GB2124164A - Drive axle for vehicles with independently suspended wheels - Google Patents

Drive axle for vehicles with independently suspended wheels Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2124164A
GB2124164A GB08314761A GB8314761A GB2124164A GB 2124164 A GB2124164 A GB 2124164A GB 08314761 A GB08314761 A GB 08314761A GB 8314761 A GB8314761 A GB 8314761A GB 2124164 A GB2124164 A GB 2124164A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
axle
drive axle
differential unit
wheels
vehicle
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB08314761A
Other versions
GB8314761D0 (en
Inventor
Amilcare Merlo
Renato Galfre
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
MERLO IND METALMECC
Merlo SpA Industria Metalmeccanica
Original Assignee
MERLO IND METALMECC
Merlo SpA Industria Metalmeccanica
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by MERLO IND METALMECC, Merlo SpA Industria Metalmeccanica filed Critical MERLO IND METALMECC
Publication of GB8314761D0 publication Critical patent/GB8314761D0/en
Publication of GB2124164A publication Critical patent/GB2124164A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60B—VEHICLE WHEELS; CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION
    • B60B35/00—Axle units; Parts thereof ; Arrangements for lubrication of axles
    • B60B35/12—Torque-transmitting axles
    • B60B35/14—Torque-transmitting axles composite or split, e.g. half- axles; Couplings between axle parts or sections
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
    • B60G3/00—Resilient suspensions for a single wheel
    • B60G3/18—Resilient suspensions for a single wheel with two or more pivoted arms, e.g. parallelogram
    • B60G3/20—Resilient suspensions for a single wheel with two or more pivoted arms, e.g. parallelogram all arms being rigid
    • B60G3/24—Resilient suspensions for a single wheel with two or more pivoted arms, e.g. parallelogram all arms being rigid a rigid arm being formed by the live axle
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K17/00—Arrangement or mounting of transmissions in vehicles
    • B60K17/30—Arrangement or mounting of transmissions in vehicles the ultimate propulsive elements, e.g. ground wheels, being steerable
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60T—VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL; ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES
    • B60T1/00—Arrangements of braking elements, i.e. of those parts where braking effect occurs specially for vehicles
    • B60T1/02—Arrangements of braking elements, i.e. of those parts where braking effect occurs specially for vehicles acting by retarding wheels
    • B60T1/06—Arrangements of braking elements, i.e. of those parts where braking effect occurs specially for vehicles acting by retarding wheels acting otherwise than on tread, e.g. employing rim, drum, disc, or transmission or on double wheels
    • B60T1/062—Arrangements of braking elements, i.e. of those parts where braking effect occurs specially for vehicles acting by retarding wheels acting otherwise than on tread, e.g. employing rim, drum, disc, or transmission or on double wheels acting on transmission parts
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
    • B60G2200/00—Indexing codes relating to suspension types
    • B60G2200/10—Independent suspensions
    • B60G2200/14—Independent suspensions with lateral arms
    • B60G2200/142—Independent suspensions with lateral arms with a single lateral arm, e.g. MacPherson type
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
    • B60G2206/00—Indexing codes related to the manufacturing of suspensions: constructional features, the materials used, procedures or tools
    • B60G2206/01—Constructional features of suspension elements, e.g. arms, dampers, springs
    • B60G2206/10—Constructional features of arms
    • B60G2206/13—Constructional features of arms with more than two attachment points on the sprung part of the vehicle
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
    • B60G2300/00—Indexing codes relating to the type of vehicle
    • B60G2300/08—Agricultural vehicles
    • B60G2300/082—Tractors

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Vehicle Body Suspensions (AREA)

