Steering system

Claim 2

A vehicle steering system comprising, two independent vehicle steering systems which when actuated either together or individually will effect vehicle steering, each of said steering systems including, a steering cylinder connected to effect vehicle steering upon actuation thereof, a metering mechanism for metering fluid flow to said steering cylinder, and a valve for directing that flow to said steering cylinder, and means for operating each system upon operator actuation thereof, said metering mechanism and said valve for each system comprising parts of a fluid controller having an input shaft which when turned effects actuation of said valve and said metering mechanism, said means for operating said systems comprising means for effecting rotation of said input shaft of each of said fluid controllers, and said means for effecting rotation of said input shaft comprising a fluid motor connected with the shaft and a mechanism operated upon turning of the vehicle steering wheel for actuating said fluid motor.

Claim 3

A vehicle steering system comprising, two independent vehicle steering systems which when actuated either together or individually will effect vehicle steering, each of said steering systems including, a steering cylinder connected to effect vehicle steering upon actuation thereof, a metering mechanism for metering fluid flow to said steering cylinder, and a valve for directing that flow to said steering cylinder, and means for operating each system upon operator actuation thereof, said metering mechanism and said valve for each system comprising parts of a fluid controller having an input shaft which when turned effects actuation of said valve and said metering mechanism, said means for operating said systems comprising means for effecting rotation of said input shaft of each of said fluid controllers, and said means for effecting rotation of said input shaft comprising a fluid motor connected with the shaft and a mechanism operated upon turning of the vehicle steering wheel for actuating said fluid motor.

Claim 4

A vehicle steering system comprising, two independent vehicle steering systems which when actuated either together or individually will effect vehicle steering, each of said steering systems including, a steering cylinder connected to effect vehicle steering upon actuation thereof, a metering mechanism for metering fluid flow to said steering cylinder, and a valve for directing that flow to said steering cylinder, and means for operating each system upon operator actuation thereof, said metering mechanism and said valve for each system comprising parts of a fluid controller having an input shaft which when turned effects actuation of said valve and said metering mechanism, said means for operating said systems comprising means for effecting rotation of said input shaft of each of said fluid controllers, and said means for effecting rotation of said input shaft comprising a fluid motor connected with the shaft and a mechanism operated upon turning of the vehicle steering wheel for actuating said fluid motor.

Claim 5

A vehicle steering system as defined in claim 1 wherein said mechanism comprises a gerotor metering mechanism and a valve for porting fluid to said fluid motors.

Claim 6

A vehicle steering system comprising, two independent vehicle steering systems which when actuated either together or individually will effect vehicle steering, each of said steering systems including, a steering cylinder connected to effect vehicle steering upon actuation thereof, a metering mechanism for metering fluid flow to said steering cylinder, and a valve for directing the metered flow to said steering cylinder, and means for operating each system upon operator actuation thereof, each of said steering cylinders comprising an unbalanced cylinder having a pair of chambers of different volumes, conduits associated with said metering mechanisms for directing fluid into the higher volume chamber of one cylinder and the lower volume chamber of the other cylinder to effect steering in one direction, and said vehicle steering system including means for providing different fluid flow rates from said metering mechanisms to said higheR and lower volume chambers to effect steering in said one direction.

Claim 7

A vehicle steering system comprising, two independent vehicle steering systems which when actuated either together or individually will effect vehicle steering, each of said steering systems including, a steering cylinder connected to effect vehicle steering upon actuation thereof, a metering mechanism for metering fluid flow to said steering cylinder, and a valve for directing the metered flow to said steering cylinder, and means for operating each system upon operator actuation thereof, each of said steering cylinders comprising an unbalanced cylinder having a pair of chambers of different volumes, conduits associated with said metering mechanisms for directing fluid into the higher volume chamber of one cylinder and the lower volume chamber of the other cylinder to effect steering in one direction, and said vehicle steering system including means for providing different fluid flow rates from said metering mechanisms to said higheR and lower volume chambers to effect steering in said one direction.

Claim 8

A vehicle steering system comprising, a pair of fluid actuators connected to effect turning of wheels of a vehicle when actuated, each of said actuators being divided into two fluid chambers of high and low volume, conduits for directing fluid flow into the high volume chamber of one actuator and the low volume chamber of the other actuator for effecting steering in one direction and conduits for directing fluid flow into the low volume chamber of said one actuator and into the high volume chamber of the other actuator for effecting steering in the opposite direction, and means for effecting differential fluid flow into said high and low volume chambers to effect steering in a given direction including respective fluid controllers associated with each of said fluid actuators, each of said respective fluid controllers comprising, a valve for directing fluid selectively to one or the other of the two chambers of the fluid actuator with which said controller is associated and for receiving fluid from the other chamber of its associated fluid actuator, and metering means for metering the flow of fluid to said chambers.

Claim 9

A vehicle steering system comprising, a pair of fluid actuators connected to effect turning of wheels of a vehicle when actuated, each of said actuators being divided into two fluid chambers of high and low volume, conduits for directing fluid flow into the high volume chamber of one actuator and the low volume chamber of the other actuator for effecting steering in one direction and conduits for directing fluid flow into the low volume chamber of said one actuator and into the high volume chamber of the other actuator for effecting steering in the opposite direction, and means for effecting differential fluid flow into said high and low volume chambers to effect steering in a given direction including respective fluid controllers associated with each of said fluid actuators, each of said respective fluid controllers comprising, a valve for directing fluid selectively to one or the other of the two chambers of the fluid actuator with which said controller is associated and for receiving fluid from the other chamber of its associated fluid actuator, and metering means for metering the flow of fluid to said chambers.

Claim 10

A vehicle steering system as defined in claim 4 wherein said means for effecting said differential fluid flows includes means for differentially actuating said fluid controllers.

Claim 11

A vehicle steering system as defined in claim 4 wherein each of said fluid controllers has an input shaft which when turned effects actuation of said valve and metering mechanism.

Claim 12

A vehicle steering system as defined in claim 4 further including means for effecting rotation of said input shafts including a fluid motor connected with each of said shafts to effect rotation thereof and an operator-actuated fluid controller for actuating said fluid motors, said operator-actuated controller comprising a valve and a metering mechanism for directing flow to each of said fluid motors, said fluid motors being connected in parallel across said operator-actuated fluid controller.

Claim 13

A vehicle steering system comprising, a first fluid controller including an input shaft for connection to the steering wheel of a vehicle and a metering valve mechanism connected to said input shaft for providing a metered flow of fluid at a first flow rate in response to rotation of said input shaft, first and second fluid motors each having an output shaft, said first and second motors connected in fluid communication with said metering valve mechanism of said first fluid controller and operable to provide rotation of their respective output shafts in response to metered flow of fluid supplied thereto, second and third fluid controllers each including an input shaft connected to a respective output shaft of said first and second motors and a metering valve mechanism connected to the respective input shaft for providing respective metered flows of fluid at a second flow rate in reponse to movement of the respective input shaft, and third and fourth motors each including a movable output member for connection to the steered wheels of vehicle, said third and fourth motors each including movable fluid-operated means connected to its output member and connected in fluid communication with and operated by a respective one of said second and third fluid controllers.

Claim 14

A vehicle steering system comprising, a first fluid controller including an input shaft for connection to the steering wheel of a vehicle and a metering valve mechanism connected to said input shaft for providing a metered flow of fluid at a first flow rate in response to rotation of said input shaft, first and second fluid motors each having an output shaft, said first and second motors connected in fluid communication with said metering valve mechanism of said first fluid controller and operable to provide rotation of their respective output shafts in response to metered flow of fluid supplied thereto, second and third fluid controllers each including an input shaft connected to a respective output shaft of said first and second motors and a metering valve mechanism connected to the respective input shaft for providing respective metered flows of fluid at a second flow rate in reponse to movement of the respective input shaft, and third and fourth motors each including a movable output member for connection to the steered wheels of vehicle, said third and fourth motors each including movable fluid-operated means connected to its output member and connected in fluid communication with and operated by a respective one of said second and third fluid controllers.

Claim 15

A vehicle steering system according to claim 8, a first source of fluid connected to said first fluid controller and operable to deliver fluid at a first flow rate, a second source of fluid connected to said second fluid controller and operable to deliver fluid at a second fluid flow rate, and a third source of fluid connected to said third fluid controller and operable to deliver fluid at said second flow rate.

Claim 16

A vehicle steering system according to claim 8 wherein said first and second fluid motors are connected in a parallel fluid communication with said first fluid controller.

Claim 17

A vehicle steering system according to claim 8 wherein said third and fourth fluid motors each include fluid-operated cylinders each having a piston which carries the respective output member.

Claim 18

A vehicle steering system according to claim 8 further including a link connecting said output members of said third and fourth fluid motors.