Steering system for vehicle such as snowmobile

Claim 2

A steering system for a vehicle having a rear carrier assembly that includes ground engaging means, a front steering assembly that includes ground engaging means, and mounting means mounting said front steering assembly on said rear carrier assembly for pivotal movement about a steering axis lying in a plane of general symmetry of the vehicle, said system comprising: (a) adjustable means for limiting pivotal movement of said front steering assembly about said axis to a predetermined angle greater than zero degrees when said adjustment means is adjusted to an active position; and (b) said adjustable means being selectively adjustable to an inactive position for effecting pivotal movement of said front steering assembly beyond said predetermined angle.

Claim 3

A steering system according to claim 1 wherein said adjustable means includes: (a) a pin mounted on one assembly and a pair of spaced abutments mounted on the other assembly; and (b) said pin being moveable between an active position at which said pin is engageable by said abutments when said front steering assembly is pivoted through said predetermined angle, and an inactive position at which pin clears said abutments when said front steering assembly is pivoted beyond said predetermined angle.

Claim 4

A steering system according to claim 2 including bias means for resiliently biasing said pin toward its active position.

Claim 5

A steering assembly according to claim 3 including operator means connected to said pin and selectively operable to overcome the bias of said bias means.

Claim 6

A steering assembly according to claim 4 wherein said operator means is mounted on said front steering assembly.

Claim 7

A steering system according to claim 4 including receiver means in at least one of said abutments for receiving said pin after said front steering assembly has pivoted beyond said predetermined angle and said finger has moved from its inactive position to its active position for releasably locking said front steering assembly against rotation relative to said carrier assembly.

Claim 8

A steering system according to claim 2 wherein said pin is on said front steering assembly, and said abutments are on said rear carrier assembly.

Claim 9

A steering system according to claim 7 wherein said rear carrier assembly includes a projection containing an aperture whose axis is parallel to said steering axis, said pin being slidably mounted in said aperture, and said abutments on said rear carrier assembly constituting lateral projections thereon.

Claim 10

A steering system according to claim 8 wherein the axis of said aperture is parallel to said steering axis.

Claim 11

A steering system according to claim 9 wherein said operator means is in the form of a flexible cable that terminates in a pivotal lever mounted on said front steering assembly and adapted to be selectively pivoted by an operator.

Claim 12

A steering system according to claim 2 wherein said pin is on said rear carrier assembly and said abutments are on said front steering assembly.

Claim 13

A steering system according to claim 11 wherein said front carrier assembly includes a projection containing an aperture whose axis is parallel to said steering axis, said pin being slidable in said aperture, and said abutments are on said front steering assembly and are lateral projections thereon.

Claim 14

A steering assembly according to claim 12 wherein the axis of said aperture lies in the plane of general symmetry.

Claim 15

A vehicle comprising: (a) a rear carrier assembly that includes ground engaging means; (b) a front steering assembly having a steering column with handle bars at one end and ground engaging means at the other end, and a pair of spaced plates intermediate the handle bars and the ground engaging means; (c) mounting means engaged with said plates for mounting said front steering assembly on said rear carrier assembly for pivotal movement about a steering axis lying in a plane of general symmetry; (d) a pin slidably mounted on one assembly for translation along an axis that is parallel to said steering axis between and active position and an inactive position; (e) a pair of projections mounted on the other assembly and engagable by said pin when in its active position for limiting pivotal movement of said front steering assembly mounted about said steering axis to a predetermined angle; (f) means for biasing said pin toward its active position; and (g) a cable connecting said pin to a handle pivotably mounted on said handle bars for selectively moving said pin to its inactive position when said handle is pivoted.

Claim 16

A vehicle comprising: (a) a rear carrier assembly that includes ground engaging means; (b) a front steering assembly having a steering column with handle bars at one end and ground engaging means at the other end, and a pair of spaced plates intermediate the handle bars and the ground engaging means; (c) mounting means engaged with said plates for mounting said front steering assembly on said rear carrier assembly for pivotal movement about a steering axis lying in a plane of general symmetry; (d) a pin slidably mounted on one assembly for translation along an axis that is parallel to said steering axis between and active position and an inactive position; (e) a pair of projections mounted on the other assembly and engagable by said pin when in its active position for limiting pivotal movement of said front steering assembly mounted about said steering axis to a predetermined angle; (f) means for biasing said pin toward its active position; and (g) a cable connecting said pin to a handle pivotably mounted on said handle bars for selectively moving said pin to its inactive position when said handle is pivoted.

Claim 17

A vehicle according to claim 14 wherein the ground engaging means on said front steering assembly comprises: (a) a ski runner pivotably mounted on said front steering assembly about an axis transverse to the steering column; and (b) a suspension wing connecting the rear end of the ski to said steering column, said link being constructed and arranged to resiliently urge the ski to a position perpendicular to the steering axis.