Vehicle suspension system

Claim 2

A suspension systm for supporting one side of a vehicle chassis having a pair of tandem axles comprising: First fluid responsive support means connecting the chassis and one of said tandem axles; Second fluid responsive support means connecting the chassis and the other of said tandem axles; Flow control means; First conduit means connecting said first fluid responsive support means to said flow control means; Second conduit means connecting said second fluid responsive support means to said flow control means; Fluid pressure absorbing means; Third conduit means connectinf said fluid pressure absorbing means and said flow control means; Valve means within said flow control means for directing fluid flow from one fluid support means in predetermined unequal proportion between said fluid pressure absorbing means and the other of said fluid pressure support means so that the greater volume of fluid is directed to the fluid pressure absorbing means while a controlled volume of fluid is metered to the other of said fluid pressure support means.

Claim 3

A suspension system as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by: Said valve means comprising at least one valve body; Said valve body having an inlet aperture connected to said first conduit means, and an outlet port connected in parallel to said second and third conduit means, therebeing passage means within said valve body establishing communication between said inlet aperture and said outlet port; A valve member within said passage means; Resilient means for normally urging said valve member into seated engagement with said inlet aperture for closing same; Said valve member having a bypass for establishing communication between said outlet port and said inlet aperture when said valve member is in seated engagement, said bypass being of a predetermined cross-sectional extent for effecting a controlled fluid flow therethrough.

Claim 4

A suspension system as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by: Said valve means comprising a first valve body having an inlet port connected to said first conduit means, and a second valve body having an inlet port connected to said second conduit means; Each first and second valve bodies having an outlet port, there being passage means within each valve body for communicating the respective inlet and outlet ports; Said third conduit means interconnecting the outlet ports with each other and with the fluid pressure absorbing means; A valve member in the passage means of each valve body; Resilient means for normally urging each valve member into seated engagement with the related inlet port for closing same; Each valve member having a bypass for establishing communication between the related inlet and outlet ports when the respective valve member is in seated engagement, said bypass being of a predetermined cross-sectional extent for effecting a controlled fluid flow therethrough.

Claim 5

The invention as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by: Each of said first and second fluid responsive support means comprising a cylinder; A reciprocal piston received within said cylinder and dividing same into upper and lower compartments; Passage means within said piston for communicating said upper and lower compartments; Each of said upper compartments having a port; Saif first and second conduit means connecting the port of the related fluid responsive support member to said flow control means.

Claim 6

A suspension system for supporting one side of a vehicle chassis having a pair of tandem axles comprising: First fluid responsive support means connectng the chassis to one of said tandem axles; Second fluid responsive support means connecting the chassis to the other side of said tandem axles; First conduit means connecting said first and second fluid responsive support means for establishing fluid flow therebetween; Fluid pressure absorbing means; Flow control means within said first conduit means for selectively regulating the flow of fluid between said first and second fluid responsive support means; Second conduit means connecting said flow control means and said fluid pressure absorbing means; Said flow control means comprising at least one valve body; First fluid passage means within said valve body for establishing communication with said fluid responsive support means and said fluid pressure absorbing means; A valve member within said valve body; Resilient means normally urging said valve member into closed relationship with said first passage means for restricting flow toward said fluid responsive support means; Second fluid passage means within said valve member for establishing communication with said fluid responsive support means and said fluid pressure absorbing means, said second fluid passage means being of a predetermined extent for effecting controlled fluid flow toward said fluid responsive support means when said valve member is in closed relationship with said first fluid passage means; Each of said fiRst and second fluid responsive support means comprising a cylinder; A reciprocal piston received within said cylinder and dividing same into an upper compartment and a lower compartment; Passage means within said piston for communicating said upper and lower compartments; Each of said upper compartments having a port; Said conduit means connecting the port of each fluid responsive support members to the passage means of said flow control body.

Claim 7

A suspension system for supporting one side of a vehicle chassis having a pair of tandem axles comprising: First fluid responsive support means connectng the chassis to one of said tandem axles; Second fluid responsive support means connecting the chassis to the other side of said tandem axles; First conduit means connecting said first and second fluid responsive support means for establishing fluid flow therebetween; Fluid pressure absorbing means; Flow control means within said first conduit means for selectively regulating the flow of fluid between said first and second fluid responsive support means; Second conduit means connecting said flow control means and said fluid pressure absorbing means; Said flow control means comprising at least one valve body; First fluid passage means within said valve body for establishing communication with said fluid responsive support means and said fluid pressure absorbing means; A valve member within said valve body; Resilient means normally urging said valve member into closed relationship with said first passage means for restricting flow toward said fluid responsive support means; Second fluid passage means within said valve member for establishing communication with said fluid responsive support means and said fluid pressure absorbing means, said second fluid passage means being of a predetermined extent for effecting controlled fluid flow toward said fluid responsive support means when said valve member is in closed relationship with said first fluid passage means; Each of said fiRst and second fluid responsive support means comprising a cylinder; A reciprocal piston received within said cylinder and dividing same into an upper compartment and a lower compartment; Passage means within said piston for communicating said upper and lower compartments; Each of said upper compartments having a port; Said conduit means connecting the port of each fluid responsive support members to the passage means of said flow control body.