Linkage component for vehicle suspension

Claim 2

A linkage component for guiding an unsprung part of a vehicle suspension system in linear movement relative to a sprung chassis part, said component comprising a rigid frame connecting three spaced apart bearing elements, said bearing elements including two co-axial bearing elements non-rotatably held on said frame and having oppositely facing bearing surfaces, said elements being arranged so as to resist axial thrust and radial forces when located by bearing means of complementary shape having opposed bearing surfaces spaced a fixed distance apart, said bearing elements also including a third bearing element spaced from an axis joining said co-axial elements, whereby said component is capable of being located with its co-axial elements held in opposed bearing means carried by one of said parts in such manner as to allow angular movement of the component about said axis with concomitant linear guided movement of further bearing means located by said third bearing element and carried by the other said part.

Claim 3

A linkage component according to claim 1, wherein each of said co-axial bearing elements and the associated bearing means are arranged to resist axial thrust in one direction only, whereby the bearing elements and bearing means can be assembled by a simple sliding motion.

Claim 4

A linkage component according to claim 1, wherein said bearing elements are constituted by end caps fitted onto end portions of the said rigid frame.

Claim 5

A linkage component according to claim 3, wherein said rigid frame comprises a stiff axial elongated member extending along said axis, the ends of which member carry said bearing pads, and said frame also comprises two further stiff elongated members each having an inner end connected to said third bearing element and having their outer ends connected to the axial member at spaced apart locations, so that said members form a triangulated structure.

Claim 6

A triangulated wishbone component for guiding an unsprung part of a vehicle suspension system in linear movement relative to a sprung chassis part, said component comprising a stiff axial elongated member and two further stiff elongated members having their outer ends fixed to said axial member and forming a triangulated structure therewith, said component further comprising bearing pads in the form of end caps having sockets fitted non-rotatably onto the ends of the axial member, said bearing pads having oppositely disposed, outwardly facing co-axial bearing surfaces said surfaces of each pad being orientated so as to resist axial thrust and radial forces when fitted within a bearing socket of complementary shape, said two further elongated members carrying at their inner ends a third bearing element spaced from the axial member, whereby said component is capable of being located with its bearing pads held in opposed bearing sockets carried by one of said parts in such manner as to allow angular movmeent of the component about said axis with concomitant linear guided movement of bearing means located by said third bearing element and carried by said other part. 6 A wishbone component according to claim 5, wherein said bearing pads are cup shaped elements of polyurethane, bonded over the ends of said axial member.

Claim 7

A wishbone component according to claim 5, combined with socket members co-acting with the said end caps, said socket members having bearing surfaces in contact with the bearing surfaces of the end caps and also having bolt holes for attachment to chassis members or to brackets attachable to a chassis.

Claim 8

A torque rod assembly for locating a vehicle axle comprising a pair of brackets for attachment to a vehicle chassis part, a pair of lower torque rods each flexibly connected at one end to the lower ends of one of said brackets and connectable to an axle at the other end, and upper torque rod means constituted by a linkage component comprising a rigid frame connecting three spaced apart bearing elements, said bearing elements including two co-axial oppositely disposed bearing elements non-rotatably held on said frame and having opposed outwardly facing bearing surfaces, two bearing means mounted on the inside of said brackets and each dimensioned to rotatably receive one of said co-axial elements, said surfaces of each co-axial element being orientated so as to resist outwards axial thrust and radial forces when mounted in the respective bearing means said bearing elements also including a third bearing element spaced from an axis joining said co-axial elements and arranged for engagement with co-acting further bearing means carried by a rigid upward extension on said axle, whereby said upper and lower torque rod means form a parallelogram type linkage capable of guiding the axle in vertical movement, the said linkage component also locating the axle laterally.

Claim 9

A torque rod assembly for locating a vehicle axle comprising a pair of brackets for attachment to a vehicle chassis part, a pair of lower torque rods each flexibly connected at one end to the lower ends of one of said brackets and connectable to an axle at the other end, and upper torque rod means constituted by a linkage component comprising a rigid frame connecting three spaced apart bearing elements, said bearing elements including two co-axial oppositely disposed bearing elements non-rotatably held on said frame and having opposed outwardly facing bearing surfaces, two bearing means mounted on the inside of said brackets and each dimensioned to rotatably receive one of said co-axial elements, said surfaces of each co-axial element being orientated so as to resist outwards axial thrust and radial forces when mounted in the respective bearing means said bearing elements also including a third bearing element spaced from an axis joining said co-axial elements and arranged for engagement with co-acting further bearing means carried by a rigid upward extension on said axle, whereby said upper and lower torque rod means form a parallelogram type linkage capable of guiding the axle in vertical movement, the said linkage component also locating the axle laterally.

