Abstract: An auxiliary wheeled support for the rear of a trailer works in combination with the wheeled front trailer jack to increase the maneuverability of the trailer by raising the main trailer wheels off the ground. The invention disclosed swings to a storage position when not in use, and is adjustable to fit a range of trailer heights.

Abstract: An attachment for tractors is mounted on the tractor frame, and provides an endless track system for supporting and driving the tractor through power supplied with chains engaging sprockets secured to the conventional drive wheels. The position of the track system permits it to remain elevated until the main drive wheels settle down into soft ground. The track speed is established at the effective peripheral velocity of the drive wheels.

Abstract: A vehicle four wheel drive system including an engine located in the front part of the vehicle body adjacent to the front wheel axles with the output shaft arranged to extend transversely of the vehicle body. A transmission is provided at a side of the engine and has an input shaft connected with the output shaft of the engine through a power clutch. On the front wheel axles, there is a front inter-wheel differential gear mechanism. At a side of the inter-wheel differential gear opposite to the engine, there is an inter-axle differential gear and a transfer gear is located at a side of the inter-axle differential gear opposite to the inter-wheel differential gear. There is further provided a differential restricting device which may be a differential lock device or a differential limiting device. The device is located at a side of the transfer gear opposite to the inter-axle differential gear.

Abstract: A driving free distribution transmission for use with a vehicle with fourwheel drive. The vehicle has first and second drive shafts which are connected with the front and rear wheels, respectively. The transmission has a hydraulic clutch, a differential pump, a bias spring, and a selector valve. The clutch has outer and inner plates which are caused to frictionally engage with each other to transmit rotary power between the two drive shafts. The pump produces a hydraulic pressure corresponding to the difference between the rotating speeds of the drive shafts. The oil delivered by the pump is forced into a reservoir through a first passage in which a restrictor is formed. A second passage connects the pump with an oil chamber in the clutch. A third passage connects the oil chamber with the reservoir without via the restrictor. The spring always presses the outer and inner plates towards each other.

Abstract: The lift unit comprises a bracket portion that is secured to the trailer tongue and a hinge portion that pivots on the bracket portion about a horizontal axis to raise and lower a chain for flexing and relaxing a spring bar that when flexed, serves to transfer a portion of the tongue weight to the towing vehicle. A flat rectangular member is eccentrically mounted on the side of the hinge portion to hang in the 6:00 o'clock position unless acted upon by influences other than gravity. When the hinge portion is operated to raise the chain and thereby flex the spring bar, a longer side of the rectangular member abuts and rides along the edge of a side of the bracket portion resulting in the member being swung clockwise to about the 8:00 o'clock position when full chain elevating position is reached. At this time one corner of the member drops into a notch in the bracket portion and prevents the hinge portion from being operated in the direction of chain lowering.

Abstract: A ski binding for attaching the front of the boot to a cross-country ski. A connection element is provided which has a first portion attached to the ski and has a second portion attached to the front of the boot. The connection element is constructed so as to permit the heel of the boot to pivot about an axis oblique to the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the ski. In one embodiment the connection element is flexible and contains a zone of least rigidity which defines the axis. In another embodiment, the connection element comprises a joint which is oriented so that the axis around which the front of the boot pivots around the joint is oblique to the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the ski. In a preferred embodiment each binding is placed on a ski and is so oriented that the axes from each binding on the pair of parallel skis converge forward and downward.

Abstract: A kerb climbing device for a wheelchair having a pair of wheels of relatively small diameter comprises a guide arm and a lifting arm mounted centrally between the wheels for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis extending between opposed sides of the wheelchair. The guide arm and lifting arm extend forwardly of the wheels in an operative position of the device in which the free end of the lifting arm is spaced above the free end of the guide arm. The free end of the guide arm is arranged for locating against the kerb and the lifting arm is pivotal in response to engagement of the free end of the guide arm with the kerb to lower the free end of the lifting arm onto the kerb and lift the wheels of the ground thereby facilitating mounting of the kerb.

