US782818A

US782818A - Steering mechanism for motor-vehicles.

Info

Publication number: US782818A
Application number: US20262204A
Authority: US
Inventors: Nils M Benson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1904-04-11
Filing date: 1904-04-11
Publication date: 1905-02-21
Anticipated expiration: 1922-02-21

Description

No. 782,818. PATENTED FEB. 21, 1905 N. M. BENSON.

STEERING MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

' APPLIUATIOR FILED APR. 11, 1904.

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UNITED STATES Patented. February 21, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

STEERING MECHANISM FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 782,818, dated February 21, 1905.

Application filed April 11, 1904. Serial No. 202,622.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NILs M. BENSON, a citizen of the United States, residingat Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsinSteeringMechanismforAutomobiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention refers to improvements in steering mechanism for automobiles, and has for its object the production of such a steering mechanism in which simplicity and strength are combined with ease and certainty of movement.

A further object of the invention is the production of a steering mechanism embodying the improvements hereinafter shown and described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an under side view of an automobile-frame fitted with my improved steering mechanism. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section through a portion of such steering mechanism, taken on dotted line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on broken dotted line 3 3 of Fig. 2, showing also the connection between the connecting-rod and the crank-arm of the steeringhead. Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the connection between the forward end of the connecting-rod and the steering-axle.

In the embodiment of this invention I provide a main frame A, comprising side bars A. transverse bars A and bars A for supporting the casing for the steering mechanism. Springs B of common construction are secured beneath the frame in the usual manner and carry upon their lower side the axle B. At its ends the axle B is bifurcated, forming the yokes B within which yokes are pivotally supported the bell crank steeringknuckles B having the integral inwardly-extending crank-arms B pivotally connected by means of the pivoted link B One of the steering-knuckles B is provided with an arm B fixed with relation to said knuckle and providing a means for attaching thereto the connecting-rod to be hereinafter mentioned.

The steering mechanism proper is supported within a casing C, comprising an upper portion O and a lower portion C the former having integral side flanges O adapted to rest upon and be secured to the supporting-bars A The upper portion O of the casing O comprises an integral sleeve (3* for the steering-rod and a pocket O for receiving the upper end of the shaft of the steering-gear, both to be hereinafter described. The lower portion C of the casing is also provided with an integral sleeve O for the steering-head and with an integral abutment-stud O for the end of the steering-rod. The two parts of the casing are secured together by means of coinciding ears C the lower ear of each pair being screw-threaded to receive the screws O.

A steering-gear D is located within the easing C, said gear being slightly beveled and having teeth D upon only a portion of its periphery. A stem D formed integral with said gear, lies within the bearing-sleeve O of the lower portion of the casing O, a washer D being placed upon said stem between the inner end of said sleeve and said gear.

A shaft E lies within the hollow stem D of the bevel steering-gear D, the upper end of said shaft entering the bearing-pocket O, formed in the upper portion of the casing O. The shaft E is secured to the stem D by means of the pin E. and the lower end of said shaft is turned at a right angle to form the crank E At its outer end the crank E is turned downwardly and provided at its end with an integral ball E for forming a balland-socket joint with the connecting-rod E, which joins said crank with the arm B" of the bell-crank steering-knuckles.

A steering-rod F lies within and extends upwardly from the bearing-sleeve O. Atits upper end this steering-rod is provided with the usual steering-wheel F and at its lower end with the bevel-pinion F meshing with the steering-gear D. The pinion F is provided with a hub F and by means of a pin F is secured to the steering-rod F. A tubular casing F surrounds the steering-rod.

By the arrangement shown the steeringgear D is provided with a long bearing within its bearing-sleeve O, and a strong and positive steering connection between the steeringwheel F and the front wheels is provided. The means of attachment of the casing O to the supporting-bars A of the main frame makes the entire steering-gear readily removable, while the separable casing makes the parts of the mechanism easily accessible for cleaning or repair. The washer l) is provided between the upper end of the bearingsleeve U and the steering-gear D, so that when the teeth of said gear and of the pinion F become worn the washer may be placed above the steering-gear in order to move said gear downwardly, thus bringing the rotative centers of said gear and pinion nearer together and taking up wear between them.

