Patent ID: 7017941

Claim:
A walking beam assembly, comprising: a pair of axles in parallel spaced relation, at least one of the pair of axles being a drop axle having end portions and an intermediate portion that extends between the end portions, the intermediate portion dropping down and having a secondary axis which is offset from and substantially parallel to a primary axis provided by the end portions; and a pair of walking beams extending in parallel spaced relation between the pair of axles, each walking beam having opposed ends, a central transverse pivot axis intermediate the opposed ends, and a longitudinal pivot axis, the opposed ends of each walking beam being secured via connectors on top of the intermediate portion of the at least one drop axle adjacent one of the end portions, each of the connectors allowing limited pivotal movement about the longitudinal pivot axis of the walking beam; each of the connectors being a cylindrical pin surrounded by a bushing, each cylindrical pin rotating relative to the bushing to accommodate movement, each cylindrical pin being co-extensive with the longitudinal pivot axis; and each of the pair of walking beams being a drop walking beam with an intermediate portion along a top edge that drops down from the end portions, the central transverse pivot axis of the walking beams being positioned lower than the longitudinal pivot axis.