Clevis-ended suspension strut manufactured without welds

A suspension strut for use on a work machine between an axle and a load carrying body, comprising:

• a forged one piece cylindrical inner housing comprising a hollow rod that defines a circumferential piston at an open end and a lower clevis at a closed end, in which the lower clevis is configured to attach to the axle and a first fluid reservoir extends between the open and closed ends of the hollow rod, the hollow rod being entirely hollow in an inner volume inward of an interior surface and between the open and closed ends thereof;
• a forged one piece cylindrical outer housing comprising a hollow barrel having an interior and an exterior surface, a closed end that forms an upper clevis, an open end, and a port on an outside radial surface of the hollow barrel, in which the upper clevis is configured to attach to the load carrying body and an outer surface of the circumferential piston is in slideable engagement with the interior surface of the hollow barrel, the hollow barrel being entirely hollow in an inner volume inward of the interior surface thereof and between the open and closed ends;
• and
• a disk shaped end cap coupled to the open end of the hollow barrel having an inner diameter in slideable engagement with an outer surface of hollow rod, in which the inner diameter of the end cap is smaller than an outer diameter of the circumferential piston, the disk shaped end cap forming a second fluid reservoir defined directly by a bottom surface of the circumferential piston, the interior surface of the hollow barrel, the outer surface of the hollow rod, and a top surface of the end cap,
• wherein the disk shaped end cap coupled to the open end of the hollow barrel is exposed so as to be viewable in a side elevational view of the suspension strut and so as to form an outer sidewall portion of the suspension strut, and
• wherein the forged one piece cylindrical inner housing defines a drain valve at the closed end thereof,
• wherein the circumferential piston at the open end of the hollow rod, which is part of the forged one piece cylindrical inner housing, forms an end-most portion of the forged one piece cylindrical inner housing,
• wherein the port on the outside radial surface of the hollow barrel is adjacent to the closed end of the hollow barrel,
• wherein the port extends from the outer surface of the hollow barrel to the inner surface of the hollow barrel, and is configured to allow a fluid to be pumped therethrough into the first fluid reservoir, and
• wherein the drain valve extends in a length direction of the suspension strut, the drain valve being between the two elongated members of the lower clevis such that an exit of the drain valve is between the two elongated members of the lower clevis and hidden by one of the two elongated members in a side view of the suspension strut.

A suspension strut for use on a work machine between an axle and a load carrying body, comprising:

• a forged one piece cylindrical inner housing comprising a hollow rod that defines a circumferential piston at an open end and a lower clevis at a closed end, in which the lower clevis is configured to attach to the axle and a first fluid reservoir extends between the open and closed ends of the hollow rod, the hollow rod being entirely hollow in an inner volume inward of an interior surface and between the open and closed ends thereof;
• a forged one piece cylindrical outer housing comprising a hollow barrel having an interior and an exterior surface, a closed end that forms an upper clevis, an open end, and a port on an outside radial surface of the hollow barrel, in which the upper clevis is configured to attach to the load carrying body and an outer surface of the circumferential piston is in slideable engagement with the interior surface of the hollow barrel, the hollow barrel being entirely hollow in an inner volume inward of the interior surface thereof and between the open and closed ends;
• and
• a disk shaped end cap coupled to the open end of the hollow barrel having an inner diameter in slideable engagement with an outer surface of hollow rod, in which the inner diameter of the end cap is smaller than an outer diameter of the circumferential piston, the disk shaped end cap forming a second fluid reservoir defined directly by a bottom surface of the circumferential piston, the interior surface of the hollow barrel, the outer surface of the hollow rod, and a top surface of the end cap,
• wherein the disk shaped end cap coupled to the open end of the hollow barrel is exposed so as to be viewable in a side elevational view of the suspension strut and so as to form an outer sidewall portion of the suspension strut, and
• wherein the forged one piece cylindrical inner housing defines a drain valve at the closed end thereof,
• wherein the circumferential piston at the open end of the hollow rod, which is part of the forged one piece cylindrical inner housing, forms an end-most portion of the forged one piece cylindrical inner housing,
• wherein the port on the outside radial surface of the hollow barrel is adjacent to the closed end of the hollow barrel,
• wherein the port extends from the outer surface of the hollow barrel to the inner surface of the hollow barrel, and is configured and sized to allow a fluid to be pumped therethrough into the first fluid reservoir,
• wherein a space exists, in a longitudinal direction of the suspension strut, between the open end of the hollow rod and the closed end of the hollow barrel under a condition where the one piece cylindrical inner housing is fully retracted within the hollow barrel of the one piece cylindrical outer housing and abuts the closed end of the hollow barrel,
• wherein a circumferential top surface of the end cap is bolted onto a circumferential surface of the open end of the hollow barrel,
• wherein the drain valve extends in a length direction of the suspension strut, the drain valve being between the two elongated members of the lower clevis such that an exit of the drain valve is between the two elongated members of the lower clevis and hidden by one of the two elongated members in a side view of the suspension strut.