Steering system for plurality of vehicles
First Claim
1. A steering system capable of steering a plurality of vehicles in a train comprising:
- a selected pair of transversely aligned propelling devices, each separately connected at a generally vertical pivot to an axle of a selected vehicle in said train;
means for steering said selected pair of propelling devices as the train moves over the ground;
at least two further pairs of steerable, transversely aligned propelling devices, each of said further pairs being connected to its own respective vehicle and supporting same, each propelling device in each of said further pairs being separately connected at a generally vertical pivot to an axle of the respective vehicle;
power means for steering each of said further pairs of propelling devices; and
control means for controlling said power means in order to set the steering angle of each of said further pairs of propelling devices, said control means including means for determining the current steering angle of said selected pair of propelling devices and generating an electrical signal indicative thereof, means for storing a series of said electrical signals as the train is travelling on the ground, means for determining the distance the propelling devices in the train have been travelling, and means for sending electrical turn signals to said power means for said further pairs of propelling devices in order to operate said power means, wherein said control means sets the steering angle of each further pair at substantially the same steering angle that said selected pair of propelling devices had when they were at the location where the particular further pair is currently located.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A steering system for steering a plurality of conveyor vehicles connected together in the form of a train. The vehicle has a first pair of wheels which can be steered by an operator as the train moves. There are further pairs of steerable wheels connected to the second and subsequent vehicles in the train and supporting same. There are hydraulic cylinders for steering each of the pairs of steerable wheels on the second and subsequent vehicles and a control mechanism for controlling these cylinders in order to set the steering angle of each further pair. This control mechanism includes means for determining the current steering angle of the first pair of wheels and generating an electrical signal indicative thereof and means for storing a series of these electrical signals as the train is travelling. Further means determine the amount of time the wheels in the train have been travelling and there is a calculator for determining the location of each of the further pairs of wheels on the basis of the determined travel time. A second electrical signal is generated for each further pairs of wheels in order to control its respective hydraulic cylinder and thereby set the steering angle of each pair at the same steering angle that the first pair of wheels had when they were at that location.
34 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A steering system capable of steering a plurality of vehicles in a train comprising:
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a selected pair of transversely aligned propelling devices, each separately connected at a generally vertical pivot to an axle of a selected vehicle in said train; means for steering said selected pair of propelling devices as the train moves over the ground; at least two further pairs of steerable, transversely aligned propelling devices, each of said further pairs being connected to its own respective vehicle and supporting same, each propelling device in each of said further pairs being separately connected at a generally vertical pivot to an axle of the respective vehicle; power means for steering each of said further pairs of propelling devices; and control means for controlling said power means in order to set the steering angle of each of said further pairs of propelling devices, said control means including means for determining the current steering angle of said selected pair of propelling devices and generating an electrical signal indicative thereof, means for storing a series of said electrical signals as the train is travelling on the ground, means for determining the distance the propelling devices in the train have been travelling, and means for sending electrical turn signals to said power means for said further pairs of propelling devices in order to operate said power means, wherein said control means sets the steering angle of each further pair at substantially the same steering angle that said selected pair of propelling devices had when they were at the location where the particular further pair is currently located. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A cascading mobile conveyor comprising:
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a plurality of vehicles pivotally connected together in the form of a train with each vehicle having part of a conveying system arranged thereon, said vehicles including a loading vehicle located at a rear end of the train, at least one intermediate vehicle, and an unloading vehicle located at a front end of said train; a selected pair of transversely aligned propelling devices each separately connected at a generally vertical pivot to one of said vehicles; means for steering said selected pair of propelling devices; further pairs of steerable, transversely aligned propelling devices pivotally mounted on vehicles that are trailing said one vehicle relative to a selected direction of train movement, said further pairs supporting their respective vehicles; power means for steering each of said further pairs of propelling devices; electrical control means for controlling said power means in order to set the steering angle of each of said further pairs of propelling devices, said control means including means for determining the current steering angle of said selected pair of propelling devices and generating a first electrical signal indicative thereof, means for storing a series of said first electrical signals as the train is travelling, means for determining the distance the propelling devices in the train have travelled, and means for sending electrical turn signals to said power means for said further pairs of propelling devices in order to operate said power means, wherein said control means sets the steering angle of each further pair at substantially same steering angle that said selected pair of propelling devices had when they were at the same location where the particular further pair is currently located. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification