# US 4,393,955 A · Motorbus or similar vehicle

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- Number: US 4,393,955 A
- Document ID: US4393955A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/365,807
- Filed: 1982-04-05
- Granted: 1983-07-19
- Earliest claimed: 1979-04-12
- Assignees: PVBA Van Mullem
- Inventors: Albert Van Mullem
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4393955A

## CPC

- B62D 31/02: for carrying large numbers of passengers, e.g. omnibus
- B60G 2300/14: Buses
- B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M)
- B60G: VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS (air-cushion vehicles B60V; {cycle suspensions B62K25/00})

## Abstract

There is described a motorbus or similar vehicle, which is provided in the top part of the bodywork thereof with a self-supporting structure integrated therein, which extends over the whole vehicle length, whereby said integrated structure bears directly on the wheel axles, in such a way that there is notably a possibility of lowering the vehicule floor due to the omitting of the bearing function of those bodywork structures present below the floor and the taking over of such function by said structure integrated in the top bodywork part.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vehicle such as a motor bus having at least a first wheeled support having first wheels adjacent one end thereof and a second wheeled support having second wheels adjacent the other end thereof, said supports including cross members extending between the wheels, a bodywork having a length at least substantially equal to the distance between said wheeled supports, said bodywork defining an upper beam structure, body means suspended from said beam structure and including a lowermost floor with at least a part of the floor at or below the level of the axis of rotation of said wheels, said beam structure defining means for stiffening the bodywork against both transverse and longitudinal bending, and support means for resiliently supporting said beam structure on said wheeled supports, said support means including an upright portion extending upwardly from said wheeled supports and adjacent the side walls of the bodywork, and further including uppermost shock absorbers between said upright portion and said beam structure for providing enhanced stability in the support of the beam structure in its upper disposition.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A vehicle as defined in claim 1 in which at least one drive engine is mounted to said beam structure.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A vehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein said support means includes a rigid lower portion and upper adjustably extensible members for enabling selective adjustment of the elevation of the bodywork.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

A vehicle as defined in claim 3 wherein said extensible members comprise hydraulic cylinders.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A vehicle as defined in claim 1 including means for further supporting the floor from said cross members of the wheeled supports.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A vehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one drive engine is mounted within said beam structure.