GB2145987A - Vehicle suspension with suspension leg having a lower threaded part - Google Patents

Abstract

The suspension leg (6) is turned about its longitudinal axis by a steering arm extending through bushed bore 14 whereupon the exteriorly threaded lower part (18) of the leg rotates in the threaded bore (26) of a support member (23) to which a suspension member is attached. To prevent wear of the threads of the lower part (18) due to such repeated rotation (which wear could necessitate replacement of the leg (6) an intermediate member (40), having both interior and exterior screw threads, is provided. The intermediate member has a hexagon head and can be locked on to the lower part (18) of the leg e.g. by a cotter pin, grubscrew, adhesive or self-locking nut. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to vehicle suspensions This invention is concerned with improvements relating to vehicle suspensions, and in particular to suspension legs for vehicle suspensions and which are of the kind (hereinafter referred to as being of the kind specified) which are adapted for use in conjunction with a support member comprising a first portion provided with means to enable it to be secured to a suspension member of the vehicle, and a second portion which is provided with an interior threaded bore, the suspension leg comprising a lower threaded part which, in use, is received in screw-threaded engagement with the bore of the support member, means by which a vehicle wheel may be mounted on the suspension leg, and means by which the suspension leg may be turned about a longitudinal axis thereof in a steering operation of the vehicle.

The suspension leg of the kind specified is utilised in the British Leyland Marina car, the suspension leg at its upper end being fitted to a top ball joint, which is itself secured to a shock absorber arm.

In a vehicle comprising a suspension of the kind described above, the weight of the vehicle is transmitted to the suspension leg of the vehicle by the support member through the screw-threaded part thereof. During use of the steering mechanism of the vehicle, the threaded part of the leg turns within the threaded bore of the support member and these parts are prone to wear.

Whilst replacement of the support member, when the screw threads of the bore thereof become worn, does not itself constitute undue difficulty, it does nonetheless constitute some expense.

However in due course the wear on the threads of the threaded portion of the suspension leg is sufficient to produce unacceptable movement between the suspension leg and the support member, and it has heretofore been found necessary to replace the suspension leg as a whole.

In the specification of our co-pending Application No. 8317567, there is described a support member for use with a suspension leg of the kind specified, said support member comprising a part provided with means to enable it to be secured to a suspension member of the vehicle, a part provided with a through bore, and a collar assembly through which the screw-threaded part of the suspension leg may extend, enabling the support member to be secured in position on said screw-threaded part by the use of a screw-threaded element (such as a nut or the like) applied to the lower portion of said screw-threaded part.

It is one of the various objects of this invention to provide an alternative system of alleviating the problems set out above.

According to this invention, there is provided, for use with a suspension leg of the kind specified, an assembly comprising: (a) an intermediate member adapted to be mounted in screw-threaded engagement on the screw-threaded part of the suspension leg; and (b) a support member adapted to be mounted in screw-threaded engagement on the intermediate member.

Thus, when it is necessary to replace the support member in a suspension of the kind described above, it may at that stage conveniently be exchanged for a support member comprising an interior threaded bore of larger diameter than that originally filled, and the intermediate member may be utilised to retain the support member in screwthreaded engagement on the suspension leg.

Conveniently the intermediate member is interiorly and exteriorly threaded, desirably of the same hand, and is preferably provided on an end portion thereof with a head to enable it readily to be tightened onto the lower part of the suspension leg.

Thus in use, the support member may be positioned over the suspension leg, with the lower end part of the latter extending through the threaded bore of the former, and the intermediate member screwed onto both simultaneously.

Alternatively, the intermediate member may be screwed onto the lower part of the suspension leg and the support member screwed onto the intermediate member.

In both cases, desirably locking means is utilised to prevent relative rotation between the intermediate member and the lower part of the suspension leg.

Preferably, an interior part of the intermediate member, particularly at that end which when the intermediate member is mounted on the suspension leg is intended to be uppermost, is unthreaded and has an internal diameter greater than the threaded portion of the intermediate member.

This invention also provides a method of modifying the suspension of a vehicle comprising a suspension leg of the kind specified, involving the removal of the existing support member and substituting therefor an assembly of the kind set out above, and further provides a vehicle comprising a suspension of the kind specified, to which there has been fitted an assembly of the kind set out above.

There will now be given a detailed description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of two embodiments of this invention which have been selected for the purposes of illustrating the invention by way of example.

The accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a schematic vertical sectional view il- lustrating the first embodiment mounted on a suspension leg of the kind specified; and Figure 2 is a view similar to that shown in Figure 1 illustrating the second embodiment of the invention.

The suspension leg illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is of the kind conventionally fitted to a British Leyland Marina car, the leg comprising a central part 6 from one side of which a spindle 8 extends, said spindle comprising a screw-threaded end portion 10. In use, a front wheel hub is mounted and secured on the spindle 8.

Extending upwardly from the central part 6 is an elongate upper part 12, which carries a bushed bore 14, through which, in use, a steering arm of the vehicle extends.

