Patent · US Expired

Variable flow control valve for steering systems of articulated vehicles

US4240457A · kind A · utility

7Cited by
12References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 15, 1978
Grant dateDec 23, 1980
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 15, 1998

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T137/2597
  • WIPO fieldTransport
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

The steering system comprises at least one double-acting fluid cylinder, a directional control valve connected to the cylinder for alternately extending and retracting the cylinder and a hand metering unit for communicating a fluid steering signal to the directional control valve whereby an engine-driven pump is adapted to communicate pressurized fluid to the cylinder for steering purposes. A variable flow control valve is interconnected between the pump and the hand metering unit for communicating a variable fluid flow to the hand metering unit in proportion to the speed of the pump to vary the fluid steering signal whereby an operator can sense the speed of the pump. In the preferred embodiment of this invention, the variable flow control valve comprises a pair of spring-biased, reciprocal members which sense a differential pressure across the valve to control fluid flow through an outlet which is adapted to be connected to the hand metering unit.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.