Heavy vehicle suspension with unitized narrow profile bolster beam hanger assembly and outboard spring mount

A suspension system for a vehicle of the kind having an axle and a frame including transversely spaced first and second longitudinal rails on opposite sides of the vehicle, comprising a transverse bolster beam, hanger means supported from and depending downwardly from the first rail, the hanger means comprising a plate-like skirt having a relatively long profile in a longitudinal direction and having a narrow profile in a transverse direction, thereby minimizing transverse projections of the skirt to allow clearance of other vehicle components on opposite sides of the skirt, means for connecting the bolster beam to the skirt to support the bolster beam from the skirt and from the skirt of a like hanger means supported from and depending downwardly from the second rail, the connecting means of the bolster beam to the skirt being spaced below the rails, a torque beam having forward and rearward ends, means connected directly to the bolster beam and directly to the forward end of the torque beam for supporting the torque beam from the bolster beam while allowing rocking movement of the torque beam within a generally longitudinal plane, a lower spring seat on the rearward end of the torque beam and positioned laterally outboard of the first rail, an upper spring seat supported from and projecting laterally outward from the first rail, means to connect the lower and upper spring seats to opposite sides of an air spring, and means for connecting the torque beam to the axel at a location intermediate the ends of the torque beam, the torque beam comprising a torque arm and an axle seat assembly, a pair of bushings forward and rearward respectively of the axle for connecting the axle seat assembly to the torque arm, the means for connecting the torque beam to the axle comprising means for connecting the axle seat to the axle, and including a plate extending between and joined to the skirt and the upper spring seat for unitizing the hanger, the bolster beam, the torque beam, and the upper spring seat.

A suspension system for a vehicle of the kind having an axle and a frame including longitudinally extending first and second side rails, comprising a hanger formed of a substantially vertical hanger plate, the hanger plate comprising generally vertical forward and rearward legs defining the sides of an access space between them, the legs having upper and lower ends, a longitudinally extending generally horizontal cross member integral with and extending between the lower ends of the legs and defining the lower extent of the access space, means to connect the upper ends of the legs to the first rail with the cross member spaced below the first rail whereby the access space is below the first rail and its upper extent is defined by the first rail, the forward and rearward legs having generally upright forward and rearward extremes, front and rear flanges integral with and located at the respective forward and rearward extremes of the front and rear legs, the flanges being much narrower in a transverse direction than long in a generally upright direction whereby the flanges stiffen and strengthen the hanger plate without significantly intruding into an area transverse of the hanger plate to thereby minimize interference with other vehicle components located transverse of the hanger plate, a bolster beam formed with a generally horizontal wall integral with two spaced generally vertical walls, the hanger plate having surround edges for contacting the horizontal and vertical walls of the bolster beam, the bolster beam being transverse of the hanger plate and being welded to the hanger plate at the surround edges thereof and likewise to a like hanger plate connected to the second rail, the bolster beam including an extension projecting outboard of the hanger plate, a pair of transversely spaced mounting plates welded to the bolster beam and positioned between the vertical walls of the bolster beam, a pivot support mounted to and extending between the mounting plates, a torque arm and axle seat assembly having a forward end formed with a pivot mount and a rearward end formed with a lower spring seat and having an axle seat therebetween, means to connect the pivot mount to the pivot support, an upper spring seat, means to connect the upper spring seat to the first rail, an air spring having upper and lower sides, means to connect the upper and lower sides of air springs to the respective upper and lower spring seats, and means to connect the axle seat to the axle.

In a vehicle suspension for a vehicle having a frame and an axle:

• a transverse bolster beam, hanger means fixed to the frame to dispose that bolster beam at a level below the level of the frame of the vehicle, the bolster beam extending transversely of the vehicle and having an end fixed to the hanger and having an opposite end fixed to a like hanger of a like suspension on the opposite side of the vehicle, a torque arm, means for connecting the torque arm to the axle;
• a spring;
• means for connection of the torque arm to the spring;
• means to connect the torque arm to the transverse bolster beam;
• the axle connecting means being located between the spring and the hanger;
• the bolster beam having spaced plates extending therefrom on opposite sides of the torque arm, the plates being integrally formed with the bolster beam, and an elastic rocking pivot means between the plates and the torque arm for connection of the torque arm to the bolster beam.