US 4,162,799 AGranted

Truck suspension system

OwnerElwood H. Willettsinventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

The present invention discloses a multiple axle truck suspension structure and system for vehicles wherein road and tire excitations of each axle are isolated from their opposing axle, as well as from the sprung mass. This is accomplished via deflections of pressure-resistant spring means and load-equalizing supports. In a preferred embodiment of this invention, a truck version of my novel vehicle suspension system is disclosed as having separately trunnioned rocker beam assemblies supported by cross axles, and wherein an equalizer interconnects air and elastomeric spring means. The equalizer is pivotally connected to either one or both vertical legs of opposing rocker beams, and is reactive on opposing axles, to enable more instantaneous dynamic deflecton of the combined air and elastomeric spring means than the elastomeric hysteresis would otherwise permit. The air spring relieves the hysteresis resistance of the elastomeric spring means on initial impacts. The elastomer also serves to partially dampen the air spring, as well as to provide load deflection resistance.

Claims2

Dependent claims

A multiple axle vehicle suspension structure, comprising, in combination:

transversely extending axles spaced from one another longitudinally with respect to the longitudinal axis of said vehicle suspension structure, frame members spaced transversely with respect to one another and extending between said axles, opposing rocker beam assemblies separately trunnioned in said structure at an elevation beneath the elevation of said frame members, said opposing rocker beam assemblies being supported at longitudinally extending ends thereof by said axles, multiple spring means reactive with respect to said axles for operationally equalizing the load as between said axles, said multiple spring means comprising an air spring and a compressive means disposed in parallel and both intermediate and cooperative with upwardly extending faces of said opposing rocker beam assemblies, said compressive means comprising a compressive resistant elastomer as a spring member and being characterized by the absense of spring members and means other than said elastomer, said elastomeric member disposed beneath said air spring and above trunnion points of said rocker beam assemblies.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 05/820,369Filed 29 Jul 1977 · continuation in part
Priority: 16 Jun 1977
Granted: 31 Jul 1979
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

B60G 5/04
Resilient suspensions for a set of tandem wheels or axles having interrelated movements: with two or more pivoted arms, the movements of which are…
B60G 11/62
Not including leaf springs: having both rubber springs and fluid springs
B60G 17/033
Spring characteristics , e.g. mechanical springs and mechanical adjusting means: characterised by regulating means acting on more than one spring
B60G 2204/13
Mounting of springs or dampers: with the spring, i.e. coil spring, or damper horizontally mounted