Patent ID: 8181976

Claim:
A spring mounting apparatus for a vehicle suspension, the vehicle suspension comprising two vehicle assemblies, namely, a suspended load and a wheel assembly, the weight of the suspended load held apart from the wheel assembly by a bias on at least one spring, the spring mounting apparatus comprising: a spring having a spring axis, an uppermost turn, and a lowermost turn; and wherein at least one of the uppermost turn and the lowermost turn is connected to at least one of two vehicle assemblies by a means for allowing unimpeded rotation of at least one of the uppermost turn and the lowermost turn about the axis relative to the at least one of the two vehicle assemblies as the bias on the spring varies; the means for allowing unimpeded rotation comprises: a shaped cup having an axis and being shaped so as to grip the at least one of the upper end and the lower end to maintain substantial alignment of the spring axis with the cup axis; and comprising a first bearing contact surface having a bearing axis, the first bearing contact surface being fixed to the shaped cup in such an orientation that the bearing axis is substantially coaxial with the cup axis; and a second bearing contact surface sharing the bearing axis of the first bearing contact surface, the second bearing contact surface being fixed to the at least one of two vehicle assemblies by a second bearing contact surface holder in such an orientation that the second bearing contact surface is maintained in rotational engagement with the first bearing contact surface; the second bearing contact surface holder comprises a means for adjusting the distance between the upper end and the first vehicle assembly; the first vehicle assembly is a suspended load; the second vehicle assembly is a wheel assembly, the suspended load being suspended upon the wheel assembly by the at least one spring; and the means for allowing unimpeded rotation is fixed to the suspended load by the second bearing contact surface holder; and the first bearing contact surface and said the second bearing contact surface respectively comprise elements taken from the list of: (a) a collar and a mating groove; (b) a groove and a mating collar; (c) a first race and a second race with rolling elements therebetween; (d) a convex shaft end and a mating thrust-receiving concavity; and (e) a concave shaft end and a mating thrust-receiving convexity.