Abstract: In a device for pressing a steering rack against a pinion, having a thrust member and a setting element, it is provided that the thrust member and the setting element each have contact faces aligned with one another which, in a basic position, abut against each other, at least one of the contact faces being flexible. The thrust member has a thrust-member body and a pin which projects in the direction of the setting element and whose exposed end takes the form of a contact face. The setting element has at least a two-part configuration, made up of an adjusting screw and a spring washer. The spring washer is disposed between the adjusting screw and the thrust member, and forms the contact face for the exposed end of the pin.

Abstract: A technique for manufacturing a gear rack (5) for a rack-and-pinion steering gear for automobiles makes use of a blank (18) for the gear rack (5) having at least in the latter's toothed area a form deviating from a circular cylinder. Size and form of the cross-section of the blank (18) are selected in a manner that the contour of the finished gear rack (5) in the toothed area (7) does not project beyond the envelope given by the dimensions of neighboring parts of the rack-and-pinion steering gear. The gear rack (5) is formed from the blank (18) by means of tumble-forging. After tumble-forging, the gear rack (5) in its toothed area (7) outside the toothed section has a convex or concave longitudinal profile, which serves to support the tumbling torques during tumble-forging.

Abstract: A rotary slide valve for power-assisted steering systems of motor vehicles includes a rotary slide which is connected fixedly in terms of rotation to a valve input member. The control bush is connected fixedly in terms of rotation to a valve output member. The two valve elements are arranged so as to be movable coaxially one in the other and are rotatable relative to one another at most by the amount of the rotary travel of a backlash coupling. The rotary slide has outer and the control bush inner longitudinal control grooves which cooperate with one another in order to control a pressure medium to and from two working spaces of a servomotor. The rotary slide is connected to the valve output member via a torsion-bar spring. Production-related tolerances which may lead to undesirable effects in driving behavior are compensated by a connecting element.

Abstract: A rotary shift or slide valve (1) for power steering systems of motor vehicles contains a rotary slide (4) linked to a valve input element (23). A control bush (7) is guided in an axial bore (6) of the rotary slide (4) and rotatable by a limited angle. The control bush (7) forms a rotation-fixed link with a valve output element (18). Between the rotary slide (4) and the valve output element (18), there is a centering device, which contains two centering elements (32, 33), which can be rotated against each other, and at least one anti-friction element (36) located between the two centering elements (32, 33). One of the centering elements (33) forms a fixed link with the reaction piston (37) and a rotation-fixed but axially displaceable link with the valve output element (18) via a metal bellows (38). The other centering element (32) forms a rotation-fixed and non-displaceable link with the rotary slide (4).

Abstract: In a toothed-rack power-assisted steering, which is provided for motor vehicles in particular, a pinion (2) seated in a steering housing (1) is in engagement with a toothed rack (6). A servo motor (8) is disposed as a power assist, whose piston rod (10) is drivingly connected with the toothed rack (6). The two work chambers (12, 13) of the servo motor (8) are connected with a control device (18) via work lines (12, 13), which are connected with a cylinder (11) of the servo motor (8) and with the control device (18) via two connecting elements (24, 25). Each work line (14, 15) has a collar (32). Each line is held on the connecting element (24, 25) by a fastening clasp (34) which projects over the collar (32). The fastening clasp (34) has an essentially rectangular and flat base (35). An elongated slit (36), open toward one side, is located in the base (35), through which the fastening clasp (34) can be pushed from the side over the line (14, 15) and the connecting element (24, 25).

Abstract: A rotary slide valve (1) for the power steering of motor vehicles contains a rotary distributor (4) in a valve bore (5) of a valve housing (2), which distributor is connected with a valve inlet member (23). A control bushing (7) is rotatably guided over a small angle in an axial bore (6) of the rotary distributor (4). The control bushing (7) is fixedly connected to prevent relative rotation, with a valve outlet member (18). A centering device (31) is disposed between the rotary distributor (4) and the valve outlet member (18), and contains two parts which can be rotated in respect to each other, and at least one ball (37) situated between the two parts. The one part of the centering device (31) is fixedly connected with a reaction piston (32) and fixedly connected with the rotary distributor (4) against relative rotation, but is axially displaceable.

Abstract: A centering device for steering valves which includes a rotary rod (1) that is firmly connected at an endpiece (1A) with a drive shaft (3) and at another endpiece (1B) with a power takeoff shaft (4). Fine-centering is provided because rotary rod (1) cannot establish any exact mid-way centering between a rotary slide (3A) and a valve bushing (6). The fine-centering device consists of a tube-shaped endpiece (7) that is attached to the drive shaft and that bears a metal bellows (8) and a centering piece (10) that is connected with the bellows. Centering piece (10) is axially prestressed by metal bellows (8) and, via roller bodies (12) presses against another centering piece (14). Centering piece (14) is part of a bearing race (15) of a needle bearing (16) that is pressed upon the endpiece (1B) of rotary rod (2), the endpiece (1B) being connected to the power takeoff shaft (3).

