Vehicle guiding apparatus

Claim 2

In apparatus for automatically actuating steering mechanism of a groove-cutting machine to guide the latter along a course defined by a groove previously cut thereby, a sensing unit including: a pair of frame members; feeler means mounted on one of said members and adapted to ride in said groove during advancement of the machine along the groove; a coupling rigidly secured to the other of said members and adapted for attachment to said machine; said coupling extending forwardly of the machine when attached thereto for swinging movement of said other member laterally of said course in response to angular deviation of the machine from said course during said advancement of the machine; structure pivotally interconnecting the members for movement of said one member laterally and vertically relative to said other member in response to said lateral movement of the other member; switch means for controlling said mechanism; and switch operating means responsive to said relative movement of the members; said structure including linkage for maintaining said members parallel; said linkage having pivotal connections with each of said members; said connections extending fore and aft of the members; said feeler means including a disc rotatable about an axis traversing the path of travel of the machine; said connections being normal to said axis in alignment with said path.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 1, said linkage including a pair of front parallel links and a pair of rear parallel links.

Claim 4

In apparatus for automatically actuating steering mechanism of a groove-cutting machine to guide the latter along a course defined by a groove previously cut thereby, a sensing unit including: a pair of frame members; feeler means mounted on one of said members and adapted to ride in said groove during advancement of the machine along the groove; a coupling rigidly secured to the other of said members and adapted for attachment to said machine, said coupling extending forwardly of the machine when attached thereto for swinging movement of said other member laterally of said course in response to angular deviation of the machine from said course during said advancement of the machine; structure pivotally interconnecting the members for movement of said one member laterally and vertically relative to said other member in response to said lateral movement of the other member; switch means for controlling said mechanism; and switch operating means responsive to said relative movement of the members, said switch means being mounted on said other member, said operating means interconnecting the members and being disposed to actuate the switch means upon predetermined lateral movement of the members laterally.

Claim 5

In apparatus for automatically actuating steering mechanism of a groove-cutting machine to guide the latter along a course defined by a groove previously cut thereby, a sensing unit including: a pair of frame members; feeler means mounted on one of said members and adapted to ride in said groove during advancement of the machine along the groove; a coupling rigidly secured to the other of said members and adapted for attachment to said machine, said coupling extending forwardly of the machine when attached thereto for swinging movement of said other member laterally of said course in response to angular deviation of the machine from said course during said advancement of the machine; structure pivotally interconnecting the members for movement of said one member laterally and vertically relative to said other member in response to said lateral movement of the other member; switch means for controlling said mechanism; and switch operating means responsive to said relative movement of the members, said switch means being mounted on said other member, said operating means interconnecting the members and being disposed to actuate the switch means upon predetermined lateral movement of the members laterally.

Claim 6

The invention of claim 3; stop means carried by said other member for limiting the extent of movement of said operating means relative to said other member; and connector means between said operating means and said one member, said connector means yielding to continued lateral movement of the members relatively after said operating means engages the stop means.

Claim 7

In apparatus for automatically actuating steering mechanism of a vehicle to guide the latter along a course defined by a groove, said apparatus including: a support adapted for attachment to the vehicle; a first frame member; feeler means mounted on said member and adapted to follow in said groove during advancement of the vehicle; a second frame member coupled with said support for swinging movement laterally of said course in response to angular deviation of the vehicle from said course during said advancement; structure pivotally interconnecting the members for relative lateral movement; first switch means carried by the second member for controlling said mechanism; a first operating means for said switch means responsive to said relative movement of the members; second switch means carried by said support for preventing oversteering; a second operating means for said second switch means adapted for connection with and responsive to actuation of aid mechanism, an element for controlling said second operating means, said element being carried by the support and adapted for connection with and responsive to actuation of said mechanism; releasable means coupling said element with said second operating means; power means for raising said feeler out of said groove; and means for releasing the connection of said operating means with said mechanism as the feeler is raised by said power means.

