Patent GB-711938-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to vehicle spring suspensions
IPC: B60G17/02
Filed: 1952-06-27
Abstract: 711,938. Spring suspensions; preventing lateral canting; adjusting body height; equalizing load on springs. MOTOR RESEARCH CORPORATION. June 27. 1952 [July 16. 1951]. No. 16326/52. Class 108(2) A spring suspension for a vehicle having a frame and front and rear wheels at each side of the frame, comprises' swinging lever means for each wheel pivotally connected to the trame at longitudinally spaced localities, main longitudinal spring means common to the front and rear wheels and connected to the lever means, longitudinal lever means operatively connecting one wheel with one of the lever means outwardly of the pivotal connection thereof to the frame and. adapted to swing the same in response to vertical motion of the wheel, compensating spring means connected to one wheel independently of the other wheel, and means for deflecting the compensating spring means to vary the spring resistance at one end of the frame relative to that at the opposite end. In the arrangement shown, in which each front wheel 24 is supported by upper and lower suspension arms 26 and 28, Fig. 9, and in which each rear wheel 25 is carried on a lever arm 63 pivoted to a frame member 22 and also pivotally connected to a lever arm 51, Fig. 1, the lower suspension arm 28 is secured to a sleeve 35, Fig. 4, and is pivoted about a spindle 33 secured to a frame member 21. with the in.- terposition of a rubber bushing 36. A brace. bar 37 secured to the arm 28 is also pivotally connected to an extension of spindle 33 with the interposition of a rubber bushing 42. The sleeve 35 is formed with a hexagonal socket 44 for the forward end of a torsion bar spring 45, the rear end of which engages in a similar socket 47, Fig. 6, in a double socket sleeve 48 pivotally mounted on one end of a spindle 49 which is secured to a bracket 50 rigid with a frame member 20. A sleeve portion 52 of the lever arm 51 is also mounted on the spindle 49 with the interposition of a rubber sleeve 53 which also extends within the sleeve 48. A brace bar 54 secured to the arm 51 is also mounted on the spindle 49 with the interposition of a rubber bush 57. An adjusting screw 79 on an arm 78 rigid with sleeve 48 co-operates with a cranked extension 51a of the lever 51 to provide for initial stressing of the torsion bar 45. In a modification. the sleeve 48 may be rigid with the sleeve portion 52. the parts 78 and 79 being dispensed with. A compensating torsion bar spring 67 at each side of the vehicle engages at its rear end on a socket 68 on the sleeve 48 and at its forward end, in a socket member 69. Fig. 1, which is rotatably mounted on a frame member 23. The members 69 at opposite sides of the vehicle are rotatable in opposite directions by means of worm gearing driven by a reversible electric motor 77. The motor may be controlled manually or automatically in dependence upon changes in static load on the rear of the vehicle. The outer end of lever 51 is pivotally connected to the lever arm 63, through a vertical link 61. Fig. 6. A doubleacting hydraulic shock absorber 80 is connected between the cranked extensions of the levers 51 on opposite sides of the vehicle: A similar shock absorber 90, Fig. 9, is connected between the opposite suspension links 26, which are also interconnected by a pair of tension springs 84, 84 connected to a common rocker member 87 i pivotally mounted on the frame member 21. In a modification, Fig. 10 (not shown), the shock absorber 90 is dispensed with and the links 26 are interconnected, by a single tension spring. In operation, the compensating. torsionbars 67 are adjusted initially in opposition ,to the bars 45 to effect normal riding height corresponding to normal sprung weight of the vehicle, the compensating bars being entirely unstressed when the sprung weight plus a predetermined additional load on the vehicle equal the resistance of the bars 45. Normal riding height is maintained, with further increases in static load, by operation of the motor 77 to further stress the bars 67. Compensating torsion bars may also be applied to the front wheels of the vehicle.