Independent suspension system with improved vertical alignment and range of travel

In a vehicle having at least a pair of rotatable wheels and a chassis with a pair of longitudinally-extending opposite sides, an independent suspension system comprising:

• (a) a pair of generally horizontally-disposed elongated axle beams each independent of one another supporting one of the rotatable wheels adjacent to a first portion of one of the opposite sides of the chassis, each of said axle beams interconnecting one of the rotatable wheels with a second portion of one of the opposite sides of the chassis being laterally and longitudinally spaced from the corresponding first portion thereof such that said axle beams extend in oblique relationships to the longitudinally-extending opposite sides of the chassis that permit independent pivotal movements thereof that allows an extended range of vertical travel from a neutral position of each of the wheels supported on one of said respective axle beams, each of said axle beams at one end thereof being pivotally connected about a generally vertical pivotal axis to the one of said rotatable wheels, each of said axle beams at an opposite other end thereof being pivotally connected about a generally horizontal pivotal axis to the second portion of one of the opposite sides of the chassis;
• (b) a pair of radius arms independent of one another pivotally interconnecting said axle beams at said other of said opposite ends thereof with third portions of the opposite sides of the chassis longitudinally spaced from the second portions thereof where said axle beams are pivotally connected at said other ends thereof, each of said radius arms at one end being pivotally connected to said one end of said respective axle members to where said axle member is pivotally connected about said vertical pivotal axis to one of the wheels and at an opposite end being pivotally connected to the third portion of the opposite sides of the chassis so as to control fore and aft movement of said axle beam during vertical pivotal movement thereof and thereby maintain said vertical pivotal axis between said one end of each axle beam and the one wheel close to true vertical alignment with a vertical reference over the extended range of vertical travel;
• (c) a pair of means for cushioning the chassis as the vehicle traverses terrain, being respectively positioned under the first portions of the opposite sides of the chassis and adjacent to the one ends of said axle beams that are pivotally connected about said vertical pivotal axes to the wheels, each of said means for cushioning the chassis including a pair of air bags supported under each of the first portions of the opposite sides of the chassis along opposite sides of each of said one ends of the axle beams and a pair of brackets attached to and extending in opposite directions from said opposite sides of said one ends of said axle beams with each of said air bags seated upon one of said brackets;
• and
• (d) a pair of torque links each independent of one another pivotally interconnected at opposite ends to one of the first portions of the opposite sides of the chassis and to said other end of each of said axle beams so as to counteract rotational forces introduced to said axle beams by the acceleration and braking of the vehicle, said torque links in being located adjacent to said other ends of said axle beams, where said axle beams are pivotal connected at horizontal pivotal axes to the second portions of the opposite sides of the chassis, restrain tilting of said vertical pivotal axes, relative to the vertical reference at said one ends of said axle beams.