GB466165A - Improvements in or relating to vehicle steering gears - Google Patents

Abstract

466,165. Motor-vehicle steering-gear. BOUGHTON, E. B. Nov. 15, 1935, No. 31721. [Class 79 (v)] [Also in Groups XXIV, XXV, and XXXIV] The rocker shaft of the steering gear is mounted in rubber bushes or bearings. In the construction shown applied to screw-and-nut gearing the steering shaft 10 rocks about a selfaligning bearing at its upper end 14 and the screw 11 is engaged by a nut 15 pivoted at 16 to arms 17, 18 on the rocker shaft 19. Rubber bushes 20, 21, 22 are inserted between conical collars 23 on the shaft and tapered surfaces 25, 26, 27 on the gear casing 24. The rubber bushes may be of sufficient thickness to allow the full angular movement of the rocker shaft to take place without any slip. The casing 24 may be of pressed sheet-metal or may be a die casting, and may be provided with three rubber bushes as shown or with two. The shaft 10 may be exposed throughout the greater part of its length, as shown, the opening in the gear casing being covered by a flexible hood 50, or the shaft may be enclosed in a stationary column 12. The nut 15 preferably comprises a steel shell fitting loosely over the screw, the thread of the nut being formed by pouring readily-fusible bearing metal into the shell while it is in position on the screw. In order to be adjustable for wear the nut is formed in two parts 15a, 15b, pivoted respectively on the arms 17, 18 the arm 18 being fixed and the arm 17 loose on the shaft 19. Wear is taken up by means of a set screw 30, Fig. 3, acting between lugs 28, 29 on the arms. The self-aligning bearing at 14 comprises two rows of balls 32, 34, Fig. 5, bearing on reduced parts 36, 37 of the shaft 10, adjustment being effected by means of a screw cap 35.