Land vehicles – Wheeled – Running gear
Patent
1986-06-03
1988-01-12
Love, John J.
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Running gear
180155, B62D 706
Patent
active
047186860
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention is concerned with a steering arrangement, particularly for narrow-gage motor vehicles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the construction described by DE-A No. 16 30 616, directed towards economies of manufacture and shock damping, a piston rod of an actuator represents a tie-rod having longitudinal rigidity, and this can be combined with the usual tie-rod ends and toe-in adjustments. Thereby, the actuator itself, in its central portion, is held in or upon a linkage connection which, swiveling about the longitudinal central axis of the vehicle, is guided on a receptacle fastened to the front axle pillow block or an adjacent fixed element, translatably in the longitudinal direction as well as pivoting about a vertical axis. The linkage connection should thereby exhibit a slot-shaped guide which in turn is guided horizontally in a fork-shaped projection of the front axle slidably in a straight line, in that the fork-shaped projection exhibits a pin engaging the slot in the guide at right angles. A preferred embodiment of this arrangement involves two collinear fork-shaped protrusions and two pins engaging the latter which are fastened to the envelope of the actuator. Due to the straight-line guidance provided, a non-central arrangement of the linkage is precluded, because the actuating piston describes a curved path with respect to the axle housing.
When utilized as a pivoting axis, this known construction with straight-line guidance and central arrangement is particularly suited for narrow-gage or compact vehicles. The foregoing is limited, however only to constructions where the linkage connection in the middle of the actuator to the axle body or any other stationary point does not interfere spatially with the suspension of the axle in the vehicle frame, or that its accessibility is seriously reduced. In order to avoid this, the linkage connection must jut out relatively far. Otherwise one has to put up with corresponding large spaces between the axle and the actuator and corresponding widely cantilevered steering.
With increasing distance from the axle body and increasing protrusion of the steering levers, however, there increases the necessary longitudinal translatability of the pins, the danger of damage, the obstacles to space utilization and also the stress on the linkage connection elements, steering levers etc. In addition, there is the danger, which must not be underestimated, in the case of all-terrain vehicles, e.g. tractors, of dirt accumulation and damage caused by rocks and other obstacles along the way due to the extensively cantilevered fork construction with slot-shaped guidance. Rapidly occurring wear of the linkage can therefore soon lead to strong impacts, loud clatter and unsteady stability of steering, or even to rupture of the steering.
It is therefore an object of this invention to obtain a more compact, more robust and more reliable steering arrangement, in particular for the pivoting suspension of driven axles for narrow-gage vehicles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
By the selection of a linkage connection suitable for curved-path motion of the actuator, and its attachment on one of the ends of the actuator, rather than in the middle as linkages operating in a straight line, so much space is gained with respect to the pivot bearing or the axle that actuator and axle can be arranged much closer to each other via their specially shaped connecting lever which exhibits limited but angularly universally movable articulation. Thereby also only very short steering levers are needed and the construction becomes even more compact. Due to the short distance the relative motions of the linkage elements are minimized. Accordingly, a simpler and more wear-resistant as well as easily guardable type of linkage connection can be used which, in addition, is less highly stressed and less endangered by dirt accumulation or physical damage than the fork-shaped one which is attached according to the state of the art in the center of the actuator. Unsprung sliding moti
REFERENCES:
patent: 1775176 (1930-09-01), Stokes
patent: 3008743 (1961-11-01), Westercamp
patent: 3028172 (1962-04-01), Herbenar
patent: 3887211 (1975-06-01), Mazur
patent: 4403671 (1983-09-01), Schmahl
patent: 4536003 (1985-08-01), Maurer et al.
Dziuba Peter
Fusseder Gunter
Jurgen Rauter
Dubno Herbert
Ferriter Karin
Love John J.
Ross Karl F.
Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen AG
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