Claim 8

In apparatus for automatically actuating steering mechanism of a vehicle to guide the latter along a course defined by a groove, said apparatus including: a support adapted for attachment to the vehicle; a first frame member; feeler means mounted on said member and adapted to follow in said groove during advancement of the vehicle; a second frame member coupled with said support for swinging movement laterally of said course in response to angular deviation of the vehicle from said course during said advancement; structure pivotally interconnecting the members for relative lateral movement; first switch means carried by the second member for controlling said mechanism; a first operating means for said switch means responsive to said relative movement of the members; second switch means carried by said support for preventing oversteering; a second operating means for said second switch means adapted for connection with and responsive to actuation of aid mechanism, an element for controlling said second operating means, said element being carried by the support and adapted for connection with and responsive to actuation of said mechanism; releasable means coupling said element with said second operating means; power means for raising said feeler out of said groove; and means for releasing the connection of said operating means with said mechanism as the feeler is raised by said power means.

Claim 9

In apparatus for automatically actuating steering mechanism of a vehicle to guide the latter along a course defined by a groove, said apparatus including: a support adapted for attachment to the vehicle; a first frame member; feeler means mounted on said member and adapted to follow in said groove during advancement of the vehicle; a second frame member coupled with said support for swinging movement laterally of said course in response to angular deviation of the vehicle from said course during said advancement; structure pivotally interconnecting the members for relative lateral movement; first switch means carried by the second member for controlling said mechanism; a first operating means for said switch means responsive to said relative movement of the members; second switch means carried by said support for preventing oversteering; a second operating means for said second switch means adapted for connection with and responsive to actuation of said mechanism; power means for raising said feeler out of said groove; and means for releasing the connection of said operating means with said mechanism as the feeler is raised by said power means.

Claim 10

In apparatus for automatically actuating steering mechanism of a vehicle to guide the latter along a course defined by a groove, said apparatus including: a support adapted for attachment to the vehicle; a first frame member; feeler means mounted on said member and adapted to follow in said groove during advancement of the vehicle; a second frame member coupled with said support for swinging movement laterally of said course in response to angular deviation of the vehicle from said course during said advancement; structure pivotally interconnecting the members for relative lateral movement; first switch means carried by the second member for controlling said mechanism; a first operating means for said switch means responsive to said relative movement of the members; second switch means carried by said support for preventing oversteering; a second operating means for said second switch means adapted for connection with and responsive to actuation of said mechanism; power means for raising said feeler out of said groove; and means for releasing the connection of said operating means with said mechanism as the feeler is raised by said power means.

Claim 11

The invention of claim 6, a carrier for said second switch means and said second operating means; and means for shiftably connecting said carrier with said machine, said power means shifting the carrier during raising of said feeler.

Claim 12

In apparatus for automatically actuating steering mechanism of a vehicle to guide the latter along a course defined by a groove, said apparatus including: a support adapted for attachment to the vehicle; a first frame member; feeler means mounted on said member and adapted to follow in said groove during advancement of the vehicle; a second frame member coupled with said support for swinging movement laterally of said course in response to angular deviation of the vehicle from said course during said advancement; structure pivotally interconnecting the members for relative lateral movement; first switch means carried by the second member for controlling said mechanism; a first operating means for said switch means responsive to said relative movement of the members; second switch means carried by said support for preventing oversteering; a second operating means for said second switch means adapted for connection with and responsive to actuation of said mechanism; said second frame member being swingable vertically with respect to said support; power means for raising said second member; and a lost motion connection between said power means and said second member.

Claim 13

In apparatus for automatically actuating steering mechanism of a vehicle to guide the latter along a course defined by a groove, said apparatus including: a support adapted for attachment to the vehicle; a first frame member; feeler means mounted on said member and adapted to follow in said groove during advancement of the vehicle; a second frame member coupled with said support for swinging movement laterally of said course in response to angular deviation of the vehicle from said course during said advancement; structure pivotally interconnecting the members for relative lateral movement; first switch means carried by the second member for controlling said mechanism; a first operating means for said switch means responsive to said relative movement of the members; second switch means carried by said support for preventing oversteering; a second operating means for said second switch means adapted for connection with and responsive to actuation of said mechanism; said second frame member being swingable vertically with respect to said support; power means for raising said second member; and a lost motion connection between said power means and said second member.

