Did You Know...
...that power steering was invented by independent inventor Francis W. Davis? As chief engineer in the 1920s of the truck division of the Pierce Arrow Motor Car Company, he saw how hard it was to steer heavy vehicles. So that he would be able to keep the profits from his future invention, Davis left his job, rented a small engineering shop in Waltham, Mass., and developed a hydraulic power steering system that led to power steering.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7845439 | Device for reversing the steering movement of a steering wheel shaft A device for reversing a steering movement of a steering wheel shaft of a vehicle includes a switching element movable between two switching positions to activate or deactivate the reversal of the steering movement. A mechanical actuating device includes a shaft whi... | 12/07/2010 |
| 7635036 | Device for reversing the steering movement of a steering-wheel shaft A device for reversing the steering movement of a steering-wheel shaft of a vehicle, it being possible to switch the reversal process only at a standstill of the vehicle in a center position of the steering device. ... | 12/22/2009 |
| 7349759 | Area coverage with an autonomous robot A robotic system for systematically moving about an area to be covered. The system includes at least one boundary marker (48) located along the outer edge of the area to be covered, a robot (40) with a navigation system (41) that navigates the r... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7341121 | Vehicle with improved turning A vehicle is disclosed having a reduced turning radius comprising a directional wheel assembly for turning the vehicle and a drive wheel assembly for driving the vehicle. The drive wheel assembly has a first and a second drive wheel independently driven by a first a... | 03/11/2008 |
| 7331412 | Vehicle having twin transmissions for driving respective wheels A vehicle comprises a vehicle frame, a prime mover mounted on the vehicle frame, a laterally turnable wheel disposed at one side of the vehicle frame, a pair of drive wheels disposed at the other side of the vehicle frame, a steering operation device, a traveling op... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7243746 | Recreational electric vehicle The recreational electric vehicle (hereinafter REV) is a convenient indoor or outdoor vehicle for one or two people with a space for personal goods. REV is most suited for adaptations for recreational use. It uses electric power for zero pollutant emissions, quiet o... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7207588 | Children's ride-on vehicle assemblies having trailing vehicle detection systems Children's ride-on vehicle assemblies having leading and trailing vehicles that are removably coupled together by a connection apparatus. The leading vehicle is an independently operable ride-on vehicle having a drive assembly that is selectively configured between ... | 04/24/2007 |
| 7156422 | Undercarriage for a vehicle and method for manufacturing longitudinal beams for it An undercarriage for a vehicle including at least two longitudinal beams, at least one transverse beam and at least one wheel axle. The height of the foremost part of the longitudinal beams has a reduction in height that defines a swan-neck. The longitudinal beams a... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7155309 | Area coverage with an autonomous robot There is therefore provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a robotic system for systematically moving about an area to be covered. The system includes at least one boundary marker (48) located along the outer edge of the ... | 12/26/2006 |
| 7004268 | Vehicle having twin transmissions for driving respective wheels A vehicle comprises a vehicle frame, a prime mover mounted on the vehicle frame, a laterally turnable wheel disposed at one side of the vehicle frame, a pair of drive wheels disposed at the other side of the vehicle frame, a steering operation device, a traveling op... | 02/28/2006 |
| 6805218 | Motorized vehicle A motorized vehicle has wheels mounted on a vehicle body for undergoing rotation to cause the motorized vehicle to undergo travelling, electric motors for selectively undergoing forward and reverse rotation to rotationally drive respective ones of the wheels, brakes... | 10/19/2004 |
| 6779615 | Powertrain module for zero turn radius vehicle A powertrain module for a zero turn radius vehicle, such as a tractor or mower, the powertrain module generally including a structural member or mounting plate to which an engine, a pair of hydrostatic transmission modules, and a pair of axle drive units are attache... | 08/24/2004 |
