US 5,222,762 A · Double piano hinge vehicle suspension

Abstract

A suspension system for compensating road-borne loads applied selectively to one end of a vehicle wheeled axle. The suspension system includes a pair of elongated rigid tubes, extending longitudinally over opposite sides of the wheel axle, and supported thereover by corresponding upright posts anchored to the intermediate section of the wheel axle. Each post and associated tube have a number of lateral interdigitating hollow ears, wherein the tube and post are pivotally interconnected by a lengthwise rubber shaft. A bottom frame beam from the vehicle body extends laterally outwardly of each corresponding tube, and includes a plurality of ears interdigitating with additional ears from the proximate tube for through engagement by another rubber shaft, for pivotally interconnecting the beam to the tube. In normal condition, each beam ear rubber shaft is downwardly offset relative to the post ear rubber shaft. Thus, as the axle on one side of the vehicle is lifted following a road-borne load, the vehicle beam on that side will sink as well as move inwardly toward the intermediate portion of the axle, due to the deformation of the rubber shafts, whereas the vehicle beam on the opposite side will raise as well as move outwardly away from the intermediate axle portion.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A suspension system for use in dampening road-borne loads sustained by a vehicle having a chassis supported by a two wheel axle, said chassis defining first and second laterally spaced, lengthwise, bottom beams spacedly proximate the corresponding two wheels and located therebetween, said axle defining an intermediate section and first and second segments respectively extending between said intermediate axle section and the two wheels, said suspension system defining:

(a) first translational means, responsive to a lifting of said axle first segment and associated wheel by biasing said first beam from an initial normal position into a downwardly inwardly directed translational motion;
and
(b) second translational means, responsive to said lifting of the axle first segment and associated wheel by biasing said second beam from an initial normal position into an upwardly outwardly directed translational motion;
wherein, upon the lifting force about said axle first segment being withdrawn, the weight of said vehicle about said second beam will automatically bias said vehicle second beam to return to its said initial position.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Double piano hinge vehicle suspension

Life of this patent

Double piano hinge vehicle suspension

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15