US3592075A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Steering mechanism
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1969-10-22
•
Granted: 1971-07-13
•
Expires: 1989-10-22
Abstract
Abstract This disclosure concerns an improved steering mechanism which eliminates the reverse direction lag which causes play in the steering wheel. The steering wheel is connected to a shaft which has a helical thread at its lower end disposed in the bores of two bearing nuts which are separately movable on the shaft and contain reciprocal threads. In a first embodiment, one of the bearing nuts is formed integral with a single-track rack gear and the other with a double track rack gear with a slot between its tracks which slidably receives the single-track gear. The singletrack rack gear is engaged with a single-pinion gear, and the double track rack gear with a pair of pinion gears mounted in axial alignment with and on each side of the single pinion. The pinion gears are mounted on a power shaft which drives the steering rod, and the two paired gears are keyed to the power shaft while the single gear is freely mounted on the power shaft but is connected to the paired pinions by a spring coupling which urges the paired pinion gears in an opposite rotational direction with respect to the single pinion, and in turn, through the rack gears, urges the bearing nuts in opposite linear directions on the helical threads on the steering shaft. In the second embodiment the rack gears and pinion gears are eliminated and a helical spring coupling surrounds the steering shaft between the bearing nuts urging the bearing nuts in opposite linear directions on the helical threads. Also, the power shaft is replaced by a thrust rod which is disposed coaxially with the steering shaft at its lower end and attached to the lower bearing nut. The spring coupling in each embodiment assures that both of the bearing nuts will be in snug engagement at all times with the helical threads on the steering shaft, one with one side of the threads and the other with the opposite side of the threads. Helical ball bearings are provided in each of the ball nuts to reduce the friction between the engaging surfaces of the threads.
Inventors
- 👤 Marion A Clark
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 15:36
CPC Classifications
B; B62; B62D; B62D3/00; B62D3/02; B62D3/04; B62D3/10; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/18; Y10T74/18568; Y10T74/18576; Y10T74/18728; Y10T74/19; Y10T74/19623
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
233 words
An improved vehicle steering mechanism comprising: a steering shaft having one end adapted to be drivingly interconnected with a steering wheel and having external threads formed on the other end thereof; first bearing nut means operatively associated with said steering shaft and disposed for driving engagement by said external threads; second bearing and means operatively associated with said steering shaft and disposed for driving engagement by said external threads, said second bearing nut means being normally spaced apart from said first bearing nut means axially with respect to said steering shaft; bearing means disposed between engageable surfaces of said external threads and said first and second bearing nut means to prevent direct engagement thereof; tie rod means drivingly connected to said steering shaft by interconnecting means and having steering connection means for steering a steerable wheel of said vehicle; said interconnecting means including first rack and pinion gear means connected to said first bearing nut means, and second rack and pinion gear means connected to said second bearing nut means; and resilient means interconnected between first and second gears means to urge said first and second bearing nut means apart axially with respect to said steering shaft, when said steering mechanism is subjected to normal operating forces, and to limit movement of said first and second bearing nut means together axially when said steering mechanism is subjected to greater than normal operating forces.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
233 words
An improved vehicle steering mechanism comprising: a steering shaft having one end adapted to be drivingly interconnected with a steering wheel and having external threads formed on the other end thereof; first bearing nut means operatively associated with said steering shaft and disposed for driving engagement by said external threads; second bearing and means operatively associated with said steering shaft and disposed for driving engagement by said external threads, said second bearing nut means being normally spaced apart from said first bearing nut means axially with respect to said steering shaft; bearing means disposed between engageable surfaces of said external threads and said first and second bearing nut means to prevent direct engagement thereof; tie rod means drivingly connected to said steering shaft by interconnecting means and having steering connection means for steering a steerable wheel of said vehicle; said interconnecting means including first rack and pinion gear means connected to said first bearing nut means, and second rack and pinion gear means connected to said second bearing nut means; and resilient means interconnected between first and second gears means to urge said first and second bearing nut means apart axially with respect to said steering shaft, when said steering mechanism is subjected to normal operating forces, and to limit movement of said first and second bearing nut means together axially when said steering mechanism is subjected to greater than normal operating forces.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
171 words
An improved vehicle steering mechanism as described in claim 1, in which: said tie rod drive means includes a drive shaft operatively associated with said first and second bearing nut means; said first gear means including a first rack gear connected to said first beaRing nut means and disposed axially with respect to said steering shaft, a first pinion gear engaged with said first rack gear and being freely rotatably mounted on said drive shaft, a second rack gear connected to said second bearing nut means and disposed axially with respect to said shaft, a second pinion gear fixed on said drive shaft adjacent said first pinion gear and engaged with said second rack gear, said resilient means comprising a compression spring normally partially compressed between said pinion gears and disposed to urge relative rotational movement of the pinion gears in one direction and to resist relative rotational movement in the opposite direction; and limit means disposed to limit the relative rotational movement of said pinion gears in said one direction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
242 words
