초록 ▼

A driving and steering system for a vehicle having at least two propelling tracks or wheels driven by output shafts from within a housing containing respective planetary gear sets, each planetary gear set including a sun gear element, a planet gear-carrier element, and a ring gear element. A power-d

A driving and steering system for a vehicle having at least two propelling tracks or wheels driven by output shafts from within a housing containing respective planetary gear sets, each planetary gear set including a sun gear element, a planet gear-carrier element, and a ring gear element. A power-driven shaft between the planetary gear sets has driving engagement with both of the sun gear or the planet gear-carrier elements, and the respective output shafts are driven by the other one of the sun gear or planet gear-carrier elements. A steering shaft is operatively engaged with the ring gear elements to hold them against rotation for straight line propulsion of the vehicle or to rotate them in opposite directions for steering of the vehicle. The steering shaft is actuated by a steering wheel through the intermediary of a bi-directional fluid motor which is energized only when the steering wheel is turned in either direction to steer the vehicle and which is de-energized when turning of the steering wheel is stopped to thereby stop rotation of the steering shaft for continued straight line travel of the vehicle. Optionally, the steering shaft may be actuated by a bi-directional fluid motor which is energized when the steering wheel is turned in either direction from central straight travel position to steer the vehicle and which is de-energized when the steering wheel is returned to central straight travel position.

대표청구항 ▼

A driving and steering system for a vehicle having at least two propelling means comprising a housing between said propelling means; coaxial output shafts rotatably supported by said housing for driving the respective propelling means; a power-driven member coaxially between said output shafts and r

A driving and steering system for a vehicle having at least two propelling means comprising a housing between said propelling means; coaxial output shafts rotatably supported by said housing for driving the respective propelling means; a power-driven member coaxially between said output shafts and rotatably supported by the latter; a pair of planetary gear sets in said housing coaxial with and straddling said power-driven member; each planetary gear set comprising a ring gear element rotatably supported in said housing, a sun gear element, and a planet gear-carrier element having planet gears meshing with both said ring gear and sun gear elements; said planetary gear sets having the same one of said sun gear and planet gear-carrier elements in driving engagement with said power-driven member, and having the other one of said sun gear and planet gear-carrier elements in driving engagement with the respective output shafts; and a steering shaft rotatably supported by said housing and operatively connected to said ring gear elements to retain said ring gear elements against rotation for straight line propulsion of the vehicle and to rotate said ring gear elements in opposite directions thereby to correspondingly increase and decrease the speeds of said output shafts and propelling means for turning of the vehicle; each output shaft being rotatably supported by axially spaced apart bearing means between said shaft and said housing, between said shaft and said ring gear element, and between said ring gear element and said housing.