GB674749A - Improvements relating to vehicle steering mechanisms - Google Patents

Abstract

674,749. Locking levers. BURMAN & SONS, Ltd:, and BRIGGS, W. H, June 9, 1950 [July 18, 1949], No. 18819/49. Class 80 (iii). To prevent the transmission of forces from the road wheels to the steering wheel of a vehicle employing rack and pinion steering gear, a frictional brake is responsive to the relation between the direction of rotation of the pinion and the direction of the tooth pressure between the rack and pinion. The pinion spindle d is sup-, ported by a single bearing e remote from the rack b and the lateral thrust is resisted by one of two fixed friction pads k<SP>1</SP>, k<SP>2</SP>, Fig. 2, which are parallel with the two possible lines of tooth, pressure. The pads are engageable respectively with two collars g loosely mounted on the spindle d between two collars f which are splined to the spindle and abut respectively the pinion c and a sleeve m, contacting the bearing e. Adjacent faces of the collars g are provided with tapering grooves containing balls j, or other wedging means, and the collars are urged apart by a torsion .spring. When the pinion c rotates, in either direction, to drive the rack b the tooth pressure is in such a, direction that the appropriate friction pad is engaged to hold stationary that collar g causing contraction of the pair of collars. When, however, the rack drives the pinion, the two directions of tooth pressure corresponding to the two directions of rotation are interchanged, so that the pair of collars g is expanded to bear on the collars f and brake the spindle d. Specification 615,096 is referred to.