Variable effort steering gear

摘要

A variable effort power steering gear including detent elements in radial sockets in a pinion head, detent grooves in a stem of a stub shaft, an annular low speed reaction piston on the pinion head engageable on the detent elements when the low speed piston moves in a first direction, and an annular high speed reaction piston on the pinion head engageable on the detent elements when the high speed piston moves in a second direction opposite the first direction. Low and high speed bias springs apply first and second bias forces against the low and high speed reaction pistons. A control effects a fluid pressure gradient across the high speed piston in a low speed range of the steering gear counter to the second bias force so that in the low speed range only the first bias force is operative to urge the detent elements into the detent grooves and in the high speed range both the first and the second bias forces are operative to urge the detent elements into the detent grooves.