Vehicle suspension system

Claim 2

In a vehicle having a frame extending along a longitudinal axis and a suspension system including a torque arm pivotally attached at one end to said frame and at an opposite end clamped to an axle and an air spring seat clamped to an opposite side of said axle from said torque arm, the improvement comprising: an auxiliary spring attached in a cantilevered fashion to engage and act against upward movement of said torque arm relative to said axle and to have no effect on said torque arm during downward movement of said torque arm relative to said axle, whereby roll forces of said vehicle about said longitudinal axis which cause divergence of one side of said vehicle frame relative to said axle are resisted by said auxiliary spring.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1 wherein said auxiliary spring is rigidly clamped at one end to said axle and engagingly overlies at least a portion of said torque arm.

Claim 4

The device of claim 2 wherein said torque arm has at least one leaf of a rectangular cross-sectional construction and said auxiliary spring has at least one leaf of a rectangular cross-sectional construction.

Claim 5

In a vehicle having a frame extending along a longitudinal axis, an axle extending along a transverse axis below said frame, and a suspension system connecting said axle with said frame, said suspension system comprising: a torque arm means securely clamped at a second end to said axle and pivotally connected to said frame at a first end, said first end being capable of moving upward and downward relative to said axle upon movement between said axle and said frame, an air spring means secured to said frame at one end and secured to a seat at an opposite end, said seat being rigidly secured to said axle, the improvement of an auxiliary spring means secured to said axle at a first end in a cantilevered manner and engagable against said torque arm means to act against said relative upward movement of said torque arm second end and to be ineffective against relative downward movement of said torque arm second end.

Claim 6

In a vehicle having a frame extending along a longitudinal axis, an axle extending along a transverse axis below said frame, and a suspension system connecting said axle with said frame, said suspension system comprising: a torque arm means securely clamped at a second end to said axle and pivotally connected to said frame at a first end, said first end being capable of moving upward and downward relative to said axle upon movement between said axle and said frame, an air spring means secured to said frame at one end and secured to a seat at an opposite end, said seat being rigidly secured to said axle, the improvement of an auxiliary spring means secured to said axle at a first end in a cantilevered manner and engagable against said torque arm means to act against said relative upward movement of said torque arm second end and to be ineffective against relative downward movement of said torque arm second end.

Claim 7

The device of claim 4 wherein said torque arm means has at least one leaf of a rectangular cross-sectional construction and said auxiliary spring means has at least one leaf of a rectangular cross-sectional construction which is secured at one end to said axle in a cantilevered manner to overlie said torque arm means.

Claim 8

The device of claim 5 wherein said torque arm means is clamped to said axle by means of bolts, at least one of said leaves of said torque arm means having recessed areas adjacent said bolts, and including collar means removably carried on said bolts to engage with said recesses whereby said leaves are locked in position relative to said bolts.

Claim 11

The device of claim 7 wherein said spring means comprises a torque arm means securely clamped at a second end to said axle and pivotally connected at a first end to said frame and being biased upwardly against said frame, and an air spring means positioned between said frame and said axle, on an opposite side of said axle from said torque arm means and also being biased upwardly against said frame, and said second spring means comprises an auxiliary spring means securely attached to said axle in a cantilevered manner to engagingly overlie a portion of said torque arm means to resist upward movement of said second end of said torque arm means relative to said axle.

Claim 12

The device of claim 8 wherein said torque arm means has at least one leaf of a rectangular cross-sectional construction and said auxiliary spring means has at least one leaf of a rectangular cross-sectional construction.

Claim 13

In a vehicle operable in a laden or unladen condition and having a frame extending along a longitudinal axis, an axle extending along a transverse axis below said frame, and a suspension system connecting said axle with said frame, said suspension system comprising: a torque arm comprising at least one leaf spring having a radius of curvature and being pivotally connected to said frame at a first end and securely clamped to said axle at a second end, said first end being capable of moving upward and downward relative to said axle upon movement between said axle and said frame, an air spring secured to said frame at one end and secured to a seat at an opposite end, said seat being rigidly secured to said axle, an auxiliary spring comprising at least one leaf spring having a radius of curvature and being secured to said axle at a first end in a cantilevered manner and engagable against said torque arm along the entire length of said auxiliary spring, said radius of curvature of said auxiliary spring in an unladen condition coinciding with said radius of curvature of said torque arm in a laden condition, said torque arm and auxiliary spring reacting against each other in an unladen condition to form an intermediate radius of curvature, whereby, said auxiliary spring reacts immediately against roll forces about said longitudinal axis by resisting upward movement of said first end of said torque arm relative to said axle on one side of said vehicle and simultaneously on the opposite side of said vehicle, the torque arm moves away from engagement with said auxiliary spring to avoid assistance of said roll forces.

Claim 14

In a vehicle operable in a laden or unladen condition and having a frame extending along a longitudinal axis, an axle extending along a transverse axis below said frame, and a suspension system connecting said axle with said frame, said suspension system comprising: a torque arm comprising at least one leaf spring having a radius of curvature and being pivotally connected to said frame at a first end and securely clamped to said axle at a second end, said first end being capable of moving upward and downward relative to said axle upon movement between said axle and said frame, an air spring secured to said frame at one end and secured to a seat at an opposite end, said seat being rigidly secured to said axle, an auxiliary spring comprising at least one leaf spring having a radius of curvature and being secured to said axle at a first end in a cantilevered manner and engagable against said torque arm along the entire length of said auxiliary spring, said radius of curvature of said auxiliary spring in an unladen condition coinciding with said radius of curvature of said torque arm in a laden condition, said torque arm and auxiliary spring reacting against each other in an unladen condition to form an intermediate radius of curvature, whereby, said auxiliary spring reacts immediately against roll forces about said longitudinal axis by resisting upward movement of said first end of said torque arm relative to said axle on one side of said vehicle and simultaneously on the opposite side of said vehicle, the torque arm moves away from engagement with said auxiliary spring to avoid assistance of said roll forces.