Impact-damping system for automotive vehicles

Claim 2

In an automotive vehicle having a chassis, the combination therewith of an impact-damping system comprising: a pair of tubular guide members rigid with said chassis extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle at an end of the vehicle body; a horizontal bumper bar transverse to said axis spaced from said body at said end thereof; a pair of shock absorbers having ends remote from said bumper bar pivotally joined to said guide members, respectively, for swinging in a horizontal plane; stiff connecting means of limited deformability joining said shock absorbers to respective extremities of said bumper bar, said connecting means terminating in a pair of bases rigid with said extremities; and a pair of slide bearings engaging said shock absorbers for holding same centered within said guide members while allowing said shock absorbers to yield to lateral stresses tending to displace said bumper bar in said horizontal plane.

Claim 3

The combination defined in claim 1 wherein each of said shock absorbers includes a cylinder and a piston normally lying substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis.

Claim 4

The combination defined in claim 2 wherein said deformable connecting means comprises a pair of sleeves each slidably embracing the cylinder of a respective shock absorber, said cylinder being pivoted to the associated guide member.

Claim 5

The combination defined in claim 3 wherein said base is fixedly secured to the piston of the respective shock absoRber and diverges outwardly from said piston to said bumper bar.

Claim 6

The combination defined in claim 4 wherein said bumper bar has an exposed side provided with an elastic guard strip, said base being secured to said bumper bar by bolts having heads overlain by said guard strip.

Claim 7

The combination defined in claim 5 wherein said guard strip is provided with forwardly projecting bosses between the junctions of said bumper bar with said shock absorbers.

Claim 8

The combination defined in claim 3 wherein each of said sleeves is provided with a flexible cuff bearing from without upon the vehicle body around said guide member.

Claim 9

The combination defined in claim 3 wherein each of said guide members has a free end proximal to said bumper bar provided with an elastic joint releasably holding the cylinder of the associated shock absorber in its normal position.

Claim 10

The combination defined in claim 8 wherein said guide members are tubular, said joint comprising a collar surrounding said sleeve and normally keeping same centered in the associated guide member.

Claim 11

The combination defined in claim 9 wherein said collar is provided with a pair of vertical internal projections normally engaging said sleeve and with a pair of horizontal internal projections laterally spaced from said sleeve for intercepting same upon deflection thereof from said normal position.

Claim 12

In an automotive vehicle having a chassis, the combination therewith of an impact-damping system comprising: a pair of guide members rigid with said chassis extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle at an end of the vehicle body; a horizontal bumper bar transverse to said axis spaced from said body at said end thereof; a pair of shock absorbers each including a cylinder and a piston normally lying parallel to said longitudinal axis, the cylinders having ends remote from said bumper bar pivotally joined to said guide members, respectively, for swinging in a horizontal plane; and stiff connecting means of limited deformability joining said shock absorbers to respective extremities of said bumper bar, said connecting means yielding to lateral stresses tending to displace said bumper bar in said horizontal plane, said connecting means including a pair of sleeves slidably embracing said cylinders, each sleeve terminating in a base rigid with said bumper bar and fixedly secured to the piston of the respective shock absorber.

Claim 13

In an automotive vehicle having a chassis, the combination therewith of an impact-damping system comprising: a pair of guide members rigid with said chassis extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle at an end of the vehicle body; a horizontal bumper bar transverse to said axis spaced from said body at said end thereof; a pair of shock absorbers each including a cylinder and a piston normally lying parallel to said longitudinal axis, the cylinders having ends remote from said bumper bar pivotally joined to said guide members, respectively, for swinging in a horizontal plane; and stiff connecting means of limited deformability joining said shock absorbers to respective extremities of said bumper bar, said connecting means yielding to lateral stresses tending to displace said bumper bar in said horizontal plane, said connecting means including a pair of sleeves slidably embracing said cylinders, each sleeve terminating in a base rigid with said bumper bar and fixedly secured to the piston of the respective shock absorber.

Claim 14

The combination defined in claim 11 wherein said base diverges outwardly from said piston to said bumper bar.

Claim 15

In an automotive vehicle having a chassis, the combination therewith of an impact-damping system comprising: a pair of guide members rigid with said chassis extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle at an end of the vehicle body; a horizontal bumper bar transverse to said axis spaced from said body at said end thereof; a pair of shock absorbers each including a cylinder and a piston normally lying parallel to said longitudinal axis, the cylinders having ends remote from said bumper bar pivotally joined to said guide members, respectively, for swinging in a horizontal plane; and stiff connecting means of limited deformability joining said shock absorbers to respective extremities of said bumper bar, said connecting means yielding to lateral stresses tending to displace said bumper bar in said horizontal plane, said connecting means including a pair of sleeves slidably embracing said cylinders, each of said sleeves being provided with a flexible cuff bearing from without upon the vehicle body around the associated guide member.

Claim 16

In an automotive vehicle having a chassis, the combination therewith of an impact-damping system comprising: a pair of guide members rigid with said chassis extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle at an end of the vehicle body; a horizontal bumper bar transverse to said axis spaced from said body at said end thereof; a pair of shock absorbers each including a cylinder and a piston normally lying parallel to said longitudinal axis, the cylinders having ends remote from said bumper bar pivotally joined to said guide members, respectively, for swinging in a horizontal plane; and stiff connecting means of limited deformability joining said shock absorbers to respective extremities of said bumper bar, said connecting means yielding to lateral stresses tending to displace said bumper bar in said horizontal plane, said connecting means including a pair of sleeves slidably embracing said cylinders, each of said sleeves being provided with a flexible cuff bearing from without upon the vehicle body around the associated guide member.

Claim 17

In an automotive vehicle having a chassis, the combination therewith of an impact-damping system comprising: a pair of tubular guide members rigid with said chassis extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle at an end of the vehicle body; a horizontal bumper bar transverse to said axis spaced from said body at said end thereof; a pair of shock absorbers each including a cylinder and a piston normally lying parallel to said longitudinal axis, the cylinders having ends remote from said bumper bar pivotally joined to said guide members, respectively, for swinging in a horizontal plane; stiff connecting means of limited deformability joining said shock absorbers to respective extremities of said bumper bar, said connecting means yielding to lateral stresses tending to displace said bumper bar in said horizontal plane, said connecting means including a pair of sleeves slidably embracing said cylinders; and a collar surrounding each of said sleeves and normally keeping same centered in the associated guide member, said collar being provided with a pair of vertical internal projections normally engaging the associated sleeve and with a pair of horizontal internal projections laterally spaced from the sleeve for intercepting same upon deflection thereof from said normal position.

Claim 18

In an automotive vehicle having a chassis, the combination therewith of an impact-damping system comprising: a pair of tubular guide members rigid with said chassis extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle at an end of the vehicle body; a horizontal bumper bar transverse to said axis spaced from said body at said end thereof; a pair of shock absorbers each including a cylinder and a piston normally lying parallel to said longitudinal axis, the cylinders having ends remote from said bumper bar pivotally joined to said guide members, respectively, for swinging in a horizontal plane; stiff connecting means of limited deformability joining said shock absorbers to respective extremities of said bumper bar, said connecting means yielding to lateral stresses tending to displace said bumper bar in said horizontal plane, said connecting means including a pair of sleeves slidably embracing said cylinders; and a collar surrounding each of said sleeves and normally keeping same centered in the associated guide member, said collar being provided with a pair of vertical internal projections normally engaging the associated sleeve and with a pair of horizontal internal projections laterally spaced from the sleeve for intercepting same upon deflection thereof from said normal position.