| 6637529 | Steering control system for tracklaying vehicle A steering control system for a tracklaying vehicle, which ensures smooth turning performance according to various modes such as ascent travel, descent travel, and travel in a low speed range and which provides improved controllability. According to vario... | 10/28/2003 |
| 6554085 | Multi-wheel vehicle with transmission for driving-steering A multi-wheel vehicle provided with at least six running wheels, that is, a pair of first running wheels serving as driving wheels, a pair of second running wheels such as castors disposed before or behind said pair of first running wheels so as to be lat... | 04/29/2003 |
| 6484828 | Mobile agricultural machine A mobile cultural machine including right and left traction members, a transmission, and a main speed change device operable to transmit, at any speed ratio, a driving force from an engine through the transmission to the traction members so that they are ... | 11/26/2002 |
| 6408960 | Mobile agricultural machine A mobile cultural machine including right and left traction members, a transmission, and a main speed change device operable to transmit, at any speed ratio, a driving force from an engine through the transmission to the traction members so that they are ... | 06/25/2002 |
| 6390225 | Power mower with riding platform for supporting standing operator during operation A zero-turning radius self-propelled power lawn mower includes a standing platform structure for supporting a standing operator during mower operation. The mower has a combination parking brake and pump lockout structure which, when actuated, simultaneous... | 05/21/2002 |
| 6354388 | Drive and steer vehicle A vehicle such as a lawn and garden tractor is adapted to utilize conventional steering and propel controls with a drive and steer type transmission. The transmission permits the vehicle to be driven and steered through its rear drive wheels, thereby perm... | 03/12/2002 |
| 6286620 | Access plate for an axle of a differentially steered vehicle A differentially steered work vehicle is provided with a driving axle having a axle housing with an access opening. An access plate is secured to the access opening and is provided with steering components. The access plate is provided with a steering mot... | 09/11/2001 |
| 6283236 | Effective gear reduction in lawn tractor transmission A drive and steer transmission having primary gears having circumferences approximately four times as large as the respective secondary gears they operatively engage, and an effective gear reduction is thereby established which is beneficial to use of a d... | 09/04/2001 |
| 6276486 | Power mower with riding platform for supporting standing operator during operation A zero-turning radius self-propelled power lawn mower includes a standing platform structure for supporting a standing operator during mower operation. The mower has a combination parking brake and pump lockout structure which, when actuated, simultaneous... | 08/21/2001 |
| 6196342 | Mechanism for correct steering in reverse A steering mechanism that controls a drive and steer transmission and that causes the transmission to execute turns in the direction a steering wheel is turned when operating in either the forward or reverse direction of travel. In response to operator en... | 03/06/2001 |
| 6152248 | Mobile agricultural machine A mobile agricultural machine has a pair of right and left traction members (2), a transmission (23,24), a main speed change device (68) operable to transmit at any speed ratio a driving force from an engine (21) through the transmission to the traction m... | 11/28/2000 |
| 6129164 | Mechanism for correct steering in reverse A steering mechanism that controls a drive and steer transmission and that causes the transmission to execute turns in the direction a steering wheel is turned when operating in either the forward or reverse direction of travel. In response to operator en... | 10/10/2000 |
| 5771987 | Wheeled vehicle, specifically a swimming-pool cleaning robot, with automatic change of travel direction when meeting an obstacle Wheeled vehicle which automatically changes travel direction when it meets an obstacle and which includes two independent front driving wheels; two obstacle-detection units located on the front of the vehicle at each side; a transmission mechanism for eac... | 06/30/1998 |
| 5706907 | Dual lever clutch actuatable direction controlled drive transmission system A directional drive transmission control system drivingly coupling a rotary output drive source of a powered vehicle with a pair of drive wheels thereof, includes right and left pairs of forward and reverse drive pulleys rotatably mounted on and rotatable... | 01/13/1998 |
