Independent suspension system for a motor vehicle

Claim 2

An independent suspension system for a motor vehicle comprising a vehicle frame, left and right steerable road wheels and suspension means interconnecting said wheels and said frame, said suspension means comprising mutually independent left and right wheel support members rotatably supporting said left and right road wheels, left and right suspension arms connected to said left and right wheel support members, respectively, and to said frame, a plurality of torsion bars having generally parallel transversely extending midportions mounted on said vehicle frame, said bars having laterally extending end portions, means rigidly securing said end portions to said suspension arms adjacent the outer ends of said arms, said bars having longitudinally extended strut portions interconnecting said end portions and said transverse portions, said bars being constructed to position said suspension arms longitudinally, said bars being preloaded in torsion to resiliently support said frame on said suspension arms, and said bars being constructed to resiliently resist angular displacement of said frame about a longitudinal roll axis.

Claim 3

An independent suspension system for a motor vehicle comprising a vehicle frame, left and right steerable road wheels and suspension means interconnecting said wheels and said frame, said suspension means comprising mutually independent left and right wheel support members rotatably supporting said left and right road wheels, left and right suspension arms pivotally connected to said left and right wheel support members at one of their ends and to said frame at the other of their ends, torsion bar means having a transversely extending midportion mounted on said vehicle frame, said transverse midportion being longitudinally spaced from the axis of rotation of said wheels, said bar means having laterally outwardly extending end portions, clamping means rigidly securing said end portions to said arms adjacent the outer ends of said arms, said bar means having longitudinally extended strut portions interconnecting said end portions and said transverse portion, said bar means being constructed to position said suspension arms longitudinally, said bars being preloaded in torsion to resiliently support said chassis on said suspension arms, and said bars being constructed to resiliently resist angular displacement of said frame about a longitudinal roll axis.

Claim 4

An independent suspension system for a motor vehicle comprising a vehicle frame, left and right steerable road wheels and suspension means interconnecting said wheels and said frame, said suspension means comprising mutually independent left and right wheel support members rotatably supporting said left and right road wheels, left and right suspension arms pivotally connected to said left and right wheel support members at one of their ends and to said frame at the other of their ends, torsion bar means having a transversely extending midportion mounted on said vehicle frame, said transverse midportion being longitudinally spaced from the axis of rotation of said wheels, said bar means having laterally outwardly extending end portions, clamping means rigidly securing said end portions to said arms adjacent the outer ends of said arms, said bar means having longitudinally extended strut portions interconnecting said end portions and said transverse portion, said bar means being constructed to position said suspension arms longitudinally, said bars being preloaded in torsion to resiliently support said chassis on said suspension arms, and said bars being constructed to resiliently resist angular displacement of said frame about a longitudinal roll axis.

Claim 5

An independent suspension system for a motor vehicle comprising a vehicle frame, left and right steerable road wheels and suspension means interconnecting said wheels and said frame, said suspension means comprising mutually independent left and right wheel support members rotatably supporting said left and right road wheels, left and right suspension arms interconnecting said left and right wheel support members and said frame, a plurality of torsion bars arranged in generally side-by-side fashion and having generally parallel transversely extending midportions mounted on said vehicle frame, said transverse midportions being longitudinally spaced from the axis of rotation of said wheels, said bars having laterally extending end portions, means rigidly securing said end portions to said suspension arms adjacent the outer ends of said arms, said bars having generally parallel longitudinally extended strut portions interconnecting said end portions and said transverse portions, said bars being constructed to position said suspension arms longitudinally, said bars being preloaded in torsion to resiliently support said chassis on said suspension arms, and said bars being constructed to resiliently resist angular displacement of said frame about a longitudinal roll axis.

Claim 6

An independent suspension system for a motor vehicle comprising a vehicle frame, left and right steerable road wheels and suspension means interconnecting said wheels and said frame, said suspension means comprising mutually independent left and right wheel support members rotatably supporting said left and right road wheels, left and right suspension arms interconnecting said left and right wheel support members and said frame, a plurality of torsion bars arranged in generally side-by-side fashion and having generally parallel transversely extending midportions mounted on said vehicle frame, said transverse midportions being longitudinally spaced from the axis of rotation of said wheels, said bars having laterally extending end portions, means rigidly securing said end portions to said suspension arms adjacent the outer ends of said arms, said bars having generally parallel longitudinally extended strut portions interconnecting said end portions and said transverse portions, said bars being constructed to position said suspension arms longitudinally, said bars being preloaded in torsion to resiliently support said chassis on said suspension arms, and said bars being constructed to resiliently resist angular displacement of said frame about a longitudinal roll axis.

Claim 7

An independent suspension system for a motor vehicle according to claim 3 and including: left and right telescopic pillars interconnecting said wheel support members and said vehicle frame.

Claim 8

An independent suspension system for a motor vehicle according to claim 3 and including: said transverse midportions being longitudinally spaced from the axis of rotation of said wheels in a forward direction.

Claim 9

An independent suspension system for a motor vehicle comprising a vehicle frame, left and right road wheels and suspension means interconnecting said wheels and said frame, said suspension means comprising mutually independent left and right wheel support members rotatably supporting said left and right road wheels, left and right suspension arms interconnecting said left and right wheel support members and said frame, a plurality of torsion bars arranged in generally side-by-side fashion and having generally parallel transversely extending midportions mounted on said vehicle frame, said transverse midportions being longitudinally spaced from the axis of rotation of said wheels, said bars having laterally extending end portions connected to said suspension arms adjacent the outer ends of said arms, said arms having a plurality of openings, the tips of said end portions being angled upwardly and extending through said openings, clamping means securing said end portions to said arms, said bars having generally parallel longitudinally extended strut portions interconnecting said end portions and said transverse portions, said bars being constructed to position said suspension arms longitudinally, to resiliently support said chassis on said suspension arms and to resiliently resist angular displacement of said frame about a longitudinal roll axis.