Abstract: A rotary slide valve (1) for auxiliary power steering systems in motor vehicles contains in a valve borehole (5) of a valve housing (2) a rotary slide (4) that is connected with a steering spindle connection (23). In an axial borehole (6) of the rotary slide (4), a control sleeve (7) is guided so that it can be turned by a limited angle. Rotary slide (4) in its axial borehole (6) has longitudinal control grooves (20) that cooperate with longitudinal control grooves (21) on the outer generated surface of control sleeve (7). The inside-located control sleeve (7) is made by means of a non-cutting production process and can thus have relatively small dimensions. With the help of such a process, for example, by means of cold shaping, one can make both the longitudinal control grooves (21) and the control edges of control sleeve (7). The entire rotary slide valve (1) can be made in a very compact fashion as a result of the small dimensions of control sleeve (7).

Abstract: A rotary slide valve, especially for auxiliary-power steering devices for motor vehicles, has a rotary slide (2) rotatable opposite a control bushing (1). The control bushing (1) and the rotary slide (2) have guiding longitudinal grooves (3, 4, 7, 8) that work together for directing a pressure agent from a pressure agent source to and from a servomotor. Guiding edges (5 and 10 and 6 and 11) of the guiding longitudinal grooves (3, 4, 7, 8) of the control bushing (1) and the rotary slide (2), working together, are placed parallel with each other. The guiding edges (5, 6) of the guiding longitudinal grooves (3, 4) of the control bushing (1) and the guiding edges (10, 11) of the rotary slide (2) are positioned conically with respect to each other longitudinally.

Abstract: A steering valve for vehicles has a torque input member for connection to a steering wheel and connects through a torque rod to an output shaft, having coacting valving components operated by relative rotation during the initial torque stress on the steering wheel between the input member and the output shaft in order to control flow to and from the servomotor. The torque rod has an average reduced cross section and is particularly manufactured to take torque stress for simulation of steering resistance. The torque rod has end connecting members and a connecting member can be utilized to effect a shorter overall length of the torque rod which determines the overall length of the steering valve as well as affording support. Thus, one such connecting member adjacent the output shaft is elongated as a bearing for the valving component rotated by the steering wheel, and also has a return flow throttling port for pressure reduction of return flow to quiet the noise of such flow.

Abstract: Rotary pressure control valves in booster steering systems are rotated by manual force at the steering wheel against a return force, usually a steel torque rod which is twisted by rotation of the steering wheel. Upon release of steering force, the untwisting of the rod causes reverse rotation toward neutral shut-off, i.e., centered position, so that coacting pressure channels of relatively rotated valve components are closed. Such reverse rotation is effected herein with the aid of a metal bellows which is compressed by cam operation during twisting of the torque rod. Upon untwisting, the bellows expands and acts through the cam to exert a reverse rotary force on the valve components to effect complete centering. Upon reaching centered valve position, the cam serves as a detent to hold the centered position of the valve components.

Abstract: Simulated steering resistance is provided for the rotative valving control of a booster steering servomotor by providing the manually rotated section of the valving control which connects to a steering wheel with a coaxial reaction piston having faces exposed to operating pressures of the respective chambers of a double ended servomotor. The reaction piston is helically geared on the manually rotated section and restrained by a sliding keyway against rotation relative the valving control section conventionally connected by a torque rod to the manually rotated section. During steering, operating pressure on one face or the other of the reaction piston will cause it to shift and thereby effect a torque force on the manually rotated section due to the helical gearing which force opposes the manual steering force to thus simulate steering resistance.

Abstract: A thrust piece having a cylindrical, thin-walled portion is associated with the rack biasing device of a rack and pinion steering gear. The thin-walled portion is slotted and urged into contact with the gear housing by a spreader element to dampen movement of the biasing device which is slidably supported in the housing.

Abstract: A hydraulic rack steering system is provided with a unitary seal assembly around a piston rod which is a composite of compressible toroidal gaskets having an intermediate pre-stressing ring constructed and arranged to radially stress a plastic sealing ring against a piston rod. Thus, there is a sliding sealed relationship established between the piston rod and a composite sealing assembly secured within the servocylinder. The composite sealing ring assembly is carried in an assembly housing with the components locked in place therein by a closure ring press fitted into the housing. The cover ring is spaced from the composite sealing members in order to permit clearance for the piston rod to follow bending of a rack with which the piston rod is integral and wherein the rack is subjected to bending effected by steering stress.

Abstract: A servomotor drives a steering gear through a pair of clutch drums to provide power assist in the proper rotational direction upon engagement of one of the clutch drums in response to manual torque applied to a steering shaft causing torsional displacement between its shaft sections interconnected by a torsion bar. The clutch drums are continuously driven in opposite directions by the servomotor through gearing and are respectively engaged by jaws mounted on a pair of clutch carriers respectively keyed to the shaft sections of the steering shaft.