Shock absorber and leveler unit

Claim 2

A combination shock absorber and leveler unit for a vehicle comprising in combination a pressure cylinder operatively connected to a first vehicle mass, piston means mounted in said pressure cylinder, said piston means having a piston mounted for axial movement in said pressure cylinder and a piston rod connecting said piston to a second vehicle mass adapted to be leveled with respect to said first vehcle mass, a piston rod guide for said piston rod secured to one end of said pressure cylinder, inlet means for supplying hydraulic fluid to said pressure cylinder, an exhaust chamber, a hydraulic fluid discharge port for said exhaust chamber to exhaust hydraulic fluid from said unit, an exhaust-only valve operatively connected to said pressure cylinder for controlling the discharge of fluid from said pressure cylinder into said exhaust chamber and into said discharge port, said exhaust-only valve comprising a valve element movably mounted in said piston rod guide between opened and closed positions, an actuator operatively connected to said piston means and disposed radially outwardly from one end of said valve responding to vehicle load condition to actuate said valve to maintain the vehicle at a substantially level height, said actuator having an internal wall disposed at differing distances from one end of said valve for effecting movement thereof, hydropneumatic accumulator means for accumulating hydraulic fluid fed to said unit and to provide an uplift force for said piston means to raise one of said vehicle masses with respect to the other of said vehicle masses, and auxiliary valve means operatively connecting said exhaust chamber to said unit to feed said unit with hydraulic fluid in response to operation of said unit when said unit demands a higher rate of hydraulic fluid flow from said accumulator means than can be provided by said accumulator means.

Claim 3

A combination shock absorber and leveler unit for a vehicle comprising in combination a pressure cylinder operatively connected to a first vehicle mass, piston means mounted in said pressure cylinder, said piston means having a piston mounted for axial movement in said pressure cylinder and a piston rod connecting said piston to a second vehicle mass adapted to be leveled with respect to said first vehcle mass, a piston rod guide for said piston rod secured to one end of said pressure cylinder, inlet means for supplying hydraulic fluid to said pressure cylinder, an exhaust chamber, a hydraulic fluid discharge port for said exhaust chamber to exhaust hydraulic fluid from said unit, an exhaust-only valve operatively connected to said pressure cylinder for controlling the discharge of fluid from said pressure cylinder into said exhaust chamber and into said discharge port, said exhaust-only valve comprising a valve element movably mounted in said piston rod guide between opened and closed positions, an actuator operatively connected to said piston means and disposed radially outwardly from one end of said valve responding to vehicle load condition to actuate said valve to maintain the vehicle at a substantially level height, said actuator having an internal wall disposed at differing distances from one end of said valve for effecting movement thereof, hydro-pneumatic accumulator means for accumulating hydraulic fluid fed to said unit and to provide an uplift force for said piston means to raise one of said vehicle masses with respect to the other of said vehicle masses, and auxiliary valve means operatively connecting said exhaust chamber to said unit to feed said unit with hydraulic fluid in response to operation of said unit when said unit demands a higher rate of hydraulic fluid flow from said accumulator means than can be provided by said accumulator means.

Claim 4

A combination shock absorber and leveler unit for a vehicle comprising in combination a pressure cylinder operatively connected to a first vehicle mass, piston means mounted in said pressure cylinder, said piston means having a piston mounted for axial movement in said pressure cylinder and a piston rod connecting said piston to a second vehicle mass adapted to be leveled with respect to said first vehcle mass, a piston rod guide for said piston rod secured to one end of said pressure cylinder, inlet means for supplying hydraulic fluid to said pressure cylinder, an exhaust chamber, a hydraulic fluid discharge port for said exhaust chamber to exhaust hydraulic fluid from said unit, an exhaust-only valve operatively connected to said pressure cylinder for controlling the discharge of fluid from said pressure cylinder into said exhaust chamber and into said discharge port, said exhaust-only valve comprising a valve element movably mounted in said piston rod guide between opened and closed positions, an actuator operatively connected to said piston means and disposed radially outwardly from one end of said valve responding to vehicle load condition to actuate said valve to maintain the vehicle at a substantially level height, said actuator having an internal wall disposed at differing distances from one end of said valve for effecting movement thereof, hydro-pneumatic accumulator means for accumulating hydraulic fluid fed to said unit and to provide an uplift force for said piston means to raise one of said vehicle masses with respect to the other of said vehicle masses, and auxiliary valve means operatively connecting said exhaust chamber to said unit to feed said unit with hydraulic fluid in response to operation of said unit when said unit demands a higher rate of hydraulic fluid flow from said accumulator means than can be provided by said accumulator means.

