A steering axle drive assembly includes a steering axle having opposite ends, a wheel pivotally connected with each steering axle end, and a control mechanism. The wheels are operated by the control mechanism for rotation about a vertical axis and a horizontal axis. When the axle is connected with a vehicle, the control mechanism controls the steering axle wheels independent of other wheels of the vehicle, such as the main drive wheels, to steer and drive the vehicle from an origin in any direction without passing through the origin. Preferably, a motor or linear actuator controls the rotation of the steering axle wheels. The steering axle drive assembly can be further improved by including an angled axle.

Four-wheel steering of a vehicle, e.g., in which leading wheels and trailing wheels are steered independently of each other, can provide improved maneuverability and stability. A first vehicle model may be used to determine trajectories for execution by a vehicle equipped with four-wheel steering. A second vehicle model may be used to control the vehicle relative to the determined trajectories. For instance, the second vehicle model can determine leading wheels steering angles for steering leading wheels of the vehicle and trailing wheels steering angles for steering trailing wheels of the vehicle, independently of the leading wheels.

The present invention relates to a turn system actuated by hydraulic cylinders, applied to the four wheels of sugar-cane harvesters, wherein the harvester (80) comprises a rear axle (23) and a front axle (24), with wheel assemblies (9) associated to the axles (23, 24), wherein the rear axle (23) and the front axle (24) have a turn system, the one of the rear axle (23) being actuated by means of a double-action rear hydraulic cylinder (1) and that of the front axle (24) being actuated by means of a double-action front hydraulic cylinder (11), the hydraulic cylinders (1, 11) receiving a flow of oil through at least one flow divider (61) connected to an ortibrol (65) actuated by means of a steering wheel (60) of the harvester (80), the flow of oil received by the flow divider (61) being proportional to a factor related to the turn of the steering wheel (60), the turn system enabling the turn of the wheel assemblies (9) in amplitude ranging from 0.5 to 40 degrees, to the right or to the left, with respect to the longitudinal axis of the harvester (80).

The present invention relates to a turn system actuated by hydraulic cylinders, applied to the four wheels of sugar-cane harvesters, wherein the harvester (80) comprises a rear axle (23) and a front axle (24), with wheel assemblies (9) associated to the axles (23, 24), wherein the rear axle (23) and the front axle (24) have a turn system, the one of the rear axle (23) being actuated by means of a double-action rear hydraulic cylinder (1) and that of the front axle (24) being actuated by means of a double-action front hydraulic cylinder (11), the hydraulic cylinders (1, 11) receiving a flow of oil through at least one flow divider (61) connected to an ortibrol (65) actuated by means of a steering wheel (60) of the harvester (80), the flow of oil received by the flow divider (61) being proportional to a factor related to the turn of the steering wheel (60), the turn system enabling the turn of the wheel assemblies (9) in amplitude ranging from 0.5 to 40 degrees, to the right or to the left, with respect to the longitudinal axis of the harvester (80).

A system and method of controlling a scissors lift vehicle are provided. The system includes a main computer including one or more processors and one or more memory devices communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, a steer controller configured to receive commands from the main computer to control a plurality of independently steerable wheel assemblies, each wheel assembly including a steer angle sensor, a steer angle actuator, and a drive motor, and a scissors lift controller configured to control a hydraulic piston assembly including a hydraulic fluid reservoir internal to a piston rod assembly. The system also includes a tilt sensor configured to determine an angle of incline the scissors lift vehicle, a variable-speed steer actuator configured to rotate a wheel assembly about the steer axis of rotation at a selectable rate, and a wheel including a respective drive axis of rotation.

A trailer for towing a power vehicle with a towable frame forming an undercarriage chassis and a tandem wheel assembly positioned under the undercarriage chassis. The tandem wheel assembly having a first wheel assembly, a second wheel assembly and an extension assembly moving the second wheel assembly along a longitudinal axis of the chassis between trailing position and self-propelled position, with the first wheel assembly and the second wheel assembly are positioned to support the undercarriage chassis.

A dump truck includes a suspension and a steering mechanism. The suspension includes: a suspension arm in a form of an upper arm having an up-and-down movable proximal end supported on a vehicle body frame; and a tire support in a form of a casing rotatably attached to a distal end of the upper arm. The steering mechanism includes a steering cylinder having a proximal end attached to the upper arm and a distal end attached to a knuckle arm provided to the tire support.

A steering method for an industrial truck includes providing the industrial truck comprising at least two driven wheels configured to run in different tracks when moving in a longitudinal travel direction, each of the at least two driven wheels comprising a drive system. At least one first wheel of the at least two driven wheels is configured to be steerable in the longitudinal travel direction. At least one second wheel of the at least two driven wheels is configured to initially run on an inside during a cornering. The drive system of the at least one second wheel is disengaged from the longitudinal travel direction when a predetermined steering angle of the at least one first wheel is reached.

Disclosed are a method and apparatus for determining the heading of a 4WS vehicle. The 4WS vehicle's dynamic pivot point is calculated from the steering angles. A distance between the dynamic pivot point and a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) antenna is determined. A time delay is determined in the form of the distance between the GNSS antenna and the pivot point divided by the current vehicle horizontal velocity. The time delay is multiplied by a vehicle yaw rate to obtain a result which is added to a GNSS antenna heading to give a true heading. A control point for the 4WS vehicle is selected to allow that control point to follow a desired trajectory.

An autonomous mobile robot may use an improved steering system. The improved steering system may include a steering motor that is operably coupled to a motor shaft. The motor shaft may be aligned at an offset position relative to a center axis of the autonomous mobile robot. The motor shaft may be operably coupled to a front and rear steering linkage. Each steering linkage may include a pitman arm that is coupled to the motor shaft and a drag link. The drag link may be coupled to a first steering arm and a tie rod. The tie rod may also be coupled to a second steering arm. The first steering arm may be coupled to a first wheel and the second steering arm may be coupled to a second wheel.