Patent US4634920A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3872794A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3872794A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vehicle steering system
Assignee: LTV Aerospace Corp
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Filing: 1973-04-02
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Granted: 1975-03-25
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Expires: 1993-04-02
Abstract
Abstract A vehicle steering system for a vehicle movable over a roadway having side guide walls, having a roadway steering mechanism for each pair of transversely aligned wheels of the vehicle, each mechanism having a steering member or follower bar engageable at its opposite ends with the roadway guide walls and transversely movable relative to the vehicle for turning its associated pair of wheels in accordance with such relative transverse movement to hold the vehicle in proper alignment on the roadway during its movement thereover. The linkage of each roadway steering mechanism may also include a motion translating device to permit the vehicle to be moved with either end forward. The steering system includes a tow steering mechanism having a linkage connecting the rear and front pairs of wheels of the vehicle so that it may be towed when off the roadway over a planar surface with the rear wheels turning relative to the vehicle about vertical axes in direction opposite the directions of turning movement of the front wheels relative to the vehicle to shorten the possible radius of turn of the vehicle and minimize tire wear.
Inventors
- 👤 William P Goode
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 15:13
CPC Classifications
B; B61; B61F; B61F9/00; B62; B62D; B62D1/00; B62D1/24; B62D1/26; B62D1/265
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
345 words
A steering system for a vehicle movable over a roadway having longitudinal side guide surfaces, the vehicle having a frame and pairs of transversely aligned wheels mounted on king pins connected to the frame and rotatable about substantially vertical axes, the king pins of each pair of transversely aligned wheels being connected for simultaneous turning movement about the axes of their king pins, at least one of the king pins of each pair of wheels having a steering arm extending therefrom, said steering system including: a separate roadway steering mechanism for each pair of wheels, each said roadway steering mechanism including: a steering member mounted on a portion of the vehicle for movement relative thereto and engageable with the side guide surfaces of the roadway, a linkage connecting said steering arm of the king pin of one of the pair of wheels whose turning movements are controllable by said steering member for causing said pair of wheels to turn about said axes in accordance with the movement of said steering member relative to the vehicle frame upon engagement of said steering member with the side guide surfaces, the steering system including a tow steering mechanism for controlling the turning movement of the wheels when the vehicle is moving over a surface other than that provided by the roadway, said tow steering mechanism including: a tow member at the end of the frame connectible to a towing means; a linkage connecting said tow member to one of the king pins of the pair of wheels adjacent said one and for causing turning movement of the king pins of the wheels in accordance with the turning movement of the towing means; and a second linkage connecting the king pin on one of the wheels of the pair of wheels with the king pin of one of the wheels of the other pair of wheels for causing said other pair of wheels to turn relative to the frame in a direction opposite to the direction of turning movement of said one pair of wheels relative to the frame.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
345 words
A steering system for a vehicle movable over a roadway having longitudinal side guide surfaces, the vehicle having a frame and pairs of transversely aligned wheels mounted on king pins connected to the frame and rotatable about substantially vertical axes, the king pins of each pair of transversely aligned wheels being connected for simultaneous turning movement about the axes of their king pins, at least one of the king pins of each pair of wheels having a steering arm extending therefrom, said steering system including: a separate roadway steering mechanism for each pair of wheels, each said roadway steering mechanism including: a steering member mounted on a portion of the vehicle for movement relative thereto and engageable with the side guide surfaces of the roadway, a linkage connecting said steering arm of the king pin of one of the pair of wheels whose turning movements are controllable by said steering member for causing said pair of wheels to turn about said axes in accordance with the movement of said steering member relative to the vehicle frame upon engagement of said steering member with the side guide surfaces, the steering system including a tow steering mechanism for controlling the turning movement of the wheels when the vehicle is moving over a surface other than that provided by the roadway, said tow steering mechanism including: a tow member at the end of the frame connectible to a towing means; a linkage connecting said tow member to one of the king pins of the pair of wheels adjacent said one and for causing turning movement of the king pins of the wheels in accordance with the turning movement of the towing means; and a second linkage connecting the king pin on one of the wheels of the pair of wheels with the king pin of one of the wheels of the other pair of wheels for causing said other pair of wheels to turn relative to the frame in a direction opposite to the direction of turning movement of said one pair of wheels relative to the frame.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
The steering system of claim 1, wherein said second linkage includes an overload device whose length varies in accordance with the direction of the longitudinal force exerted thereon when said force exceeds a predetermined value if the force resisting turning movement of said pair of wheels in either direction exceeds a predetermined value.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
145 words
The steering system of claim 2, wherein said overload device constitutes a longitudinal link of said linkage and includes an elongate housing having a pair of longitudinally spaced internal stop means and a plunger longitudinally movable in said housing and said plunger having a pair of longitudinally spaced external stop members, a pair of movable members movable longitudinally in said housing and disposed between said stop means; and resilient means between said slidable member yieldably biasing said slidable members in opposite directions with a predetermined force against said stop means, said movable members being disposed between said plunger stop members and engageable thereby whereby movement of said plunger and said housing relative to one another in either longitudinal direction is prevented by said resilient means until the force tending to move said housing and said plunger longitudinally relative to one another exceeds a predetermined value.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
57 words
The steering system of claim 3, wherein one of said stop members is adjustable relative to the other of said stop members for adjusting the force exerted by said resilient means and said slidable members, said housing and said plunger having means remote from one another for connecting them to spaced movable elements of said second linkage.
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) | 1978-03-24 | 1978-09-23 | 1979-03-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-24 | 1982-09-23 | 1983-03-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-24 | 1986-09-23 | 1987-03-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |