Hydraulic rack and pinion steering gear

Claim 2

In combination with a fluid operated steering gear having an elongated housing, a rack extending through said housing, a piston axially fixed to the rack within the housing and spaced bearings slidably supporting the rack within the housing, the improvement residing in a sealing arrangement establishing a pair of pressure chambers on opposite axial sides of the piston within the housing, comprising resilient support means mounting the piston on the rack in wiping contact with the housing for radial displacement in response to flexure of the rack, a pair of sealing devices mounted by the housing for wiping contact with the rack on opposite sides of the piston, means supporting one of said sealing devices for limited radial displacement relative to the housing and means pivotally connecting the supporting means to the housing remote from said one of the sealing devices.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 8 wherein the resilient support means includes a support ring radially spacing the piston from the rack and means for axially fixing the support ring and the piston to the rack.

Claim 4

The combination fo claim 2 including a radial enlargement mounted on the free end of the tubular support receiving said one of the end sealing devices.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 3 wherein the radial enlargement has a minimum radial clearance relative to the housing of approximately 0.05 millimeters.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 1 wherein the pivotal supporting means includes a tubular support encircling the rack having an anchored end and a free end and means pivotally connecting the tubular support to the housing adjacent the anchored end, said one of the sealing devices being carried by the tubular support at said free end.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 1 wherein said supporting means includes a radially displaceable end portion remote from one of the spaced bearings, said one of the sealing devices being carried by the supporting means at said end portion.

Claim 8

In combination with a fluid operated steering gear having an elongated housing, a rack extending through said housing, a piston axially fixed to the rack within the housing and spaced bearings slidably supporting the rack within the housing, the improvement residing in a sealing arrangement establishing a pair of pressure chambers on opposite axial sides of the piston within the housing, comprising resilient support means mounting the piston on the rack in wiping contact with the housing for radial displacement in response to flexure of the rack, a pair of end sealing devices mounted by the housing for wiping contact with the rack on opposite sides of the piston, and means pivotally supporting one of said end sealing devices in axially spaced relation to an adjacent one of the spaced bearings for limited radial displacement relative to the housing, the pivotal supporting means including a tubular support encircling the rack having an anchored end and a free end and means pivotally connecting the tubular support to the housing adjacent the anchored end, said one of the sealing devices being carried by the tubular support at said free end, the housing including a bearing section and a cylindrical section within which the pressure chambers are formed, said pivotal connecting means comprising a lock ring axially fixed to the tubular support adjacent the anchored end, a pair of discs abutting the lock ring on opposite axial sides, means clamping one of the discs between the bearing and cylindrical sections of the housing and a sealing ring mounted on the tubular support in abutment with the other of the discs radially inwardly of the clamping means.

Claim 9

In combination with a fluid operated steering gear having an elongated housing, a rack extending through said housing, a piston axially fixed to the rack within the housing and spaced bearings slidably supporting the rack within the housing, the improvement residing in a sealing arrangement establishing a pair of pressure chambers on opposite axial sides of the piston within the housing, comprising resilient support means mounting the piston on the rack in wiping contact with the housing for radial displacement in response to flexure of the rack, a pair of end sealing devices mounted by the housing for wiping contact with the rack on opposite sides of the piston, and means pivotally supporting one of said end sealing devices in axially spaced relation to an adjacent one of the spaced bearings for limited radial displacement relative to the housing, the pivotal supporting means including a tubular support encircling the rack having an anchored end and a free end and means pivotally connecting the tubular support to the housing adjacent the anchored end, said one of the sealing devices being carried by the tubular support at said free end, the housing including a bearing section and a cylindrical section within which the pressure chambers are formed, said pivotal connecting means comprising a lock ring axially fixed to the tubular support adjacent the anchored end, a pair of discs abutting the lock ring on opposite axial sides, means clamping one of the discs between the bearing and cylindrical sections of the housing and a sealing ring mounted on the tubular support in abutment with the other of the discs radially inwardly of the clamping means.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 7 including a radial enlargement mounted on the free end of the tubular support receiving said one of the end sealing devices.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 8 wherein the radial enlargement has a Minimum radial clearance relative to the housing of approximately 0.05 millimeters.

Claim 12

In combination with a fluid operated steering gear having an elongated housing, a rack extending through said housing, a piston axially fixed to the rack within the housing and spaced bearings slidably supporting the rack within the housing, the improvement residing in a sealing arrangement establishing a pair of pressure chambers on opposite axial sides of the piston within the housing, comprising resilient support means mounting the piston on the rack in wiping contact with the housing for radial displacement in response to flexure of the rack, a pair of sealing devices mounted by the housing for wiping contact with the rack on opposite sides of the piston, and means pivotally supporting one of said end sealing devices in axially spaced relation to an adjacent one of the spaced bearings for limited radial displacement relative to the housing, the pivotal supporting means including a tubular support encircling the rack having an anchored end and a free end and means pivotally connecting the tubular support to the housing adjacent the anchored end, said one of the sealing devices being carried by the tubular support at said free end, and a radial enlargement mounted on the free end of the tubular support receiving said one of the end sealing devices.

Claim 13

In combination with a fluid operated steering gear having an elongated housing, a rack extending through said housing, a piston axially fixed to the rack within the housing and spaced bearings slidably supporting the rack within the housing, the improvement residing in a sealing arrangement establishing a pair of pressure chambers on opposite axial sides of the piston within the housing, comprising resilient support means mounting the piston on the rack in wiping contact with the housing for radial displacement in response to flexure of the rack, a pair of sealing devices mounted by the housing for wiping contact with the rack on opposite sides of the piston, and means pivotally supporting one of said end sealing devices in axially spaced relation to an adjacent one of the spaced bearings for limited radial displacement relative to the housing, the pivotal supporting means including a tubular support encircling the rack having an anchored end and a free end and means pivotally connecting the tubular support to the housing adjacent the anchored end, said one of the sealing devices being carried by the tubular support at said free end, and a radial enlargement mounted on the free end of the tubular support receiving said one of the end sealing devices.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 10 wherein the radial enlargement has a minimum radial clearance relative to the housing of approximately 0.05 millimeters.