Abstract

A drive axle (10) for a vehicle with independently suspended wheels (26) has a differential unit (14) for driving the wheels by way of a pair of axle shafts (24), and a load-bearing casing (20) provided with connectors (22) for connecting the axle to a vehicle structure. The wheel suspension comprises a pair of transverse rocker arms (30) hinged to the casing (20) and spring and damping means (48) which are interposed directly between the two rocker arms (30) in a position substantially parallel to the line joining the two wheels. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Drive axle for vehicles with independently suspended wheels This invention relates to a vehicle drive axle with independently suspended wheels, the axle comprising a differential unit, a pair of axle shafts for transmitting motion from the differential unit to the wheels, and wheel suspensions including two transverse rocker arms with which spring and damping members are associated.
An object of the present invention is to provide a drive axle of this type which is designed as a separate unit which can be preassembled completely independently, ready for subsequent fitting to the load-bearing structure of vehicles of various types, particularly vehicles used as power machines on building sites, without it being necessary to pre-arrange the special connections or fixing elements on the load-bearing structure which are necessary with conventional axles.
According to the invention the differential unit includes a load-bearing casing provided with connectors for connecting the axle to the vehicle structure; the two transverse rocker arms are hinged to the load-bearing casing of the differential unit, and the spring and damping members are interposed directly between the two transverse rocker arms.
The various axle components can be completely pre-assembled before its fitting to the load-bearing structure of the vehicle, and this fitting can be effected in a particularly simple and economical manner, for example by simple screw means associated with connectors on the load-bearing casing of the differential unit.
The spring and damping members of the two transverse rocker arms are advantageously provided by simple cylinder-piston units of hydro-pneumatic type or of the friction spring type, and extending substantially parallel to the line joining the two wheels in a position below the differential.
If the axle wheels are steerable, then according to the invention the two transverse rocker arms are fitted with connectors for the wheel steering knuckle pivots, and the axle is provided with a steering device including a pressurized fluid actuator connected to a steering lever of one of the wheels, and carried by the corresponding rocker arm of that wheel, and a steering linkage connecting that wheel to the other of the two wheels.
The axle may also comprise a pair of brake discs coupled to the two axle shafts in a position adjacent to the differential unit, and a pair of brake calipers carried by the casing of the differential unit and cooperating with the discs.
One example of a drive axle in accordance with the invention is described in detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a drive axle fitted to the load-bearing structure of a vehicle; Figure 2 is a front elevation of the axle of Fig. 1; and, Figure 3 is a plan view from below in the direction of the arrow Ill in Fig. 2.
Reference numeral 10 indicates a drive axle fitted to one end of a load-bearing structure 1 2 of a vehicle designed for use as a building site power machine, for example a lift truck, a mechanical shovel, an excavator or the like.
The axle 10 comprises a differential unit 14 of generally known type, having an input shaft 1 6 driven by the vehicle engine by way of a transmission shaft 18 directed along the longitudinal axis A of the vehicle. The differential unit 14 comprises a load-bearing casing 20 provided on its upper part with four connection lugs 20a which serve for fixing the axle 10 to the load-bearing structure 1 2 by means of a plurality of simple screw-threaded bolts 22.
Two axle shafts 24 for transmitting motion to a pair of steerable wheels 26 extend from the differential unit 14. Each wheel 26 is driven by the respective axle shaft 24 in a conventional manner by way of a universal joint 28 and a gear transmission (not shown on the drawings).
Reference numeral 30 indicates two transverse rocker arms for suspending the wheels 26. Each of the rocker arms 30 defines at its outer end a connection part 32 for the pivot 34 of the steering knuckle 36 of the respective wheel 26, and comprises at its inner end a pair of upper connection flanges 38 and a pair of lower connection flanges 40.
The two upper flanges 38 of each rocker arm 30 are hinged, about pins 42 extending parallel to the longitudinal axis A of the vehicle, to respective lateral forked connectors 44 of the load-bearing casing 20 of the differential unit 14.
The lower connection flanges 40 of the two rocker arms 30 serve instead for hinging, about respective pins 46 parallel to the pins 42, a pair of telescopic cylinder-piston units 48 disposed orthogonally to the longitudinal axis A of the vehicle and in a mutually inverted relationship. The two telescopic cylinder-piston units 48, which constitute the spring and damping members for the suspension of the wheels 26 can be of hydropneumatic type or alternatively of the friction spring type.
Reference numeral 50 indicates a hydraulic cylinder-piston unit associated with one of the two wheels 26, and constituting an actuator for the steering device of the two wheels 26.
The steering device comprises a steering lever 52 carried by the wheel 26, and a steering linkage 58 which interconnects the two wheels 26 at the rear of the differential unit 14. As is clearly visible in Figs. 1 and 2, the steering cylinder-piston unit 50 is disposed to the front of and parallel to the rocker arm 30 of the corresponding wheel 26, with its rod 50a hinged at 60 to the steering lever 52, and its cylinder 50b hinged at 62 to a forked connection bracket 64 carried by the rocker arm 30. The cylinder 50b of the steering cylinder-piston unit 50 is connected by a pair of flexible hoses 66 to a hydraulic pressure supply of conventional type installed on the vehicle.
The axle 10 is also provided with a disc brake system for the two wheels 26. This system comprises discs 68 coupled to the axle shafts 24, and with each of which there is associated a respective brake caliper 70 fixed to the casing 20 of the differential unit 14.
The two brake calipers 70 are connected by respective hoses 72 to a conventional hydraulic control device installed on the vehicle.
It is apparent from the foregoing that all the components of the axle 10 in practice are supported from the differential unit 14, of which the casing 20 constitutes the only member for connecting the axle to the loadbearing structure 1 2 of the vehicle. In this manner, the axle vehicle on which it is intended to be fitted, and its subsequent fitting to the vehicle can be effected in an extremely simple and rapid manner without the need to pre-arrange special axle connections or fixing elements on the vehicle load-bearing structure, except for simple holes for receiving the bolts 22. Moreover, the axle 10 can be used either as a front or rear axle, and thus its production can be standardised for application to a multiplicity of vehicles, even those with different operational functions.
Finally, it should be noted that although in the illustrated example the axle 10 is rigidly fixed to the load-bearing structure of the vehicle, the axle could be arranged for connection to the load-bearing structure 1 2 in such a manner as to allow its translation in a direction substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis A of the vehicle. The manner of this connection forms the subject matter of our copending GB Patent Aplication (No.
8313166)

