Title: Mounting and driving mechanism for the steerable wheels of a multi-wheel off-road vehicle

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Abstract: This invention relates to a mounting and driving mechanism for the steerable wheels of a multi-wheel, off-road vehicle of the type utilized for transporting long loads, such as trimmed tree trunks or whole trees, over roadless terrain. Such vehicles generally have front and rear quad-wheel assemblies pivotally connected to a centrally disposed elongated bed frame so as to permit lateral rotation of the quad-wheel assemblies about a roll axis disposed below and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bed frame. Each quad-wheel assembly additionally includes a pair of walking beams which are respectively disposed in laterally spaced relationship with respect to the longitudinal bed frame and are pivotally mounted for rotation about a horizontal transverse axis. At each end of each walking beam, a wheel is mounted in a unique fashion together with individually controlled motors for respectively supplying traction power and steering movements to such wheel. A unique feature of the mounting and driving mechanism for each wheel is the fact that both the traction torque and the steering torque is transmitted to the wheel about a common axis provided in the wheel mounting housing.


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