Patent GB-392147-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to shock absorbers
IPC: B60G13/16
Filed: 1931-10-06
Abstract: 392,147. Hydraulic shock - absorbers. DELCO PRODUCTS CORPORATION, 329, East 1st Street, Dayton, Ohio, U.S.A.- (Assignees of Chryst, W. A. ; 999, Harmon Avenue, Oakwood, Dayton, Ohio, U.S.A.) Oct. 6, 1931, No. 27745. Convention date, June 12. [Class 108 (iii).] In an hydraulic shock-absorber having two compression chambers connected by pressurerelease valves, the flow of fluid between the chambers is further regulated by a valve which is operated through an hydraulic relay by the driver of a vehicle, or by a controlling element depending upon the speed of the vehicle or by inertia apparatus depending upon the relative movements of the frame and axle. In the shockabsorbing apparatus shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, the piston 32 is reciprocated by a lever 35a depending from the operating spindle 37a, and the compression chambers 35, 36 are connected by conduits 45, 47 each having a spring-controlled release valve 49, 50. The valve chambers 46, 48 communicate by passages 51, 52 with the conduits 45, 47 respectively. The end of the lever 35a engages between wear pieces 38, 39 held up by stiff springs 42. The compression chambers are replenished automatically from the central reservoir 28 through passages 43 in the wear pieces and one-way valves 41 held up by light springs. The conduits 45, 47 are further connected by a vertical passage 56 controlled by a valve 57 which is screwed up or down to vary the size of the orifice. The valve is adjusted by liquid supplied to the control chamber 60 through the central opening 63 in the cover. The rectangular lower end 76 of the valve 57 engages in the centre of the upper end of a tubular actuator 72 having cam slots 71 engaged by a pin 70 projecting on opposite sides of a non-rotatable stem 69. Vertical adjustment of the stem thus rotates the actuator 72 and the pin 57. The actuator is held up by a spring and a ball-race 75 ensures free operation. The stem 69 is raised against the resistance of the spring to an extent depending upon the liquid pressure on the underside of the cup-shaped member 68, the flange 67 of which is connected by a bellows 64 to the cover so as to form a sealed but expansible chamber. The sealed chambers on each of the four shock absorbers on a vehicle are simultaneously supplied with pressure liquid from a reservoir 86, Fig. 7, through pipes 88. A pump worked bv the engine draws oil from the sump and circulates it continuously through passages 83, 85 when the valve 90 is open as shown. The pressure in the reservoir 86 is then small and the shock absorbers operate with comparatively little resistance. When the valves 90 are adjusted to restrict the flow of oil the pressure in the reservoir 86 increases and the valves on all the shock absorbers correspondingly restrict the passage of fluid between the compression chambers. The valve 90 may be adjusted, as shown in Fig. 6, by hand or by a speed control or by an inertia control. Arms 96, 97 on the stem of the valve carry pins 131, 98 which engage respectively in slots on the ends of rods 153, 100. The rod 100 may be set by hand so as to close the valve 90 more or less and the slot then permits further closing by the pin 131 which is operated by longitudinal movement of the rod 153 or by movements of the cams 129, 130. The rod 153 is adjusted longitudinally in accordance with the speed of the vehicle by centrifugal apparatus 151 rotated by the shaft 152. The cams 129, 130 are carried at one end of a two-armed lever pivoted at 126 and carrying at its other arm a heavy mass 125. Springs 132, 133 maintain the lever normally central but it is rotated when up or down movements of the vehicle frame occur and the pin 131 is then moved towards the right thereby further operating the valve 90.