Machine element or mechanism – Control lever and linkage systems – Hand operated
Patent
1995-09-01
1997-04-01
Marmor, Charles A.
Machine element or mechanism
Control lever and linkage systems
Hand operated
74110, 74495, 33203, B60S 500, B62D 122
Patent
active
056155816
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns devices for analysing end tuning motor vehicles, and in particular a remotely controlled device for rotating the steering-wheel and then taking it back to the starting position.
It is known that the front steering wheels of motor vehicles require a periodical check and truing operation of their toe-in in order to verify the correctness of the various angles characterizing the forecarriage kinematic mechanism. In carrying out said toe-in operation, the front wheels are repeatedly steered one way and the other by means of the steering-wheel, in order to allow also the alignment of the steering-wheel spiders with the wheels, so that the driver is not obliged, to keep the steering-wheel lightly rotated on one side to go straight.
This rotation of the steering-wheel is usually carried out manually by the person carrying out the toe-in operation, which blocks the steering-wheel in the desired position by means of a suitable device, or by an assistant thereof whim rotates and blocks the steering-wheel according to the instructions of the operator which is under the vehicle,
2. The Prior Art
An example of a remotely controlled apparatus capable of rotating the steering wheel of an automobile is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,465,577. However, this apparatus is mainly intended to manipulate the control pedals and the gear shift lever, while having the optional capability of rotating the steering wheel by means of a pair of rollers having a soft surface to contact the steering wheel ring. It is apparent that this arrangement does not prevent the rollers from sliding on the ring, particularly at the end of the steering run. Moreover, it can not be applied to steering wheels having a shape other than exactly circular (e.g. oval or rounded square), otherwise the rollers would not contact the ring properly along certain arcs of the rotation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a remotely controlled device overcoming the above-cited drawbacks of the prier art and suitable to replace properly the operator's assistant, so that the operator himself can carry out precise steering-wheel adjustments with no need to move from his working position.
A further object of the captioned device is taking back the steering-wheel exactly to the starting position at the end of the operation.
These objects are achieved by means of a device consisting of an upper portion for gripping the steering-wheel ring by means of jaws, a central frame carrying a motor, together with means for transmitting the motion of the motor, and means for detecting and memorizing the rotations of the steering-wheel, and a lower portion with supporting members which provide the device with the base required to react to the steering-wheel reaction torque.
Therefore, the device according to the present invention allows to carry out a very fine and precise adjustment of the steering-wheel movement, absolutely impossible to be achieved manually or with prior art devices, so that the truing of the wheel toe-in can be carried out with great precision.
Another advantage of the captioned device is its capacity of memorizing the steering-wheel starting position and the following rotations thereof, so that it is capable of automatically taking back the steering-wheel exactly to said position at the end of the operation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other advantages end characteristics of the device according to the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, reported as a non-limiting example, referring to the annexed drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a partly see-through view of the captioned device, wherein the movement of the lower portion is indicated by the dotted lines;
FIG. 2 is a see-through view of the upper portion of the device mounted on steering-wheel; end
FIG. 3 is a front view of the device mounted on a steering-wheel and with the lower portion in the retrac
REFERENCES:
patent: 2531675 (1950-11-01), Field
patent: 3003363 (1961-10-01), De Hart
patent: 3762239 (1973-10-01), Rouis
patent: 3889527 (1975-06-01), Wallace
patent: 3895545 (1975-07-01), Hunter
Grabow Troy
Marmor Charles A.
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