GB191505222A - Improvements in the Springing of Vehicles. - Google Patents

Abstract

5222. Adams, A. J. April 7. Springs, arrangement of, and mounting bodies and undercarriages on.-Relates to the springing of vehicles of the kind in which the vehicle frame is attached to the axle by means of levers, the ends of which act on horizontallyarranged springs. According to the invention, the levers are secured to the usual shackles of the laminated springs which are replaced, and act on horizontal coiled springs placed either directly below the axle, or above the vehicle frame. Fig. 1 shows such a device arranged longitudinally of the vehicle. Bell-crank levers 9, pivoted at the outer ends to the shackles which usually carry the laminated springs, are pivoted at 10 to a member 11 secured to the axle or axle casing 13, the shorter arms of the levers being pivoted on bearings 6 which slide on a spindle 5. The spindle is encircled by springs 1, 2, 3, 4, the springs 1, 2 surrounding the springs 3, 4. The outer springs 1, 2 extend between a central thrust-plate 15 loosely mounted on the centre of the spindle 5 and end thrust-plates 21, 22 carried by nuts 19, 20 working on the bearings 6; the inner springs 3, 4 extend between the end thrust-plates 21, 22 and flanged nuts 16, 17 working on right and left handed screw threads provided near the centre of the spindle 5. Rotation of the spindle 5 by a tommy therefore adjusts the tension of the inner springs 3, 4 only, while rotation of the nuts 19, 20 simultaneously adjusts the tension of both inner and outer springs. The inner springs 3, 4 may be dispensed with, or more than two inner springs may be used. To prevent rotation of the axle or axle casing when a torque-rod is not employed, the bell-crank levers are provided with rigid intermeshing extensions 26, 27, Fig. 3, When applied transversely to the line of traction, the bell-crank levers are pivoted at 34, 35, Fig. 5, to the vehicle frame 33, the shorter arms 31, 32 being pivoted to eye-bolts 38 which are screw-threaded and extend into the springs 39. The springs, which are shown single but may be multiple, bear centrally against a fixed bracket 41, and are capped at the ends by thrust-plates 40 adjusted in position by nuts 42.