Self-steering suspension lockout mechanism
AssigneeThe Boler Company
InventorsMichael J. Keeler, Michael J. Gottschalk
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lockout mechanism for a self-steering axle suspension system is provided by using the internal fluid reservoir and piston of a shock absorber normally used to dampen oscillations of the wheels in such a suspension, by employing a selectively actuatable valve in the fluid flow path provided by an orifice in the piston of the shock absorber to prevent or modulate the flow of fluid across the piston thereby to lock out the steerability of the system to the extent desired.
Claims27
A lockout mechanism for a self-steering, wheel-bearing axle suspension system of a vehicle, said suspension system including a wheel-bearing axle, steering means for steering said wheels of said system and means for connecting said wheel-bearing axle and said steering means in ride engaging relationship to a frame member of said vehicle;
- said lockout mechanism comprising a cylinder connectable to said steering means, said cylinder having a walled fluid reservoir therein, a substantially incompressible fluid within said reservoir, a piston within said fluid reservoir having a piston head slidable within said reservoir and extending across said fluid reservoir in fluid-sealing engagement with the walls thereof so as to define a first fluid compartment and a second fluid compartment separated from said first fluid compartment by said piston head, said piston head having an orifice therein thereby to define a fluid flow path between said first and second fluid compartments;
- said lockout mechanism further including a valve associated with said piston head orifice for opening and closing said orifice to flow of said fluid between said first and second fluid compartments, and a control for actuating said valve to its open or closed position;
- whereby when said orifice is substantially fully closed said lockout mechanism prevents any substantial steering of said wheels and when said orifice is open said wheels are steerable.
A lockout mechanism for a self-steering, wheel-bearing axle suspension system of a vehicle comprised of a wheel-bearing axle, steering means, and a shock absorber having a fluid flow path therein for stabilizing oscillations in said system when in motion, said lockout mechanism including a valve located in the fluid flow path within said shock absorber for interrupting fluid flow in said fluid flow path thereby locking out said steering means.
In a frame-membered wheeled vehicle having a wheel-bearing axle suspension system connected to the frame member of said vehicle, said system including a wheel-bearing axle, self-steering means for steering said wheels of said system, means for connecting said system to said frame member of said vehicle and a lockout mechanism for preventing said steering means from steering said wheels at selected times, the improvement comprising wherein said lockout mechanism includes a cylinder connected to said steering means, said cylinder having a walled fluid reservoir therein, a fluid in said reservoir, a piston within said fluid reservoir having a piston head slidable within said reservoir and extending across said fluid reservoir in fluid-sealing engagement with the walls thereof so as to define on either side of said piston head a respective first fluid compartment and a second fluid compartment, said piston head having an orifice so as to establish a fluid flow path between said first and second fluid compartments;
- said lockout mechanism further including a valve means associated with said orifice for opening and closing said orifice to flow of said fluid between said first and second fluid compartments, and a control means for actuating said valve means to its open and closed positions;
- whereby when said orifice is fully closed said lockout mechanism prevents any substantial steering of said wheels and when said orifice is open said wheels are steerable.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.