Air suspension system for the rear end of a motor home

Claim 1

An improved suspension system for the rear end of a conventional vehicle chassis of the type including a pair of longitudinally extending frames having rearward and forward ends, a transversely extending axle housing positioned below said frames and having an axle thereon with wheels secured to the outer ends thereof, and including a leaf spring for biasing said axle housing away from each of said frames, each said leaf spring being pivotally connected at its front end to said frames, the rear portion of each said spring having been removed, the improvement comprising: a generally L-shaped arm secured to the front portion of each said spring, each of said L-shaped arms comprising an elongated upper portion having rearward and forward ends, and a downwardly extending portion at the rearward end thereof, each of said L-shaped arms being secured to said axle housing, an air bag means secured to the rearward end of each of said L-shaped arms, each of said air bag means having upper and lower ends, the lower end of each of said bag means being operatively secured to one of said downwardly extending portions, the upper end of each of said bag means being operatively secured to one of said frames, an air pump means for supplying air to the interiors of said air bag means, and control means operatively connected to at least one of said frames and at least one of said L-shaped arms for controlling the flow of air into and out of said air bag means in response to angular changes between said one frame and said one arm.

Claim 9

The method of improving the suspension system for the rear end of a conventional vehicle chassis of the type including a pair of longitudinally extending frames having rearward and forward ends, a transversely extending axle housing positioned below said frame and having an axle thereon with wheels secured to the outer ends thereof, and including a leaf spring for biasing said axle housing away from each of said frames, each said leaf spring being connected to said axle housing and pivotally connected at its front end and rear end to said frames, comprising the steps of: disconnecting the rear end of said conventional leaf springs from said frames; disconnecting the axle housing from said leaf springs; removing the rear portion of each said leaf spring from the front portion thereof; securing a generally L-shaped arm to the front portion of each said leaf spring, each of said L-shaped arms comprising an elongated upper portion having rearward and forward ends, and a downwardly extending portion at the rearward end thereof; securing each of said L-shaped arms to said axle housing; operatively securing an air bag means to the rearward end of each of said L-shaped arms; operatively securing the lower end of each of said air bag means to one of said downwardly extending portions of said L-shaped arms; operatively securing the upper end of each of said air bag means to one of said frames; securing an air pump means to said frames for supplying air to the interiors of said air bag means; and operatively connecting control means to at least one of said frames and at least one of said L-shaped arms for controlling the flow of air into and out of said air bag means in response to angular changes between said one frame and said one arm.

Claim 10

The method of improving the suspension system for the rear end of a conventional vehicle chassis of the type including a pair of longitudinally extending frames having rearward and forward ends, a transversely extending axle housing positioned below said frame and having an axle thereon with wheels secured to the outer ends thereof, and including a leaf spring for biasing said axle housing away from each of said frames, each said leaf spring being connected to said axle housing and pivotally connected at its front end and rear end to said frames, comprising the steps of: disconnecting the rear end of said conventional leaf springs from said frames; disconnecting the axle housing from said leaf springs; removing the rear portion of each said leaf spring from the front portion thereof; securing a generally L-shaped arm to the front portion of each said leaf spring, each of said L-shaped arms comprising an elongated upper portion having rearward and forward ends, and a downwardly extending portion at the rearward end thereof; securing each of said L-shaped arms to said axle housing; operatively securing an air bag means to the rearward end of each of said L-shaped arms; operatively securing the lower end of each of said air bag means to one of said downwardly extending portions of said L-shaped arms; operatively securing the upper end of each of said air bag means to one of said frames; securing an air pump means to said frames for supplying air to the interiors of said air bag means; and operatively connecting control means to at least one of said frames and at least one of said L-shaped arms for controlling the flow of air into and out of said air bag means in response to angular changes between said one frame and said one arm.