Steering and suspension for high capacity vehicles

Claim 2

A wheeled vehicle steering and suspension assembly comprising, in combination: an axle adapted to support a ground wheel; a lower vertical cylinder secured to said axle for up and down and turning movement therewith; a vertical upper cylinder fitted in both telescoping and rotating relation with said lower cylinder and adapted to be fixed to a vehicle; means within said cylinders for cushioning relative telescoping movement thereof upon up and down movement of said axle; a laterally offset member mounted for rotation on said upper cylinder, said member having a lower vertically telescoping portion fixed to said lower cylinder for rotation therewith and thus said axle; means on said member for coupling the same to a steering arm so that the member can serve as a knuckle arm, said telescoping portion serving to transmit force from said steering arm torsionally to said lower cylinder to rotate the latter and thus steer the axle; said cushioning means including a first chamber filled with a liquid, a second chamber filled with gas, and a floating piston separating said chambers; a source of liquid under pressure and a connection from said source to said first chamber; and valve means for controlling the supply of liquid from said source to said first chamber to permit adjustment of the telescoped length of said cylinders under varying loadings.

Claim 3

A wheeled vehicle steering and suspension assembly according to claim 10 including means for sensing the telescoped relation of said cylinders, and wherein said valve means is both manually operable for raising and lowering the vehicle and automatically operable by said sensing means for leveling the vehicle by maintaining the telescoped length of said cylinders substantially constant under varying loadings.

Claim 4

A wheeled vehicle steering and suspension assembly according to claim 1 in which the member and its telescoping portion are hollow and include means for sensing the telescoped relation thereof and thereby signal the telescoped relation of said cylinders, and further including an electrical circuit connecting said valve means for operation by said sensing means to maintain the telescoped length of said cylinders substantially constant under varying loadings.

Claim 5

A wheeled vehicle steering and suspension assembly according to claim 1 in which the member and its telescoping portion are hollow and provide a housing, and further including means within said housing for sensing the telescoped relation of said portion and thereby the telescoped relation of said cylinders, and means for operating said valve means from said sensing means to maintain the telescoped length of said cylinders substantially constant under varying loadings.

Claim 6

A wheeled vehicle steering and suspension assembly according to claim 1 in which the member and its telescoping portion are hollow and provide a housing, and further including a brake mounted on said axle for said wheel, a brake control line disposed within said housing from the top of the housing to said brake with sufficient line slack in the housing to permit telescoping movement of the member and said portion, means mounted within said housing for sensing the telescoped relation of said portion and thereby the telescoped relation of said cylinders, and means connecting said valve means for operation by said sensing means to maintain the telescoped length of said cylinders substantially constant under varying loadings.

Claim 7

A wheeled vehicle steering and suspension assembly comprising, in combination: an axle adaptable to support a ground wheel; a lower vertical suspension cylinder secured to said axle for up and down and turnIng movement therewith; an upper vertical suspension cylinder fitted in telescoping and rotating relation with said lower cylinder and adapted to be fixed to a vehicle; means within said suspension cylinders for cushioning relative telescoping movement thereof including floating pistons in both said cylinders defining therebetween a center chamber filled with liquid, and a separate chamber at the ends of said cylinders, filled, respectively, with gas at different initial pressures, such that at light vehicle loadings the end chamber with the lower gas pressure provides a shock cushion and at higher vehicle loadings the end chamber with the higher gas pressure provides a shock cushion; a tubular member stemming from the upper end of said upper cylinder along the axis thereof through one of said floating pistons and providing a conduit to supply liquid to said center chamber; a source of liquid under pressure and a connection from said source to said conduit; valve means in said connection for controlling the supply of liquid from said source via said conduit to said center liquid chamber to permit adjustment of the telescoped length of said cylinder under varying loadings; a laterally offset upper steering member rotatably carried on the exterior of said upper cylinder and fixed against vertical movement relative thereto, said upper steering member extending laterally and carrying means for coupling the same to a steering arm so that said steering member can serve as a knuckler arm; said upper steering member having a lower vertically telescoping portion fixed for rotation with said lower cylinder and thus said axle, said telescoping portion serving to transmit force from said steering arm torsionally to said lower cylinder to rotate the same and thus steer the axle; said steering member and its telescoping portion being hollow and including means for sensing the telescoped relation of said portion; and means for operating said valve means from said sensing means for automatically adjusting the supply of liquid to said center chamber to maintain the telescoped length of said cylinders substantially constant under varying loadings.

Claim 8

A wheeled vehicle steering and suspension assembly comprising, in combination: an axle adaptable to support a ground wheel; a lower vertical suspension cylinder secured to said axle for up and down and turnIng movement therewith; an upper vertical suspension cylinder fitted in telescoping and rotating relation with said lower cylinder and adapted to be fixed to a vehicle; means within said suspension cylinders for cushioning relative telescoping movement thereof including floating pistons in both said cylinders defining therebetween a center chamber filled with liquid, and a separate chamber at the ends of said cylinders, filled, respectively, with gas at different initial pressures, such that at light vehicle loadings the end chamber with the lower gas pressure provides a shock cushion and at higher vehicle loadings the end chamber with the higher gas pressure provides a shock cushion; a tubular member stemming from the upper end of said upper cylinder along the axis thereof through one of said floating pistons and providing a conduit to supply liquid to said center chamber; a source of liquid under pressure and a connection from said source to said conduit; valve means in said connection for controlling the supply of liquid from said source via said conduit to said center liquid chamber to permit adjustment of the telescoped length of said cylinder under varying loadings; a laterally offset upper steering member rotatably carried on the exterior of said upper cylinder and fixed against vertical movement relative thereto, said upper steering member extending laterally and carrying means for coupling the same to a steering arm so that said steering member can serve as a knuckler arm; said upper steering member having a lower vertically telescoping portion fixed for rotation with said lower cylinder and thus said axle, said telescoping portion serving to transmit force from said steering arm torsionally to said lower cylinder to rotate the same and thus steer the axle; said steering member and its telescoping portion being hollow and including means for sensing the telescoped relation of said portion; and means for operating said valve means from said sensing means for automatically adjusting the supply of liquid to said center chamber to maintain the telescoped length of said cylinders substantially constant under varying loadings.