Vehicle steering and suspension system

In a wheeled vehicle of the type having a vehicle frame, two wheels mounted on opposite transverse sides of said frame, and at least one wheel mounted on said frame at a longitudinal spacing from said transverse wheels, an improved steering and suspension means for said vehicle adapted to induce leaning of said frame during turning of said vehicle, comprising:

• (a) respective support means for said transverse wheels pivotably mounted independently at said opposite sides of said frame about respective generally horizontal axes, each said support means including a wheel support arm pivotably mounted on and extending outwardly from said frame,
• (b) connecting means affixed respectively to each said support means and arranged for reciprocatory movement for actuating opposed, substantially equal pivotal movement of said support means, said connecting means including respective connecting link arm means at its opposite ends and including respective biasing means affixed to said support means for urging said support means into respective equilibrium dispositions relative to said connecting means for movement therewith and being yieldable for permitting independent pivotal movement of each said support means, each said biasing means consisting essentially of shock absorbing means affixed pivotably to a respective connecting link arm means and to the respective wheel support arm for dampening said independent pivotal movements of the associated support means,
• (c) steering means operatively connected with at least one of said vehicle wheels for actuating turning movement thereof transversely of its rotational axis for turning of said vehicle, and
• (d) actuating means operatively associating said connecting means with said steering means for actuation of said reciprocatory movement of said connecting means upon said turning of said one wheel to actuate said opposed pivotal movement of said support means proportionately to the degree of said turning to effect upward pivotal movement of said support means inwardly of the direction of turning and equivalent downward pivotal movement of the other support means,
• whereby said transverse wheels are independently supported biasingly for independent movement relative to said frame while, during turning of said vehicle, said frame is caused to lean in the direction of turning proportionately to the degree of turning.

In a three-wheeled vehicle of the type having a vehicle frame, two wheels mounted on opposite transverse sides of said frame, and one wheel mounted on said frame at a longitudinal spacing from said transverse wheels, an improved steering and suspension means for said vehicle adapted to induce leaning of said frame during turning of said vehicle, comprising:

• (a) respective support assemblies for said transverse wheels mounted independently on said opposite sides of said frame, each said support assembly having a torsion bar rotatably journaled in said frame in substantially horizontal disposition for rotational and torsional movement of said torsion bar and a wheel support arm rotatably carrying one said transverse wheel and being rigidly affixed to said torsion bar for pivotal movement therewith about its rotational axis,
• (b) connecting means rigidly affixed respectively to each said torsion bar at a spacing therealong from the location of affixation of said wheel support arm and being arranged for reciprocatory movement to actuate opposed, substantially equal rotational movement of said torsion bars to effect opposed, substantially equal pivotal movement of said wheel support arms while permitting independent torsional movement of said torsion bars for independent pivotal movement of said wheel support arms,
• (c) steering means operatively connected with at least one of the three vehicle wheels for actuating turning movement thereof transversely of its rotational axis for turning of said vehicle,
• (d) actuating means operatively connecting said steering means and said connecting means for actuating said reciprocatory movement of said connecting means upon said turning of said one wheel to actuate said opposed rotational movement of said torsion bars proportionately to the degree of said turning to effect upward pivotal movement of the wheel support arm inwardly of the direction of turning and equivalent downward pivotal movement of the other wheel support arm, and
• (e) respective shock absorbing means for each said support assembly, each said shock absorbing means being pivotably mounted on said connecting means for movement of its mounting location about the rotational axis of the respective torsion bar and extending therefrom to and being pivotably affixed to the respective wheel support arm, for urging said connecting means and each said wheel support arm respectively into relative dispositions in equilibrium with one another for aiding control of said opposed pivot movements of said wheel support arms without creating biasing forces resistive to actuation of said opposed pivotal movements and for dampening said independent pivotal and torsional movements of said wheel support arms and said torsion bars,
• whereby said transverse wheels are independently supported biasingly for independent movement relative to said frame while, during turning of said vehicle, said frame is caused to lean in the direction of turning proportionately to the degree of turning.

