Improvements in or relating to the steering of mechanicallypropelled vehicles

541,186. Motor vehicle starting-gear. BROWN & SONS (HUDDERSFIELD), Ltd., D., and TUPLIN, W. A. June 6, 1940, No. 9889. [Class 79 (v)] In a vehicle having the front and rear pairs of wheels steered in succession, the steering control member reciprocates a pin b carrying a spur or helical pinion a engaging two-racks e, f connected respectively to the front and rear steering wheels and one or other of the racks being always locked, so that continuous movement of the control member or shaft d from a central position rolls the pinion a on the locked rack f (say) and actuates the rack e to steer the front wheels until the latter have reached their full lock position. Further movement of the control member in the same direction causes the rack e to be locked and the rack f to be released so that the rear wheels are now steered towards full lock while the front wheels are kept in the full lock position. Return movement of the control member first returns the rear wheels and afterwards the front wheels to the central position. In the construction shown the steering shaft d reciprocates a nut c carrying the pin b and pinion a. One or other of the racks is locked by means of pins g, h carried by a laterally-movable ring i and projecting through holes in a tubular member i<SP>1</SP>, their inner ends being adapted to engage grooves e<SP>2</SP> or f<SP>2</SP> in the racks. In the position shown the rack f is locked by the pin h, the pin g resting on the surface of the rack e. A spring j tends to keep the ring i in this locking position. When the steering shaft d is rotated the pinion a moves the rack e to steer the front wheels until, when these wheels are at full lock, a recess m or m<SP>1</SP> in the rack e is opposite the pin g and the rack is stopped by stops k or k<SP>1</SP>. Further rotation of the shaft d now causes the pin h to be forced out of the groove f<SP>2</SP> and the pin g enters the recess m or m<SP>1</SP> so that the rack e is now locked and the rack f is moved to steer the rear wheels. Reverse rotation of the shaft d returns first the rear wheels and then the front wheels to the central position. If the vehicle is to be reversed and the rear wheels are to be steered first, the member i<SP>1</SP> is rotated through the angle A so that the pin h is gradually released from the rack f as the pin g enters and locks the rack e. Rotation of the steering shaft now steers the rear wheels until they are at full lock when a recess r or r<SP>1</SP> is opposite the pin h and allows the rack f to be locked and the rack e to be freed to steer the front wheels. A spring p is tensioned in this case instead of the spring j. In a modification, Fig. 3 (not shown) two interlocking slides are provided between the racks, each slide having a projection at each end adapted to engage a recess or recesses in the corresponding rack, so that only one rack at a time is free to be moved.