The upper end portion 16 of the suspension leg is screw-threaded, enabling it to be fitted to the top ball joint, which is itself fitted to a shock absorber arm of the vehicle.

Extending downwardly from the central part 6 is a lower, threaded part 18, which conventionally is divided into two sections, namely an upper portion 20 and a lower portion 22.

The lower part 18 of the suspension leg is adapted to be fitted to a support member 23 comprising a part 25 provided with a screw-threaded bore 26 and a part 24 which is integral with the first part and which carries means by which the support member may be secured to a suspension member of the vehicle.

The threaded bore 26 of the support member 23 shown in Figure 1 is of larger diameter than that conventionally fitted on the Marina car.

The preferred embodiment of this invention also comprises an intermediate member 38, comprising a hollow stem 40, which is both interiorly and exteriorly threaded, but whilst the exterior threading extends the full axial length of the stem, the interior threading extends only over a lower portion of the stem.

Said lower portion of the stem extends into a hexagonal head 42 provided with recesses 44.

With the support member 23 in a position relative to the suspension leg, as is shown in Figure 1, the intermediate member 38 may be screwthreaded onto and between both said parts, being initially screw-threaded into the bore 26, and then onto the lower portion of the screw-threaded part of the suspension leg.

By the use of the head 42, the intermediate member 38 may be tightened onto the screwthreaded part, into abutment with the shoulder 19 provided at the junction between the central part 6 and the threaded part 18.

The intermediate member may be locked on the screw-threaded portion 18 by a convenient locking means, such as by insertion of a cotter pin through a diametrically opposite pair of recesses 44 to prevent separative movement of the member 40 on the suspension leg; desirably a flexible boot seal is provided between the suspension leg and the intermediate member.

Thus, the suspension leg may move about its longitudinal axis relative to the support member in a steering operation of the vehicle, during which operation relative movement takes place between the screw-threaded bore 26 of the support member and the exterior threads on the stem 40 of the intermediate member.

The embodiment consisting of the support member and intermediate member illustrated in Figure 1 may be mounted on a suspension leg of the kind specified despite the fact that wear has already taken place on the upper portion of the screwthreaded part thereof.

Once the intermediate member has been mounted on the suspension leg, no significant wear takes place of the threaded portion thereof, and any relative movement which takes place during a turning operation of the vehicle, takes place between the threaded bore 26 of the support member and the exterior threads of the stem 40 of the intermediate member. Thus, replacement after extensive use will require replacement of the support member itself, and/or of the intermediate member, but not of the suspension leg.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 2 (in which similar numerals are used with a suffix a) the intermediate member 38a is mounted on the lower threaded part 18a of the suspension leg with the head 42a, and the interior unthreaded part, uppermost, enabling the intermediate member to be screwed onto the part 18a until the head 42a abuts against the shoulder 19a. In the second embodiment, the locking means may be afforded by a bore drilled through the head and into the suspension leg, into which a grub screw 48 is inserted, as is shown in Figure 2.

However, other locking means may be utilised, such as adhesive, the use of a self-locking nut, or the like.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed results, or the class or group of substances or compositions, as appropriate, may, separately or any combination of such features, be utilized for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims (13)

1. An assembly for use with a suspension leg of the kind specified, the assembly comprising an intermediate member adapted to be mounted in screw-threaded engagement on the screw-threaded part of the suspension leg, and a support member adapted to be mounted in screw-threaded engagement on the intermediate member.

2. An assembly according to Claim 1 wherein the intermediate member is interiorly and exteriorly threaded.

3. An assembly according to Claim 2 wherein the interior and exterior threads are of the same hand.

4. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the intermediate member comprises a head provided on an end portion thereof.

5. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims comprising locking means to prevent relative rotation between the intermediate member and the lower part of the suspension leg.

6. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein an interior part of the intermediate member, at that end portion of which when the intermediate member is mounted on the suspension leg is intended to be uppermost, is unthreaded and has an internal diameter greater than the threaded portion of the intermediate member.

7. A method of modifying the suspension of a vehicle comprising a suspension leg of the kind specified, involving the removal of the existing support member and substituting therefor an assembly according to any one of the preceding claims.

8. A method according to Claim 7 wherein the support member of the assembly has a screwthreaded bore of larger diameter than that for which it is substituted.

9. A method according to one of Claims 7 and 8 wherein the support member is positioned over the suspension leg with the lower part of the suspension leg extending through the threaded bore of the support member, and the intermediate member is screwed onto both simultaneously.

10. A method according to one of Claims 7 and 8 wherein the intermediate member is screwed onto the lower part of the suspension leg and the support member is screwed onto the intermediate member.

11. A vehicle comprising a suspension of the kind specified, to which there is fitted an assembly according to any one of Claims 1 to 6.

12. In or for use with a suspension leg of the kind specified, an assembly constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 or Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.

13. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein and/or shown in the accompanying drawings.