Claim 14

In apparatus for automatically actuating steering mechanism of a vehicle to guide the latter along a course defined by a groove, said apparatus including: a support adapted for attachment to the vehicle; a pair of relatively shiftable members; feeler means mounted on one of said members and adapted to follow in said groove during advancement of the vehicle, the other of said members being coupled with said support for swinging movement laterally of said course in response to angular deviation of the vehicle from said course during said advancement; first switch means carried by said other member for actuating said mechanism; a first operating means for said switch means responsive to relative lateral movement of the members; second switch means carried by said support for limiting the period of actuation of said mechanism by said first switch means to thereby prevent oversteering; and a second operating means for said second switch means adapted for connection with and responsive to actuation of said mechanism.

Claim 15

In apparatus for automatically actuating steering mechanism of a vehicle to guide the latter along a course defined by a groove, said apparatus including: a support adapted for attachment to the vehicle; a pair of relatively shiftable members; feeler means mounted on one of said members and adapted to follow in said groove during advancement of the vehicle, the other of said members being coupled with said support for swinging movement laterally of said course in response to angular deviation of the vehicle from said course during said advancement; first switch means carried by said other member for actuating said mechanism; a first operating means for said switch means responsive to relative lateral movement of the members; second switch means carried by said support for limiting the period of actuation of said mechanism by said first switch means to thereby prevent oversteering; and a second operating means for said second switch means adapted for connection with and responsive to actuation of said mechanism.

Claim 16

The invention of claim 9; power means for raising said feeler out of said groove; and means for releasing the connection of said operating means with said mechanism as the feeler is raised by said power means.

Claim 17

The invention of claim 10; and an element for controlling said second operating means, said element being carried by the support and adapted for connection with and responsive to actuation of said mechanism.

Claim 18

The invention of claim 10; a carrier for said second switch means and said second operating means; and means for shiftably connecting said carrier with said machine, said power means shifting the carrier during raising of said feeler.

Claim 19

In apparatus for automatically actuating steering mechanism of a vehicle to guide the latter along a course defined by a groove, said apparatus including: a support adapted for attachment to the vehicle; a forwardly extending arm coupled with the support for vertical swinging movement and held against lateral swinging movement relative to the support; feeler means for following in said groove; structure mounting said feeler means at the forward end of said arm for lateral shifting movement of the feeler means as a unit relative to said arm in response to angular deviation of the vehicle from said course during advancement of the vehicle therealong, said sTructure including means for holding said feeler means against swinging movement about a vertical axis relative to said arm such that the feeler means is relatively displaced to one side of the arm during said angular deviation of the vehicle; switch means at said forward end of the arm for controlling said mechanism; and operating means for said switch means at said forward end of the arm responsive to said relative displacement of the feeler means laterally of said arm.

Claim 20

In apparatus for automatically actuating steering mechanism of a vehicle to guide the latter along a course defined by a groove, said apparatus including: a support adapted for attachment to the vehicle; a forwardly extending arm coupled with the support for vertical swinging movement and held against lateral swinging movement relative to the support; feeler means for following in said groove; structure mounting said feeler means at the forward end of said arm for lateral shifting movement of the feeler means as a unit relative to said arm in response to angular deviation of the vehicle from said course during advancement of the vehicle therealong, said sTructure including means for holding said feeler means against swinging movement about a vertical axis relative to said arm such that the feeler means is relatively displaced to one side of the arm during said angular deviation of the vehicle; switch means at said forward end of the arm for controlling said mechanism; and operating means for said switch means at said forward end of the arm responsive to said relative displacement of the feeler means laterally of said arm.