Patent GB-377808-A (GB)
Title: Hydro-pneumatic suspension and shock-absorbing device for vehicles
IPC: F16F9/06
Filed: 1931-07-13
Abstract: 377,808. Vehicle suspension systems. LACROIX, P., Bauce-Flawinne, Belgium. July 13, 1931, No. 20100. [Classes 108 (ii) and 108 (iii).] Pneumatic springs; hydraulic shock-absorbers; preventing lateral tilting.-Hydro-pneumatic suspension for vehicles comprises several units each with two outer and two inner pairs of telescopic cylinders adapted to provide hydraulic damping and elastic suspension and to control the supply of compressed air to the apparatus to resist bearing shocks and to counteract centrifugal force when the vehicle is running on curves. Each unit consists; as shown in Fig. 1, of a main upper element and a main lower element connected respectively to the frame and axle. The upper element includes large cylinders 90, 91 telescoping into cylinders 94, 95 in the lower element surrounded by a casing 96 which forms a reservoir for oil. The upper cylinders 90, 91 are surmounted by a casing 93 divided into two parts 93<1>, 93<11> which are connected by two passages 70, 71. The passage. 70 is opened for the passage of air between compartments 93<1>, 93<11> by a valve 68 operated from a float 64 supported by the oil in the cylinders 91, 95. The passage 71 opens towards the bottom of the compartment 931 so that only oilcan flow through it. Within the cylinders 91, 95 are arranged smaller telescopic cylinders 36, 56, the cylinder 36 projecting upwards above the level of the bottom part of the compartment 93. The interior of the cylinder 56 is slightly tapered so that liquid may flow between the cylinders 36, 56 more freely in the upper than in the lower position. The cylinders 90, 94 are also fitted with a pair of small cylinders 3, 10 which fit one another and form a pump by which oil is conveyed from the reservoir 96 to the compartment 93<1>, one-way valves 4, 12 being fitted in the lower ends of the two cylinders. The cylinder 91 is fitted with a partition 7 having perforations closed at times by the valve 6. The space between the central hole in the partition 7 and the outside of the cylinder 56 provides an orifice for the flow of liquid, the area of which varies with the position of the cylinders. The cylinder 90 is similarly provided with two perforated discs 7, 7<1> and valves 6, 6<1>. The upper and lower cylinders are respectively connected by passages 1, 9, having one-way valves 92, 97. The cylinders 94, 95 are normally filled up with oil to the level of the port 13 and the port 61 in the cylinder 90 should then communicate with the port 13. Compressed air is admitted to the apparatus in accordance with its movements from a pipe 27 through a valve 43 and then through a central tube 72 concentric with outer tubes 73, 74 shown also in Fig. 8. The tube 73 is carried by the upper cylinder 90 and telescopes into tube 74 carried by the lower cylinder 94, a sleeve 75 being interposed between the two. When a road shock forces the upper cylinders into the lower cylinders, the side outlet at the lower end of the tube 72 is then below the sleeve 75 and discharges air into the tube 74 from which it passes through the tube 73 to the upper end of compartment 93<1>. When the oil level in cylinder 91 is high enough float 64 is raised, valve 68 is opened and air under pressure passes from compartment 931 into compartment 93<11> and thence through cylinders 36 past valve 48 into cylinder 56 upwards into cylinder 91,- along passage 1, past valve 92 into cylinder 90. Oil pumped up by cylinders 3, 10 into compartment 93<1> passes through passage 71 into compartment 93<11> and any surplus overflows into cylinder 36 and from thence into cylinder 91 past valve 97 and through passage 9 into cylinder 94. A continuous circulation is thus ensured with provision for maintaining oil at the proper levels in the several compartments. Larger shocks are damped by the restricted flow of liquid between the cylinders 10, 56 and the discs 7, 7<1> while the valves 6, 6<1> damp rebound movements more strongly. When travelling round curves the apparatus on the outside of the vehicle is supplied with additional compressed air from a pipe 80 under the control of a cylinder 82 shown also in horizontal section in Fig. 4, the axis of the cylinder 82 being transverse of the vehicle. The cylinder 82 slides under the action of centrifugal force in the casing 79 until the ports 83, 84 coincide when compressed air passes from the pipe 80 by valve 81 through casing 79, ports 84, 83 and cylinder 82 into pipe 77 leading ultimately to cylinder 3 and compartment 93<1> so that the upper part of the apparatus is then raised. In a modification, two rows of ports are provided.