VEHICLE SUSPENSION

Abstract: A vehicle suspension comprising a pair of plate members (13 and 14) supported from each other in spaced substantially parallel relationship, the support between said plate members being provided by each plate member having a shaft (15 and 16) extending perpendicularly therefrom and wherein at least a portion of said shafts are concentrically interengaged for relative rotation therebetween about their central axis, such shafts (15 and 16) being supported one from the other by a bearing member (18), said plate members (13 and 14) being further supported from each other by a block (26) of resilient solid material bonded to the opposed faces (17 and 27) of the plate members (13 and 14) in the region surrounding the shaft.

Description: "VEHICLE SUSPENSION" THIS INVENTION relates to vehicle suspensions and particular suspensions which utilise a block of resilie material as the support medium. Suspensions of this form of the invention have been use in the past however, the resilient support provided by th block has been required to undergo a variety of shea forces which together with tensile and compression force have resulted in a weakness. It is an object of this invention to provide a vehicl suspension whereby the nature of the shear force applie to the resilient support element is restricted in it form. In one form the invention resides in a vehicle suspensio comprising a pair of plate members supported from eac other in spaced substantially parallel relationship, th support between said plate member being provided by eac plate member having a shaft extending perpendicularl therefrom and wherein said shafts are concentricall received, one within the other, for relative rotatio therebetween about their central axis, said shafts bein supported one from the other by a bearing member sai plate members being further supported from each other by block of resilient solid material bonded to the oppose faces of the plate members in the region surrounding th shafts. According to a preferred feature of the invention sai bearing member is formed of a resilient solid material o similar form to that of the block. According to a preferred feature of the previous feature of the invention the bearing member is formed of a resilient solid material having a greater hardness to that of the block. According to a preferred feature of the invention said bearing member is fixed to one shaft and is slidably received by the other shaft. According to a further preferred feature of the invention the bearing member comprises a needle or roller or like bearing. The invention will be more fully understood in the light of the following description of several specific embodiments. The description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:- Figure 1 is a sectional plan view of a suspension according to the first embodiment; Figure 2 is a sectional plan view of a suspension according to the second embodiment; Figure 3 is a sectional plan view of a suspension according to a third embodiment; and Figure 4 is a sectional side elevation of a suspension according to a fourth embodiment. Each of the embodiments is directed to a suspension for the support of an axle of a vehicle. The first embodiment is directed to a vehicle suspension for supporting a single stub axle 11 from a vehicle chassis 12. The suspension unit comprises a pair of plate members 13 and 14 each having a shaft 15 and 16 respectively which takes the form of a tubular boss. In the case of one plate member 13 one shaft 15 extend perpendicularly from one face 17. In the case of the othe plate member 14 the other shaft 16 extends perpendicularl to each side of the other plate member 14. The one shaf 15 of the one plate member 13 is concentrically receive within the other shaft 16 of the other plate member 14 an is capable of relative rotation therewith about th central axis of the shafts. The shafts are supported fro each other by a bearing member 18 comprising a bush. Th one plate member 13 is substantially circular while th other plate member 14 is formed to be eccentric to defin an arm 19 which is formed as a radial extension of th other plate member. The outer end of the arm supports th axle 11. A central aperture 20 is formed in the one plat member. A bolt 21 is receivable through an aperture 2 provided in the chassis and the aperture 20 in the firs plate member to fix the suspension unit to the chassis The bolt 21 is of sufficient length to extend beyond th free end of the one shaft 15 of the one plate member an is associated with an annular collar 23 receivable ove the end of the bolt 21 and engagable with the end of th one shaft 15. A nut 24 is threadably engagable with th free end of the bolt 21 to retain the web collar thereon The collar is dimensioned to extend beyond the peripher of the one shaft 15 to prevent axial displacement of th other shaft 16 from the one shaft 15. The bearing membe 18 is formed with a flange 25 at its outer end which i interposed between the web member 23 and the outer end o the other shaft 16. The tightening of the nut 24 on th bolt 21 serves to provide the required clamping forc between the chassis and the outer end of the one shaft 1 through the collar 23 which retains the other shaft 16 i pos.ition on the one shaft and between the suspension uni and the chassis. In addition an off centre fixing mean (not shown) is provided between the one plate member 1 and the chassis to prevent relative rotational displacement therebetween. The plate members are further supported from each other by an annular block 26 of resilient solid material such as rubber or like elastomeric material which is bonded to the one face 17 of the one plate member and the opposed face 27 of the other plate member. The block 26 surrounds the shafts 15 and 16 of the plate members. As a result of the embodiment the plate members are maintained in a parallel fixed spaced relationship by the co-operative interengagement of the shafts 15 and 16 and the bearing member 18 such that there can only be relative rotational movement therebetween about the central axis of the shafts 15 and 16. Such rotational movement is resiliently controlled through the block 26 which is subjected to a rotational shear force only. The bearing member may be formed of any suitable material to provide for low frictional movement between the shafts 15 and 16. According to one form of the embodiment the bearing member and block are both formed of a similar rubber composition. In assembly a quantity of unvulcanised rubber is positioned between the plate members 13 and 14 and the rubber is then vulcanised by both raising the temperature and the pressure applied thereto. As a result the rubber is caused to be forced into the space between the shafts 15 and 16 and between the web member 23 and the free end of the other shaft 16 to provide the bearing member. Prior to vulcanisation the bearing surface of one shaft is treated to facilitate bonding of the rubber to the shaft while the other is treated to prevent bonding. According to a preferred feature of the form of t embodiment the rubber composition located adjacent t shaft is of a form which will form a rubber having greater hardness than the remainder of the block where on vulcanisation such rubber is caused to provide t bearing member 18. The second embodiment of figure 2 is of a similar form the first embodiment and in the light of such the sa reference numerals are used in respect of simil components to those of the first embodiment. In the seco embodiment the bearing member 18 takes the form of a pa of axially spaced bushes, or roller bearings or need bearings or the like. In addition the one shaft 15 formed as an extension of a main shaft 28 whereby the ma shaft 28 and one shaft 15 are separated by a non circul boss 29 which is receivable in correspondingly shap apertures 20 in the one plate member. A spacer washer is provided in the main shaft 28 to space the boss 29 a one plate member 14 from the chassis 12. The outer end the one shaft 15 threadably receives a threaded stud and an annular web member 23 between the end of the o shaft 15 and the head of the stud 24. The outer periphe of the collar 23 engages the free end of the other sha 16 to prevent axial displacement from the one shaft. desired the main shaft 29 may support a suspension un according to the second embodiment at either end thereof. The third embodiment as shown at figure 3 is directed to suspension unit for use with a tandem axle arrangement. the drawings identical reference numerals have been us for similar components to those of previous embodiment In the case of the third embodiment both plate members 1 and 14 are formed with eccentric extensions which serve as arms 19 which each support an axle 11 at their outer end. The shafts 15 and 16 are both tubular of corresponding inner and outer dimensions and are supported upon a common support shaft 31 by means of suitable bushes and bearings 32. The one shaft is formed with a reduced diameter portion 33 at one end which is separated from the main body at a tapered portion 34. The other shaft 16 is counterbored to provide an innermost zone 35 of complementary diameter to the reduced diameter portion 33 of the one shaft which is adjacent an intermediate zone 36 of a diameter greater than the reduced portion 33 of the one shaft and the outer diameter of the one shaft. The intermediate zone 36 is intended to lie in spaced relationship with the inner portion of the reduced diameter portion 33 of the one shaft 15. The outer end 37 of the counterbored portion is tapered to be complementary to the tapered portion 34 of the one shaft 15. When the shafts are engaged the innermost zone 35 of the counterbored portion of the other shaft is received on the end of the reduced diameter 33 portion of the one shaft and while the bearing member 18 is located between the remainder of the counterbored portion and the opposing face of the one shaft. The bearing member 18 of the third embodiment may be formed of any suitable material and if desired may be formed of the same material as that of the block 26 of material but with a different hardness as described in relation to the first embodiment. Suitable clamping means (not shown) is provided to ensure the shafts remain in engagement with each other and to prevent relative axial displacement between the plate members and of the suspension unit on the common shaft. The fourth embodiment of figure 4 is of a similar form the third embodiment and identical reference numerals ar used in respect of corresponding components to those o the previous embodiment. In the case of the fourt embodiment the shafts 15 and 16 are tubular whereby th one shaft 15 is concentrically supported within the othe shaft 16 by a pair of axially spaced bearing members 1 which may take any desired form. The one shaft 15 i rotatably supported upon a main support shaft 38 by mean of axially spaced bushes or bearings 32. The main suppor shaft 38 is supported at both ends between a pair o depending brackets and/or frame members 39 engage the end of the shafts 15 and 16 to prevent relative axia displacement therebetween a relative axial displacement o the suspensioned on the main support shaft 18. It should be appreciated that the scope of the presen invention need not be limited to the particular scope o the embodiment described above.

