Torsion spring cartridge
AssigneeTLW, Inc.
InventorCharles E. Wharton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A torsion bar suspension unit includes a pair of hubs, one of which is attached to a rotationally oscillatable member, and torsion bar means secured and extending between the two hubs. Various improvements to the structure are provided.
Claims25
In a torsion bar suspension unit which includes a bearing assembly including a torque hub capable of rotary motion in said bearing assembly;
- means for attaching said torque hub to a rotationally oscillatable member;
- a rotationally stationary hub spaced from said tarque hub;
- and at least one torsion bar secured in and extending between said torque hub and stationary hub, the improvement comprising, in combination:
- said torsion bar being of generally circular cross-section in its intermediate portion spaced from its ends, said torsion bar ends fitting into apertures respectively defined in said torque and stationary hubs, said torsion bar ends defining at least one flat, lateral portion to define a space between the lateral walls of the torsion bar ends and the apertures they occupy, and a key member forcefully inserted in said space to provide compressive retention to said torsion bar ends to prevent rotation.
In a torsion bar suspension unit which includes a bearing assembly including a torque hub capable of rotary motion in said bearing assembly;
- means for attaching said torque hub to a rotationally oscillatable member;
- a rotationally stationary hub spaced from said torque hub;
- and at least one torsion bar secured in and extending between the torque hub and stationary hub, the improvement comprising, in combination:
- said torsion bar being of generally circular cross-section in its intermediate portion spaced from its ends, said torsion bar ends fitting into apertures respectively defined in said torque and stationary hubs, said torsion bar ends being of noncircular cross-section to prevent rotation, said apertures being of generally circular cross-section, said torsion bar ends defining at least one flat, lateral portion to define a space between the lateral walls of the torsion bar ends and the apertures they occupy;
- and a key member forcefully inserted in said space to provide compressive retention to said torsion bar ends in said apertures, more of said apertures being present than those occupied by torsion bars, to permit later adding of torsion bars to increase tension.
In a torsion bar suspension unit which includes a bearing assembly including a torque hub capable of rotary motion in said bearing assembly;
- means for attaching said torque hub to a rotationally oscillatable member;
- a rotationally stationary hub spaced from said torque hub;
- and torsion bar means secured in and extending between said torque hub and stationary hub, the improvement comprising, in combination;
- said torsion bar means occupying a housing of noncircular cross-section, and limiter plate means carried on a rotatable portion of said suspension unit within said housing, said limiter plate means being proportioned to be spaced from said housing in permitted rotational positions of said suspension unit, but to engage said housing to prevent further rotation of said rotatable portion of at least one limiting rotational position, to prevent rotation to other, nonpermitted rotational positions.
In a torsion bar suspension unit which includes a bearing assembly including a torque hub capable of rotary motion in said bearing assembly;
- means for attaching said torque hub to a rotationally oscillatable member;
- a rotationally stationary hub spaced from said torque hub;
- at least one torsion bar secured and extending between said torque hub and stationary hub, the improvement comprising in combination:
- at least one of said stationary and torque hubs being made of a stack of plates secured together in face-to-face relation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.