Patent ID: 7210553

Claim:
An apparatus for use in turning first and second steerable vehicle wheels upon manual rotation of a steering wheel, said apparatus comprising: a rack having first and second end portions, a pinion disposed in meshing engagement with said rack, said pinion being connected with the steering wheel and being rotatable relative to said rack upon rotation of the steering wheel; a valve connected with said pinion, said valve being actuatable upon rotation of the steering wheel; a force transmitting member having a first end portion connected to the first steerable vehicle wheel and a second end portion connected to the second steerable vehicle wheel; a hydraulic motor connected with said force transmitting member, said hydraulic motor being connected in fluid communication with said valve, said valve being operable upon rotation of the steering wheel in a first direction to effect operation of said hydraulic motor and turning movement of the steerable vehicle wheels in a first direction, said valve being operable upon rotation of the steering wheel in a second direction to effect operation of said hydraulic motor and turning movement of the steerable vehicle wheels in a second direction, and a connector member which connects said first end portion of said rack with the first steerable vehicle wheel, said second end portion of said rack being spaced from the second steerable vehicle wheel and disconnected from the second steerable vehicle wheel, said force transmitting member is spaced from and has a longitudinal central axis which is generally parallel to a longitudinal central axis of said connector member.