US690849A - Motor-vehicle. - Google Patents

Description

No. 690,849. Patented 1an. 7,1902.v

A. B. FOWLER.

MUTOR VEHICLE.

(Application led Feb. 23, 1901;) (no Model.)

me Noms persas ou. momumn., wAsummN. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED B. FOWLER, OF CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND.

M OTOR-VEHICLE.'l

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 690,849, dated January 7, 1902.

Application filed February Z3, 1901. Serial No. l8,498. (No model.) y u To wllzvwm. t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED B. FowLER, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Cenf 'tral Falls, in the count-y of Providence and yState of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motor-Ve hicles; and I do hereby declare the following f Vto'be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art-io which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to motor-vehicles, and more particularly to a motor suspension device for the same.

The object of the present invention is to provide a motor suspension device so constructed 'and arranged that the motor and conv nections supported thereon shall move as one 1 body and the alinement of the different parts shall; not be disturbed, no matter what the quality of the road or the speed of the vehicle.

In motor-vehicles as first constructed the motor and its connections were mounted div-rectly upon the running-gear without springs.

'If-his construction, however, was soon abandoned, and at the present time the usual prac'- ticle is to mount these parts upon the vehiclebody itself or upon a spring-supported fra-me.

"ff'Both of these methods are objectionable, for

fthe relative movements of the vehicle body or frame and of the running-gear constantly throw the driving-shaft and the driven axle lout of alinement, making someform of flexible connection necessary. Where the separate frame has been rotatably mounted at its rear end upon the driven axle and the forward end connected to the body of the vehicle, vso that it is supported by the forward vehicle-springs or is connected to the front axle and has independent springs, the drivingshaft and driven axle will be held in approximately proper alinement. The other bearings, however, willv be thrown out of line by any twisting or warping of. the frame caused by one wheel passing over an obstacle.

In Figure/i of the accompanying drawings is shown, diagrammatically, the effect in such a method of suspension if one front wheel -end of theframe, which will permit ,relative passes over an obstacle six inches in height. I If c, d, and represent points upon the vehicle-body upon which the front end of the sus- ,movements into their vertical and horizontal components it willbe Xseen that the point c has moved vertically through a distance represented by czc' and horizontally through c c2, cl has moved vertically through d2 d and horizon tally through d d2, and e vertically through e2 e' and horizontally through e e2. While the horizontal components of these three movements are necessarily all the same, it is evident that the vertical components will and must vary. The same is true if one rear wheel be raised, as similar relative movements-are produced. Hence in a four-point suspension device the passing of one wheel over an obstacle will cause a twisting or warp- `ing of such a frame, one corner being lifted more than the other, while at the same time one entire end of such a frame will be moved horizontally through a considerable distance.

ing and racking movements,and the lvarious parts supported on such a frame will be constantly thrown into and out of alinement. In my improved motor suspension device I have overcome these objectionable features;

and my invention, broadly speaking, consists in providing a single pivotal support fo'r'one longitudinal tipping of the frame and ot' the body or axle of the vehicle, and in also providing means whereby one end ofthe frame may move horizontally relative to the body or axle.

In the illustrated embodiment ofmy invention, Fig. 1 is a top plan view ofthe running-gear of a motor-vehicle provided with my improved suspension device, Fig. 2 showing the same in side elevation. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view, partlyin section, of the bracket y and bearing for the forward end of my suspension device. Fig. 4, as already explained, is a diagrammatic view showing the eect of a forward wheel passing over an obstacle.