Claim 10

A torque rod assembly according to claim 8 wherein said linkage component comprises a stiff elongated member extending between said co-axial elements the ends of which member carry said co-axial elements and wherein said frame also comprises two further elongated members each having an inner end connected to said third bearing element and having their outer ends connected to said axial member at spaced apart locations, so that said members form a triangulated structure.

Claim 11

A tandem axle suspension system for load carrying vehicles including a load carrying chassis part, front and rear tandem axles positioned transversely across the chassis part, a pair of front brackets extending downwardly from said chassis part and spaced in front of said front axle and a pair of rear brackets extending downwardly from said chassis part and spaced behind said rear axle, said axles each being located by upper and lower torque rod means extending between each axle and the adjacent pair of brackets, said lower torque rod means each having an inner end flexibly connected to one of said axles and having an outer end flexibly connected to the lower part of one of said pair of brackets adjacent the respective axle, each of said axles being provided with a rigid upwaRds extension, said upper torque rod means being vertically spaced above said lower torque rod means and flexibly joined between the said upwards extension and upper parts of said pair of brackets adjacent the axle, said upper torque rod means each being constituted by a linkage component comprising a rigid frame connecting three spaced apart bearing elements, said bearing elements including two co-axial oppositely disposed bearing pads non-rotatably held on said frame and having opposed outwardly facing bearing surfaces, two sockets mounted on the insides of said brackets, and each dimensioned to rotatably receive one of said bearing pads, said surfaces of each pad being oriented so as to resist outwards axial thrust and radial forces when mounted in the respective socket, said bearing elements also including a third bearing element spaced from an axis joining said bearing pads and engaging co-acting bearing means carried by said rigid upwards extendion of the adjacent axle whereby said torque rod means resist transverse, longitudinal, and torsional loads applied to said axles while allowing relatively free up and down movements of the axles without substantial rotation about the housing axes, said system further comprising equalizing beam means extending longitudinally on each side of the chassis part, each of said equalizing beam means being supported at its ends by said axles and floating with respect to said chassis part, and spring means interposed between said chassis part and said equalizing beam means, said spring means being axially compressible and capable of flexure to permit said beams to tilt and follow the vertical movements of said axles.

Claim 12

A tandem axle suspension system for load carrying vehicles including a load carrying chassis part, front and rear tandem axles positioned transversely across the chassis part, a pair of front brackets extending downwardly from said chassis part and spaced in front of said front axle and a pair of rear brackets extending downwardly from said chassis part and spaced behind said rear axle, said axles each being located by upper and lower torque rod means extending between each axle and the adjacent pair of brackets, said lower torque rod means each having an inner end flexibly connected to one of said axles and having an outer end flexibly connected to the lower part of one of said pair of brackets adjacent the respective axle, each of said axles being provided with a rigid upwaRds extension, said upper torque rod means being vertically spaced above said lower torque rod means and flexibly joined between the said upwards extension and upper parts of said pair of brackets adjacent the axle, said upper torque rod means each being constituted by a linkage component comprising a rigid frame connecting three spaced apart bearing elements, said bearing elements including two co-axial oppositely disposed bearing pads non-rotatably held on said frame and having opposed outwardly facing bearing surfaces, two sockets mounted on the insides of said brackets, and each dimensioned to rotatably receive one of said bearing pads, said surfaces of each pad being oriented so as to resist outwards axial thrust and radial forces when mounted in the respective socket, said bearing elements also including a third bearing element spaced from an axis joining said bearing pads and engaging co-acting bearing means carried by said rigid upwards extendion of the adjacent axle whereby said torque rod means resist transverse, longitudinal, and torsional loads applied to said axles while allowing relatively free up and down movements of the axles without substantial rotation about the housing axes, said system further comprising equalizing beam means extending longitudinally on each side of the chassis part, each of said equalizing beam means being supported at its ends by said axles and floating with respect to said chassis part, and spring means interposed between said chassis part and said equalizing beam means, said spring means being axially compressible and capable of flexure to permit said beams to tilt and follow the vertical movements of said axles.

