초록 ▼

Front and rear wheeled units (13, 14) of vehicle are connected together for articulated steering. Wheels on at least one unit are mounted for swivelling relative to the respective unit to provide kingpin steering in combination with articulation steering. A first embodiment has front and rear kingpi

Front and rear wheeled units (13, 14) of vehicle are connected together for articulated steering. Wheels on at least one unit are mounted for swivelling relative to the respective unit to provide kingpin steering in combination with articulation steering. A first embodiment has front and rear kingpin steering and articulation steering performed manually and independently of each other. In a second embodiment, a steering integrator cooperates with actuators (162, 163, 212, 213, 236, 237) which control at least the articulation steering and kingpin steering of the front wheels (22, 23) to automatically integrate two types of steering so that a controlled relationship exists between an articulation angle of the front unit (13) with respect to the rear unit (14), and swivel angles of the front wheels (22, 23) with respect to the front unit (13). A manual steering control, e.g. a steering wheel (186), controls actuation of the steering integrator. Each wheel is powered by a hydraulic motor (32, 33, 44, 45) receiving pressurized fluid from a drive apparatus comprising a flow combiner and two flow restrictors connected in parallel with each other and communicating with outlets from the wheel motors. Bypass valves (114, 115) can be used to bypass the flow combiner and flow restrictors as needed in certain applications not requiring the flow combiner, to reduce generation of heat in the hydraulic fluid.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] A wheeled vehicle (10) comprising: front and rear units (13,14), each unit having right hand (22, 24) and left hand (23, 25) wheels as a pair, the units being connected together to permit relative rotation therebetween about a generally vertical articulation axis (16), the front wh

[ We claim:] [1.] A wheeled vehicle (10) comprising: front and rear units (13,14), each unit having right hand (22, 24) and left hand (23, 25) wheels as a pair, the units being connected together to permit relative rotation therebetween about a generally vertical articulation axis (16), the front wheels (22, 23) being mounted on the front unit (13) for kingpin steering to permit rotation of each front wheel about a respective generally vertical swivel axis (154, 155) relative to the front unit; an articulation steering actuator (236, 237) cooperating with the front and rear units (13, 14) to cause the said relative rotation to effect articulation steering as required; a front kingpin steering actuator (172, 173) cooperating with the front wheels (22, 23) to cause the rotation about the swivel axes (154, 155) to effect the said kingpin steering between the wheels of the front unit as required, the steering actuators being hydraulically actuated; a manual steering control (225) for controlling actuation of the articulation steering actuator (236, 237) between the front and rear units (13, 14), and a manual steering control (186) for controlling actuation or the front kingpin steering actuator (172, 173); the vehicle being characterized by:(a) the rear wheels (24, 25) being mounted on the rear unit (14) for kingpin steering to permit rotation of each rear wheel about a respective generally vertical swivel axis (208, 209) relative to the rear unit,(b) a rear kingpin steering actuator (212, 213) thereof cooperating with the rear wheels to cause rotation about the respective swivel axes to effect kingpin steering between the wheels of the rear unit, and(c) a manual steering control (216) or controlling actuation of the rear kingpin steering actuator.