Vehicle independent suspension system

Abstract

Abstract 920,482. Road vehicle spring suspensions. FORD MOTOR CO. Ltd. Sept. 1, 1961 [Oct. 3, 1960], No. 31484/61. Class 108(2). An independent suspension system for a motor vehicle comprises a road wheel 31 mounted on a support member 32 connected by ball joints 35, 36 to an upper suspension arm 11 pivoted on a shaft 13 on the vehicle frame and to a lower suspension arm 18 supported by a helical spring 38 and connected to the vehicle frame by a resilient bushing 21 and by a pivotal connection 24 comprising a second resilient bushing 70 (Fig. 5) carried by a link 81 suspended from a toroidal rubber washer 98 in a hanger member 92 on the vehicle frame. When horizontal shocks are applied to the wheel 31 the second resilient bushing 70 pivots about the toroidal washer 98 permitting horizontal displacement of the lower suspension arm and reunion of the wheel accompanied by upward displacement of the lower suspension arm against the spring 38. The resilient bushing 21 comprises a rubber member 51 bonded to an inner sleeve 48 clamped between caps 54, 55 on a bolt 22 passing through a frame member 23 and to an outer sleeve 49 welded or press-fitted in an aperture 61 in the lower suspension arm 18. The second resilient bushing 70 comprises a rubber member 73 bonded to an inner sleeve 72 on a bolt 77 carried by the link 81 and to an outer sleeve 71 welded in a reinforced aperture 75 in the lower suspension arm 18. Rubber bumpers (Fig. 6, not shown), on the hanger member 92 limit the pivotal movement of the link 81. Rubber stop members 43, 44 engage a frame member 37 supporting the spring 38 to limit vertical displacement of the wheel 31. In another embodiment (Fig. 7, not shown), a single L-shaped member replaces the link 81 and the bolt 77. In a further embodiment (Figs. 8-9, not shown), the pivotal connection 24 comprises a vertical pin extending between a rubber washer on the hanger member and a rubber washer carried by the lower suspension arm. A transversely extending plate member secured by rubber washers to a bracket on the frame carries a horizontal bolt extending through a rubber bush in the lower suspension arm. In yet another embodiment (Figs. 10, 11, not shown), the transverse plate member is replaced by a bolt projecting from the frame and carrying a bushing assembly comprising two rubber members between a sleeve on the bolt and a sleeve fixed to the lower suspension arm. The invention may be applied to a suspension system employing torsion bars or leaf springs instead of helical springs, or a system having spring means connected to an upper suspension arm.

Inventors

• 👤 Sidney L Freers
• 👤 Rosky Frederick

Bibliographic Details