US3785673A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Preloaded spring beam and method employed alone or in combination with air bellows spring
Assignee: Western Unit Corp
•
Filing: 1971-09-20
•
Granted: 1974-01-15
•
Expires: 1991-09-20
Abstract
Abstract A preloaded spring beam having a short portion of its length held resiliently deformed in a manner to increase its load sustaining capabilities substantially. In one typical application the spring beam is employed in a vehicle suspension assembly, either alone or in combination with other spring means, such as regulatable air bellows spring means. The spring beam typically comprises a single spring leaf of the single or double cantilever type and preloaded in an area immediately opposite its anchorage to its fixed support utilizing a specially constructed high strength preloading device or shim between the beam and support effective to store high value preloading stresses in the beam as an incident to the clamping thereof to its support. When used in combination with a regulatable air spring, the suspension assembly provides a soft ride under both dead load and under wide range live loading conditions and, in addition, assures superior sway and stabilizing control of the associated carriage unit.
Inventors
- 👤 H Harbers
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 15:46
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60G; B60G17/00; B60G17/02; B60G17/04; B60G17/052; B60G11/00; B60G11/32; B60G11/34; B60G11/46; B60G11/465; B60G2200/00; B60G2200/30; B60G2200/31; B60G2204/00; B60G2204/40; B60G2204/43; B60G2204/4306; B60G2206/00; B60G2206/01; B60G2206/80; B60G2206/82; B60G2206/8201
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
79 words
A preloaded spring beam assembly comprising an elongated spring beam, rigid support means for said spring beam, and clamping means for anchoring said spring beam to said rigid support in a manner to prestress said spring beam in a relatively small portion of the length thereof as an incident to the tightening of said clamping means thereby to store energy thereafter available to counteract loading applied to said spring beam in an area spaced from the prestressed portion thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
79 words
A preloaded spring beam assembly comprising an elongated spring beam, rigid support means for said spring beam, and clamping means for anchoring said spring beam to said rigid support in a manner to prestress said spring beam in a relatively small portion of the length thereof as an incident to the tightening of said clamping means thereby to store energy thereafter available to counteract loading applied to said spring beam in an area spaced from the prestressed portion thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
A spring beam as defined in claim 1 characterized in that said anchoring and prestressing means includes means for forcibly locking a limited length of said spring beam deformed thereby to store stress therein effective to counteract loading applied to said spring beam at a point displaced from said deformed portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
85 words
A spring beam as defined in claim 2 characterized in that said means for prestressing said spring beam comprises means interposed between said spring beam and said rigid support and effective to support said spring beam in an unstressed condition from a pair of fulcrum-like support areas spaced from one another lengthwise of said beam, and said anchoring means being effective as it is tightened to prestress said spring beam by deforming that portion of said beam lying between said pair of fulcrum-like support areas.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
117 words
A spring beam as defined in claim 2 characterized in that said means for prestressing said spring beam comprises preloading shim means interposed between said beam and said support means and including strip means of high compressive strength supporting a pair of low-height fulcrums spaced to either side of the mid portion of said support means and between said support means and said beam and so as to provide a gap of predetermined height between said center portion and the juxtaposed portion of said beam before said anchoring means is tightened, and the tightening of said anchoring means being effective to close said gap thereby to prestress said spring beam and flex the remote free end thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
A spring beam as defined in claim 4 characterized in that said thin strip means is non-metallic and formed in one elongated unitary piece having said low height fulcrums at its opposite ends lying crosswise of said beam and a relatively thin intermediate main body portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
A spring beam as defined in claim 5 characterized in that the opposite ends of said shim means are positioned substantially equidistantly from the mid portion of said support means and closely beyond the opposite sides thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
A spring beam as defined in claim 4 characterized in that said anchoring is tightened sufficiently to deflect a major portion of said spring beam between the thickened ends of said shim means into pressurized contact with the juxtaposed portion of said shim means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
51 words
A spring beam as defined in claim 1 characterized in that the opposite ends thereof project in opposite directions from either side of said anchoring means, and the tightening of said anchoring means being effective to flex the outer enDs of said beam in opposite directions as said beam is prestressed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
63 words
A spring beam as defined in claim 1 characterized in that said anchoring means includes draft link means extending along the length of said spring beam and having one end firmly connected to said support means and its other end terminating adjacent one end of said beam and adapted to be connected to a load carrying member being suspended on said spring beam.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
A spring beam as defined in claim 9 characterized in that said draft linkage and said spring beam are held to said support means by said anchor means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
A spring beam as defined in claim 1 characterized in that the opposite ends of said beam are generally symmetrical.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
A spring beam as defined in claim 1 characterized in that said beam projects substantially equidistaintly from the opposite sides of said rigid support.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
64 words
A spring beam as defined in claim 12 characterized in the provision of draft link means closely spaced beside one end half of said beam and comprising a stiff strip of resilient spring stock having one end anchored to said rigid support and its other end terminating adjacent one end of said spring beam and adapted to be movably connected to a vehicle chassis.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
