Axle support bracket for a drive axle suspension
AssigneeNai Neway, Inc.
InventorsHerbert J. Cherry, Stefan Siarkiewicz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A support bracket is provided for adjusting the pinion angle of an axle when mounting the axle to a trailing arm in a vehicle suspension. The bracket comprises a pair of spaced arms connected by a web. Each of the arms has a first aperture and a second aperture with the corresponding apertures on the spaced arms being aligned. The first apertures are elongated in an arc with a radius having is origin centered in the second aperture. The support bracket fixedly supports an axle and is mounted to the trailing arm by pins extending through and between the apertures and through bushed connections in the trailing arm so that the bracket is pivotable relative to the trailing arm about the pin extending through the second apertures.
Claims16
A support bracket for mounting a drive axle to a trailing arm in a vehicle suspension, the support bracket comprising:
- a pair of spaced arms connected by a web, said arms and an inner surface of the web thereby defining a first channel having a first longitudinal axis, said first channel being adapted to receive the trailing arm therein along the first longitudinal axis;
- securing means on an outer surface of said web, said securing means defining a second channel having a second longitudinal axis transverse to the first longitudinal axis for securely receiving the drive axle in the second channel transversely of the first channel;
- each of the arms having a first aperture and a second aperture formed therein, the first and second apertures of one of the arms being aligned, respectively, with the first and second apertures of the other of the arms;
- each of said first apertures being elongated in an arc with a radius having its origin centered in the second aperture;
- and
- each aperture being adapted to receive a pin for mounting the support bracket to the trailing arm, whereby when the support bracket is so mounted, it is pivotable relative to the trailing arm about a pivot axis extending between centers of the second apertures.
In a vehicle suspension system for mounting ground engaging drive wheels to a vehicle frame, the suspension system comprising a pair of substantially rigid arms secured to opposite sides of the frame through substantially aligned pivot mounts;
- at least one wheel-carrying drive axle mounted transversely to the arms;
- a drive shaft connected to the at least one drive axle at a pinion angle;
- and an axle support means for securing said at least one drive axle to each of the arms;
- the improvement in each of the axle support means comprising:
- a support bracket having a pair of spaced plates connected by a web, said plates and web thereby defining a channel in which the rigid arm is received, said at least one drive axle being fixedly secured to the web;
- each of the plates having a first aperture and a second aperture, the first and second apertures on one of the plates being aligned, respectively, with the first and second apertures on the other of the plates;
- each of said first apertures being elongated in an arc with a radius having its origin centered in the second aperture;
- a first pin extending through and between the first apertures and the trailing arm;
- a second pin extending through and between the second apertures and the trailing arm, wherein the support bracket is pivotable relative to the trailing arm about the longitudinal axis of the second pin so that said pinion angle is adjustable to a predetermined measurement;
- and
- a weldment securing the first pin to at least one of the plates at the predetermined measurement.
A method of mounting a drive axle to a movable member in a vehicle suspension comprising:
- providing a support bracket having a pair of spaced arms connected by a web, said spaced arms and web thereby defining a channel, each arm having a first aperture and a second aperture, the first and second apertures on one arm being aligned, respectively, with the first and second apertures on the other arm, each of said first apertures being elongated in an arc with a radius having its origin centered in the second aperture;
- fixedly securing the drive axle to the web transversely of the channel;
- locating the movable member within the channel;
- inserting a first pin through the first apertures and through a bushed connection with the movable member;
- inserting a second pin through the second apertures and through a bushed connection with the movable member;
- rotating the support bracket about the longitudinal axis of the second pin to a predetermined angle relative to the movable member;
- and
- welding the first pin to the arms.
An assembly for mounting a drive axle to a trailing arm in a vehicle suspension at a predetermined pinion angle relative to the vehicle, said trailing arm having one end pivotably mounted to a vehicle, another end free to move relative to the vehicle against a spring bias, and first and second openings intermediate the pivoted end and the free end, the assembly comprising:
- a support bracket having a pair of spaced arms connected by a web, said arms and an inner surface of the web thereby defining a first channel for receiving the trailing arm, and said web further having a mounting bracket on an outer surface thereof, said mounting bracket having a second channel transverse to the first channel to fixedly receive the axle therein transversely of the trailing arm;
- each of the arms having a first aperture and a second aperture formed therein, the first and second apertures of one of the arms being aligned, respectively, with the first and second apertures of the other of the arms;
- each of said first apertures being elongated in an arc with a radius having its origin centered in the second aperture;
- a first pin for extending through the second apertures and the second opening to pivotably mount the support bracket to the trailing arm;
- a second pin for extending through the first apertures and the first opening;
- and
- means to fix the second pin within the first apertures so that when the support bracket is so mounted, it is pivotable relative to the trailing arm about an axis extending between centers of the second apertures and can be fixed when a predetermined pinion angle is obtained.
An assembly for mounting a drive axle to a trailing arm suspension in a vehicle at a predetermined angle relative to the vehicle, said trailing arm having one end pivotably mounted to the vehicle and another end free to move relative to the vehicle against a spring bias, the assembly comprising:
- a support bracket;
- mounting means for pivotally mounting the support bracket to the trailing arm;
- securing means for fixedly mounting the axle to the support bracket transversely;
- and
- lock means for locking the support bracket and the axle at a predetermined angle relative to the vehicle wherein the predetermined angle is equivalent to the pinion angle of a shaft connected to the axle;
- whereby a single support bracket can be used in any one of a variety of vehicle each having a different pinion angle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.