Motor vehicle steering system

Claim 2

A steering system for a motor vehicle comprising a vehicle body, a supporting frame having first and second frame portions, a steering gear box, a steering column supported in said vehicle body, said column rotatably supporting a steering shaft, a steering wheel connected to the upper end of said shaft, coupling means joining the lower end of said steering shaft to an input shaft of said gear box, frangible fastening means securing said gear box rigidly to said first frame portion, rigid means extending generally longitudinally of said vehicle and having one end connected to said second frame portion and its other end connected to said gear box, said second frame portion being longitudinally spaced apart from said first frame portion and said gear box, said rigid means being constructed to cause said frangible means to be fractured and to force the separation of said steering gear box and said first frame portion when the distance between said first and second frame portions is decreased.

Claim 3

A steering system for a motor vehicle according to claim 1 and including: said first portion being disposed rearwardly in said vehicle of said second portion wherebY said longitudinally extending means displaces said steering gear rearwardly relative to said first portion when said second portion is displaced.

Claim 4

A steering system for a motor vehicle according to claim 1 and including: support means supporting said column in said vehicle for pivotal movement, a flexible coupling connecting the lower end of said steering shaft to said steering gear box, said first frame portion being situated in said vehicle at a location rearwardly of said second frame portion, said force transmitting means being constructed to displace said gear rearwardly relative to said first frame portion and to pivot said column about said support means when said second frame portion is displaced rearwardly relative to said first frame portion.

Claim 5

A steering system for a motor vehicle according to claim 1 and including: support means supporting said steering column in said body, said rigid means being further constructed to angularly displace said steering column about said support means with the consequent displacement of said steering wheel upwardly and forwardly in said body in response to the plastic deformation of the forward portion of said frame.

Claim 6

A steering system for a motor vehicle according to claim 1 and including: support means connecting said steering column to said body, said rigid means having its said one end connected to said second frame portion forwardly of said gear box, said rigid means being constructed to displace said gear box rearwardly when said second frame portion is displaced rearwardly in a direction toward said gear box and thereby cause said steering column to be angularly displaced about said support means with the consequent displacement of said steering wheel upwardly and forwardly in said body.

Claim 7

A steering system for a motor vehicle according to claim 1 and including: support means supporting said column in said body for pivotal movement, a flexible coupling connecting the lower end of said steering shaft to said steering gear box, said first frame portion being situated in said vehicle at a location rearwardly of said second frame portion, said rigid means being constructed to displace said gear rearwardly relative to said first portion and to pivot said column about said support means when said second frame portion is displaced rearwardly relative to said first frame portion.

Claim 8

A steering system for a motor vehicle comprising a vehicle body, a supporting frame, a steering gear box, a steering column supported in said vehicle body, said column rotatably supporting a steering shaft, a steering wheel connected to the upper end of said shaft, coupling means joining the lower end of said shaft to said gear box, frangible means connecting said gear box to a first portion of said frame, rigid longitudinally extending means having one end connected to a second portion of said frame and its other end connected to said gear box, said first and second portions of said frame being longitudinally spaced apart, said longitudinally extending means being constructed to cause said frangible means to be fractured and to force the separation of said steering gear box and said first portion of said frame when the distance between said first and second portions of said frame is decreased, said first portion of said frame being disposed forwardly in said vehicle of said second portion of said frame whereby said longitudinally extending means maintains the integrity of the position of said steering gear box relative to said second portion of said frame when said first portion of said frame is displaced.

Claim 9

A steering system for a motor vehicle comprising a vehicle body, a supporting frame, a steering gear box, a steering column supported in said vehicle body, said column rotatably supporting a steering shaft, a steering wheel connected to the upper end of said shaft, coupling means joining the lower end of said shaft to said gear box, frangible means connecting said gear box to a first portion of said frame, rigid longitudinally extending means having one end connected to a second portion of said frame and its other end connected to said gear box, said first and second portions of said frame being longitudinally spaced apart, said longitudinally extending means being constructed to cause said frangible means to be fractured and to force the separation of said steering gear box and said first portion of said frame when the distance between said first and second portions of said frame is decreased, said first portion of said frame being disposed forwardly in said vehicle of said second portion of said frame whereby said longitudinally extending means maintains the integrity of the position of said steering gear box relative to said second portion of said frame when said first portion of said frame is displaced.

Claim 10

A steering system for a motor vehicle having a vehicle body comprising a frame, steering means including a steering gear box and a steering column, said column rotatably supporting a steering shaft, a steering wheel connected to the upper end of said shaft, coupling means connecting said steering gear to the lower end of said steering shaft, mounting means supporting said steering means, said mouNting means including support means supporting said steering column in said body and frangible means connecting said steering gear to a first portion of said frame, rigid longitudinally extending support means having one end connected to said gear box and its other end connected to a second portion of said frame situated rearwardly of said gear box, said longitudinally extending support means being constructed to support said gear box against rearward displacement when said first portion of said frame is displaced in a rearward direction relative to said second portion and thereby cause said frangible means to be fractured.

Claim 11

A steering system for a motor vehicle having a vehicle body comprising a frame, steering means including a steering gear box and a steering column, said column rotatably supporting a steering shaft, a steering wheel connected to the upper end of said shaft, coupling means connecting said steering gear to the lower end of said steering shaft, mounting means supporting said steering means, said mouNting means including support means supporting said steering column in said body and frangible means connecting said steering gear to a first portion of said frame, rigid longitudinally extending support means having one end connected to said gear box and its other end connected to a second portion of said frame situated rearwardly of said gear box, said longitudinally extending support means being constructed to support said gear box against rearward displacement when said first portion of said frame is displaced in a rearward direction relative to said second portion and thereby cause said frangible means to be fractured.

Claim 12

A steering system for a motor vehicle comprising a supporting frame having longitudinally spaced apart first and second frame portions, a steering gear box, means supporting said gear box on said frame in substantially closer proximity to said first frame portion than said second frame portion, force transmitting means connected to said second frame portion, said force transmitting means being constructed to force the displacement of said gear box relative to said first frame portion when the spacing between said second frame portion and said first frame portion is reduced.

Claim 13

A steering system for a motor vehicle comprising a supporting frame having longitudinally spaced apart first and second frame portions, a steering gear box, means supporting said gear box on said frame in substantially closer proximity to said first frame portion than said second frame portion, force transmitting means connected to said second frame portion, said force transmitting means being constructed to force the displacement of said gear box relative to said first frame portion when the spacing between said second frame portion and said first frame portion is reduced.

Claim 14

A steering system for a motor vehicle according to claim 4 and including: support means supporting said steering column in said vehicle, said force transmitting means being further constructed to angularly displace said steering column about said support means with the consequent displacement of said steering wheel upwardly and forwardly in said body in response to the plastic deformation of the forward portion of said frame.

Claim 15

A steering system for a motor vehicle according to claim 4 and including: support means connecting said steering column to said vehicle, said force transmitting means having one end connected to said second frame portion forwardly of said gear box, said force transmitting means being constructed to displace said gear box rearwardly when said second frame portion is displaced rearwardly in a direction toward said gear box and thereby cause said steering column to be angularly displaced about said support means with the consequent displacement of said steering wheel upwardly and forwardly in said body.