Abstract: An energy-absorbing device for an automobile steering column having a body-tube housing the steering shaft. A support made as two parallel vertical members mountably fixed on a vehicle body mount the steering column axially between them. The body-tube has reinforcement members on two opposite sides. An attaching device compresses the reinforcement members in the support with a tightening non-rotatable bolt extending axially through the body-tube reinforcement members and the support members. A nut on one end of the bolt is tightened by an operator for establishing a determined level of a frictional force between the support and body tube.

Abstract: An energy-absorbing device disposed between two elements which are movable apart from each other in response to an externally applied force. The device has a wire coil winding having a plurality of turns at one end and a rectilinear length portion at another end extending away from a turn of the coil winding. One of the two elements has a support axis about which the coil winding turns are would axially thereof. A second of the two elements has an end of the rectilinear length portion of the wire secured thereto. The turns of the coil winding are deformable and unwind about the axis to absorb energy of a force applied in a direction parallel to the rectilinear relatively separating apart the two elements. The energy device is uable on automobile vehicle steering columns for absorbing impact forces.

Abstract: An energy-absorbing device for an automobile steering column adjustable in depth and/or inclination mounted on a support structure fixed to the vehicle body. The body-tube and steering shaft are clamped and locked in the support structure. A securing device with a rotatable elongate tightening element, such as a bolt or rod, and an operator for rotating the axis of the tightening element clamps the body-tube between coacting clamping elements and vertical sides of the support structure. Provision is made for depth adjustment and inclination of the steering column body-tube by slots in the clamping elements and support structure that allow positioning the tightening element axis at a selected position in accordance with a selected depth and inclination of the body-tube.

Abstract: An energy-absorbing device for an automobile steering column adjustable in depth and/or inclination mounted on a support structure fixed to the vehicle body. The body-tube and steering shaft are received in the support structure and clamped and locked therein by clamping elements coactive with the support structure. A locking device is provided with a rotatable elongate locking element to which is connected an operator for rotating the axis of the locking element in a direction for clamping the body-tube between coacting clamping elements and vertical sides of the support structure. The locking element is a bolt or rod having reverse pitch nuts on opposite ends and which tighten the sides of the support structure and clamping elements toward the body-tube to lock the body-tube in place when the locking element axis is rotated by the locking device operator.

Abstract: A device for coupling two shafts rotatable about a common axis comprises teeth at the end of one shaft and notches at the end of the other shaft. The teeth and the notches have conjugate profiles and inclined sides so that the teeth engage in the notches. An axial retention sleeve surrounds the ends of the two shafts and has bearing end faces substantially perpendicular to the common axis. A compression spring bears on one of the bearing end faces of the sleeve coupled axially to one of the two shafts and presses the ends of the two shafts against the other bearing end face of the sleeve.

Abstract: The fastening device is designed for assembling at least two elements (1, 2) one with respect to the other and consists of a system with a screw (3) and a nut (4). An axial removable guiding stop (5) is arranged between the external surface (7) of one of the elements (1) to be assembled and the head (32) of the screw (3) or the nut (4), which accommodates the tightening torque to bear against this external surface (7) after ejection of the guiding stop (5); whereas this guiding stop (5) ensures relative temporary and axial prepositioning so that the screw (3) or the nut (4) engages correctly into the nut (4) or the screw (3).FIG.

Abstract: An elastic coupling unit is arranged on an element of a motion transmission assembly. The motion transmission assembly includes at least one cardan joint on one extremity and an input plate and an output plate between which an elastic member is located. The elastic member and the annular face portions of each of the input and output plates are concave in shape so that the elastic member works together with the annular face portion of each plate. The concavity center of these various portions matches the conical rotation center of the assembly and is located on the output plate side of the center.

Abstract: Safety assembly for a separable coupling device, particularly for a motor vehicle steering column having two coaxially arranged shaft sections whose end portions are offset with respect to their common geometric axis and which overlap. Each shaft section carries a plate. Each plate is connected to the other plate by separable link pins.

Abstract: A monobloc coupling is formed from a sheet and is adapted to be connected, on the one hand, to a torque transmitting device, and on the other hand, to a receiving device. This coupling includes three sections along an axis. A linking section for lining the coupling with the torque transmitting device is provided and includes a hub which is axially split and which is connected to the torque transmitting device by a fastening unit. An intermediate section is provided and is formed with two claws having longitudinal rims. The rims have complementary profiles which fit together and absorb the stresses on the coupling unit. An angle is formed between two claws 6 and 7 so that the rims fit one another. A linking section 3 for linking the coupling with the receiving device is provided and includes linking or fastening legs. The coupling is useful in the steering units of automotive vehicles.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a steering column device for motor vehicles, including a steering-wheel shaft mounted in a body tube by means of two bearings disposed substantially at each end of the body tube. The body tube is supported by a holder near its front end and by a holder near its rear end. The body tube is supported near its front end by a flexible holder, and it is supported near its rear end by a holder that is adapted to permit vertical movement of the body tube in such a manner as to place the steering wheel in a desired vertical position. The steering wheel is locked in the desired vertical position by a locking system.

Abstract: A steering-column body tube for a motor vehicle is provided from a blank cut-out of a single metal sheet with which is formed two front fixing lugs, two rear fixing lugs, and a tube. The elements of the blank cut-out are rolled over in such a manner as to bring the edges of the tube together to form a tube possessing a front opening and a rear opening at the location of the front and rear fixing lugs. The fixing lugs, together with the tube, are a single part made as one piece. A linkage arm connects a front element of the tube with a rear element of the tube.