Claim 10

An independent suspension system for a motor vehicle comprising a vehicle frame, left and right road wheels and suspension means interconnecting said wheels and said frame, said suspension means comprising mutually independent left and right wheel support members rotatably supporting said left and right road wheels, left and right suspension arms interconnecting said left and right wheel support members and said frame, a plurality of torsion bars arranged in generally side-by-side fashion and having generally parallel transversely extending midportions mounted on said vehicle frame, said transverse midportions being longitudinally spaced from the axis of rotation of said wheels, said bars having laterally extending end portions connected to said suspension arms adjacent the outer ends of said arms, said arms having a plurality of openings, the tips of said end portions being angled upwardly and extending through said openings, clamping means securing said end portions to said arms, said bars having generally parallel longitudinally extended strut portions interconnecting said end portions and said transverse portions, said bars being constructed to position said suspension arms longitudinally, to resiliently support said chassis on said suspension arms and to resiliently resist angular displacement of said frame about a longitudinal roll axis.

Claim 11

An independent suspension system for a motor vehicle comprising a vehicle frame, left and right road wheels and suspension means interconnecting said wheels and said frame, said suspension means comprising mutually independent left and right wheel support members rotatably supporting said left and right road wheels, left and right suspension arms interconnecting said left and right wheel support members and said frame, a pluraLity of torsion bars arranged in generally side-by-side fashion and having generally parallel transversely extending midportions mounted on said vehicle frame, said transverse midportions being longitudinally spaced from the axis of rotation of said wheels, said bars having laterally extending end portions connected to said suspension arms adjacent the outer ends of said arms, left and right telescopic pillars interconnecting said wheel support members and said vehicle frame, said arms having a plurality of openings, the tips of said end portions being angled upwardly and extending through said openings, clamping means securing said end portions to said arms, said bars having generally parallel longitudinally extended strut portions interconnecting said end portions and said transverse portions, said bars being constructed to position said suspension arms longitudinally, to resiliently support said chassis on said suspension arms and to resiliently resist angular displacement of said frame about a longitudinal roll axis.

Claim 12

An independent suspension system for a motor vehicle comprising a vehicle frame, left and right road wheels and suspension means interconnecting said wheels and said frame, said suspension means comprising mutually independent left and right wheel support members rotatably supporting said left and right road wheels, left and right suspension arms interconnecting said left and right wheel support members and said frame, a pluraLity of torsion bars arranged in generally side-by-side fashion and having generally parallel transversely extending midportions mounted on said vehicle frame, said transverse midportions being longitudinally spaced from the axis of rotation of said wheels, said bars having laterally extending end portions connected to said suspension arms adjacent the outer ends of said arms, left and right telescopic pillars interconnecting said wheel support members and said vehicle frame, said arms having a plurality of openings, the tips of said end portions being angled upwardly and extending through said openings, clamping means securing said end portions to said arms, said bars having generally parallel longitudinally extended strut portions interconnecting said end portions and said transverse portions, said bars being constructed to position said suspension arms longitudinally, to resiliently support said chassis on said suspension arms and to resiliently resist angular displacement of said frame about a longitudinal roll axis.

Claim 13

An independent suspension system for a motor vehicle comprising a vehicle frame, left and right steerable road wheels and suspension means interconnecting said wheels and said frame, said suspension means comprising mutually independent left and right wheel support members rotatably supporting said left and right road wheels, left and right suspension arms pivotally connected to said left and right wheel support members at one of their ends and to said frame at the other of their ends, left and right telescopic guide pillars interconnecting said wheel support members and said vehicle frame, said pillars and said suspension arms defining the jounce and rebound path for said wheels, a plurality of torsion bars arranged in generally side-by-side fashion and having generally parallel transversely extending midportions, rubber bushing means securing said transverse portions to said frame, said transverse midportions being longitudinally spaced from the axis of rotation of said wheels in a forward direction, said bars having laterally extending end portions connected to said suspension arms adjacent the outer ends of said arms, said arms having a plurality of openings, the tip of each of said end portion being angled upwardly and extending through said openings, clamping means securing said end portions to said arms, said bars having generally parallel longitudinally extended strut portions interconnecting said end portions and said transverse portions, said bars being constructed to position said suspension arms longitudinally, to resiliently support said chassis on said suspension arms and to resiliently resist angular displacement of said frame about a longitudinal roll axis.

Claim 14

An independent suspension system for a motor vehicle comprising a vehicle frame, left and right steerable road wheels and suspension means interconnecting said wheels and said frame, said suspension means comprising mutually independent left and right wheel support members rotatably supporting said left and right road wheels, left and right suspension arms pivotally connected to said left and right wheel support members at one of their ends and to said frame at the other of their ends, left and right telescopic guide pillars interconnecting said wheel support members and said vehicle frame, said pillars and said suspension arms defining the jounce and rebound path for said wheels, a plurality of torsion bars arranged in generally side-by-side fashion and having generally parallel transversely extending midportions, rubber bushing means securing said transverse portions to said frame, said transverse midportions being longitudinally spaced from the axis of rotation of said wheels in a forward direction, said bars having laterally extending end portions connected to said suspension arms adjacent the outer ends of said arms, said arms having a plurality of openings, the tip of each of said end portion being angled upwardly and extending through said openings, clamping means securing said end portions to said arms, said bars having generally parallel longitudinally extended strut portions interconnecting said end portions and said transverse portions, said bars being constructed to position said suspension arms longitudinally, to resiliently support said chassis on said suspension arms and to resiliently resist angular displacement of said frame about a longitudinal roll axis.