GB620967A - Improvements in or connected with wheel tilting mechanisms for motor vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

620,967. Movable stub axles. CORNELISSE, J. J., and CORNELISSE, C. G. Feb. 5, 1947, No. 3418. Convention date, Feb. 28, 1946. [Class 108 (ii)] In a motor vehicle in which, when it is steered to the right or left, its rear wheels 1, are tilted clockwise or anticlockwise about horizontal axes intersecting that of the rear axle, the tilting mechanism comprises, for each wheel, pressing members 7, 8 mounted above and below the tilting axis and arranged to slide in housings 9, 10 secured to the back axle 6, operating means being contained in the housings to co-operate with the pressing members and comprising cams 13, Fig. 4, fixed to a spindle 15 which rotated by the steering mechanism. A crank 16 coupled to the steering mechanism rotates the spindle 15 together with the cam 13 which, bearing on a pivoted lever 11 causes the member 7 to move out from the housing 9. The lower housing 10 contains a similar mechanism the cam of which is angularly displaced relative to the cam 13 so that when the latter forces the member 7 outwardly the tilting of the wheel 1 forces the member 8 back into the housing 10. The spindle 15 carries at its lower end a crank 18 connected by a link 19 to a corresponding crank on the opposite side of the vehicle, so that a single link from the steering gear operates simultaneously the tilting mechanism on each side of the vehicle. Each member 7 preferably contains a central pin 7a which can slide against the action of a resilient cushion 7b. The tilting axis for each wheel comprises longitudinally spaced ball joints 2. To ensure that the tilting mechanism only operates when the vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined value, its operating crank is connected by a rod 17 to a movable pivot on a bracket 20 which can swing about a horizontal axis x on the chassis. The lower end of this bracket is connected by a link 26 to the steering gear. The movable pivot comprises a nut 25 mounted on a screwed spindle 21 which can be rotated by an electric motor 23 mounted on the bracket. At normal speeds, the nut 25 is at the top of the spindle and coincides with the turning axis of the bracket 20 ; rotation of the bracket by the link 26 then causes no longitudinal movement of the link 17. When a predetermined speedis exceeded. a centrifugally operated switch (Fig. 9, not shown) causes the motor to rotate the screwed spindle, and the nut travels to the bottom of the bracket ; movement of the link 26 then operates the tilting mechanism through the link 17. To compensate for the change in effective length of the link 17 caused by movement of the nut, the part A, B of the arc of swing of the bracket 20 is arranged to have no effect on the wheel tilting mechanism. Switches 32, 34 are operable by the nut 25 at respective ends of its travel in order to switch-off the motor 23.