Vehicle suspension mechanism

Claim 1

A SUSPENSION MECHANISM FOR A TRACK-LAYING VEHICLE HAVING A PLURALITY OF TRACK-ENGAGING WHEELS, SAID MECHANISM COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL HOUSING FIXED TO THE VEHICLE, A PACK OF VARIABLE RATE BELLEVILLE SPRINGS DISPOSED IN THE HOUSING, A SHAFT ROTATABLY SUPPORTED BY THE HOUSING ON AN AXIS PARALLEL TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE HOUSING, A SUSPENSION ARM HAVING ONE END THEREOF RIGIDLY CONNECTED TO THE SHAFT ON A TRANSVERSE AXIS, THE OTHER END OF THE SUSPENSION ARM ROTATABLY SUPPORTING ONE OF SAID WHEELS ON AN AXIS PARALLEL TO SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE HOUSING, AN ANNULAR CAM DRIVER FIXED TO SAID SHAFT AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF CURVED SURFACES CONNECTED BY CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED AXIALLY EXTENDING STRIAGHT SURFACES, AN ANNULAR CAM FOLLOWER HAVING SURFACES COMPLEMENTARY TO THE SURFACES OF THE CAM DRIVER FOR ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH AND HAVING A SURFACE CONTACT AREA SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THAT PROVIDED BY SAID CURVED AND STRAIGHT SURFACES OF SAID CAM DRIVER, A PLURALITY OF NEEDLE BEARINGS INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE CURVED SURFACES OF THE CAM DRIVER AND FOLLOWER, A CAGE SUPPORTED FOR AXIAL MOVEMENT BY THE HOUSING, SAID CAM FOLLOWER NON-ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID CAGE, A PORTION OF SAID CAGE ENGAGING SAID SPRINGS SO THAT UPON MOVEMENT OF THE SUSPENSION ARM IN ONE DIRECTION ABOUT THE SHAFT AXIS THE COOPERATING CAM SURFACES CAUSE THE CAGE TO THE SHIFTED TO LOAD THE SPRING PACK.