Patent GB-483373-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to spring suspensions for vehicles
IPC: A23L3/28
Filed: 1936-07-16
Abstract: 483,373. Vehicle spring - suspensions; rubber springs. GETEFO GES. FUR TECHNISCHEN FORTSCHRITT. July 16, 1936, No. 19709. Convention date, July 16, 1935. [Classes 108 (ii) and 108 (iii)] A vehicle spring-suspension comprises at least one non - annular rubber body disposed between and adhesively secured to metal parts adapted to be moved relatively and substantially parallel to each other so as to stress the rubber in shear. As shown in Fig. I., a roadwheel 1 is mounted on one arm 2 of a bell-crank 2, 5 pivoted to the frame-member 3, the other arm 5 being' pivotally connected to a plate 6 between which and a plate 8 fixed to the frame 3 the rubber spring 7 is adhesively secured to both plates. In a modification, the rubber-spring is arranged within the profile of the frame-member and the pivot of the bellcrank is surrounded by a rigid casing having an end sleeve enclosing part of the bell-crank arm 2. The plate 6 may be a leaf-spring. In another modification, the plate 6 is inserted between two rubber springs secured at their outer faces to plates fixed to the flanges of the frame-member. A rubber spring 7 may be arranged on each side of the frame-member 3 as shown in Fig. 5, the wheel being secured to a pair of levers 9 pivoted to the chassis and having pins 10 slidable in sleeves 11 secured to the plates 6. In modifications, the springs 7 are arranged (a) in line on the same side of the frame-member 3 and adapted to be stressed simultaneously by a single pin 10, and (b) in duplicate on each side of the frame-member. Fig. 8 shows a construction in which movement of the wheel causes axial movement of a member 12 which encloses one or two pairs of rubber springs 7 secured at their inner ends to the frame-member 3, the end 13 of the member 12 co-operating with impact buffers 14, 15 on member 3. The invention may also be applied to vehicles having half-axles, as shown in Fig. 9, in which rubber springs 7 secured beneath the half-axles 19 are pivotally connected by plates 22 to one end of a member 24 which is pivoted at 20 to the frame and connected at its upper end to the vehicle body by stabilizing springs 23 such as described in Specification 458,241. In a modification, the springs 7 are arranged on top of the half-axies. As shown in Fig. 11, the rubber springs are secured inside hollow half-axles 19 and to members which are pivoted to the vehicle body. The members 22 may also be made hollow for the passage of driving shafts for the wheels. When applied to a wheel suspension comprising parallel links 35, Fig. 16, the rubber springs 34 are arranged diagonally across the links and may be secured to wedge-shaped members 32 or 28, Fig. 17, so as to operate in compression as well as in shear. Compression is also introduced in the construction shown in Fig. 18, by the provision of an obtuse-angle, wheel-supporting bell-crank 36 adapted to impose shear and compression stresses on a rubber spring 37. Fig. 21 shows the invention applied to a rigid axle 50 bearing against a bell-crank 54 pivoted at 53 on the frame 51, wheel movements being transmitted thereby to a rubber spring 56 through a member 57 pivoted to the bell-crank and secured to the spring. The Specification as open to inspection under Sect. 91 comprises also the construction shown in Fig. 20 (Cancelled), in which annular rubber bodies 40 are adhesively secured between obliquely-arranged rings 41, 42 fixed respectively to a tube 44 and a shaft 43, relative axial movement of which subjects the rubber bodies to shear and compressive stresses. This subjectmatter does not appear in the Specification as accepted.