Claims (10)

1. A drive axle for a vehicle with independently suspended wheels, the axle comprising a differential unit; a pair of axle shafts for transmitting motion from the differential unit to the wheels; and wheel suspension means including two transverse rocker arms and associated spring and damping members, the differential unit including a load-bearing casing provided with connectors for connecting the axle to a vehicle structure, the two transverse rocker arms being hinged to the load-bearing casing of the differential unit, and the spring and damping members being interposed directly between the transverse rocker arms.
2. A drive axle as claimed in claim 1, for steerable wheels, in which the transverse rocker arms are fitted with connectors for the pivots of steering knuckles for the wheels, a steering device having a pressurized fluid actuator being connected to a steering lever of one of the two wheels, and carried by the corresponding transverse rocker arm of the wheel, and a steering linkage connecting the one wheel to the other.
3. A drive axle as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising braking means including a pair of brake discs coupled to respective axle shafts in a position adjacent to the differential unit, and a pair of brake calipers carried by the casing of the differential unit and cooperating with the discs.
4. A drive axle as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the spring and damping members comprise telescopic cylinder-piston units disposed substantially parallel to the axis of the axle and in a position below the differential unit.
5. A drive axle as claimed in claim 4, in which the telescopic cylinder-piston units are of hydro-pneumatic type.
6. A drive axle as claimed in claim 4, in which the telescopic cylinder-piston units are of the friction spring type.
7. A drive axle as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the load-bearing casing of the differential unit is arranged to be rigidly fixable to a vehicle structure, by means of mechanical connection members.
8. A drive axle as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, in which the load-bearing casing of the differential unit is arranged to be connectable to the vehicle load-bearing structure in a manner translatable in a direction substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.
9. A drive axle substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
10. A vehicle fitted with a drive axle according to any of claims 1 to 9.
GB08314761A 1982-06-03 1983-05-27 Drive axle for vehicles with independently suspended wheels Withdrawn GB2124164A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT21674/82A IT1151442B (en) 1982-06-03 1982-06-03 MOTOR AXLE FOR VEHICLES WITH INDEPENDENT SUSPENSION WHEELS

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB8314761D0 GB8314761D0 (en) 1983-07-06
GB2124164A true GB2124164A (en) 1984-02-15

Family

ID=11185197

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB08314761A Withdrawn GB2124164A (en) 1982-06-03 1983-05-27 Drive axle for vehicles with independently suspended wheels

Country Status (3)

Country Link
FR (1) FR2527993A1 (en)
GB (1) GB2124164A (en)
IT (1) IT1151442B (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE4305489A1 (en) * 1993-02-23 1994-08-25 Man Nutzfahrzeuge Ag Independent wheel suspension in a motor vehicle

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2706370B1 (en) * 1993-06-18 1995-08-11 Giat Ind Sa System for connecting a wheel to a motor vehicle body.

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1010879A (en) * 1963-05-15 1965-11-24 Tatra Np Improved vehicle axle suspension system

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1010879A (en) * 1963-05-15 1965-11-24 Tatra Np Improved vehicle axle suspension system

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE4305489A1 (en) * 1993-02-23 1994-08-25 Man Nutzfahrzeuge Ag Independent wheel suspension in a motor vehicle

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2527993A1 (en) 1983-12-09
IT8221674A0 (en) 1982-06-03
GB8314761D0 (en) 1983-07-06
IT1151442B (en) 1986-12-17

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)