Four-wheel Controlled Patents (Class 280/99)
  • Patent number: 5090719
    Abstract: A trailer having front and rear pairs of wheels, each wheel being rotatably supported on a knuckle arm having a pivotal shaft tilted inwardly for biasing the wheel to a straight line position, a front tow bar pivotally mounted on a front steering member pivotally secured to the trailer body, a rear steering member pivotally mounted on a rear portion of the trailer body, a pair of tie rods connecting the knuckle arms of the front wheels and the front tow bar and a pair of rear tie rods connecting the knuckle arms of the rear wheels and the rear steering member, a rear stabilizer rear stabilizer having a spring for urging the rear steering member straight ahead between the rear steering member and the trailer body and a front stabilizer between the front tow bar and the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1992
    Assignee: Hanaoka Sharyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Hanaoka, deceased
  • Patent number: 5090512
    Abstract: A four-wheel mobile vehicle including provision for controlling the steering position of each of the four (4) wheels so that every wheel's rolling axis will intersect at a common point around which the vehicle will turn. The control is provided by a pair of cables, one on each side of the vehicle which interconnect a pair of front and back wheels to turn each pair through similar angles in the opposite direction.The variance in angular turning between wheels on opposite sides of the vehicle is caused by wrapping the cables on each side around an identical cam pulley, one on each side, both of which are mounted on a common shaft so that their angular rotation is always identical while their winding radius is changing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1992
    Assignee: Excel Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul W. Mullet, Elmer D. Voth
  • Patent number: 5026081
    Abstract: A rear wheel steering mechanism capable of independently positioning the rear wheels of a vehicle also independently corrects the toe error of each steered wheel. In the preferred embodiment, each rear wheel is steered by a separate actuator. The overall steering command for the actuators is determined at least in relation to the front steering angle, the command being constrained within predefined command limits. The actuators, on the other hand, have a control range which exceeds that of the predefined command limits. The controller which generates the steering commands is adapted to receive and store signals representing the toe error of each rear wheel from a conventional wheel alignment machine, and the controller causes the actuator to position each rear wheel as a combined function of the steering command and the respective stored toe error signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1991
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Harry J. Bauer
  • Patent number: 4977733
    Abstract: A four wheel steering tractor comprising a grass cutting system vertically movably mounted in a lower space of the tractor between front and rear wheels. The grass cutting system carries gauge wheels disposed at opposite lateral sides in rear regions thereof. An interlocking structure between a steering wheel and the front and rear wheels includes a front drag link extending from a pitman arm toward the left (or right) front wheel, and a rear drag link extending from the pitman arm toward the right (or left) rear wheel. This interlocking structure places the center of tractor turning approximately on a straight line extending through the gauge wheels and adjacent one of the gauge wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1990
    Assignee: Kubota, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Samejima, Tetsuaki Hayashi, Niro Bando, Kenji Matsuda, Tsuyoshi Sato, Teruo Shimamura, Toshihiko Hamada, Hironori Tsuchihashi, Yoshikazu Togoshi, Masatami Fukuda
  • Patent number: 4957183
    Abstract: A 4-wheel mobile vehicle including provision for controlling the steering position of each of the four (4) wheels so that every wheel's rolling axis will intersect at a common central point around which the vehicle will turn. The control is provided by a pair of cables which can interconnect each of the pair of wheels on each side of the vehicle to turn through similar turns in the opposite direction, and wherein the linear position of the cables are provided by a pair of specially cut cams which are positioned by the steering column. Each pair of wheels is further characterized by a support system which provides for vertical deviation of the front and back wheels without substantially causing the vehicle carriage itself to be vertically deviated by a substantial amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 18, 1990
    Assignee: Excel Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul W. Mullett, Elmer D. Voth
  • Patent number: 4938494
    Abstract: A motor vehicle has a crossmember for supporting a rear suspension system. The crossmember has a U-shaped cross section including a front plate and a rear plate. A part of the rear-wheel steering system is mounted on the rear plate of the crossmember, and another part of the rear-wheel steering system is mounted in the crossmember, a part of which is covered by underguards secured to the crossmember.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1990
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Takahashi, Yuji Soejima
  • Patent number: 4852679
    Abstract: A powered wheelchair has at least two power-steered, driven wheels (15,16,17,18). Preferably, all of the wheels (15,16,17,18) are driven and power-steered such that the wheelchair turns about a point on a transverse axis (X) of the vehicle, and may preferably also pivot on the spot. This turning is preferably achieved by a rotatable steering assembly (1) having steering drive cams (3,4), steering return cams (5,6) and flexible transmission members (13,14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 1, 1989
    Inventor: Jeremy J. Fry
  • Patent number: 4805712
    Abstract: A wheelchair having four ground engaging wheels, two at the front and two at the rear, and four electric motors, one for each wheel, wherein each wheel is connected to a respective electric motor for driving the wheelchair and the front wheels are mounted on respective steering arms of a steering linkage driven by an electric actuator coupled to a track rod connecting the steering arms for steering the wheelchair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1989
    Assignee: The Spastics Society
    Inventor: John M. Singleton
  • Patent number: 4787646
    Abstract: The riding mower chassis of this invention has laterally spaced front traction wheels, attachment fittings for a mower that rides in front of those wheels, and laterally spaced rear wheels that can float up and down to accommodate terrain irregularities, For such floating a rear axle has at its midpoint a pivot connection with the frame whereby its ends can swing up and down, and the rear wheels are mounted on its ends for rotation and for swiveling relative to it. Swiveling of the rear wheels is controlled by an operator seated on the chassis from a steering wheel at its front. A pair of cable stretches that have their front ends connected with the steering wheel shaft extend rearwardly at the underside of the chassis frame to connections with a steering linkage on the rear axle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1988
    Assignee: Simplicity Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Igor Kamlukin, John W. Schanz
  • Patent number: 4786065
    Abstract: An arrangement for steering the rear wheels of motor vehicles as a function of the steering deflection of the front wheels, with mechanically decoupled steering means for front and rear wheels and a transmission element for the adjustment of the steering means of the rear wheels corresponding to the steering deflection of the front wheels; the rear wheels are thereby adjusted in the same direction as the direction of the front wheels only after the lapse of a short period of delay time whereby the delay time is the smaller and the steering deflection of the rear wheels in relation to the front wheels the larger the higher the driving velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1988
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Edmund Donges, Reinhard Auffhammer, Benedikt Mueller
  • Patent number: 4695069
    Abstract: A tubular cross-member is provided on a body of a motor vehicle in which a rack is slidably mounted. An outer control arm is rotatably connected on an end of the rack, and an inner control arm is rotatably supported on the cross-member. The other ends of both control arms are rotatably connected with each other by a kingpin. A rear wheel of the vehicle is rotatably mounted on a shaft secured to the outer control arm, and a steering drive device is provided to move the rack for steering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1987
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryogo Kurokawa, Fusami Oyama, Akira Takahashi
  • Patent number: 4691932
    Abstract: A four-wheel steering system for an automotive vehicle includes a linkage drivingly connected at its front end to a front wheel steering mechanism, and a connecting mechanism assembled in combination with a rear wheel steering mechanism to drivingly connect the linkage to a pair of operation rods of the rear wheel steering mechanism in such a manner that the operation rods are axially displaced in response to movement of the linkage to steer a pair of dirigible rear road wheels. The connecting mechanism is designed to control the steering angle and direction of the rear road wheels relative to those of a pair of dirigible front road wheels without causing any change in the alignment of the rear road wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1987
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Youichi Hyodo
  • Patent number: 4669744
    Abstract: A motor vehicle has two steerable righthand and lefthand front wheels and two steerable righthand and lefthand rear wheels, a front wheel steering device for steering the front wheels according to the angle through which a steering wheel is turned, a rear wheel steering device for steering the rear wheels, an actuator for actuating said rear wheel steering device, and a control device for controlling the operation of the actuator to steer the rear wheels in a direction which is selectively the same as or opposite to the direction in which the front wheels are turned. The steering of the rear wheels is controlled by determining the speeds of rotation of the four front and rear wheels with respect to the ground, and controlling the operation of the actuator with the control device so that any difference between the speeds of rotation of the front and rear wheels with respect to the ground will be reduced substantially to zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1987
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shoichi Sano, Yoshimi Furukawa
  • Patent number: 4660844
    Abstract: A steering system for a vehicle with a front wheel and a rear wheel, in which the rear wheel is steerable in relation to a steering operation of the front wheel, such that a ratio control of a steered angle ratio of the rear wheel to the front wheel is effected to be variable in accordance with a travelling speed of the vehicle. The steering system is provided with a mode selecting unit adapted to be manually operable for exclusively setting an arbitrary one of a plurality of control modes of the ratio control. The steering system may be further provided with a time-delay unit for gradually effecting the ratio control, when changing one of the control modes to another thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1987
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Osamu Yamamoto, Shoichi Sano, Yoshimi Furukawa
  • Patent number: 4610455