A spring beam as defined in claim 1 characterized in that said spring beam comprises a single leaf of the same cross section throughout the load bearing portion thereof and projecting substantially the same distance from the opposite sides of said fixed support.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
A spring beam as defined in claim 14 characterized in that said spring beam is generally elliptical in shape lengthwise thereof.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
113 words
A preloaded spring suspension assembly for a vehicle chassis comprising an elongated spring beam, means for rigidly anchoring said beam to carriage axle means including means for preloading a relatively short length of said beam immediately adjacent said axle means to flex at least one end portion of said beam away from the ground and toward the load to be supported thereon as an incident to rigidly clamping said spring beam to said axle means thereby to prestress said beam and increase the load supporting ability thereof, and means for connecting said axle means to the vehicle with a load carrying portion thereof operatively connected to a free end of said spring beam.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
113 words
A preloaded spring suspension assembly for a vehicle chassis comprising an elongated spring beam, means for rigidly anchoring said beam to carriage axle means including means for preloading a relatively short length of said beam immediately adjacent said axle means to flex at least one end portion of said beam away from the ground and toward the load to be supported thereon as an incident to rigidly clamping said spring beam to said axle means thereby to prestress said beam and increase the load supporting ability thereof, and means for connecting said axle means to the vehicle with a load carrying portion thereof operatively connected to a free end of said spring beam.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
33 words
A suspension assembly as defined in claim 2 characterized in that said spring beam comprises a single elongated leaf of uniform cross section from end to end of the load carrying portion thereof.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
36 words
A suspension assembly as defined in claim 17 characterized in that said single leaf spring beam is of V-shape lengthwise thereof and in that the apex portion thereof is pre-loaded and clamped to said axle means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
A suspension assembly as defined in claim 16 characterized in having air spring means interposed between the vehicle frame and said spring beam.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
74 words
A suspension assembly as defined in claim 17 characterized in the provision of a high strength support between one face of said spring beam and said axle means, and said preloading means comprising elongated shim means having thickened ends sandwiched between the adjacent faces of said spring beam and said high strength support and cooperating with said anchoring means to deform and preload said spring beam as an incident to tightening said anchoring means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
183 words
A preloaded suspension assembly for a cargo vehicle having a chassis frame and providing high sway control stability coupled with low weight and a soft ride from no load to full load, said assembly comprising carriage axle means, trailing arm spring beam extending crosswise of said carriage axle means, means for rigidly anchoring said spring beam to said carriage axle means and including means for simultaneously preloading a relatively short length of said spring beam to flex a portion thereof away from the ground and toward the load to be supported thereon as an incident to the tightening of said anchoring means thereby to prestress said beam and incrEase the load supporting ability thereof, hanger means closely embracing the leading end of said beam and secured to said chassis frame, draft linkage means interconnecting said housing means and said hanger means and cooperating with said spring beam in stabilizing and counteracting sway forces, and air spring means interposed between said spring beam and said chassis frame and adapted to supplement the leading end thereof in supporting a load on said carriage axle means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
183 words
A preloaded suspension assembly for a cargo vehicle having a chassis frame and providing high sway control stability coupled with low weight and a soft ride from no load to full load, said assembly comprising carriage axle means, trailing arm spring beam extending crosswise of said carriage axle means, means for rigidly anchoring said spring beam to said carriage axle means and including means for simultaneously preloading a relatively short length of said spring beam to flex a portion thereof away from the ground and toward the load to be supported thereon as an incident to the tightening of said anchoring means thereby to prestress said beam and incrEase the load supporting ability thereof, hanger means closely embracing the leading end of said beam and secured to said chassis frame, draft linkage means interconnecting said housing means and said hanger means and cooperating with said spring beam in stabilizing and counteracting sway forces, and air spring means interposed between said spring beam and said chassis frame and adapted to supplement the leading end thereof in supporting a load on said carriage axle means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
50 words
A preloaded suspension assembly as defined in claim 21 characterized in the provision of load sensing means connected between said chassis frame and carriage axle means and operatively connected to said air spring means to regulate the air pressure therein in proportion to the load supported by said suspension assembly.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
34 words
A suspension assembly as defined in claim 22 characterized in that said spring beam and said air spring means cooperate in providing a soft ride for wide-range live loading supported by said suspension assembly.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
28 words
A suspension assembly as defined in claim 23 characterized in that said spring beam comprises a single leaf of uniform cross section throughout the load supporting portion thereof.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
45 words
A suspension assembly as defined in claim 24 characterized in that said spring beam is of V-shape lengthwise thereof with the leading end portion mounted generally horizontally and the trailing end portion extending downwardly and secured to the lower end of said air spring means.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
41 words
A suspension assembly as defined in claim 21 characterized in that the preloading stresses present in said assembly are created therein by bowing a lengthwise portion of said beam as an incident to the assembly thereof to said axle housing means.
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) | 1977-01-14 | 1977-07-16 | 1978-01-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-01-14 | 1981-07-16 | 1982-01-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-01-14 | 1985-07-16 | 1986-01-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |