GB265084A - An improved wheel suspension for motor vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

265,084. Fornaca, G. Sept. 1, 1926. Springs, arrangement of.-In a suspension for steering or combined steering and driving wheels, the steering pin of each wheel swivel rotates and slides axially in a cylinder pivoted to a rigid framework comprising a mud-guard bracket and transverse support for the lamps, the swivel being connected by a ball joint to an inextensible arm on the chassis. The suspension spring may con. stitute the inextensible arm, or the arm may be a rigid rod pivoted to the chassis, in which case a helical spring enclosed in the cylinder serves as the suspension spring. The application to driven steering-wheels is shown. The stub-axle 6 is carried by a casing 7 which encloses the universal joint of the driving shaft 2 and carries the steering pin 8. The, casing 7 is ball-jointed at 9 to a transverse spring 18 secured to the frame 19, the leaves of the spring tapering in width from the frame to the wheel. The pin 8 carries a plunger 10 which slides and rotates in a cylinder 11 pivoted at 12 to the mudguard bracket 13 and lamp support 14. The plunger 10 divides the cylinder into two chambers 11<1>, 11<2> connected by apertures 17 and a passage 16 in the pin 8. The cylinder contains air and liquid, and, owing to the effective cross-sectional area of the chamber 11<2> being smaller than that of 11<1>, the air above the liquid is compressed when the pin slides into the cylinder. In a modification, the spring 18 is replaced by a rigid V-shaped member pivoted at the ends of its arms to the chassis, and a helical spring is mounted in the upper part of the cylinder which carries a rod and plunger sliding in a second cylindrical member which constitutes the steering pin and forms the dashpot chambers.