Patent ID: 8727059

Claim:
Hinge assembly ( 1 ) for connecting two vehicle parts ( 2 , 3 ) having vehicle axles to a vehicle that is capable of crab steering, has articulated frame steering and comprises articulating vehicle axles, comprising four structural elements ( 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ), which are connected to each other by four hinge connections ( 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ) in such a manner that in a basic state, in which the hinge centers of the hinge connections ( 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ) define a common plane, they altogether form a closed frame which is substantially rigid with respect to thrust forces acting along that plane, wherein two of the structural elements ( 4 , 6 ) which are forming two opposing sides of the frame which is substantially rigid with respect to thrust forces, in each case can be rotated with respect to the remaining structural elements ( 5 , 7 ) in two of the hinge connections ( 8 , 9 ; 10 , 11 ) about a rotational axis (D 1 , D 2 ) which in the basic state is located in the plane defined by the hinge centers and that one ( 4 ) of these two structural elements ( 4 , 6 ) which can be rotated, together with one ( 5 ) of the two remaining structural elements ( 5 , 7 ) to which it is directly connected by one ( 10 ) of the hinge connections ( 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ), can be tilted starting from the basic state with respect to the other two structural elements ( 4 , 7 ) in such a manner that the hinge center of the hinge connection ( 10 ), which connects said two tiltable structural elements ( 4 , 5 ), to both sides can be pivoted out of the plane defined by the hinge centers in the basic state, while the hinge centers of the other three hinge connections ( 8 , 9 , 11 ) stay in this plane, for permitting an articulation of the rotational axis (D 1 , D 2 ) of the two structural elements ( 4 , 6 ) which can be rotated relative to each other.