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Automatically guided vehicle having steering mechanism for enabling vehicle to follow guidance wire

  • US 4,729,449 A
  • Filed: 12/06/1985
  • Issued: 03/08/1988
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1985
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A steering mechanism for enabling a vehicle to follow a guidance wire, said steering mechanism comprising:

  • (a) first and second cooperating steer drive antennas stationarily affixed in spaced-apart relation on said vehicle in wire sensing relation thereto;

    (b) a differential drive antenna stationarily affixed on said vehicle in wire sensing relation thereto and oriented perpendicular to said first and second steer drive antennas;

    (c) first drive wheel means including a first drive wheel mounted on said vehicle and having steering and driving means for propelling and steering said vehicle along a surface;

    (d) second drive wheel means including a second drive wheel mounted on said vehicle in spaced-apart relation to said first drive wheel and having steering and driving means for propelling and steering said vehicle along a surface;

    (e) control means operatively connecting the steering means of said first drive wheel to said first steer drive antenna and to said differential drive antenna, and, the steering means of said second drive wheel to said second steer drive antenna and said differential drive antenna;

    said control means further including means for;

    (f) in a steer drive mode, positioning said first and second drive wheels in front-to-back, driving and steering relation for steering movement of said first drive wheel in response to lateral relative movement between said guidance wire and said first steer drive antenna and steering movement of said second drive wheel in response to lateral relative movement between said guidance wire and said second steer drive antenna;

    the steering movement of said first drive wheel being independent of the steering movement of the second drive wheel; and

    (g) in a differential drive mode, rotating said first and second drive wheels into a position substantially perpendicular from the steer drive position and into mutual parallel relation whereby said vehicle may be moved in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement in the steer drive mode in a straight-line or sinuous path by differential speed control of said first and second drive wheels in response to lateral relative movement between said guidance wire and said second differential drive antenna;

    whereby said vehicle can be guided along a straight or sinuous path by said first and second drive wheels in steer drive relation and then moved perpendicularly along a straight or sinuous path by said drive wheels in differential drive position.

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