Patent GB-893261-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to vehicle axle suspensions
Inventor: CHAMBERS HARRY DONALD
IPC: B60G11/62
Filed: 1958-02-28
Abstract: 893,261. Road-vehicle hydra-pneumatic suspensions. EATON AXLES Ltd. Feb. 24, 1959 [Feb. 28, 1958; Oct. 14, 1958], Nos. 6510/58 and 32757/58. Classes 108(2) and 108(3). A hydro-pneumatic spring unit (Fig. 3) is disposed between the frame of a tandem axle system (Fig. 1, not shown), and a longitudinal link connected between the frame and a respective axle carrier. A plunger 42 is slidable within a seal 45 to compress liquid in a cylinder 41. The latter is connected with a hydraulic accumulator chamber 36 (Fig. 4) in which is disposed a sealed gas-containing envelope 37. Flow from the cylinder 41 to the chamber 36 may be restricted by a valve 48 which is prevented from seating completely by the bottoming of a coil spring 60. The valve 48 has a piston 49 which may be subject to pressure in conduits 55 and 56. Conduit 55 is connected directly to the chamber 36. Conduit 56 is connected via a solenoid-operated isolating switch 62 to a main source of hydraulic pressure which includes a pump 65 and accumulator 68. The switch 62 may be closed by its solenoid being energized by the actuation of a switch 74 responsive to centrifugal force when the vehicle rounds a bend or by the manual actuation of a switch connected at 73. This has the effect of applying pressure to the pistons 49 of the valves 48 of each hydropneumatic unit to produce a virtual hydraulic lock effect. The hydro-pneumatic units are similarly locked on the occurrence of heavy braking or acceleration by the displacement of a spool of a valve 75 which in its normal central position seals off an inlet port connected to a lead 76 which itself is connected to the main conduit 69 from the compressor 65. On movement in either direction of the spool the inlet port is connected to one or other of two outlet ports which are each connected to a conduit 77 which itself is connected to the conduit 56. Height of the vehicle is controlled by the action of a projection on the plunger 42 which engages a cam surface on a member 50 so as to reciprocate the latter and thereby actuate a threeway valve 70 by means of which a connection to the casing 36 is either closed at the normal riding height of the vehicle, is connected to the conduit 69 by a conduit 71, or is connected to a conduit 72 leading to a low pressure reservoir 64. Travel of the plunger 42 relative to the member 43 by which it is connected to the chassis frame is reduced by the interposition of a resilient joint 51. In a simpler construction (Fig. 3, the first Provisional Specification) the chamber 36 is dispensed with and the gas is contained within the upper part of the plunger 7 and is separated from the liquid by a disc 26. A cylinder 28 rigid with the disc 26 contains liquid which is under pressure from a plunger 25 rigid with the main plunger 7. The interaction of the plunger 25 and cylinder 28 in conjunction with a spring- loaded valve 27 results in compression damping. The latter may be adjusted by the actuation of a rack (not shown) which cooperates with a pinion 30. This rack may be solenoid operated either automatically or under the control of the driver of the vehicle. Liquid may pass through a port 32 in the cylinder 28 in order to lubricate the seal between the disc 26 and the ball of the plunger. Specification 857,554 is referred to in the Complete Specification. Specifications 893,262 and 893,264 also are referred to in the second Provisional Specification.