In the drawings, 1 represents the runninggear of a motor-vehicle supported upon the axles 2 and 3 by the springs 4: and 5. 6 represents the motor suspension-frame, which is rotatably mounted upon the rear axles 2 by means of the T connections 7. Longitudinal movement of the axle is prevented by means of the collars 8, provided with the set-screws 9. A brace or strut 10 connects the side bars Vof the frame near their rear end. At their forward end they are connected by the piece 1l, which is provided at its middle with the stud 12, carrying the antifriction-roll13. Secured to the running-gear at the forward end is the bracket 14, provided with the bosses 15, in which are the bearings 16. Mounted in these bearings and arranged to have vertical movement therein are the rods 17, which are provided at their lower ends with a horizontal bearing 18. A compression-spring 19, engaging at one end the top of the boss 15 and at the other the collar 20, pinned to the upper end of the rod 17, permits vertical movement of the bearings 18 to prevent sudden shock when the vehicle passes over some obstacle. The supporting-piece 21 is provided with a slot 22, in which moves the antitriction-roll 13 on the stud 12. Trunnions 23, mounted in the bearings 1 8, permit movement of this supporting-piece about a horizontal axis as the springs are compressed and eX- panded. It is to permit this relative vertical movement of the bracket and the supportingpiece that the frame is rotatably supported upon the driven axle.

When one front wheel of the motor-vehicle runs over some obstruction, the springs 19 first take up the sudden shock, allowing a relative vertical movement ot' the bracket and the slotted support 21, which support turns slightly in the bearing 18 to compensate for the angular movement about the rear axle 2. At the same time the inclination of the front axle and, to a smaller extent owing to the vehicle-springs, of the forward part the running-gear and the bracket 14, supported thereby, has no tendency to twist the suspensionframe 6, as this is pivotally supported by the rolls 13 on the stud 12. The horizontal movement, however, represented in the diagram by the distance c c2, effects a relative horizontal movement of the stud 12 and the slotted support 21. It will thus be seen that the horizontal movement as well as the varying vertical movements are provided for and that the frame 6 will be supported without twisting or strain and that the motor and its connections mounted therefrom will remain in perfect alinement with each other and with the driven axle.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A motor suspension device for motorvehicles, having, in combination, a motorsupporting frame mounted at one end upon the drivingaxle of the vehicle, and a support for the other end of the frame constructed and arranged to permit relative lateral horizontal movement of the end of the frame and the support, and longitudinal tipping movement of the Vframe in a plane substantially at right angles to the driving-axle, substantially as described.

2y A motor suspension device for motorvehicles, having, in combination, a motorsupporting frame mounted at one end upon the driving-axle of the vehicle, and a support for the other end of the frame constructed and arranged to permit relative lateral horizontal movement of the eiid of the frame and the support, and lateral and longitudinal tipping movements ot' the frame and the other axle of the vehicle, substantially as described.

3. A motor suspension device for motorvehicles, having, in combination, a motorsupporting frame mounted at one end upon one axle of the motor-vehicle and a support for the other end of said frame arranged to tip in a plane substantially at right angles to said axle, substantially as described.

t. A motor suspension device for motorvebicles, having, in combination, a motorsupporting frame mounted at one end upon the driving-axle of the vehicle, a stud mounted upon the other end of the said frame, a support for the stud arranged to permit relative, laterally tipping movements of said frame and the support, and bearings arranged to permit the support to tip in a plane substantially at right angles to the drivingaxle of the vehicle, substantially as described.

5. A motor suspension device for motorvehicles, having, in combination, a motorsupporting frame rotatably mounted at one end upon the driving-axle of the vehicle, a stud mounted on the other end of said frame, a roll on said stud, and a slotted support for said roll, substantially as described.

6. A motor suspension device for motorvehicles, having, in combination, a motorsupporting frame rotatably mounted at one end upon the driving-axle of the vehicle, a stud mounted on the other end of said frame, a roll on said stud, and a tipping slotted support for said roll, substantially as described.

7. A motor suspension device for motorvehicles, having, in combination, a motorsupporting frame rotatably mounted at one end upon the driving-axle of the vehicle, a stud mounted on the other end of said frame, a roll on said stud, a tipping slotted support for said roll, and spring-sustained bearings for said support, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED B. FOWLER.

Witnesses:

HENRY B. METGALF, EDW. B. THORNTON.

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