Abstract: In a servosteering arrangement, a control mechanism combines a pressure operated valve responsive to servomotor chamber pressure, and a solenoid and plunger responsive to speed of the vehicle by means of a proportional magnet solenoid for controlling reaction chamber pressure and thus the manual force required to be exerted by a driver for steering a vehicle. Thus, a variable throttle pressure responsive valve combined with a speed responsive solenoid responsive inversely to speed, controls the manual steering force necessary to effect steering at various speeds, particularly in tright curves at low speeds with high servomotor pressures. An important safety feature in the event of failure of solenoid current is the maintenance of openness of the pressure operated valve with consequent high resistance to steering.

Abstract: Transport carrier apparatus and techniques are described for transporting repair items to and from an agricultural pivot sprinkler device of the type used to irrigate row crops. The apparatus is self-propelled and includes: (a) a frame having an open front to receive repair items, (b) support area at the front of the frame to support the repair items being transported, (c) at least four wheels attached to the frame to support it above the ground, (d) a power source (e.g., a gasoline engine) for driving the wheels, and (e) handles on the rear portion of the frame for steering the apparatus. The transport apparatus is sufficiently narrow to enable it to travel between adjacent rows of growing row crops so that replacement wheels, gear boxes, etc. can be transported to and from a tower of the sprinkler system without trampling the crops. In a preferred embodiment the apparatus includes a transmission having forward and reverse gears.

Abstract: A rack and pinion steering gear has a hybrid metal/plastic housing including a shell of engineering plastic for weight conservation and a metal sleeve for strength and durability. The shell has a bore therein with an internal frustoconical shoulder around one end. The sleeve is conveniently fabricated as an extrusion and has a cylindrical small end and a cylindrical big end and an external frustoconical shoulder therebetween. The steering gear pinion shaft is rotatably supported in the small end of the sleeve and the small end of the sleeve is received in the bore in the plastic shell. A lock nut threaded onto a cap on the sleeve draws the sleeve into the bore in the shell until the external shoulder seats against the internal shoulder.

Abstract: Separate left and right hydrostatic transmission (15) for controlling rotation of left and right final drive wheels (11) of a working vehicle independently are disposed laterally inwardly of the drive wheels in a vertical posture such that, while an input shaft (23) extends upwardly, an output shaft (24) extends downwardly. To each of the hydrostatic transmissions is attached a L-shaped gear box (16) which extends over lower and outer sides of the hydrostatic transmission and supports the axle (17) of final drive wheel at its upstanding portion. within the box is housed first and second reduction gear trains which form a L-shaped transmission path between the output shaft and axle.

Abstract: A training wheel assembly for a bicycle including brackets for attachment to the body of the bicycle and a pair of auxiliary wheels supported by the brackets for engagement of the ground distally of and to opposite sides of the bicycle utilizes a link member connected between each auxiliary wheel and a corresponding bracket and cables operatively attached between the front wheel of the bicycle and the link member. Each auxiliary wheel is journaled at its center to a link member for rotation relative thereto, and each link member is connected to the corresponding bracket for pivotal movement relative thereto so that when the brackets are operatively attached to the bicycle body, the center of the auxiliary wheels are pivotally movable relative to and about the bracket between a raised condition and a lowered condition.

Abstract: A quick-release wheel retainer consisting of a hooked-shaped member having a generally planar shaped tab attached thereto and extending outwardly therefrom approximately perpendicular to the hook-shaped member. The member is pivotally connected to a vertical drop-out of a bicycle front fork and the pivot connection is positioned directly above the drop-out slot such that, once in a locked position about a bicycle axle, the weight of the axle against the member causes the retainer to remain in that locked position.

