US3630541A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vehicle axle suspension
Assignee: Navistar International Corp
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Filing: 1970-06-11
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Granted: 1971-12-28
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Expires: 1990-06-11
Abstract
Abstract A vehicle axle suspension system including an air spring and a pair of trailing arms, beams, or the like for suspending the chassis frame of a motor truck or trailer from the rear axle or axles whether the latter be a single driving or a single trailer axle, two driving or two trailer axles, or a driving and a trailing axle. The vehicle axle suspension system further includes improved means for connecting each end of an axle housing to a respective trailing arm which means includes a resiliently mounted axle housing support or saddle and which means allows limited relative movement in certain directions between the trailing arms and the axle housing but at the same time prevents relative fore and aft movement between the trailing arms and axle housing.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles A Carlson
- 👤 William S Locke
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 12:00
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60G; B60G11/00; B60G11/26; B60G11/27; B60G9/00; B60G9/003; B60G2200/00; B60G2200/30; B60G2200/31; B60G2204/00; B60G2204/40; B60G2204/43; B60G2204/4306; B60G2206/00; B60G2206/01; B60G2206/10; B60G2206/16; B60G2206/162
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
121 words
Means for operatively interconnecting a laterally extending vehicle axle housing to an elongated beam means for limited, controlled relative movement therebetween comprising: attaching means for securing said axle housing to said beam means; resilient means operatively interposed between said axle housing and said elongated beam means, said resilient means being effective upon deformation to permit limited relative movement between said beam means and axle housing in certain directions; and positive stop means associated with one of said axle housing and beam means and operatively engageable with the other one of said axle housing and beam means to substantially prevent relative movement between said axle housing and beam means in a single direction generally along the longitudinal axis of said beam means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
121 words
Means for operatively interconnecting a laterally extending vehicle axle housing to an elongated beam means for limited, controlled relative movement therebetween comprising: attaching means for securing said axle housing to said beam means; resilient means operatively interposed between said axle housing and said elongated beam means, said resilient means being effective upon deformation to permit limited relative movement between said beam means and axle housing in certain directions; and positive stop means associated with one of said axle housing and beam means and operatively engageable with the other one of said axle housing and beam means to substantially prevent relative movement between said axle housing and beam means in a single direction generally along the longitudinal axis of said beam means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
97 words
Means for operatively interconnecting a laterally extending vehicle axle housing to an elongated beam means for limited, controlled relative movement therebetween as set forth in claim 1, wherein said beam means is in the form of a generally longitudinally extending trailing arm pivotally connected to the vehicle chassis frame for relative swinging movement; and said stop means includes a pair of longitudinally spaced axle stop member means fixed with respect to said trailing arm, said axle stop member means being effective to substantially prevent relative movement between said axle housing and trailing arm in a longitudinal direction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
83 words
Means for operatively interconnecting a laterally extending vehicle axle housing to an elongated beam means for limited, controlled relative movement therebetween as set forth in claim 1, wherein said attaching means includes axle saddle means, and means for rigidly securing said axle saddle means to said axle housing; and said positive stop means are associated with said beam means and operatively engageable with aid axle saddle means to substantially prevent relative movement between said axle housing and beam means in a single direction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
112 words
Means for operatively interconnecting a laterally extending vehicle axle housing to an elongated beam means for limited, control relative movement therebetween as set forth in claim 3, wherein said beam means is in the form of a generally longitudinally extending trailing arm pivotally connected to the vehicle chassis frame for relative swinging movement; and said stop means includes a pair of longitudinally spaced axle stop member means fixed with respect to said trailing arm, each said axle stop member means abutting a respective surface of said axle saddle means and said axle stop members being effective to substantially prevent relative movement between said axle housing and trailing arm in a longitudinal direction.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
66 words
Means for operatively interconnecting a laterally extending vehicle axle housing to an elongated beam means for limited, controlled relative movement therebetween as set forth in claim 4, wherein said axle saddle means overlies said trailing arm; and said resilient means includes a pad of resilient material interposed between and abutting a surface of said axle saddle means and an upwardly facing surface of said trailing arm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
