with each steering gear and connected to one of the steering piston and cylinder assemblies.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 3 including: a control gear positioned adjacent each end of the drive rod and connected to one of the connected assemblies; wherein the releasable connecting means includes: a releasable connecting piston and cylinder assembly; and a pin and coacting receiving opening, one of which is on the control gear and the other of which is connected to the drive rod.

Claim 8

A steering system for a four wheel truck having a frame for either conventional steering, oblique steering or rotative steering of said truck comprising: each of said wheels having a vertical axis rotatably connected to said frame; a steering gear connected to each axis; a rack meshing with each steering gear; a piston and cylinder assembly connected to each rack, the assemblies connected to the back wheels being connected together, and the assemblies connected to the front wheels being connected together; releasable holding means connected between each of the connected assemblies and said frame; a first control gear connected to one of the steering gears connected to one of the back wheels; a second control gear connected to one of the steering gears connected to one of the front wheels; a drive rod; releasable connecting means between the drive rod and each of the control gears; and control means for selectively actuating said piston and cylinder assemblies, the releasable holding means and the releasable connecting means for selectively steering the truck conventionally, obliquely, or rotatively.

Claim 9

A steering system for a four wheel truck having a frame for either conventional steering, oblique steering or rotative steering of said truck comprising: each of said wheels having a vertical axis rotatably connected to said frame; a steering gear connected to each axis; a rack meshing with each steering gear; a piston and cylinder assembly connected to each rack, the assemblies connected to the back wheels being connected together, and the assemblies connected to the front wheels being connected together; releasable holding means connected between each of the connected assemblies and said frame; a first control gear connected to one of the steering gears connected to one of the back wheels; a second control gear connected to one of the steering gears connected to one of the front wheels; a drive rod; releasable connecting means between the drive rod and each of the control gears; and control means for selectively actuating said piston and cylinder assemblies, the releasable holding means and the releasable connecting means for selectively steering the truck conventionally, obliquely, or rotatively.

Claim 10

A hydraulic steering system for a truck having a frame, two back wheels and two front wheels for either conventional steering, oblique steering or rotative steering of the truck comprising: each of said wheels having a vertical axis rotatably connected to the frame; a steering gear connected to each axis; a rack meshing with each steering gear; a piston and cylinder assembly connected to each rack, the assemblies connected to the back wheels being connected together, and the assemblies connected to the front wheels being connected together; a releasable holding piston and cylinder assembly connected between each of the connected assemblies and the frame and including a pin and coacting receiving opening, one of which is on the frame and one of which is on the releasable holding assembly; a first control gear connected to one of the steering gears connected to one of the back wheels; a second control gear connected to one of the steering gears connected to one of the front wheels; a drive rod; a releasable connecting piston and cylinder assembly connected between each end of the drive rod and one of the control gears and including a pin and coacting receiving opening; and hydraulic actuated means for selectively actuating each piston and cylinder assembly for selectively steering the truck either one of conventional steering, oblique steering, and rotative steering.

Claim 11

A hydraulic steering system for a truck having a frame, two back wheels and two front wheels for either conventional steering, oblique steering or rotative steering of the truck comprising: each of said wheels having a vertical axis rotatably connected to the frame; a steering gear connected to each axis; a rack meshing with each steering gear; a piston and cylinder assembly connected to each rack, the assemblies connected to the back wheels being connected together, and the assemblies connected to the front wheels being connected together; a releasable holding piston and cylinder assembly connected between each of the connected assemblies and the frame and including a pin and coacting receiving opening, one of which is on the frame and one of which is on the releasable holding assembly; a first control gear connected to one of the steering gears connected to one of the back wheels; a second control gear connected to one of the steering gears connected to one of the front wheels; a drive rod; a releasable connecting piston and cylinder assembly connected between each end of the drive rod and one of the control gears and including a pin and coacting receiving opening; and hydraulic actuated means for selectively actuating each piston and cylinder assembly for selectively steering the truck either one of conventional steering, oblique steering, and rotative steering.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the selectively actuating means includes: for conventional steering; valve means for actuating the releasable holding piston and cylinder assembly connected to the back wheels for causing its pin to engage its opening; valve means for actuating the piston and cylinder assemblies connected to the back wheels for rotating said back wheels parallel to each other; valve means for actuating the releasable connecting piston and cylinder assembly connected to the first control gear for disengaging its pin from its opening; valve means for actuating the releasable holding piston and cylinder assembly connected to the front wheels for causing its pin to disengage its opening; valve means for actuating the piston and cylinder assemblies connected to the front wheels for rotating said front wheels parallel to each other; valve means for actuating the releasable connecting piston and cylinder assembly connected to the second control gear for engaging its pin in its opening whereby the front wheels may be steered conventionally by movement of the drive rod, for oblique steering; valve means for actuating the releasable holding piston and cylinder assembly connected to the back wheels for causing its pin to disengage its opening; valve means for actuating the piston and cylinder assemblies connected to the back wheels for rotating said back wheels initially parallel to each other; valve means for actuating the releasable connecting piston and cylinder assembly connected to the first control gear for engaging its pin in its opening; valve means for actuating the releasable holding piston and cylinder assembly connected to the front wheels for causing its pin to disengage its opening; valve means for actuating the piston and cylinder assemblies connected to the front wheels for rotating said front wheels initially parallel to each other; valve means for actuating the releasable connecting piston and cylinder assembly connected to the second control gear for engaging its pin in its opening whereby movement of the drive rod will rotate all wheels, for rotative steering; valve means for actuating the releasable holding piston and cylinder assembly connected to the back wheels for causing its pin to engage its opening; valve means for actuating the piston and cylinder assemblies connected to the back wheels for rotating the back sides of the back wheels inwardly; valve means for actuating the releasable connecting piston and cylinder assembly connected to the first control gear for disengaging its pin from its opening; valve means for actuating the releasable holding piston and cylinder assembly connected to the front wheels for causing its pin to disengage its opening; valve means for actuating the piston and cylinder assemblies for rotating the front sides of the front wheels inwardly; and valve means for actuating the releasable connecting piston and cylinder assembly connected to the second control gear for engaging its pin in its opening.