GB1057844A - Improvements in and relating to suspensions of vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

1,057,844. Vehicle suspensions. MASCHINENFABRIK AUGSBURG-NURNBERG A.G. July 13, 1963 [July 13, 1962], No. 23095/63. Heading B7D. A suspension for a motor vehicle, which may be used on rough country and may be amphibious, comprises a helical spring 2 interposed between a wheel support arm 4 extending transversely of the vehicle and a plate 10 fast with a cylinder 9 in which operates a piston 6 connected to the vehicle frame 3 by its pistonrod 6a. The cylinder space 12 below the piston 6 is connected by a pipe 26 with a cylinder space 18 of a balancing device which comprises a cylinder 13 divided into two chambers by a partition 15, in each of which is located a piston 16, 17 respectively, mounted upon a common shaft 22 and centred by springs 25. The corresponding wheel suspension unit on the opposite side of the vehicle is connected to the cylinder space 19 and that of the wheel diagonally opposite to the space 20, the unit for the wheel on the same side being connected to the space 21, i.e. diagonally opposite suspensions are connected to non-adjacent spaces. The pipes 26, 27, 28, 29 associated with each unit are each connected through a driver controlled valve 35 with a cylinder 30 containing a piston 32 to which is applied fluid pressure in the cylinder space 33 whereby the volume of hydraulic fluid in each component part of the system associated with each wheel and thereby the height of each suspension may be adjusted. The fluid may be exhausted entirely from each cylinder 9, in which case the balancing device 13 is inoperative, or if fluid is applied to each cylinder 9 such that the pistons 6 are at the mid-positions, a balancing effect is obtained wherein, when one wheel rises due to uneven ground, say the wheel connected to cylinder space 18, hydraulic fluid will be forced into the space 18 and the pistons 16 and 17 will be moved to the right, whereby fluid will be forced out of the spaces 19 and 21, causing the associated suspension heights to increase, and will be allowed to enter the space 20 whereby the associated suspension height (of the diagonally opposite wheel) will be decreased. In a vehicle having tandem axles the suspension units for the wheels on each side of the vehicle in each tandem axle pair are interconnected by a pipe (37), and the associated cylinder spaces, in the balancer unit 13 are correspondingly enlarged. The helical springs 11 may be replaced by pneumatic or rubber springs and the suspension units may act directly or through linkage systems upon the wheel suspension arms. The suspension units may be horizontally disposed and act through levers.