150 words
Means for operatively interconnecting a laterally extending vehicle axle housing to an eLongated beam means for limited, controlled relative movement therebetween as set forth in claim 4, wherein said axle saddle means includes an axle saddle having a generally horizontally disposed downwardly facing surface and a pair of laterally spaced and parallel vertical surfaces depending from said downwardly facing surface, each of said vertical surfaces being positioned adjacent a respective surface of said trailing arm; and said resilient means includes a pad of resilient material interposed between and abutting said downwardly facing surface of said axle saddle and a substantially flat surface of said trailing arm, said resilient means further including a pair of laterally spaced pads of resilient material, each one of said pair of pads being interposed between and abutting a respective one of said vertical surfaces of said axle saddle and the trailing arm surface adjacent thereto.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
91 words
Means for operatively interconnecting a laterally extending vehicle axle housing to an elongated beam means for limited, controlled relative movement therebetween as set forth in claim 2, wherein said attaching means includes an axle saddle overlying said trailing arm and having its longitudinal ends partially defined by substantially flat, laterally extending vertical end surfaces, and means for rigidly securing said axle saddle to said axle housing; and each of said axle stop member means includes a surface disposed closely adjacent to a respective one of said axle saddle vertical end surfaces.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
Means for operatively interconnecting a laterally extending vehicle axle housing to an elongated beam means for limited, controlled relative movement therebetween as set forth in claim 7, wherein said surfaces of said stop member means disposed closely adjacent to said axle saddle vertical end surfaces lie in vertical, curved planes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
63 words
Means for operatively interconnecting a laterally extending axle housing to an elongated beam means for limited, controlled relative movement therebetween as set forth in claim 8, wherein said axle saddle has a generally horizontally disposed, downwardly facing surface, and said resilient means includes a pad of resilient material interposed between abutting said downwardly facing surface and upwardly facing surface of said trailing arm.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
107 words
Means for operatively interconnecting a laterally extending axle housing to an elongated beam means for limited, controlled relative movement therebetween as set forth in claim 9, wherein said axle saddle has a pair of laterally spaced and parallel vertical side surfaces depending from said downwardly facing surface, each of said vertical side surfaces being positioned adjacent a respective surface of said trailing arm; and said resilient means further includes a pair of laterally spaced pads of resilient material, each one of said pair of pads being interposed between and abutting a respective one of said axle saddle vertical side surfaces and the trailing arm surface adjacent thereto.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
63 words
Means for operatively interconnecting a laterally extending vehicle axle housing to an elongated beam means for limited, controlled relative movement therebetween as set forth in claim 10, wherein said attaching means further includes a bracket underlying said trailing arm; and said means for rigidly securing said axle saddle to said axle housing is effective to operatively secure said bracket to said trailing arm.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
72 words
Means for operatively interconnecting a laterally extending vehicle axle housing to an elongated beam means for limited, controlled relative movement therebetween as set forth in claim 11, wherein said bracket is formed with a generally horizontally disposed, upwardly facing surface; and said resilient means further includes a second pad of resilient material interposed between and abutting said upwardly facing surface of said bracket and a downwardly facing surface of said trailing arm.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
111 words
Means for operatively interconnecting a laterally extending vehicle axle housing to an elongated beam means for limitEd, controlled relative movement therebetween as set forth in claim 12, wherein said bracket has a pair of laterally spaced and parallel vertical side surfaces projecting upwardly from said bracket upwardly facing surface, each of said bracket vertical side surfaces being positioned adjacent a respective surface of said trailing arm; and said resilient means further includes a second pair of laterally spaced pads of resilient material, each one of said second pair of pads being interposed between and abutting a respective one of said bracket vertical side surfaces and the trailing arm surface adjacent thereto.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
59 words
Means for operatively interconnecting a laterally extending axle housing to an elongated beam means for limited, controlled relative movement therebetween as set forth in claim 13, wherein said attaching means further includes a pair of substantially U-shaped bolts and cooperable locknuts, said bolts partially encircling said axle housing with the legs thereof extending through said axle saddle and bracket.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-12-27 | 1975-06-28 | 1975-12-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-12-27 | 1979-06-28 | 1979-12-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-12-27 | 1983-06-28 | 1983-12-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |