Leaf spring assembly
AssigneeGeneral Motors Corporation
InventorJohn Bilobran
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A leaf spring assembly in which the leaves, except for the longest or spring-eye leaf, the leaf adjacent thereto, and the shortest leaf, are formed from bar stock by cutting same with an ogee or sloped S-shaped die section without producing any resultant scrap; cambering and heat treating the individual leaves in the conventional manner; and assembling same such that each successive leaf is shorter than the predecessor leaf and its ogee-shaped end is mounted in the oppositely disposed attitude relative to the predecessor leaf, with substantially full length contact therebetween, without providing for conventional tip inserts or leaf separators therebetween.
Claims5
A method of manufacturing the intermediate leaves of a vehicle suspension leaf spring structure including a conventional longest bowed leaf and a conventional shortest flat leaf, the method comprising the following steps:
- a. cutting bar stock of a predetermined finished width and thickness and a predetermined multiple leaf spring length into a predetermined number of individual length leaves, having ogee-shaped end cuts and progressively shorter lengths, and concurrently piercing a hole in the longitudinal center of each leaf;
- b. cambering said leaves to predetermined shape;
- c. assembling said cambered leaves on said longest bowed leaf such that each successive leaf is shorter than the underlying leaf and its ogee-shaped end is mounted in the oppositely disposed attitude relative to the underlying leaf;
- d. mounting said shortest flat leaf on the last assembled and shortest cambered leaf;
- and
- e. mounting a bolt through the aligned center holes to prevent longitudinal displacement of said leaves during operational conditions, and mounting a clamp around at least one of the end portions of the assembly adjacent an end of the shortest leaf to prevent lateral displacement of said leaves during operational conditions.
A method of manufacturing a vehicle suspension leaf spring structure, the method comprising the following steps:
- a. cutting bar stock of a predetermined finished width and thickness and a predetermined multiple leaf spring length into a predetermined number of individual length leaves, the longest leaf, the leaf adjacent thereto, and the shortest leaf having substantially straight end cuts, and the intermediate leaves having ogee-shaped end cuts, and concurrently piercing a hole in the longitudinal center of each leaf;
- b. rolling eyes on the ends of the longest leaf;
- c. bowing the individual leaves except the shortest leaf to predetermined radii;
- d. heat treating the bowed leaves;
- e. assembling the leaves such that each successive leaf is shorter than the underlying leaf and its ogee-shaped end is mounted in the oppositely disposed attitude relative to the underlying leaf;
- and
- f. mounting a bolt through the aligned center holes and mounting a clamp around at least one of the end portions of the assembly adjacent an end of the shortest leaf such that all leaves in the assembly except the shortest leaf are urged into substantially full length contact with the respective underlying leaves and prevented from longitudinal and lateral displacement during operational conditions.
A method of manufacturing a vehicle suspension leaf spring structure, the method comprising the following steps:
- a. forming bar stock to a predetermined finished width and thickness and a predetermined multiple leaf spring length;
- b. cutting the bar stock into a predetermined number of individual length leaves, the two longest leaves and the shortest leaf having substantially straight end cuts, and the intermediate leaves having reversed curve-shaped end cuts, and concurrently piercing a a center hole therein;
- c. rolling eyes on the ends of the longest leaf;
- d. cambering the individual leaves except the shortest leaf to predetermined shape;
- e. heat treating the cambered leaves;
- f. assembling the leaves such that each successive leaf is shorter than the underlying leaf and its reversed curve-shaped end is mounted in the oppositely disposed attitude relative to the underlying leaf;
- and
- g. mounting a bolt through the aligned center holes and mounting a clamp around at least one of the end portions of the assembly adjacent an end of the shortest leaf such that all leaves in the assembly except the shortest leaf are urged into substantially full length contact with the respective underlying leaves and prevented from longitudinal and lateral displacement during operational conditions.
A vehicle suspension leaf spring structure comprising a plurality of superimposed longitudinally cambered spring leaves, each being in substantially full length contacting relationship with each successive spring leaf and a predetermined increment shorter than the underlying spring leaf, said spring leaves having end portions formed in an ogee-shaped configuration, with adjacent spring leaves having their respective ogee-shaped configuration oppositely disposed, aligned apertures formed in each of said spring leaves at the midpoint of the respective lengths thereof, pin means mounted in said apertures to prevent longitudinal displacement of said leaves during operational conditions, and clamp means mounted around said superimposed leaves to prevent lateral displacement of said leaves during operational conditions.
A vehicle suspension leaf spring structure comprising a plurality of superimposed longitudinally bowed spring leaves including a longest leaf having eyes for mounting formed on both ends thereof, a second leaf mounted on said longest leaf and having substantially straight end portions formed thereon and positioned adjacent said respective mounting eyes, and a plurality of intermediate leaves, each being a predetermined increment shorter than the underlying leaf and having end portions formed in an ogee-shaped configuration, with adjacent leaves having their respective ogee-shaped configuration oppositely disposed, each of said leaves being in substantially full length contacting relationship with each successive leaf;
- a shortest flat leaf having one of arcuate or straight end portions formed thereon and being mounted on the shortest of said bowed intermediate leaves;
- aligned, longitudinally-centered apertures formed in each of said spring leaves;
- pin means mounted in said apertures to prevent longitudinal displacement of said leaves during operational conditions;
- and clamp means mounted around said superimposed bowed leaves and said shortest flat leaf adjacent one end of said shortest flat leaf to prevent lateral displacement of said leaves during operational conditions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.