US 2012/0056469 A1Published application

Fabricated vehicle axle

AssigneeHendrickson USA, L.L.C.

InventorsJohn Stephen Bubulka, Ashley Thomas Dudding, Jerome Lim Cortez, Brian Scott Wiltjer

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Abstract

A fabricated vehicle axle is provided with a main body defined by the combination of a channel having an inverted U-shaped configuration and a bottom plate. The ends of the main body are curved upwardly to define a pair of gooseneck portions. Axle head sections are formed at the ends of the axle and are closed off by end extensions extending from the front and rear walls of the channel and a cover flap extension extending from the top wall of the channel. A head plate is inserted within the space between the cover flap and the top edges of the end extensions. King pin bolt holes are machined at each axle head section into the cover flaps, head plates and each end of the bottom plate to permit a king pin to be installed therein.

Claims36

Dependent claims

A fabricated vehicle axle, comprising:

a main beam formed by a channel and a bottom plate secured to the channel, the main beam forming a first axle head section, a first axle gooseneck section adjacent to said first axle head section, an axle midsection adjacent to said first axle gooseneck section, a second axle gooseneck section adjacent to said axle midsection, and a second axle head section adjacent to said second axle gooseneck section;
said channel having an inverted U-shaped configuration along its midsection defining a channel front wall, a channel rear wall and a channel top wall;
said channel extending from said first axle head section to said second axle head section;
a first extension extending from said front wall of said channel positioned at said first axle head section, and a second extension extending from said rear wall of said channel positioned at said first axle head section, the first and second extensions wrapping around and joining together at said first axle head section in order to close off the end of the axle at said first axle head section;
a third extension extending from said front wall of said channel positioned at said second axle head section, and a fourth extension extending from said rear wall of said channel positioned at said second axle head section, the third and fourth extensions wrapping around and joining together at said second axle head section in order to close off the end of the axle at said second axle head section;
a first head plate secured to said channel at said first axle head section;
and
a second head plate secured to said channel at said second axle head section.

5 more elements

A fabricated vehicle axle, comprising:

a main beam formed by a channel and a bottom plate secured to the channel, the main beam forming a first axle head section, a first axle gooseneck section adjacent to said first axle head section, an axle midsection adjacent to said first axle gooseneck section, a second axle gooseneck section adjacent to said axle midsection, and a second axle head section adjacent to said second axle gooseneck section;
said channel having an inverted U-shaped configuration along its midsection defining a channel front wall, a channel rear wall and a channel top wall;
said channel extending from said first axle head section to said second axle head section;
a first extension extending from said front wall of said channel positioned at said first axle head section, and a second extension extending from said rear wall of said channel positioned at said first axle head section, the first and second extensions wrapping around and joining together at said first axle head section in order to close off the end of the axle at said first axle head section;
a first cover flap extension extending from said top wall of said channel positioned at said first axle head section, the first cover flap extension serving as a cover flap for said first axle head section, said first cover flap extension being spaced apart from upper edges of the first and second extensions;
a third extension extending from said front wall of said channel positioned at said second axle head section, and a fourth extension extending from said rear wall of said channel positioned at said second axle head section, the third and fourth extensions wrapping around and joining together at said second axle head section in order to close off the end of the axle at said second axle head section;
a second cover flap extension extending from said top wall of said channel positioned at said second axle head section, the second cover flap extension serving as a cover flap for said first axle head section and being spaced apart from upper edges of the third and fourth extensions;
a first head plate inserted into a first space between said first cover flap extension and said first and second extensions;
and
a second head plate inserted into a second space between said second cover flap extension and said third and fourth extensions.

7 more elements

A fabricated vehicle axle, comprising:

a main beam formed by a channel and a bottom plate secured to the channel, the main beam forming a first axle head section, a first axle gooseneck section adjacent to said first axle head section, an axle midsection adjacent to said first axle gooseneck section, a second axle gooseneck section adjacent to said axle midsection, and a second axle head section adjacent to said second axle gooseneck section;
said channel having an inverted U-shaped configuration along its midsection defining a channel front wall, a channel rear wall and a channel top wall;
said channel extending from said first axle head section to said second axle head section;
a first cover flap extension extending from said top wall of said channel positioned at said first axle head section, the first cover flap extension serving as a cover flap for said first axle head section and being spaced apart from said bottom plate;
a second cover flap extension extending from said top wall of said channel positioned at said second axle head section, the second cover flap extension serving as a cover flap for said first axle head section and being spaced apart from said bottom plate;
a first reinforcing insert at least partially received within a first space between said first cover flap extension and said bottom plate;
and
a second reinforcing insert at least partially received within a second space between said second cover flap extension and said bottom plate.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.