Steering and drive assembly

摘要

A drive and steering unit for driving and steering a load support comprises, in one embodiment, a steering assembly including a steering gear attached to a wheel housing and engaged with the steering power system, the steering gear being rotatable about an axis in response to actuation of the steering assembly, a drive assembly connected to the steering gear, and a drive power system coupled to the drive assembly and movable with the steering gear. In an alternate embodiment, the steering assembly is connected to the wheel through a steering gear attached to a slewing ring that supports the drive assembly and is rotatable with the drive assembly.

主权项

1. A drive and steering unit comprising:
a) a wheel housing having a first axis that is aligned with a drive shaft of a wheel housed therein, and a second axis that is normal to the first axis along a center of the wheel; b) a steering assembly for steering the wheel and having a steering gear and a steering power system coupled to the steering gear for controlling and driving the steering gear; c) the steering gear being attached to the wheel housing, having a central axis aligned with the second axis, and being rotatable with the wheel housing about the second axis; and d) a drive assembly coupled to the wheel housing for driving the wheel, and a drive power system coupled to the drive assembly and movable with the wheel housing; wherein the steering gear is a steering pulley attached to the wheel housing; and wherein the steering power system is spaced from the wheel housing and coupled to the steering pulley by a steering belt; wherein the wheel housing is fixed to a support at a point of fixation which defines a support plane and wherein the entire wheel housing and the entire steering power system are mounted above the support plane.