Axle clamp for filament reinforced synthetic material leaf springs

An axle clamp assembly adapted to secure a synthetic material leaf spring in position in a suspension system, which leaf spring has upper, lower and side surfaces, said axle clamp assembly comprising:

• a rigid clamp base comprising a platform portion and two substantially parallel side walls extending from said platform portion to form a channel, the inner surface of at least one of said side walls providing a channel-widening concavity;
• a resilient wedge insert positioned within said channel, comprising a wedge insert platform portion positioned substantially parallel to and adjacent to said clamp base platform portion, and two substantially parallel side walls extending from said wedge insert platform portion to form an inner channel adapted to have planar surface contact with said side surfaces of said leaf spring at a mid-portion of said leaf spring for frictional engagement thereof to provide longitudinal positioning of said leaf spring, the outer surface of at least one said wedge insert side wall providing a convexity substantially filling said channel-widening concavity;
• the mid-portion of said leaf spring being jacketed by said wedge insert;
• and
• a clamp plate attached to said clamp base, said clamp plate and clamp base together holding said leaf spring between them.

An axle clamp assembly adapted to secure a synthetic material leaf spring in position in a suspension system, said axle clamp assembly comprising:

• a leaf spring having upper, lower and side surfaces;
• a rigid clamp base comprising a platform and two substantially parallel side walls extending substantially perpendicularly from opposite edges of said platform portion to form a channel, the inner surface of each said side wall providing a channel-widening concavity which is substantially symmetrical, through a plane bisecting said channel longitudinally, to the channel-widening concavity of the other side wall of said clamp base;
• a resilient wedge insert positioned within said channel comprising a wedge insert platform portion positioned substantially parallel to and adjacent to said clamp base platform portion, and two substantially parallel side walls extending substantially perpendicularly from said wedge insert platform portion to form an inner channel adapted to have planar surface contact with said side surfaces of said leaf spring at a mid-portion of said leaf spring for frictional engagement thereof to provide longitudinal positioning of said leaf spring, the outer surface of each said wedge insert side wall providing a convexity substantially filling said channel-widening concavity of the corresponding clamp base side wall;
• the mid-portion of said leaf spring being jacketed by said wedge insert;
• and
• a clamp plate attached to said clamp base, said clamp plate and clamp base together holding said leaf spring between them.