In a three-wheeled vehicle of the type having a vehicle frame, two wheels mounted on opposite transverse sides of said frame, and one wheel mounted on said frame at a longitudinal spacing from said transverse wheels, an improved steering and suspension means for said vehicle adapted to induce leaning of said frame during turning of said vehicle, comprising:

• (a) respective wheel support arms pivotably mounted independently on said opposite sides of said frame and rotatably carrying said transverse wheels respectively,
• (b) connecting means biasingly affixed respectively to each said wheel support arm and being arranged for reciprocatory movement to actuate opposed, substantially equal pivotal movement of said wheel support arms while permitting independent pivotal movement thereof, said connecting means including respective shock absorbing means for each said support assembly, each said shock absorbing means being pivotably mounted on said connecting means for movement of its mounting location about the pivotal axis of the respective wheel support arm and extending therefrom to and being pivotably affixed to the respective wheel support arm, for urging said connecting means and each said wheel support arm respectively into relative dispositions in equilibrium with one another for aiding control of said opposed pivot movements of said wheel support arms without creating biasing forces resistive to actuation of said opposed pivotal movements and for dampening said independent pivotal movements of said wheel support arms,
• (c) steering means operatively connected with at least one of the three vehicle wheels for actuating turning movement thereof transversely of its rotational axis for turning of said vehicle,
• (d) actuating means operatively connecting said steering means and said connecting means for actuating said reciprocatory movement of said connecting means upon said turning of said one wheel to actuate said opposed rotational movement of said wheel support arms proportionately to the degree of said turning to effect upward pivotal movement of the wheel support arm inwardly of the direction of turning and equivalent downward pivotal movement of the other wheel support arm, whereby said transverse wheels are independently supported biasingly for independent movement relative to said frame while, during turning of said vehicle, said frame is caused to lean in the direction of turning proportionately to the degree of turning.

In a wheeled vehicle of the type having a vehicle frame, two wheels mounted on opposite transverse sides of said frame, and at least one wheel mounted on said frame at a longitudinal spacing from said transverse wheels, an improved steering and suspension means for said vehicle adapted to induce leaning of said frame during turning of said vehicle, comprising:

• (a) respective support means for said transverse wheels pivotably mounted independently at said opposite sides of said frame about respective generally horizontal axes,
• (b) connecting means affixed respectively to each said support means and arranged for reciprocatory movement for actuating opposed, substantially equal pivotal movement of said support means, said connecting means including hydraulically reciprocable means arranged for selective reciprocatory movement in opposite directions and further including respective biasing means affixed to said support means for urging said support means into respective equilibrium dispositions relative to said connecting means for movement therewith and being yieldable for permitting independent pivotal movement of each said support means, each said biasing means including shock absorbing means for dampening said independent pivotal movements of the associated support means,
• (c) steering means operatively connected with at least one of said vehicle wheels for actuating turning movement thereof transversely of its rotational axis for turning of said vehicle, and
• (d) actuating means operatively associating said connecting means with said steering means for actuation of said reciprocatory movement of said connecting means upon said turning of said one wheel to actuate said opposed pivotal movement of said support means proportionately to the degree of said turning to effect upward pivotal movement of said support means inwardly of the direction of turning and equivalent downward pivotal movement of the other support means, said actuating means including a source of pressurized fluid for operating said hydraulically reciprocable means, variably positionable valve means operatively associated with said source and with said hydraulically reciprocable means for providing variable communication therebetween for reciprocation thereof in opposite directions, said valve means being arranged for selectively directing flow to opposite sides of said hydraulically reciprocable means for respectively causing reciprocation thereof in opposite directions, sensing means for monitoring the relative positioning of said steering means between an equilibrium position representing no vehicle turning by said steering means and turned positions on opposite sides of said equilibrium position representing vehicle turning and the degree thereof by said steering means respectively in opposite directions transversely of said vehicle frame, sensing means for monitoring the reciprocatory position of said hydraulically reciprocable means between an equilibrium position thereof representing no vehicle leaning by said hydraulically reciprocable means and reciprocated positions in opposite directions from said equilibrium position representing vehicle leaning and the degree thereof by said hydraulically reciprocable means respectively in opposite directions, and valve positioning means operatively associated with said steering sensing means for translating the sensed position thereof into an electrical value directly related to the relative position of said steering means, operatively associated with said means for sensing said hydraulically reciprocable means for translating the sensed position thereof into an electrical value directly related to the relative position of said hydraulically reciprocable means, said electrical values of said steering means and said hydraulically reciprocable means being equal in their respective equilibrium positions, and operatively associated with said valve means for preventing fluid flow therethrough when said electrical values of said steering means and said hydraulically reciprocable means are equivalent and for permitting fluid flow through said valve means when values of said steering means and said hydraulically reciprocable means are non-equivalent and selectively directing said fluid flow from said valve means to a respective side of said hydraulically reciprocable means to cause reciprocal movement thereof until said electrical values of said steering means and said hydraulically reciprocable means are equivalent, whereby said transverse wheels are independently supported biasingly for independent movement relative to said frame while, during turning of said vehicle, said frame is caused to lean in the direction of turning proportionately to the degree of turning.