Snowmobile power steering system

摘要

A snowmobile power steering system on a snowmobile having a body with a chassis and a pair of laterally spaced steerable skis includes a source a hydraulic pressure including a reservoir for storing hydraulic fluid, a hydraulic cylinder which is mounted to the snowmobile body and has two chambers and at least one end rod, a steering column, and a linkage arrangement including interconnected connecting rods and pivotal members which together transmit force from the steering column to the skis. The linkage arrangement is operably connected to the hydraulic cylinder end rod so that movement of the end rod rotates the skis. A selected connecting rod includes a valve which selectively directs hydraulic pressure to one hydraulic cylinder chamber to move the end rod so the skis rotate in the first direction when the selected connecting rod transmits a tensile force. The valve directs hydraulic pressure to the other cylinder chamber to move the end rod so the skis rotate in a second direction when the selected connecting rod transmits a compressive force. The selected connecting rod is able to transmit both tensile and compressive forces, and has at least one elastic member which biases a spool within the valve toward its central position. At least one of the orifices within the valve near the spool is ellipsoidal in shape.