An improved vehicle steering mechanism comprising: a steering shaft having one end adapted to be drivingly interconnected with a steering wheel and having external threads formed on the other end thereof; first bearing nut means operatively associated with said steering shaft and disposed for driving engagement by said external threads; second bearing nut means operatively associated with said steering shaft and disposed for driving engagement by said external threads, said second bearing nut means being normally spaced apart from said first bearing nut means axially with respect to said steering shaft; bearing means disposed between engageable surfaces of said external threads and said first and second bearing nut means to prevent direct engagement thereof; tie rod means drivingly connected to said steering shaft by interconnecting means and having steering connection means for steering a steerable wheel of said vehicle; said interconnecting means including a helical spring disposed in coaxial surrounding relation with said steering shaft and interposed axially between said first and second bearing nut means in a compressed condition to urge the first and second bearing nut means axially apart, a sleeve disposed in coaxial surrounding relation with said steering shaft, spring, and bearing nut means and connected to one of said bearing nut means, and spline means interconnecting said sleeve with the other of said bearing nut means to limit relative rotational movement of the bearing nut means while permitting axial movement thereof with the respect to said steering shaft.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
242 words
An improved vehicle steering mechanism comprising: a steering shaft having one end adapted to be drivingly interconnected with a steering wheel and having external threads formed on the other end thereof; first bearing nut means operatively associated with said steering shaft and disposed for driving engagement by said external threads; second bearing nut means operatively associated with said steering shaft and disposed for driving engagement by said external threads, said second bearing nut means being normally spaced apart from said first bearing nut means axially with respect to said steering shaft; bearing means disposed between engageable surfaces of said external threads and said first and second bearing nut means to prevent direct engagement thereof; tie rod means drivingly connected to said steering shaft by interconnecting means and having steering connection means for steering a steerable wheel of said vehicle; said interconnecting means including a helical spring disposed in coaxial surrounding relation with said steering shaft and interposed axially between said first and second bearing nut means in a compressed condition to urge the first and second bearing nut means axially apart, a sleeve disposed in coaxial surrounding relation with said steering shaft, spring, and bearing nut means and connected to one of said bearing nut means, and spline means interconnecting said sleeve with the other of said bearing nut means to limit relative rotational movement of the bearing nut means while permitting axial movement thereof with the respect to said steering shaft.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
78 words
An improved vehicle steering mechanism as described in claim 3, in which: said tie rod means includes a thrust rod disposed coaxially with respect to said steering shaft and connected to one of said bearing nut means for axial movement therewith, and a housing disposed in coaxial surrounding relation with respect to said steering shaft and supporting said thrust rod for axial movement with respect thereto, said spring, bearing nut means and sleeve being disposed inside said housing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
224 words
An improved vehicle steering mechanism comprising: a steering shaft having one end adapted to be drivingly interconnected with a steering wheel and having external threads formed on the other end thereof; first bearing nut means operatively associated with said steering shaft and disposed for driving engagement by said external threads; second bearing nut means operatively associated with said steering shaft and disposed for driving engagement by said external threads, said second bearing nut means being normally spaced apart from said first bearing nut means axially with respect to said steering shaft; bearing means disposed between engageable surfaces of said external threads and said first and second bearing nut means to prevent direct engagement thereof; tie rod means drivingly connected to said steering shaft by interconnecting means and having steering connection means for steering a steerable wheel of said vehicle; said first and second bearing nut means each having a bore with internal threads interfitting with said external threads, the internal and external threads having opposed radial surfaces; said bearing means comprising a plurality of bearing balls disposed in each of said bearing nut means between said opposed radial surfaces, ball grooves in said opposed radial surfaces to form races for said bearing balls, and a helical ball frame in each of said bearing nut means to position said bearing balls in helical spaced relation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
224 words
An improved vehicle steering mechanism comprising: a steering shaft having one end adapted to be drivingly interconnected with a steering wheel and having external threads formed on the other end thereof; first bearing nut means operatively associated with said steering shaft and disposed for driving engagement by said external threads; second bearing nut means operatively associated with said steering shaft and disposed for driving engagement by said external threads, said second bearing nut means being normally spaced apart from said first bearing nut means axially with respect to said steering shaft; bearing means disposed between engageable surfaces of said external threads and said first and second bearing nut means to prevent direct engagement thereof; tie rod means drivingly connected to said steering shaft by interconnecting means and having steering connection means for steering a steerable wheel of said vehicle; said first and second bearing nut means each having a bore with internal threads interfitting with said external threads, the internal and external threads having opposed radial surfaces; said bearing means comprising a plurality of bearing balls disposed in each of said bearing nut means between said opposed radial surfaces, ball grooves in said opposed radial surfaces to form races for said bearing balls, and a helical ball frame in each of said bearing nut means to position said bearing balls in helical spaced relation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
194 words
An improved vehicle steering mechanism as described in claim 5 in which: said tie rod drive means includes a thrust rod disposed coaxially with respect to said steering shaft and connected thereto, and a housing disposed in coaxial surrounding relation with respect to said steering shaft and supporting said thrust rod for axial movement with respect thereto; said interconnecting means including a helical spring disposed in coaxial surrounding relation with said steering shaft and interposed axially between said first and second bearing nut means in a compressed condition to urge the first and second bearing nut means axially apart, a sleeve disposed in coaxial surrounding relation with said steering shaft, spring, and bearing nut means and connected to one of said bearing nut means, and spline means interconnecting said sleeve with the other of said bearing nut means to limit relative rotational movement of the bearing nut means while permitting axial movement thereof with respect to said steering shaft, said spring, bearing nut means and sleeve being disposed inside said housing; and said interconnecting means being further disposed to limit relative axial movement of said first and second bearing nut means toward one another.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-07-12 | 1975-01-11 | 1975-07-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-07-12 | 1979-01-11 | 1979-07-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-07-12 | 1983-01-11 | 1983-07-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |