Resilient suspension for independently sprung wheels

Claim 2

A resilient suspension mounted between a first wheel member and a second chassis member, said suspension comprising a vertically disposed link plate of triangular shape pivotably connected at two vertex portions thereof respectively to said first and second members, and a spring having one end connected to the link plate at the third vertex portion thereof, said spring having an opposite end connected to said second member and, when the suspension is unloaded, extending across the link plate and passing substantially through the vertex portion at which the link plate is pivotably connected to said first member, said vertex portions being substantially equidistant from one another.

Claim 3

A suspension as claimed in claim 1 wherein the suspension further comprises a supporting member pivotably connecting the link plate at one of the first two vertex portions thereof to said second member, the wheel being pivotably connected to the second of said first two vertex portions whereby the link plate provides pivotal movement of the wheel relative to the supporting member and said chassis member, said spring yieldably resisting pivotal movement of the link plate relative to the chassis member.

Claim 4

A suspension as claimed in claim 1 wherein the axes of pivotal movement at the connections at said two vertex portions are parallel with each other and perpendicular to said link plate, said one end of the spring being connected to the link plate for pivotal movement about an axis perpendicular to the link plate and parallel to the axes of pivotal movement at the other two vertexes.

Claim 5

A resilient suspension mounted between a wheel and a chassis member, said suspension comprising a vertically disposed link plate of triangular shape, a wheel supporting member pivotably connecting the link plate at one vertex portion thereof to said chassis member, said wheel being pivotably connected to said link plate at a second vertex portion thereof, and a spring having one end connected to the link plate at the third vertex portion thereof, said spring having an opposite end connected to the chassis member to yieldably resist pivotal movement of the link plate relative to the chassis member, said spring, when the suspension is unloaded, extending along a line passing substantially through the vertex portion at which the link plate is pivotably connected to the wheel, said spring being a compression spring whose end connected to the chassis member has turns thereat closer together compared to the remainder of the spring.

Claim 6

A resilient suspension mounted between a wheel and a chassis member, said suspension comprising a vertically disposed link plate of triangular shape, a wheel supporting member pivotably connecting the link plate at one vertex portion thereof to said chassis member, said wheel being pivotably connected to said link plate at a second vertex portion thereof, and a spring having one end connected to the link plate at the third vertex portion thereof, said spring having an opposite end connected to the chassis member to yieldably resist pivotal movement of the link plate relative to the chassis member, said spring, when the suspension is unloaded, extending along a line passing substantially through the vertex portion at which the link plate is pivotably connected to the wheel, said spring being a compression spring whose end connected to the chassis member has turns thereat closer together compared to the remainder of the spring.

Claim 7

A resilient suspension mounted between a wheel and a chassis member, said suspension comprising a vertically disposed link plate of triangular shape, a supporting member pivotably connecting the link plate at one vertex portion thereof to said chassis member, said wheel being rotatably supported from said link plate at a second vertex portion thereof, and a spring having one end connected to the link plate at the third vertex portion thereof, said spring having an opposite end connected to the chassis member to yieldably resist pivotal movement of the link plate relative to the chassis member, said spring, when the suspension is unloaded, extending along a line passing substantially through the vertex portion at which the link plate is pivotably connected to the wheel, said supporting member comprising an axle including an end portion on which said link is journaled, said chassis member comprising a longitudinal bearer, said end portion of said supporting member extending laterally and beyond the bearer, said wheel being supported from the link plate on a side thereof opposite the bearer.

Claim 8

A resilient suspension mounted between a wheel and a chassis member, said suspension comprising a vertically disposed link plate of triangular shape, a supporting member pivotably connecting the link plate at one vertex portion thereof to said chassis member, said wheel being rotatably supported from said link plate at a second vertex portion thereof, and a spring having one end connected to the link plate at the third vertex portion thereof, said spring having an opposite end connected to the chassis member to yieldably resist pivotal movement of the link plate relative to the chassis member, said spring, when the suspension is unloaded, extending along a line passing substantially through the vertex portion at which the link plate is pivotably connected to the wheel, said supporting member comprising an axle including an end portion on which said link is journaled, said chassis member comprising a longitudinal bearer, said end portion of said supporting member extending laterally and beyond the bearer, said wheel being supported from the link plate on a side thereof opposite the bearer.

Claim 9

A suspension as claimed in claim 5 wherein said supporting member is arranged at the uppermost vertex portion of the link plate and said spring extends rearwardly from said link plate and is attached thereto at the forward most vertex portion thereof.

Claim 10

A suspeNsion as claimed in claim 6 wherein said spring extends longitudinally in the plane of the longitudinal bearer.

Claim 11

A suspension as claimed in claim 7 wherein the vehicle has a second wheel and longitudinal bearer, and said suspension comprises a second link plate and a spring therefor.

Claim 12

A suspension as claimed in claim 7 wherein the connection of said one end of said spring to said link plate includes a head having helical grooves therein in which end turns of said end of the spring are threadably engaged, and the connection of said opposite end of said spring to said longitudinal bearer includes a head with helical grooves therein in which end turns of the opposite end of the spring are threadably engaged.

Claim 13

A suspension as claimed in claim 7 comprising hydraulic shock absorber means mounted within the spring and connected to said link plate and said longitudinal bearer.

Claim 14

A suspension as claimed in claim 10 comprising a transverse shaft fixedly secured to said link plate, said shock absorber means comprising a cylinder body mounted on said transverse shaft and a piston rod secured to said longitudinal bearer.