Patent ID: 8157033
Filing Date: 2012-04-17
Classification: B62D

Abstract:
1. A steering system for a vehicle having left and right endless tracks for propelling the vehicle, left and right sprocket wheels for driving a respective one of the left and right endless tracks, a motor for providing primary motive power to the sprocket wheels and a hydraulic pump, the steering system comprising: a) left and right hydraulic motors each mounted to a respective one of the left and right sprocket wheels, each hydraulic motor comprising a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, each hydraulic motor able to provide an additional motive power to the respective one of the left and right sprocket wheel in response to a hydraulic pressure being provided at the fluid inlet of the respective left and right hydraulic motor; b) a hydraulic circuit connecting the fluid outlet of the left hydraulic motor to the fluid inlet of the right hydraulic motor and the fluid outlet of the right hydraulic motor to the fluid inlet of the left hydraulic motor, thereby permitting the flow of hydraulic fluid between the left and right hydraulic motors; and c) a steering mechanism for receiving hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pump and selectively distributing it to the first and second hydraulic motors, the steering mechanism being in fluid communication with the fluid inlet of the left hydraulic motor to provide the hydraulic pressure in response to a first steering input from a user, the steering mechanism also being in fluid communication with the fluid inlet of the right hydraulic motor to provide a hydraulic pressure in response to a second steering input from a user.