Geauga record. [volume] (Chardon, Geauga County, Ohio) 1952-1962, 1955-01-06

load and the arm at the rear
exerts pressure in the opposite
direction, causing the loading on
on the rear axle torque arm
to be increased in a down :
ward direction. This is one of
the major advantages of t h e
Packard Torsion Level ride,
because this means tn at
shock is confined within the
torsion bar and is not trans
mitted into the frame in the
form of chock to car occupants.
The rear axle is connected to
the frame through two driving
torque arms. 1t is constantly
maintained in proper transverse
location by means of a special
ly designed stablizer having two
special links, permitting f r e e
vertical movement of the body
without transverse movement
between the rear axle and chas-
sis. The spring steel links alb
Sorve vibration and cushion road
shocks.
All the things described S O
far about the Packard torsion
bar suspension system assure
a soft ride as well as stability
on the road. However, the car
would ride level for only one
kind of load condition and
changes in height or Level would
occur due to load distribution
unless something else were add
ed.
Packard's answer is a load
compensation, or "car leveliz-
err" whose function it is to hold
body height on an even keel
regardless of passenger a n d
luggage loads. This is a rev.
olutionary new feature in any
suspension system.
The load compensation con =
sists of two additional torsion
bars, about half the length of
the main torsion springs, ar
ranged at the rear. The rear
ends of these bars are attach
ed to the rear torSion arms,
previously mentioned, while the
forward ends terminate in lev
er arms pointing downward.
The lower ends of these arms
are connected by links to an
actuator lever and compensat-
or gear box located near the
center of the chassis. The gear
box, in turn, is operated by a
two way actuator electric mo-
tor which operates under the
influence of a control mechani-
SIN to automatically increase
or decrease the loading of the
car.
The control mechanism con-
SiStS of a switch loca tie d
near the acutator motor, cln-
nected by means of a link to
lever attached to the main
torSion bar on the left side OF
the car. A special three-term.
inal stoplight switch prevents
operation of the compensation
when the brakes are applied
The control switch is activated
from the changes in the load,
ing of the left hand torsior
bar. Delayed action of tn {
compensation switch prevents op
Grafton of the compenSatol
when going over a bump II
the road.
When there is equal loading
front and rear, the center por
ton of the long torsion spring
shows little, if any, rotation anc
there is no action of the com
penSator.
Suppose however, that the
loading at the rear is increas
ed. This will cause the full.
length of the torsion bar tt
twist and the center portion o.
the left spring to rotate, thus
rotating the lower lever con
nected to the control switch.
After about six seconds t h e
control switch makes contact
starts the actuator motor ano
gradually increases the loading
on both compensation bars. This
in turn, raises the rear end Of
the car, making it level with
the front end. When the car is
level, the control switch auto.
matically stops the motor.
Suppose now, that the rear
end of the car is lightened by