Abstract: A vehicle (10) disclosed incorporates an improved drivetrain (18) for providing full time four wheel driving. The drivetrain (18) includes an engine (20) driving a transmission (22) including multiple gear paths (28) and a differential (30) located within a single oil bath (36) defined by a housing (34) of the transmission. Front and rear outputs (38,40) of the transmission (22) respectively drive front and rear axles (42,44) through associated front and rear differentials (46,48) to provide the full time four wheel driving. In the preferred construction, front and rear driveshafts (50,52) extend between the transmission outputs (33,40) and the front and rear differentials (46,48 ) to provide the driving. It is also possible for the transmission (22) to incorporate a viscous clutch (54) for limiting interaxle differential rotation in order to prevent one axle from spinning when one of its wheels loses traction.

Abstract: The present invention teaches an activation apparatus for a differential pawl. Such activation apparatus is designed to prevent damage to components of the differential pawl and/or of the drive train resulting from operator error. According to the invention, when a drive wheel slips, a first apparatus acquires a slip signal; and when a slip signal is present, a second apparatus prevents the pressurization of a pressure-medium-operated actuator apparatus of the activation apparatus.

Abstract: The invention relates to a power-assisted vehicle steering gear wherein a rotor is mounted directly on the pitman shaft via a coupling. The rotor rotates in a housing inner bore under the influence of circulating magnetic attraction in such a way that it is enabled to supply a torque to the pitman shaft.

Abstract: A motorcycle has a rear frame extending longitudinally centrally through a motorcycle body and inclined rearwardly from a lower position to an upper position below a driver's seat. A storage device on the motorcycle includes a container disposed below the driver's seat and having a bottom wall having a bulging portion avoiding a portion of the rear frame, and a side wall extending upwardly from a peripheral edge of the bottom wall and surrounding the bottom wall, the side wall including an upper portion defining an opening which opens toward the driver's seat, hinge means through which the driver's seat is coupled to the storage device so as to serve as a cover which is openable and closable with respect to the opening.

Abstract: A motorcycle having a cantilever-type rear swing arm pivotally mounted to the vehicle frame. A cushion member associated with the rear swing arm extends between the upper frame and linkage below the swing arm through an offset bore in the swing arm. A rear wheel is arranged on an axle supported at one end of the rear swing arm with a brake disc therebetween. The brake disc is aligned with the centerline of the vehicle as is the wheel rim. The hub of the wheel is arranged with a concavity to accommodate the brake disc. The swing arm is arranged such that it gradually increases in thickness as it extends rearwardly from the front pivot. The thickness is maximized near the center of the swing arm at locations which approach the mutual tangent lines of the pitch circles of drive and driven sprockets of a chain drive mechanism. Sliders are positioned to accommodate the chain when necessary.

Abstract: An electrically operated power steering device connected to a steering system of a motor vehicle to provide supplementary steering power by means of an electric motor. A motor control unit for the electrically operated power steering device controls the rotational direction and output torque of the electric motor by the sum of an assistance signal based on the signal from a torsional torque sensor and a velocity sensor in the steering system, a restoration signal based on the output signal from a steering angle sensor, and an auxiliary assistance signal based on the output signal from the torsional torque sensor in the steering system as a command signal.

Abstract: Each transport device contains at least two drive wheels which are driven at individual speeds V.sub.A and V.sub.B and which are pivotable by related steering angles .alpha. and .beta.. Identical servo-drive units are associated with the drive wheels and their mode of operation and mutual coupling is adapted by switch devices to the steering angles .alpha. and .beta. such that the required speed adjustment must not be computed in accordance with the relationship V.sub.B =(cos.alpha./cos.beta.). V.sub.A but the speed is automatically adjusted through the entire steering angle range of -90.degree. to +90.degree.. At .alpha.=.beta.=0.degree. the leading servo-drive unit is rigidly guided by its speed regulation loop as a MASTER servo-drive unit and its armature current is supplied as a reference magnitude to the armature current regulation loop of the trailing servo-drive unit which is operated as a SLAVE servo-drive unit. At .alpha.=.beta.=.+-.90.degree.