Roll joint steering

Claim 2

In a vehicle having at least first and second interconnecting chassis portions rotatable with respect to one another about an inter-chassis roll axis, and a steering arrangement wherein steering gear on said first chassis portion of said vehicle is positively, mechanically, steeringly connected to vehicular steering means on said second chassis portion, the improvement in said steering arrangement of steering inter-connection means between said first and second chassis portions comprising: rotational bearing means providing an uninterrupted passageway along said inter-chassis roll axis between said first and second chassis portions, said bearing means having first and second bearing elements both spaced from said inter-chassis roll axis, said second bearing element being freely relatively rotatable with respect to said first bearing element about an axis of rotation which is normally concentric with said inter-chassis roll axis, said first bearing element connecting with said steering gear and being mounted for translation by said steering gear transversely of said inter-chassis roll axis, said second bearing element being rotatably mounted to said first bearing element for corresponding translation by said first bearing element transversely of said inter-chassis roll axis; and connecting means connecting said second bearing element with said vehicular steering means on said second chassis portion; whereby said steering arrangement is substantially unaffected by inter-chassis rotation.

Claim 3

The steering arrangement of claim 1 wherein said first and second bearing elements are rotatably mating concentric annular rings.

Claim 4

The steering arrangement of claim 1 wherein a inter-chassis vehicular drive shaft with an axis of rotation extending along said inter-chassis roll axis passes through said rotational bearing means.

Claim 5

The steering arrangement of claim 1 wherein vehicular inter-chassis electrical and hydraulic lines pass through said rotational bearing means adjacent said inter-chassis roll axis.

Claim 6

The steering arrangement of claim 1 wherein said second bearing element is mounted to said second chassis portion by connecting means providing freedom of movement of said second bearing element only along a generally linear axis transverse said inter-chassis roll axis.

Claim 7

In a vehicle having at least first and second interconnecting chassis portions rotatable with respect to one another about an inter-chassis roll axis, and a steering arrangement wherein steering gear on said first chassis portion of said vehicle is positively mechanically steeringly connected to vehicular wheel steering means on said second chassis portion, the improvement in said steering arrangement comprising: a steering shaft rotatably connected to said steering gear on said first chassis portion, said steering shaft having an axis of rotation parallel to and spaced from said inter-chassis roll axis, said steering shaft extending from said first chassis portion to said second chassis portion continuously spaced away from said inter-chassis roll axis; a steering lever at said second chassis portion connected to and rotated by said steering shaft, said steering lever extending from said axis of rotation of said steering shaft toward but spaced from said inter-chassis roll axis, said steering lever being connected to said vehicular wheel steering means on said second chassis portion for steering movement of said vehicular wheels; and rotatable cOnnector means rotatably inter-connecting said steering lever with said vehicular wheel steering means effectively geometrically at said inter-chassis roll axis so that inter-chassis roll imparts substantially no steering movement to said vehicular wheel steering means, said rotatable connecting means imparting steering movement to said vehicular wheel steering means by rotation of said steering lever by said steering shaft about said axis of rotation of said steering shaft; whereby said steering arrangement is substantially unaffected by said inter-chassis rotation.

Claim 8

In a vehicle having at least first and second interconnecting chassis portions rotatable with respect to one another about an inter-chassis roll axis, and a steering arrangement wherein steering gear on said first chassis portion of said vehicle is positively mechanically steeringly connected to vehicular wheel steering means on said second chassis portion, the improvement in said steering arrangement comprising: a steering shaft rotatably connected to said steering gear on said first chassis portion, said steering shaft having an axis of rotation parallel to and spaced from said inter-chassis roll axis, said steering shaft extending from said first chassis portion to said second chassis portion continuously spaced away from said inter-chassis roll axis; a steering lever at said second chassis portion connected to and rotated by said steering shaft, said steering lever extending from said axis of rotation of said steering shaft toward but spaced from said inter-chassis roll axis, said steering lever being connected to said vehicular wheel steering means on said second chassis portion for steering movement of said vehicular wheels; and rotatable cOnnector means rotatably inter-connecting said steering lever with said vehicular wheel steering means effectively geometrically at said inter-chassis roll axis so that inter-chassis roll imparts substantially no steering movement to said vehicular wheel steering means, said rotatable connecting means imparting steering movement to said vehicular wheel steering means by rotation of said steering lever by said steering shaft about said axis of rotation of said steering shaft; whereby said steering arrangement is substantially unaffected by said inter-chassis rotation.

Claim 9

The steering arrangement of claim 6 wherein: said steering lever is an annular hollow ring extending around and spaced from said inter-chassis roll axis, said ring having a circular bearing surface with a geometric center normally at said inter-chassis roll axis, said ring being rotatable by said steering gear about said axis of rotation of said steering shaft to provide eccentric rotation of said bearing surface relative to said inter-chassis roll axis; and wherein said rotatable connector means comprises a follower bearing on said second chassis portion spaced from said inter-chassis roll axis and engaging said bearing surface of said ring for translation of said follower bearing by said eccentric rotation of said bearing surface, said rotatable connector means providing free rotation of said ring without translation of said follower bearing for concentric rotation of said ring about said inter-chassis roll axis; and wherein said follower bearing steeringly connects with said vehicular wheel steering means on said second chassis.

Claim 10

The steering arrangement of claim 7 wherein said follower bearing is mounted to said second chassis portion by connecting means providing freedom of movement of said follower bearing only along a generally linear axis transverse said inter-chassis roll axis.

Claim 11

The steering arrangement of claim 7 wherein said ring and said rotatable connector means provide a large uninterrupted open passageway along said inter-chassis roll axis between said first and second chassis portions.

Claim 12

The steering arrangement of claim 9 wherein a inter-chassis vehicular drive shaft with an axis of rotation concentric said inter-chassis roll axis passes through said passageway.

Claim 13

The steering arrangement of claim 10 wherein vehicular inter-chassis electrical and hydraulic lines pass through said passageway directly adjacent said drive shaft.

Claim 14

The steering arrangement of claim 6 wherein a inter-chassis vehicular drive shaft with a central axis continuously directly concentric said inter-chassis roll axis passes between said first and second chassis portions continuously spaced from said steering arrangement.