Patent ID: 6158723
Filing Date: 2000-12-12
Classification: B60G,F16F

Abstract:
A load assistance device for increasing a vehicle's ability to carry loads by stabilizing a multi-leaf vehicle spring connected to an axle of a vehicle, said leaves of said multi-leaf vehicle spring being held together by keepers at appropriate ends thereof, comprising:a unitary length of metallic spring material adapted to be connected directly to said multi-leaf vehicle spring at opposite ends thereof forwardly and rearwardly of an axle connection thereof, said length of spring material having a single raised area at generally the midpoint thereof spaced from an uppermost leaf of said vehicle spring when mounted thereto;a plurality of springs of varying lengths mounted between said unitary length of spring material and said vehicle spring and configured similarly to said length of spring material, said plurality of springs also having a raised area conforming to the raised area of said length of spring material forming a space between the uppermost leaf of said vehicle spring and the lowermost one of said plurality of springs when coupled to said vehicle spring;a bracket mounted on top of said unitary length of spring material at generally the center thereof spanning the raised area thereof and generally conforming to the configuration of said unitary length of spring material at its raised area; andbracket means encircling said bracket, said unitary length of spring material and said plurality of springs adapted to secure said bracket, said unitary length of spring material and said plurality of springs to said multi-leaf vehicle spring, said bracket means comprising a pair of U-shaped bolts each having a bail portion receivable in spaced grooves provided in said bracket and spaced threaded legs extending downwardly from said bail portion adapted to be secured to respective mounting plates disposed below said vehicle spring, each of said bolts having an upper portion including said bail portion and a lower portion comprising said legs, said upper portion being offset from said lower portion thereby spacing said upper portions from said keepers when said load assistance device is secured to said vehicle spring.