Suspension system for road wheel of a track laying vehicle

A suspension system for a road wheel of a track laying vehicle, comprising:

• a support arm having a hollow housing including a first end that is mounted on the vehicle for pivotal jounce and rebound movement about a support axis;
• the housing of the support arm including a second end for supporting a road wheel spindle and also defining a cavity for receiving a suspension liquid;
• a stationary crank arm received within the hollow housing of the support arm adjacent the first end thereof and having a connection location spaced from the pivotal axis of the support arm;
• a cylinder including a cylinder housing having a swivel bearing;
• the swivel bearing including an annular support mounted by the support arm and also including a bearing member that supports the cylinder housing in communication with the cavity and is received within and supported for swiveling movement by the annular support;
• the cylinder also including a piston slidably received within the cylinder housing in a sealed relationship and having a connection to the connection location of the crank arm such that the cylinder housing swivels with respect to support arm as the piston slides within the cylinder housing to compress the suspension liquid upon jounce pivoting of the support arm in order to thereby restrict the jounce pivoting, and the suspension liquid also operating on the piston to restrict rebound pivoting of the support arm;
• and a positioner that extends between the stationary crank arm and the bearing member to swivel the bearing member and the cylinder housing during the jounce and rebound movement.

A suspension system for a road wheel of a track laying vehicle, comprising:

• a support arm having a hollow housing including a first end that is mounted on the vehicle for pivotal jounce and rebound movement about a support axis;
• the housing of the support arm including a second end for supporting a road wheel spindle and also defining a cavity for receiving a suspension liquid;
• a stationary crank arm received within the hollow housing of the support arm adjacent the first end thereof and having a connection location spaced from the pivotal axis of the support arm;
• a cylinder including a cylinder housing having a swivel bearing;
• the swivel bearing including an annular support mounted by the support arm and also including a bearing member that supports the cylinder housing in communication with the cavity and is received within and supported for swiveling movement by the annular support;
• the cylinder also including a piston slidably received within the cylinder housing in a sealed relationship and having a connection to the connection location of the crank arm such that the cylinder housing swivels with respect to support arm as the piston slides within the cylinder housing to compress the suspension liquid upon jounce pivoting of the support arm in order to thereby restrict the jounce pivoting, and the suspension liquid also operating on the piston to restrict rebound pivoting of the support arm;
• a positioner that extends between the stationary crank arm and the bearing member to swivel the bearing member and the cylinder housing during the jounce and rebound movement;
• a divider that divides the cavity of the support arm housing into a first cavity portion in direct communication with the piston of the cylinder and a second cavity portion that is communicated with the piston of the cylinder through the first cavity portion;
• and a valve that permits flow of the suspension liquid between the first and second cavity portions at a restricted rate to provide dampening of the jounce and rebound movement of the support arm.