    Abstract: A steering system for front and rear wheels of a motor vehicle wherein the steering ratio of the rear wheels to the front wheels is variable dependent on the speed of the motor vehicle. The steering system includes a steering wheel, front wheels, a first assembly for steering the front wheels, rear wheels, a second assembly for steering the rear wheels, and a third assembly which transmits the direction and extent of steering of the front wheels to the second assembly, a fourth assembly controls the steering ratio between the front and rear wheels in response to a signal indicative of the speed of the motor vehicle or a signal related to the speed of the motor vehicle. Each of the rear wheels has a kingpin having a central line which has an extension which is positioned rearwardly of a point where a vertical line passing through the center of an axle of the rear wheel intersects the ground on which the motor vehicle is placed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1986
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshimi Furukawa, Shoichi Sano
  • Patent number: 4563015
    Abstract: A motor vehicle comprises a floor pan having stepped portions, and a steerable axle with a pair of steerable wheels suspended from the floor pan adjoining the stepped portions on the outside thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1983
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1986
    Assignee: Steyr-Daimler-Puch Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hugo Lenhard-Backhaus, Anton Strassgurtl
  • Patent number: 4506899
    Abstract: A vehicular steering system for steering both front and rear wheels through steering operation of a steering wheel wherein a rear wheel steering mechanism is advantageously reduced in both size and weight. The rear wheel steering mechanism includes a shaft member which rotates in interlocking cooperation with a steering wheel and which is inserted and supported rotatably through a cylindrical holder in a sleeve fixed to the vehicle body. A crank pin is attached to the shaft member, with a joint member being loosely mounted and supported thereon. A link mechanism is pivoted at one end thereof to the vehicle body and integrally connected at the other end thereof to the joint member, and right and left rear wheel steering tie rods are connected and supported respectively through ball joints to the right and left of the joint member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1983
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1985
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shoichi Sano, Yoshimi Furukawa
  • Patent number: 4362459
    Abstract: System for storing and transporting guided missiles and similar flying bodies includes a storage building and movable storage structures for supporting multiple guided missiles. The storage building is sized so that a row of the storage structures can be arranged along one side wall of the storage building with the normal travel direction of the structures being arranged transversely of the direction of the row and of the adjacent side wall. In the row, the storage structures are closely spaced so that there is no walkway between them. A passageway is provided within the storage building along the row of storage structures so that each storage structure can be moved out of the row without moving adjacent storage structures and then turned on a minimum turning circle in the passageway for movement out of the storage building.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1982
    Assignee: Steinbock GmbH
    Inventors: Gert Klausbruckner, Bernd Tushaus
  • Patent number: 4286798
    Abstract: A motorized vehicle having both steerable front wheels and driven steerable rear wheels. The front wheel suspension is such that a greater degree of turn is possible. The orientation of the rear wheels relative to the line of travel of the vehicle may be controlled by the operator or alternatively may be automatically oriented to properly track the front wheels. A zero center spool valve is mounted such that proper tracking is assured, an additional change in the front wheel angularity results in the appropriate and necessary change in their rear wheel angularity. The valve body is mounted to change its position in response to orientation of the rear wheels and the spool position is directly related to the orientation of the rear wheels such that appropriate relative positioning of the front wheels centers the spool terminating fluid flow to front wheel orientation controlling cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1981
    Inventors: Claude O. Butler, Clifford G. Burrows
  • Patent number: 4257619
    Abstract: An adjustable turning ratio ratary positioning mechanism has rotary drive and driven members coupled by a flexible drive band, such as a sprocket chain, with oppositely movable runs between the members which are laterally displaceable during rotation of the drive member in such a way as to selectively provide the positioning mechanisms with different predetermined turning ratios, i.e., the turning angle(s) of the driven member(s) per unit turning angle of the drive member. A camera dolly steering mechanism embodying a rotary positioning mechanism according to the invention actuated by a single cam on the dolly steering shaft for selectively steering the dolly in round, crab, and conventional steering modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1981
    Inventor: James L. Fisher
  • Patent number: 3977693
    Abstract: A chassis for a heavy duty vehicle is disclosed herein having an elongated box frame supported on an undercarriage of articulated wheel sets. The undercarriage includes a front wheel set carried on one end of the frame by a pivoting torque box having trailing pivotal arms for rotatably supporting the front wheels. A pair of rear wheel sets include a pair of wheel axles carried on trailing arms and controlled by a walking beam assembly and having shock-absorbers and an air cushion device interconnecting the beam assembly with the frame. The pivot coupling at the front wheel torque box with the frame and the beam assemblages interconnecting the frame with the rear wheel sets constitute a three point suspension for the frame. A progression steering mechanism is provided including an eliptical sprocket and chain arrangement which intercouples the rear wheel set with the steering for the front wheel set via a drive shaft operably extending therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1974
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1976
    Inventor: Roger L. Gamaunt