Patent ID: 9650071
Date: 2017-05-16
CPC Classifications: B62D,E01H

Claim:
1. A bi-directional steering mechanism comprising: a plurality of tie rods; and a linkage configured to convert rotational motion about a vertical axis into linear motion so that wheels attached to ends of the plurality of tie rods are turned about a common pivot point in a parallel arrangement while the linkage rotates about the vertical axis, the linkage comprising an upper portion attached to an actuator, a middle portion, and a lower portion; wherein the lower portion of the linkage comprises an end extending radially outward from the vertical axis, the end having horizontally offset attachment points rotatably securing the ends of the plurality of tie rods in a vertically overlapping arrangement where the ends and a portion of each of the plurality of tie rods vertically overlap each other as the linkage rotates about the vertical axis; wherein a first tie rod extends to a first offset attachment point and a second tie rod extends to a second offset attachment point to form the vertically overlapping arrangement, the first offset attachment point being further from an end of the first tie rod attached to a wheel than the second offset attachment point is from the end of the first tie rod attached to the wheel, and the second offset attachment point being further from an end of the second tie rod attached to a wheel than the first offset attachment point is from the end of the second tie rod attached to the wheel.