My invention is not restricted to the precise construction and arrangement of parts shown and described herein, as such construction and arrangement may be modified or varied by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention 1. In asteeringmechanism for automobiles, in combination, a two-part separable casing, each part comprisinga bearing-sleeve; asteering-gear having a stem adapted to lie within one of said sleeves; an abutment formed in one of said casing portions and alined with the other of said sleeves; a steering-rod lying within said last-mentioned sleeve and abutting against said abutment; a pinion on said steering-rod adapted to mesh with said steeringgear; and an operative connection between the steering-gear and the steering-axle.

2. In a steering mechanism for automobiles, in combination, a two-part separable casing, one of the parts of said casing comprising a bearing-sleeve; a steering-gear having a tubular stem rotatably mounted in said sleeve; a steering-shaft lying within and fixed to said tubular stem, said shaft being provided with a crank-arm having a ball-and-soeket connection with a connecting-rod, which connectingrod is pivotally connected with the steeringaxle; and a steering-rod having a pinion fixed thereto adapted to mesh with said steeringgear.

3. In asteering mechanism for automobiles, in combination, a two-part separable casing, each part having a bearing-sleeve; a bearingpocket in said casing coinciding with one of said bearing-sleeves; a bearing-abutment in.

said casing coinciding with the other bearingsleeve; a steering-gear having a tubular stem adapted to lie within one of said bearingsleeves; a steering-shaft within said tubular stem, the end of which shaft is adapted to enter said bearing-pocket; a steering-rod having a pinion lixed thereto adapted to mesh with said steering-gear, the end of the steering-rod lying in contact with said abutment; a crankarm for the steering-shaft; and a connectingrod connection between said crank-arm and the steering-axle.

*L. In a steering mechanism for automobiles, in combination, a two-part separable casing, each part having a bearing-sleeve formed integral therewith; a steering-gear having a tubular stem adapted to lie within one of said sleeves; an abutment formed in one of said casing portions and alined with the other of said sleeves; a steering-rod lying within said last-mentioned sleeve and abutting against said abutment; a pinion on said steering-rod adapted to mesh with said steering-gear; a steering-shaft lying within and fixed to the tubular stem of said steering-gear,said shaft being provided with a crank-arm; a bearingpocket formed in one of the casing portions adapted to receive one end of said steeringshaft; and a connecting-rod pivotally connected at one end With the steering-axle and at its other having a ball-and-socket connection with said crank-arm.

5. In a steering mechanism for automobiles, in combination, a casing adapted to be secured to the automobile, said casing comprising an upwardly extending inclined bearing sleeve and a downwardly-extending vertical bearingsleeve; a steering-rod lying within the inclined bearing-sleeve and carrying a pinion fixed thereon; a steering-gear in said casing; a shaft extending through said vertical bearing-sleeve and having fixed thereon a steering-gear adapted to mesh with said pinion; and an operative connection between the steering-axle and said shaft.

6. In asteering mechanism for automobiles, in combination, a separable casing comprising an upper part adapted to be secured to the automobile, said upper part having an inclined bearing-sleeve and a bearing-pocket, said casing also comprising a lower part adapted to be secured to said upper part, said lower part being provided with a vertical bearing-sleeve and an abutment; a steering-rod lying within the bearing-sleex e of the upper part and abutting against said abutment; a steering-gear having a stem adapted to lie within the bearing-sleeve of the lower part; a pinion on said steering-rod adapted to mesh with said steering-gear; a vertical shaft fixed with relation to the stem of said steering-gear, the upper end of said shaft lying within the bearingpocket of the upper casing portion; a crankarm on said shaft; and an operative connection between the steering-axle and said crankarm.

NILS M. BENSON. Witnesses:

L. L. MILLER, GEORGE L. CHINDAI'IL.