Claims: THE CLAIMS defining the invention are as follows:- 1. A vehicle suspension comprising a pair of plate members supported from each other in spaced substantially parallel relationship, the support between said plate members being provided by each plate member having a shaft extending perpendicularly therefrom and wherein at least a portion of said shafts are concentrically received within the other for relative rotation therebetween about their central axis, such shafts being supported one from the other by a bearing member, said plate members being further supported from each other by a block of resilient solid material bonded to the opposed faces of the plate members in the region surrounding the shaft. 2. A suspension as claimed at claim 1 wherein said bearing member is formed of a resilient solid material having a greater hardness than that of the block. 3. A suspension as claimed at claim 1 or 2 wherein the bearing member is fixed to one shaft and is slidably received by the other shaft. 4. A suspension as claimed at claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the bearing member is integral with the block. 5. A suspension as claimed at claim 1 wherein the bearing member comprises one or more bushes. 6. A suspension as claimed at claim 1 wherein the bearing comprises one or more roller, needle or like bearings. 7. A suspension as claimed at any one of the preceeding claims wherein the one plate member is adapted to be fixed in relation to a vehicle chassis and the other plate member is rotatable relative to the chassis about sai central axis and wherein said other plate member supports an axle displaced radially from the central axis. 8. A suspension as claimed at any one of claims 1 to 7 inclusive wherein the suspension unit is supported from a chassis to be rotatable relative to the chassis about said central axis and each plate member supports an axle said axles being disposed substantially equidistant to each side of the central axis. 9. A suspension as claimed at any one of the preceeding claims wherein the resilient solid material comprises rubber or a like elastomeric composition. 10. A suspension substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Inventors: LOWE HAROLD WILLIAM GEORGE, MCLEOD ERIC SYDNEY MURDOCH, LOWE, HAROLD, WILLIAM, GEORGE, MCLEOD, ERIC, SYDNEY, MURDOCH
Applicants: LOWE HAROLD WILLIAM GEORGE, MCLEOD ERIC SYDNEY MURDOCH, LOWE, HAROLD, WILLIAM, GEORGE, MCLEOD, ERIC, SYDNEY, MURDOCH
Application year: 1987
Main classification: B60G3
IPC codes: B60G5, B60G11, F16F1