Hydropneumatic suspension for land vehicles especially tracked vehicles

Claim 2

A hydropneumatic suspension adapted to be interposed between a body member and a wheel member of a land vehicle, said suspension comprising: housing means forming a chamber containing a hydraulic medium connected to one of said members, and a displacement element in said chamber for displacing said medium and connected to the other member; means in said housing means forming a main gas cushion pressurizable by said hydraulic medium; means in said housing means forming a storage gas cushion; and a valve assembly in said housing means directly interconnecting said main gas cushion and said storage gas cushion out of contact with said medium and effective to enable storage of pressure in said storage gas cushion upon pressurization of said main gas cushion and to feed pressure from said storage gas cushion to said main gas cushion upon relief of said main gas cushion, said assembly comprising at least one valve member interposed between said gas cushions, a control piston engageable with said valve member, means for applying the pressure of said main gas cushion to one side of said control piston and a throttle for controlled equalization of pressures on opposite sides of said control piston.

Claim 3

The suspension defined in claim 1 wherein said valve assembly comprises a pair of oppositely effective spring-loaded valve members selectively displaceable respectively to permit flow of fluid from one of said cushions to the other cushion and vice versa, said control piston having a pair of rods selectively engageable with said valve members and extending in opposite directions from said control piston, said control piston and said throttle being so constructed and arranged that the valve member controlling the flow from said storage gas cushion to said main gas cushion is blocked upon expansion of said assembly and the valve member permitting fluid flow from said main gas cushion to said storage gas cushion is blocked upon contraction of said suspension.

Claim 4

The suspension defined in claim 2 wherein said valve assembly includes a compartment receiving said control piston with an annular clearance at least in part forming said throttle.

Claim 5

The suspension defined in claim 2 wherein said throttle has an adjustable cross section and is disposed between the main gas cushion and a compartment separated therefrom by said control piston.

Claim 6

The suspension defined in claim 4 wherein said throttle is at least in part formed by an externally adjustable member.

Claim 7

The suspension defined in claim 2, further comprising a common housing for said chamber, said gas cushions and said valve assembly, said element including a piston displaceable in said housing, said main gas cushion being separated from said chamber in said housing by a flexible diaphragm, said housing being provided with a wall separating said gas cushions and receiving said valve assembly.

Claim 8

A hydropneumatic suspension adapted to be interposed between a body member and a wheel member of a land vehicle, said suspension comprising: means forming a chamber containing a hydraulic medium connected to one of said members, and a displacement element in said chamber for displacing said medium and connected to the other member; means forming a main gas cushion pressurizable by said hydraulic medium; means forming a storage gas cushion; and a valve assembly interconnecting said main gas cushion and said storage gAs cushion and effective to enable storage of pressure in said storage gas cushion upon pressurization of said main gas cushion and to feed pressure from said storage gas cushion to said main gas cushion upon relief of said main gas cushion, said assembly comprising at least one valve member interposed between said gas cushions, a control piston engageable with said valve member, means for applying the pressure of said main gas cushion to one side of said control piston and a throttle for controlled equalization of pressures on opposite sides of said control piston, said valve assembly comprising a pair of oppositely effective spring-loaded valve members selectively displaceable respectively to permit flow of fluid from one of said cushions to the other cushion and vice versa, said control piston having a pair of rods selectively engageable with said valve members and extending in opposite directions from said control piston, said control piston and said throttle being so constructed and arranged that the valve member controlling the flow from said storage gas cushion to said main gas cushion is blocked upon expansion of said assembly and the valve member permitting fluid flow from said main gas cushion to said storage gas cushion is blocked upon contraction of said suspension, a common housing for said chamber, said gas cushions and said valve assembly, said element including a piston displaceable in said housing, said main gas cushion being separated from said chamber in said housing by a flexible diaphragm, said housing being provided with a wall separating said gas cushions and receiving said valve assembly, said valve assembly comprising a cylindrical compartment formed in said wall between said gas cushions, a pair of bores respectively opening into said gas cushion and aligned along the axis of said compartment, said valve members being seated around the respective bores, said assembly including a first passage connecting said storage gas cushion with a space behind the valve member seated around the bore communicating with said main gas cushion, and a second passage communicating between said main gas cushion and a space formed behind the valve member seated around the bore opening into said storage gas cushion, said control piston being received with an annular clearance at least in part constituting said throttle within said compartment, said compartment communicating with said second passage on one side of said control piston.

Claim 9

A hydropneumatic suspension adapted to be interposed between a body member and a wheel member of a land vehicle, said suspension comprising: means forming a chamber containing a hydraulic medium connected to one of said members, and a displacement element in said chamber for displacing said medium and connected to the other member; means forming a main gas cushion pressurizable by said hydraulic medium; means forming a storage gas cushion; and a valve assembly interconnecting said main gas cushion and said storage gAs cushion and effective to enable storage of pressure in said storage gas cushion upon pressurization of said main gas cushion and to feed pressure from said storage gas cushion to said main gas cushion upon relief of said main gas cushion, said assembly comprising at least one valve member interposed between said gas cushions, a control piston engageable with said valve member, means for applying the pressure of said main gas cushion to one side of said control piston and a throttle for controlled equalization of pressures on opposite sides of said control piston, said valve assembly comprising a pair of oppositely effective spring-loaded valve members selectively displaceable respectively to permit flow of fluid from one of said cushions to the other cushion and vice versa, said control piston having a pair of rods selectively engageable with said valve members and extending in opposite directions from said control piston, said control piston and said throttle being so constructed and arranged that the valve member controlling the flow from said storage gas cushion to said main gas cushion is blocked upon expansion of said assembly and the valve member permitting fluid flow from said main gas cushion to said storage gas cushion is blocked upon contraction of said suspension, a common housing for said chamber, said gas cushions and said valve assembly, said element including a piston displaceable in said housing, said main gas cushion being separated from said chamber in said housing by a flexible diaphragm, said housing being provided with a wall separating said gas cushions and receiving said valve assembly, said valve assembly comprising a cylindrical compartment formed in said wall between said gas cushions, a pair of bores respectively opening into said gas cushion and aligned along the axis of said compartment, said valve members being seated around the respective bores, said assembly including a first passage connecting said storage gas cushion with a space behind the valve member seated around the bore communicating with said main gas cushion, and a second passage communicating between said main gas cushion and a space formed behind the valve member seated around the bore opening into said storage gas cushion, said control piston being received with an annular clearance at least in part constituting said throttle within said compartment, said compartment communicating with said second passage on one side of said control piston.

Claim 10

The suspension defined in claim 7, further comprising an adjustment member threaded into said housing for controlling the cross section of said throttle.