Suspension damping device

Claim 2

A suspension damping device comprising an elongated tubular housing having a closed lower end for connection to an axle of a wheel and an open upper end having an elongated tube in sealed sliding engagement retained therein, a coil spring in the upper part of said tube and retained between the upper end of said tube and a floating piston positioned in sealed sliding engagement in said tube, an upper and lower oil chamber formed in said tube and tubular housing below said piston, first and second passage means between said first and second oil chambers, said second passage means having valve means responsive to lateral displacement of said wheel.

Claim 3

A suspension damping device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second passage means is a damper tube secured in said lower oil chamber and extending into said upper oil chamber, said valve means being secured in said damper tube, one or more ports in said damper tube for passage of said oil from said lower to said upper oil chamber, said valve means normally closing said one or more ports and adjustably opening same in response to said lateral displacement of said wheel.

Claim 4

A suspension damping device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said valve means is a circular valve member having one or more ports in an upper portion thereof, said valve upper portion being received in close frictional contact in said tube lower end and positioned adjacent said one or more ports of said damper tube, engageable means in the lower portion of said valve member and engageable with said wheel axle to rotate said valve member and position said ports of said valve member in contact with said ports of said damper tube to permit oil to flow from said lower chamber to said upper chamber.

Claim 5

A suspension damping device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said engageable means is a crank pin extending in a trough bore in said tubular housing lower end, said axle having a sleeve secured thereover and extending through said bore, an annular transverse groove on the upper surface of said sleeve for receiving said crank pin therein, said sleeve and axle being displaced laterally in response to lateral displacement of said wheel to cause said valve member to rotate.

Claim 6

A suspension damping device as claimed in claim 4 wherein a spring disc is positioned over said sleeve on each side of said tubular housing lower end and in abutment on one side thereof with said housing, an annular ring over said axle between said sleeve and said wheel and in abutment with the outer side of said spring disc, said spring discs being flexed by lateral displacement of said wheel, wheel axle, annular ring and sleeve.

Claim 7

A suspension damping device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said wheel is mounted on a further sleeve which is in abutment with said annular ring, said sleeves and said annular ring being fixedly secured to said axle.

Claim 8

A suspension damping device as claimed in claim 2, wherein a first and second annular ring are secured in the lower end of said elongated tube about said damper tube, said first and second rings being spaced apart and each defining an annular passage between their inner surface and the outer surface of said damper tube, a damping disc valve between said first and Second rings to control the passage of oil between said upper and lower oil chambers.

Claim 9

A suspension damping device as claimed in claim 7 wherein said damping disc valve is spring biased against said first annular ring to provide a first restrictive oil passage from said lower chamber to said upper chamber, said first restrictive passage being provided between said disc and said damper tube.

Claim 10

A suspension damping device as claimed in claim 8 wherein said damping disc valve provides a further oil passage when oil is displaced from said upper chamber to said lower chamber, said further oil passage being opened by downward oil pressure on said damping disc displacing said disc downwardly in said space between said first and second rings whereby oil will flow downwardly through said first restrictive oil passage and through a further passage between said damping disc and said tube inner surface.

Claim 11

A suspension damping device for use on a motorcycle vehicle having a frame and a pair of wheels mounted on respective axles, said suspension device being secured on each side of said front wheel and between the axle thereof and said motorcycle frame, each said damping device having an elongated tubular housing having a closed lower end for connection to an axle of a wheel and an open upper end having an elongated tube in sealed sliding engagement retained therein, a coil spring in the upper part of said tube and retained between the upper end of said tube and a free floating piston positioned in sealed sliding engagement in said tube, an upper and lower oil chamber formed in said tube and tubular housing below said piston, first and second passage means between said first and second oil chambers, said second passage means having valve means responsive to lateral displacement of said wheel.

Claim 12

A suspension damping device for use on a motorcycle vehicle having a frame and a pair of wheels mounted on respective axles, said suspension device being secured on each side of said front wheel and between the axle thereof and said motorcycle frame, each said damping device having an elongated tubular housing having a closed lower end for connection to an axle of a wheel and an open upper end having an elongated tube in sealed sliding engagement retained therein, a coil spring in the upper part of said tube and retained between the upper end of said tube and a free floating piston positioned in sealed sliding engagement in said tube, an upper and lower oil chamber formed in said tube and tubular housing below said piston, first and second passage means between said first and second oil chambers, said second passage means having valve means responsive to lateral displacement of said wheel.