Patent GB-392092-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to spring suspension systems for motor road vehicles andthe like
IPC: B60G11/00
Filed: 1932-10-10
Abstract: 392,092. Spring suspensions. BURNEY, SIR C. D., 8, Broadway, Westminster. Oct. 10, 1932, No. 32028. Divided on 391,916. [Class 108 (ii).] The sprung mass of a motor road vehicle is spring supported only at points lying in the central longitudinal plane of the vehicle so that while movements exert no rotary couple on the sprung mass and is also so suspended that the sprung mass is constrained to rotate about a vertical longitudinal axis which is above its centre of gravity whilst its actual points of support are below the said axis and are permitted lateral movement between the wheels. The body is mounted on a frame 2 connected to the rear, driving, wheels 3 by means of a cross tube 4, Fig. 2, the wheel axle boxes 26 being mounted on torque arms 7 rotatable on the tube 4. On the arms 7 forward of the wheel axis are mounted arcuate guides 25 with which engage rollers carried by arms 27 on the frame 2, the guides being arcs of a circle struck from a point above the centre of gravity of the body 1 and frame 2. Centrally disposed brackets 28 on the frame 2 carry rollers 29 engaged in arcuate trackways 30 carried by box 31 in which is clamped the leaf spring 32 the ends of which are shackled to uprights 33 on axle boxes 26. The trackways 32 are concentric with the guides 25. Spring rods 34 serve to centre the sprung mass and roll may be positively limited by stops associated with tracks 32 or guides 25. A similar mounting may be used at the front of the chassis whereby a rolling axis X-X, Fig. 1, is obtained. Alternatively the front wheels may be mounted on a transverse leaf spring fastened centrally to the frame. With this arrangement the rolling axis will incline downwardly to the front and pass through the front spring attachment. In another form, Figs. 5 and 6, the wheels are connected by torque arms 7 to a cross tube 4 held at right-angles to a frame by radius rods 5. On tube 4 are mounted brackets 8 to which are pivoted at 9 links 10 pivoted at 11 to longitudinals 12 of the frame 2. The links 10 permit the frame 2 to swing and tilt so that the pivot 11 describes arcs which are for short distances equivalent to arcs of a circle struck from a centre O at the point of intersection of the centre lines of the links. At the rear frame 2 has a cross-bar 13 carrying a bracket 16 for a pivot pin 17, Fig. 3, which passes through the lower ends of links 18 the upper ends of which are mounted on a second pivot pin 19 carried by the clamping box 21 of a transverse leaf spring 22. The ends of spring 22 are shackled to vertical coil springs 23 in dashpots 24, Fig. 7, mounted on the axle boxes 26. Rods 35 on the shackles carry buffer springs 36 to limit the extension of springs 23. Rolling movement of the body about centre O will cause links 18 to pull the upper pivot pin 19 downwards, thus the spring 22 has an automatic centring action. A pair of longitudinally disposed leaf springs shackled together at their ends and connected centrally to the transverse leaf spring 22 and to the wheel axle box, respectively, may be substituted for the coil spring 23 and dashpot 24. To allow of the large movement between frame and wheels the driving half shafts 6 are each divided between two universal joints 74, 75 by a sliding coupling 76 and the shafts are made as long as possible by dishing the wheels, as shown. Fig. 10 shows one form of front suspension in which the frame is reduced in width and connected by oblique links 40 to parts 41 of a three-part axle. Each part 41 is forked at 42 and bored to carry a sliding king pin 43 to which is clamped a stub axle 44. The king pin and wheel are slightly outwardly tilted at the top. A main transverse leaf spring 46 is shackled to the tops of the king pins and is clamped centrally in a box 47 together with an auxiliary leaf spring 48 having rubber buffers 49. The box 47 carries rollers 54 which runs in tracks formed bv cheeks 53 of a block 52 secured to the frame. Since the tracks are straight lateral movement of the frame pulls the roller 54 downwardly against the resistance of spring 46 which thus has a centring action on the frame. To allow for the relatively large movement that may take place between chassis and wheels the steering column is divided between universal joints 65, Fig. 12, into two parts joined by a splined joint 66. The front wheel axles and transverse member 4 may be shackled to the frame by rearwardly and forwardly extending torque arms respectively of which the lengths are so chosen that at maximum braking the forward tilt of the spring mass is equalized by the backward tilt of the chassis due to the disposition of the torque arm anchoring points. Specifications 320,725*, [Glass 108 (ii), Road vehicles, Undercarriage details &c. for], 373,234 and 373,282, [both in Group XXXI], are referred to.