Abstract: A telescopic coupling for use in applications such as the steering systems of heavy trucks. The coupling has modes and includes a female member, a male member, and an interposed member which are connected together in a main sliding system operable in a first operating mode in which the male and female members are axially slidable relative to one another and the coupling is rotatable substantially without circumferential play. The female member, the male member, and the interposed member are joined together in a second sliding system operable in a second operating mode in which the male and female members are axially slidable relative to one another and the coupling is rotatable with a limited amount of circumferential play. The secondary sliding system ensures the safety of the main sliding system in the event of wear of the latter by the appearance of circumferential play in the coupling.

Abstract: A shaft retaining device having a shaft selectively retained as to translation and rotational movement. A sleeve coaxial with the shaft encloses a length of the shaft. The shaft has an outwardly projecting cam within the sleeve. A cam follower carried by the sleeve has a part thereof within the sleeve in a plane normal to the shaft axis and is cammed away from the shaft by the cam. The cam and cam follower have complementary profiles, one of which is a male profile and the other is a female profile, in which the cam and cam follower engage other effectively selectively immobilizing the shaft and sleeve as to relative translation movement when the cam and cam follower engage each other.

Abstract: A device comprises a single motor (30) and a transmission (40) associated with the motor (30) and with a sleeve (22) and which has an input (410) connected to the motor (30) and two outputs (421, 422) which are associated with a movable body (222). One of these outputs (421) is connected to a sliding element (2221) in order to cause it to move translationally, and the other of these outputs (422) is connected to a pivoting element (2222) in order to cause it to be inclined. The two outputs (421, 422) are activated at paired relative speeds in order to ensure the adjustment in terms of depth of the two elements (2221, 2222) of the movable body (222), and of sections (211, 212) of a shaft (21) which these elements carry, and so that only the output (422) connected to the pivoting element (2222) is activated in order to ensure adjustment in terms of inclination of the pivoting element ( 2222) and of the shaft section (211) which it carries.

Abstract: A rod with an increased capacity for buckling under length-wise load has a central portion bent in the form of an omega with a central bend joined to end portions by elbows. The cross-section of the central portion is formed, for example by plastic deformation, into the shape of a bow-tie or the mathematical symbol "infinity" which consists of two lateral lobes connected by a thin central core and which is inscribed in a rectangle of which the length is equal to at least twice its width. Such rod is used as a shaft in a motor vehicle safety steering column.

Abstract: The device for coupling a shaft provided with a rod (10) having a noncircular end (11) and a shaft provided with a yoke (20) having a U-shaped fork (21) capable of pivoting in a direction (25) perpendicular to their common axis (X--X) comprises a guide surface (321) on the yoke, a sleeve (330) at least partially enclosing the yoke and movable relative to the latter so as to unmask or mask the U of the fork, a resilient coil spring (340) normally biasing the sleeve to mask the fork, and a locking bolt (350) retaining the sleeve against the resilient bias.Application to motor vehicle steering systems when the rod is fastened to a pinion and the yoke is fastened to a universal joint jaw.

Abstract: The lock keeper intended to be mounted on the periphery (11) of a shaft (10) comprises discs (21), each pierced through with a central orifice (210) intended for receiving this shaft (10) in order to stack them on it, and is made integral in terms of rotation with this shaft (10) by means of an interlock (30) consisting of at least one projection (31)/notch (32) pair, of which one is formed in this central orifice (210) and the other is formed on the periphery (11) of this shaft (10), some of these discs (21) being equipped at their edge (211) with at least one indentation (212), these indentations (212) being intended to be aligned longitudinally so as to produce a receptacle (23) for receiving a bolt (12).The invention is used in the motor-vehicle industry.

Abstract: A hub (10) of a steering wheel and a terminal element (20) of a shaft are adapted to be interconnected by a wedging locking device (100) employing male and female cones and an axial clamping mechanism (200) employing a screw and a nut. A fine adjustment device includes at least one couple of pair of a groove (31) and a tongue (32) which extend longitudinally, are cooperative and complementary and adapted to be engaged one inside the other with confronting radial faces (301, 302) spaced apart from each other by a predetermined clearance, a toothed sector (33) and a confronting cavity (34) adapted to act as a semi-bearing for a gear pinion (35) capable of meshing with the toothed sector.

Abstract: A coupling device comprises a shackle (20) mounted to be pivotable about an axis (21) orthogonal to branches (22) of the shackle for surrounding a stem (12), a locking mechanism having a screw (31) and a nut (32), and a clip (40). The nut has a bevel (320), an orientation maintaining arrangement (321) and a cam (322) together with a brake (33). The clip is provided with elastically yieldable legs (41) for maintaining the clip in position, and arm (43) elastically biasing the nut (32) and, optionally, a safety strip (44) having a hook (440). This device permits easily, rapidly and reliably coupling the shackle and the stem associated with driving and driven shafts. The coupling device is applied in the steering device of an automobile wherein the shackle is connected to a yoke of a universal joint associated with a shaft, and wherein the stem is connected to a gear wheel of the steering box.

Abstract: A dog clutch includes complementary cooperative male and female connection parts, one of which parts is defined by a hub integral with a wheel while the other part is carried by an end part of a shaft and which have such configuration as to define a series of cylindrical peripheral bearing surfaces and to provide between two successive bearing surfaces radial abutments which define therebetween projections engaged in cavities. A centrifugal expansion device is disposed directly and at least partly in the end part so as to produce a radial expansion of the series of male bearing surfaces and normally achieve an immobilization by the effect of friction of the hub on the end part, and exceptionally achieve a locking against rotation by contact of the abutments.