AU2009101208A4

AU2009101208A4 - Repairable Torque Rod Arms

Info

Publication number: AU2009101208A4
Application number: AU2009101208A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Nicholas S. Green; Ian M. Melville
Original assignee: Australian Tool Mft Pty Ltd
Current assignee: AUSTRALIAN TOOL MANUFACTURERS Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2009-11-25
Filing date: 2009-11-25
Publication date: 2010-01-07
Anticipated expiration: 2017-11-25

Description

1 Australia (Patents Act 1990) Innovative Patent Application Specification Applicant TAYCO Pty. Ltd. Actual Inventor/s Nicholas S Green Ian M Melville Address for Service TAYCO Pty. Ltd. 584 Boundary Rd Archerfield Queensland Australia Invention Title Repairable Torque Rod Arms A New design of Suspension Torque Rod And Pivot Arms. The Invention is described in the following statement.

4 Background Torque Rods are a common form of attachment in the rear suspensions of trucks and machinery. Trucks and machinery developed for the mining industry have applied these rods to their heavy duty haul-outs, but due to the extreme conditions they fail, sometimes as much as two times a day. Extreme loads and constant cornering place diagonal pressures on the torque rod and supporting bush, resulting in premature wear, which could result in severe suspension failure. This new design enables the fitment of a specially designed split ball mounting pin which has a pivotal central ball machined as two halves separated by solid material in the centre by a calculated amount so as to redirect load pressure applied obliquely to the greater portion of the insulating locating load bearing replaceable bushes. This resulting redistributing of the load and that the mounting pin is able to have unbinding rotational movement prolongs the life of the replaceable bushes by many hundreds of times. The Structure of the Torque Rod is designed to have removable securing circlips or rings on one or either side, which retain solid material washers which hold securely in place the insulating load bearing bushes. The allowable fitment of dust and fragment seals over either end of the bush is also a feature of this new design. This along with the claims listed in the design go to making the claims for this invention application.

7 The solid centre ball 12A and pin 12, when machined is machined as two half balls 34, 36 separated in the middle by a portion 35 which is not a part of either circumference ball section of 34 or 36. This separation of the two ball halves 34, 36 allows for a diagonal and oblique angle of load transference 18 within the bush 19 when the torque rod 17 is attempting to twist by the differential angles between the chassis and the suspension axle unit during turns or disproportionate side loaded weights in the Transport equipment, haul-outs or trucks as an example. The oblique transference of the load in the bush from a lower point to the centre axis on one side portions the load to a distance further from the centre axis on the facing ball of the retaining pin into a larger portion of the absorbing bush 19 reducing the loads on the narrower portions of the bush closest to the retainer pin 12 A surface area. In Image 5 further compatibilities of having a split ball 12A is provided when the mounting pin 12 is single ended or a tapered pin. The load generated through the two ball ends is spread over a larger area whilst still maintaining rotational and swivel functions of the pin 12 into the bush 19 When direct liner load 16 is applied through the torque rod 17, through the rod housing 10, applying pressure to the bush insulator 19, the spread of the load onto the surface of the opposing ball faces, results in the loads 18 being engaged into the greater portion of the bush 19, and away from the centre narrower portion of the bush 19. This is a result of the ball ends 34, 36 displacing the load 8 into two different spherical planes 18. This unique sharing of the load is directly responsible for increased endurance of the insulation wear bushes 19. 6. The Torque Rod Housing 10 has a cut away section 13 where the Torque rod 17 is fitted, creating longitudinal fingers 14 providing a greater surface area for welding 13, and a greater sharing of load than what is achieved by a single circumference butt weld. These fingers extend along the pressed in Torque Rod Tube 17 providing additional strength at the join between the Housing 10 and the tube 17. The fingers 14 extend onto the outer circumference of the housing 10 in a triangular section providing a more robust housing 10 able to withstand greater torsional loads than conventional torque rod ends. The inclusion of fingers 14 extending along the Torque tube 17 enables the use of hollow formed seamless tube, replacing solid steel tubing as is currently being used in Heavy transport equipment, thus reducing suspension unsprung weights. 7. Heavy transport equipment carries out work in adverse conditions. Additional fitment groves 21, 26 allow for the spring clip fitment 21, or compression fitment of outer seals 20, 22, 24 to torque rod arms or bushes. The addition of these outer seals 20, 22, 24 provide protection for the inner wear insulator bush 19 from adhesive grit, dirt and fluids from the lubricated 25 Torque Rod Bush 19. 8.

Claims

1. The Torque rod has a specially machined outer body ends 10, which have longitude fingers 14 that elongate down the Torque Rod shaft 17 at a unspecified distance so when welded along the outline 13 of the finger profile on the shaft 17, provide optimum sectional strength against fatigue fractures.

2. The Torque rod end 10 is so machined inside the cylindrical section 32 as to provide a surface suitable to interference press fit a insertable replacement bush assembly Image 1, Al, similar to Australian Innovative Patent No 2009100681 by TAYCO. The internal section contains machined groves 21,24, for installation of circlip or ring retainers 22 or can have a machined stepped ledge 28 for locating the bush Al as described in Patent No 2009100681

3. The Torque rod end 10 is so machined as when there is no insertable replacement bush assembly as described in Patent No 2009100681 available, the body of the Torque rod end is able to retain replaceable bushes 19, 24, 22 and retainer washers 22 and clips as described in the Patent 2009100681 of suitable dimensions so as the Torque Rod end 10 performs the functions as described in Patent No 2009100681

4. The Torque rod end is so machined as to incorporate facilities by way of circlip grooves, threaded holes or machined ledges for the retaining of dust and fragment seals 20.

5. The retaining pin 12 which mounts the Torque Rod to the suspension axle housing and or the chassis frame by bolts or pins through 37 or the pin locater 12 is fitted single sided in a taper or hole mounting as in image 5