Structure for supporting fluid pressure cylinders used to control pivoting of vehicle axles

A support structure comprising a vehicle body, a vehicle axle and a fluid pressure cylinder that is used to control pivoting of the vehicle axle, wherein the vehicle axle is supported pivotally with respect to the vehicle body, and wherein the fluid pressure cylinder includes an upper end pivotally connected to the body by an upper joint, a lower end pivotally connected to the axle by a lower joint, a movable piston rod, and a piston defining a pair of fluid chambers, wherein pivoting of the axle is permitted when movement of the piston rod is permitted and restricted when movement of the piston rod is restricted, the vehicle body comprising:

• a pair of substantially parallel side frame members constituting part of the body, each side frame member being located on a respective side of the vehicle body;
• and
• a pair of substantially parallel cross frame members between the side frame members, connecting the side frame members, the axle being located below the cross frame members;
• and
• the structure further comprising an upper pin directly supported by the cross frame members, wherein the upper pin is part of the upper joint and supports the upper end of the fluid pressure cylinder.

A support structure of an industrial vehicle, the support structure comprising a vehicle body, an axle and a fluid pressure cylinder, the axle being pivotally connected to the body with a pivotable coupling such that the axle pivots about an axle pivoting axis, and the fluid pressure cylinder includes an upper end pivotally coupled to the vehicle body through an upper joint and a lower end pivotally coupled to the axis through a lower joint such that the fluid pressure cylinder regulates pivoting motion of the axle with respect to the vehicle body, the upper joint including a first part fixed to the vehicle body and a second part fixed to the fluid pressure cylinder, and the lower joint including a first part connected to the axle and a second part connected to the fluid pressure cylinder, wherein the first parts slide with respect to the second parts, respectively, to permit movement of the joints, the vehicle body comprising:

• a pair of parallel cross members, each spanning a substantial portion of the vehicle's width and extending in the lateral direction of the vehicle in a position over the axle, the cross members being spaced apart from one another, wherein the first part of the upper joint is located between the cross members and is fixed directly to the cross members, so that forces applied to the upper joint by the fluid pressure cylinder are transmitted directly from the first part of the upper joint to the cross members without being transmitted through intervening parts.

A vehicle structure comprising:

• a vehicle body comprising a pair of substantially parallel side frame members located at opposing sides of the body and a pair of substantially parallel cross frame members between the side frame members, the cross frame members connecting the side frame members;
• an axle below the cross frame members, pivotally connected to the vehicle body;
• and
• a fluid pressure cylinder for controlling pivoting of the axle, an upper end of the cylinder being pivotally connected directly to the cross frame members and a lower end of the cylinder being pivotally connected to the axle.