Safety steering for motor vehicles

Claim 1

In a safety steering of the type including a steering wheel, a steering spindle means being displaceable during an accident, a hollow column means surrounding said steering spindle means and being displaceable therewith during an accident, and a plastically deformable deformation means concentrically surrounding at least a portion of both said column means and said steering spindle means, said deformation means being changeable in length during an accident, wherein said deformation means includes at least one hollow body having an inner diameter only slightly larger than the outer diameter of said column means, the improvement comprising holding means for supporting said column means, said holding means including a movable member being spaced at a predetermined dimension from a first end of said deformation means facing said steering wheel such that said movable member pushes against said first end upon impact of a driver on said steering wheel during an accident, and said deformation means having a second end facing away from said steering wheel and being supported at a fixed vehicle part separated at a second predetermined distance from the end wall of a vehicle passenger compartment to prevent impact forces of said end wall from effecting said deformation means.