Abstract: A steering control system is provided for a vehicle having a steering wheel, steerable wheels, and a hydraulic steering actuator for controlling a steering angle of the steerable wheels in response to a hydraulic control signal. The steering control system includes a hydro-mechanical valve coupled to the steering wheel and generating a first hydraulic signal as a function of steering wheel position, an electro-hydraulic valve generating a second hydraulic signal as a function of an electronic control signal, an electronic control unit generating the electronic control signal, and a hydraulic combining unit which combines the first and second hydraulic signals supplies the hydraulic control signal to the hydraulic steering actuator. The steering control system also includes a steering wheel angle sensor, a yaw rate sensor, and a steered wheel angle sensor. The control unit generates an electronic control signal as a function of the sensor signals.

Abstract: A loader bucket orientation indicating system is provided for a bucket pivotal at an end of a loader boom. The system includes a support member having a base fixed to a side of an arm of the boom and a shaft projecting from the base. A pivot plate includes a central hub rotatably mounted on the shaft and an arm projecting outwardly from the central hub. An outer end of the arm forming a visible bucket position indicator. A linkage couples the bucket to the pivot plate so that the pivot plate rotates clockwise and counter-clockwise as the bucket rotates clockwise and counter-clockwise, respectively, with respect to the boom. A rotary device has a base fixed with respect to the boom arm, and has a rotary member coupled to the base by a non-rigid coupling. The rotary member has a visible mark thereon. The position of the bucket position indicator relative to the mark provides an indication of bucket orientation.

Abstract: A loader light assembly is provided for a tractor-mounted loader having a boom pivotally mounted on the tractor and a bucket pivotally mounted on an end of the boom. The light assembly includes a base fixed to a portion of the boom, an electric light unit, and a rotational coupling, such as a viscous fan drive unit, coupled between the base and the light unit. The light unit moves with the boom and rotates with respect to the boom so that the beam projected by the light unit is directed always in substantially the same direction regardless of boom position despite pivoting movement of the boom. The base includes a magnet which releasably clamps the base to a side surface of the boom.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and materials used to isolate and detect a high bone mass gene and a corresponding wild-type gene, and mutants thereof. The present invention also relates to the high bone mass gene, the corresponding wild-type gene, and mutants thereof. The genes identified in the present invention are implicated in bone development. The invention also provides nucleic acids, including coding sequences, oligonucleotide primers and probes, proteins, cloning vectors, expression vectors, transformed hosts, methods of developing pharmaceutical compositions, methods of identifying molecules involved in bone development, and methods of diagnosing and treating diseases involved in bone development. In preferred embodiments, the present invention is directed to methods for treating, diagnosing and preventing osteoporosis.