Claim 5

A combination shock absorber and leveler unit for a vehicle comprising in combination a pressure cylinder operatively connected to a first vehicle mass, valved piston means mounted for telescoping movement in said pressure cylinder, a guide for said piston means secured to said pressure cylinder, means connecting said piston means to a second vehicle mass, said piston means and said pressure cylinder cooperating to form a rebound control chamber and a compression chamber, inlet means for supplying hydraulic fluid to said unit and to said pressure cylinder, an outer cylinder concentric with said pressure cylinder and cooperating therewith to provide an exhaust chamber, a hydraulic discharge port for said exhaust chamber foR exhausting fluid from said unit, an exhaust-only valve means mounted for radial movement in said guide and hydraulically connected to said pressure cylinder for controlling the discharge of fluid from said pressure cylinder into said exhaust chamber, an external member disposed around said outer cylinder and said exhaust chamber having first and second internal diameter portions and a coned wall portion operatively connected to said piston means and responding to vehicle load condition to contact and actuate said valve means to control the exhaust of fluid from said pressure cylinder to maintain the vehicle at a substantially level height, hydro-pneumatic accumulator means for accumulating hydraulic fluid fed to said unit and to provide an uplift force for said piston means to raise one of said vehicle masses with respect to the other of said vehicle masses, and second valve means disposed in said unit operatively connecting said exhaust chamber to said compression chamber to feed said unit with hydraulic fluid from said exhaust chamber in response to the establishment of a predetermined pressure differential betweenn said exhaust chamber and said compression chamber when said unit demands a higher rate of hydraulic fluid flow than can be provided by said accumulator means.

Claim 6

A combination shock absorber and leveler unit for a vehicle comprising in combination a pressure cylinder operatively connected to a first vehicle mass, valved piston means mounted for telescoping movement in said pressure cylinder, a guide for said piston means secured to said pressure cylinder, means connecting said piston means to a second vehicle mass, said piston means and said pressure cylinder cooperating to form a rebound control chamber and a compression chamber, inlet means for supplying hydraulic fluid to said unit and to said pressure cylinder, an outer cylinder concentric with said pressure cylinder and cooperating therewith to provide an exhaust chamber, a hydraulic discharge port for said exhaust chamber foR exhausting fluid from said unit, an exhaust-only valve means mounted for radial movement in said guide and hydraulically connected to said pressure cylinder for controlling the discharge of fluid from said pressure cylinder into said exhaust chamber, an external member disposed around said outer cylinder and said exhaust chamber having first and second internal diameter portions and a coned wall portion operatively connected to said piston means and responding to vehicle load condition to contact and actuate said valve means to control the exhaust of fluid from said pressure cylinder to maintain the vehicle at a substantially level height, hydro-pneumatic accumulator means for accumulating hydraulic fluid fed to said unit and to provide an uplift force for said piston means to raise one of said vehicle masses with respect to the other of said vehicle masses, and second valve means disposed in said unit operatively connecting said exhaust chamber to said compression chamber to feed said unit with hydraulic fluid from said exhaust chamber in response to the establishment of a predetermined pressure differential betweenn said exhaust chamber and said compression chamber when said unit demands a higher rate of hydraulic fluid flow than can be provided by said accumulator means.

Claim 7

A combination shock absorber and leveler unit for a vehicle comprising in combination a pressure cylinder operatively connected to a first mass of the vehicle, piston means mounted in said pressure cylinder, said piston having a rod operatively connected to a second mass of the vehicle which is movable to different levels with respect to the first mass, inlet means for supplying hydraulic fluid to said pressure cylinder, an exhaust chamber disposed around said pressure cylinder, valve means for controlling the feed of hydraulic fluid from said pressure cylinder to said exhaust chamber, hydro-pneumatic accumulator means for accumulating hydraulic fluid fed to said unit and to provide a force on said piston means directed to said one of the vehicle masses with respect to the other of the vehicle masses, a guide supported by said pressure cylinder for slidably receiving said piston rod, a fluid passage in said guide communicating with the interior of said pressure cylinder, said guide having a valve bore formed therein which communicates with said fluid passage, said valve means comprising a valve element mounted for movement in said bore between a first position in which said passage means is closed, a second position in which said passage is partially open and a third position in which said passage means is fully opened, said unit having a cylindrical dust cover, said dust cover having a first portion with a first diameter, a second portion with a second diameter larger than said first diameter and an intermediate conical portion connecting said first and second portion, and means engaged by said portions of said dust cover for controlling the position of said valve element to thereby control the pressure in said unit.

Claim 8

A combination shock absorber and leveler unit for a vehicle comprising in combination a pressure cylinder operatively connected to a first mass of the vehicle, piston means mounted in said pressure cylinder, said piston having a rod operatively connected to a second mass of the vehicle which is movable to different levels with respect to the first mass, inlet means for supplying hydraulic fluid to said pressure cylinder, an exhaust chamber disposed around said pressure cylinder, valve means for controlling the feed of hydraulic fluid from said pressure cylinder to said exhaust chamber, hydro-pneumatic accumulator means for accumulating hydraulic fluid fed to said unit and to provide a force on said piston means directed to said one of the vehicle masses with respect to the other of the vehicle masses, a guide supported by said pressure cylinder for slidably receiving said piston rod, a fluid passage in said guide communicating with the interior of said pressure cylinder, said guide having a valve bore formed therein which communicates with said fluid passage, said valve means comprising a valve element mounted for movement in said bore between a first position in which said passage means is closed, a second position in which said passage is partially open and a third position in which said passage means is fully opened, said unit having a cylindrical dust cover, said dust cover having a first portion with a first diameter, a second portion with a second diameter larger than said first diameter and an intermediate conical portion connecting said first and second portion, and means engaged by said portions of said dust cover for controlling the position of said valve element to thereby control the pressure in said unit.