| 5701966 | Omnidirectional self-propelled vehicle for ground handling of equipment Self-propelled vehicle for ground handling of equipment supportable by a pair of skids engageable by a lifting element and a stabilizing element. The vehicle has a front chassis rotatably connected to a rear chassis for relative tilting movement in a plan... | 12/30/1997 |
| 5692366 | Walk-behind mower reverse belt tensioner A belt drive tensioning device for a walk-behind mower having a power source, a transmission and shiftable between forward, neutral and reverse modes, right and left drive pulley's driven by the transmission, right and left drive belts driven by the drive... | 12/02/1997 |
| 5526889 | Drive for all-terrain vehicle A reversing drive or transmission is shown which is particularly useful for all-terrain vehicles. The drive includes a drive shaft and an intermediate axle spaced therefrom. The drive shaft and intermediate axle have respective pulley and drum assemblies ... | 06/18/1996 |
| 5503586 | Steering apparatus An extremely simple gear system is disclosed whereby a pair of output gears may be controlled so as to rotate in the same or opposite directions. The gear system is particularly useful as the steering system for a toy vehicle in which a reversible motor d... | 04/02/1996 |
| 5496226 | Friction drive unit for riding lawn mowers and the like A variable speed friction drive apparatus for a lawn mower includes a pair of drive cones supported by a frame for rotational movement about a common first axis, and a pair of drums supported by carriages for rotation about axes transverse to the lengths ... | 03/05/1996 |
| 5304088 | Drive apparatus for vehicle toy When an electric motor is rotated normally, a left-hand driving wheel is rotated normally by a drive gear through a large gear, a left-hand small gear, and a left-hand driven gear, and a right-hand driving wheel is also rotated normally through a right-ha... | 04/19/1994 |
| 4986378 | Machine configuration and method for steering a vehicle away from a wall A machine configuration which permits readily maneuvering a vehicle away from a wall or line of objects that the vehicle has been traveling close to, or closely following the walls around an inside corner. The vehicle has a frame carrying two rear drive w... | 01/22/1991 |
| 4696661 | Forward-reverse belt transmission A power transmission which includes a drive pulley and multiple driven pulleys which accommodate forward and reverse drive belts. The driven pulleys are mounted to pivoting carriages which allow relative shifting between forward and reverse and biasing sp... | 09/29/1987 |
| 4655724 | Toy vehicle and steering and drive mechanism therefor A steering and drive system for toy vehicles is disclosed. Independent gear trains for wheels on opposite sides of the toy vehicle are utilized in combination with a single reversible motor to either rotate all wheels in the same direction to move the veh... | 04/07/1987 |
| 4560022 | Electrically driven children's vehicle This electrically driven children's vehicle has a vehicle body 1 provided with front wheels 2, rear wheels 3, and a motor 8 for driving the rear wheels 3. The vehicle body 8 has a clutch lever 7 attached thereto, which clutch lever 7 is used to turn on an... | 12/24/1985 |
| 4516648 | Child's ride-on toy with reversing drive for rear wheels A child's motor powered vehicle utilizes a unidirectional electric motor supported on a drive shaft which carries at its ends drive members which are engageable with either one of a pair of radially spaced drive surfaces on the drive wheels. Control lever... | 05/14/1985 |
| 4413693 | Mobile chair A mobile self-propelled chair includes a frame having at its top a pivotally mounted passenger seat and captively mounting for rotation about various possible axes a relatively large sphere, which supports the principal weight of the chair and user. Auxil... | 11/08/1983 |
| 4369851 | Transmission system A vehicular control system utilizes a combination of drive mechanisms to provide a simple and inexpensive drive and steering system. A power unit is connected by sheaves and belts to drive a first drive shaft. A second driven shaft has independent portion... | 01/25/1983 |
| 4314617 | Steering apparatus for a hydraulically driven vehicle A steering apparatus for a hydraulically driven vehicle having a pair of independent hydrostatic transmissions, comprising a pair of steering levers mounted for movement to a dashboard of the vehicle, a pair of swivel levers pivotally mounted on the dashb... | 02/09/1982 |