Claim 13

A tandem axle suspension system for load carrying vehicles including a load carrying chassis part, front and rear tandem axles positioned transversely across said chassis part, front supporting bracket means extending downwardly from said chassis part and spaced in front of said front axle and rear supporting frame means extending downwardly from the chassis part and spaced behind said rear axle, each of said supporting bracket means being rigid in the fore and aft direction, said axle housings each being located by upper and lower torque rod means, said lower torque rod means each having an inner end flexibly connected to one of said axles and an outer end flexibly connected to the lower end of the supporting bracket means adjacent the respective axle, each of said axles being provided with a rigid upwards extension, and upper torque rod means flexibly joined at one end thereof to one of said upward extensions and being flexibly joined at the other end to a point which is fixed in relation to said chassis part, one of said torque rod means for each axle being designed to resist transverse forces applied to said axles, the arrangement of torque rods for each axle being such as to resist transverse, longitudinal, and torsional loads imposed on said axles while allowing relatively free up and down movements of the axles without substantial rotation about the axle axes, said system further comprising equalizing beam means extending longitudinally on each side of the chassis part, each of said equalizing beam means being supported at its end by said axles and floating with respect to said chassis part, and spring means interposed between said chassis part and said equalizing beam means, said spring means being axially compressible and capable of flexure to permit said beams to tilt and rise.

Claim 14

A tandem axle suspension system for load carrying vehicles including a load carrying chassis part, front and rear tandem axles positioned transversely across said chassis part, front supporting bracket means extending downwardly from said chassis part and spaced in front of said front axle and rear supporting frame means extending downwardly from the chassis part and spaced behind said rear axle, each of said supporting bracket means being rigid in the fore and aft direction, said axle housings each being located by upper and lower torque rod means, said lower torque rod means each having an inner end flexibly connected to one of said axles and an outer end flexibly connected to the lower end of the supporting bracket means adjacent the respective axle, each of said axles being provided with a rigid upwards extension, and upper torque rod means flexibly joined at one end thereof to one of said upward extensions and being flexibly joined at the other end to a point which is fixed in relation to said chassis part, one of said torque rod means for each axle being designed to resist transverse forces applied to said axles, the arrangement of torque rods for each axle being such as to resist transverse, longitudinal, and torsional loads imposed on said axles while allowing relatively free up and down movements of the axles without substantial rotation about the axle axes, said system further comprising equalizing beam means extending longitudinally on each side of the chassis part, each of said equalizing beam means being supported at its end by said axles and floating with respect to said chassis part, and spring means interposed between said chassis part and said equalizing beam means, said spring means being axially compressible and capable of flexure to permit said beams to tilt and rise.

Claim 15

The tandem axle suspension system of claim 11, wherein said upper torque rod means each extends from said respective axle to a point on the chassis in approximately vertical alignment with the point of connection of the respective lower torque rod means to the said lower ends of the supporting bracket means, wherein said upper and lower torque rod means are substantially parallel when viewed in side elevation and form parallelogram linkages for each axle extending beyond the ends of the equalizing beam means.

Claim 16

The tandem axle suSpension system of claim 12, wherein said supporting bracket means each comprise two brackets extending downwardly from the sides of the chassis part, and wherein each said upper torque means extends between said upwards extension on the respective axle and mounting means carried by said brackets.

Claim 17

A vehicle suspension system including spring means of elastomeric material each having a central cavity communicating with an outlet at one end of the spring means, said spring means being mounted by means including a tubular spigot extending into said outlet, said spigot allowing for passage of air between said cavity and the atmosphere whereby air moves in and out of said cavity with compression and expansion of the spring.

Claim 18

A vehicle suspension system including spring means of elastomeric material each having a central cavity communicating with an outlet at one end of the spring means, said spring means being mounted by means including a tubular spigot extending into said outlet, said spigot allowing for passage of air between said cavity and the atmosphere whereby air moves in and out of said cavity with compression and expansion of the spring.