Patent FR472997A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3917015A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3917015A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vehicle steering control
Assignee: Danfoss Power Solutions Inc
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Filing: 1973-06-19
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Granted: 1975-11-04
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Expires: 1993-06-19
Abstract
Abstract A steering system for a land vehicle wherein the right and left side are supported by independent supporting means, e.g. wheels or track units, embodying variable speed driving circuits capable of driving the right and left side supporting means of the machine at different speeds, a speed control for controlling the right and left variable driving means in the same direction by equal amounts to regulate in unison the speeds of the right and left side of the machine and a steering control, either manual or automatic, for relatively operating the right and left variable speed driving means to vary the speeds between the right and left side of the machine to effect steering.
Inventors
- 👤 Royal R Hawkins
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 06:53
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16H; F16H61/00; F16H61/38; F16H61/40; F16H61/44; F16H61/456; B; B62; B62D; B62D11/00; B62D11/02; B62D11/06; B62D11/10; B62D11/14; B62D11/18; B62D11/183
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
375 words
A system to control the steering of a vehicle having a right side and a left side and further having right and left, front and back propelling means capable of being driven at variable speeds, said system comprising: first variable speed driving means for providing an output signal to drive said right, front and back propelling means; second variable speed driving means for providing an output signal to drive said left, front and back propelling means; first and second output terminal means connected to said first and second variable speed driving means respectively for receiving said output signals and adapted to be connected to respective ones of said right and left, front and back propelling means for controlling the speed thereof; input terminal means adapted to be connected to a source of power; steering control means connected to said input terminal means for providing an output signal to control turning of said right and left, front and back propelling means; third output terminal means connected to said steering control means for receiving said output signal therefrom and adapted to control the turning of said right and left, front and back propelling means; and, transducer means connected between said terminals and said variable speed driving means adapted to be responsive to the turning of the propelling means controlled by said steering control means for adjusting said variable speed driving means, wherein said transducer means comprises a first potentiometer having a first resistive element connected to said input terminal means and a first wiper arm adapted to be responsive to the turning of said right front and left front propelling means, said wiper arm being connected from said first resistive element to said first variable speed driving means, said transducer means further comprising a second potentiometer having a second resistive element connected to said input terminal means and a second wiper arm adaptive to be responsive to the turning of said right back and left back propelling means, said second wiper arm being connected between said second resistive element and said second variable speed driving means, whereupon said propelling means are turned to control the direction of the vehicle and the speeds of the propelling means are differentially varied to aid in the steering of the vehicle.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
375 words
A system to control the steering of a vehicle having a right side and a left side and further having right and left, front and back propelling means capable of being driven at variable speeds, said system comprising: first variable speed driving means for providing an output signal to drive said right, front and back propelling means; second variable speed driving means for providing an output signal to drive said left, front and back propelling means; first and second output terminal means connected to said first and second variable speed driving means respectively for receiving said output signals and adapted to be connected to respective ones of said right and left, front and back propelling means for controlling the speed thereof; input terminal means adapted to be connected to a source of power; steering control means connected to said input terminal means for providing an output signal to control turning of said right and left, front and back propelling means; third output terminal means connected to said steering control means for receiving said output signal therefrom and adapted to control the turning of said right and left, front and back propelling means; and, transducer means connected between said terminals and said variable speed driving means adapted to be responsive to the turning of the propelling means controlled by said steering control means for adjusting said variable speed driving means, wherein said transducer means comprises a first potentiometer having a first resistive element connected to said input terminal means and a first wiper arm adapted to be responsive to the turning of said right front and left front propelling means, said wiper arm being connected from said first resistive element to said first variable speed driving means, said transducer means further comprising a second potentiometer having a second resistive element connected to said input terminal means and a second wiper arm adaptive to be responsive to the turning of said right back and left back propelling means, said second wiper arm being connected between said second resistive element and said second variable speed driving means, whereupon said propelling means are turned to control the direction of the vehicle and the speeds of the propelling means are differentially varied to aid in the steering of the vehicle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system according to claim 1 wherein said steering control means comprises sensing means adaptive to be responsive to a preset reference wherein said turning of said right and left, front and back propelling means is automatically controlled relative to said reference.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system according to claim 2 further comprising a speed control potentiometer having a resistive element connected to said input terminal and a wiper arm connected to said first and second variable speed driving means.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
287 words
A system to control the steering of a vehicle having a right side and a left side and further having right and left, front and back propelling means capable of being driven at variable speeds, said system comprising: first variable speed driving means for providing a first output signal to drive said right, front and back propelling means; second variable speed driving means for providing a second output signal to drive said left, front and back propelling means; a source of power; steering control means connected to said source of power for providing an output signal to control the turning of said right and left, front and back propelling means; and, transducer means connected between said source of power and said first and second variable speed driving means responsive to the turning of said propelling means for adjusting said first and second variable speed driving means, wherein said transducer means comprises a first potentiometer having a first resistive element connected to said source of power and a first wiper arm responsive to the turning of said right front and left front propelling means, said first wiper arm being connected from said first resistive element to said first variable speed driving means, said transducer means further comprising a second potentiometer having a second resistive element connected to said source of power and having a second wiper arm responsive to the turning of said right back and left back propelling means, said second wiper arm being connected between said second resistive element and said variable speed driving means, whereupon said propelling means are turned to control the direction of the vehicle and the speeds of the propelling means are differentially varied to aid in the steering of the vehicle.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
287 words
A system to control the steering of a vehicle having a right side and a left side and further having right and left, front and back propelling means capable of being driven at variable speeds, said system comprising: first variable speed driving means for providing a first output signal to drive said right, front and back propelling means; second variable speed driving means for providing a second output signal to drive said left, front and back propelling means; a source of power; steering control means connected to said source of power for providing an output signal to control the turning of said right and left, front and back propelling means; and, transducer means connected between said source of power and said first and second variable speed driving means responsive to the turning of said propelling means for adjusting said first and second variable speed driving means, wherein said transducer means comprises a first potentiometer having a first resistive element connected to said source of power and a first wiper arm responsive to the turning of said right front and left front propelling means, said first wiper arm being connected from said first resistive element to said first variable speed driving means, said transducer means further comprising a second potentiometer having a second resistive element connected to said source of power and having a second wiper arm responsive to the turning of said right back and left back propelling means, said second wiper arm being connected between said second resistive element and said variable speed driving means, whereupon said propelling means are turned to control the direction of the vehicle and the speeds of the propelling means are differentially varied to aid in the steering of the vehicle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system according to claim 4 wherein said steering control means comprises a sensing means responsive to a preset reference wherein said turning of said right and left, front and back propelling means is automatically controlled relative to said reference.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system according to claim 5 further comprising a speed control potentiometer having a resistive element connected to said source of power and wiper arm connected to said first and second variables speed driving means.
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) | 1978-11-03 | 1979-05-05 | 1979-11-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-11-03 | 1983-05-05 | 1983-11-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-11-03 | 1987-05-05 | 1987-11-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |