US770726A - Running-gear. - Google Patents

Description

No. 770,726. V PATENTED SEPT. 20, 1904.

A. F. MADDEN. RUNNING GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 12- 1904.

N0 MODEL. E

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ticularly for "self-propelled vehicles, though 3 ll NITED STATES Patented September 20, 1904.

PATENT 'OEEICE.

ALBERT F. MADDEN, OF NEWARK, NEW J ERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO VEHICLE EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF NEW YORK.

YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW RUNNING-GEAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 770,726, dated September 20, 1904 Application filed Ianuary 12, 1904. Serial No. 188,683. (No model.)

-T0 at whom it may concern:

'ingis a specification, reference being had to the drawings accompanying and forming part of the same.

My invention relates to running-gears, parit will also be found of value for vehicles of other types. I

The object of the invention is to provide a strong simple construction which will permit free vertical movement of the wheels and body relative to each other, but at the same time prevent, with as little friction and strain on the parts as possible, relative movement or displacement in any other direction. For this I purpose I employ, in connection with the body of the vehicle, the axle, and the intermediate resilient devices, a pedestal or guide or a plurality thereof to prevent longitudinal movement of the axle relative to the body and provide devices cooperating with the pedestal or guide to prevent lateral or transverse movement. These latter devices may also be so constructed as to permit vertical motion of the ends of the axle independently of each othersuch, for example, as would be caused by greater weight on one side of the vehicle than on the other or greater unevenness on one side of the roadway than on the other.

In my copending application, filed of even date herewith, Serial No. 188,682, I have shown a construction of the character described above which will permit a limited movement of the axle ends relativev to each other without undue friction and strain on the operative parts. The invention which forms the subject of my present application, however, is in some respects'simpler than that disclosed in my copending application just mentioned and will also permit greater movement of the axle ends relative to each other. A

convenient embodiment of the same is shown in the accompanying drawlngs, 1n wh1ch Figure 1 is an end elevation; Fig. 2, a detail view, partly in section; and Fig. 3, a section on line III III of Fig. 1. I

The body of the vehicle is indicated by 1. At substantially the center of the same viewed from the front or rear is arranged a pedestal, preferably consisting of a pair of parallel guides or rails 2 3, secured to the body in any convenient manner. Extending transversely through the pedestal between the guides or rails is the axle 4, preferably provided at its center with a suitable enlargement 5. On

1 each side of the axle between the same and the adjacent guide or rail is a shoe, as 6 7, each having a stud, as 8 9, journaled in an opening'inthe enlarged part of the axle. The shoes have flanges, as shown, engaging the guides on opposite sides thereof. Between the shoes and the guides or rails I prefer to place a'plurality of rollers 10 for the purpose of reducing the friction on the moving parts. The body of the vehicle is yieldingly supported by the axle through the instrumentality of resilient devices, such as the leafsprings 11 12. At the ends of the axle are additional pedestals composed of guides or rails 13 14, between which the axle extends. A strut or brace connects the lower ends of all the pedestals; as clearly shown in the drawings, whereby the whole forms avery strong and rigid construction. I prefer to enlarge the axle at the ends, as indicated at 15 16, Fig. 1, to furnish a larger bearing-surface in engagement with the guides of the end pedestals. In the construction illustrated the axle is provided at each end with a bracket carrying a horizontally-swinging spindle of the well-known form to permit steering of the vehicle, and the enlargement mentioned may be the Web of the bracket itself or independent of the same or may perform the function of a brace to give additional strength to the bracket.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the body and axle are free to move vertically toward or away from each other, but that displacement of the axle longitudinally of the vehicle will be prevented by the pedestals and that transverse displacement of the axle will be prevented by the flanges of the shoes 6 7, which engage the guides or rails of the central pedestal. At the same time the angular position of the shoes relative to the axle may be varied by reason of the pivoted con- 'nection between the two, so that the ends of ole-body yieldingly supported thereby, of a pedestal constituting a guide for the axle, carried by the body midway of the axle, means engaging the guide to prevent transverse displacement of the axle relative tothe body, pivotal connection between the axle and said means to permit vertical movement of the axle ends independently of each other, and a pedestal at each end of the axle forming guides or rails therefor, as set forth.

2. The combination with an axle having a central enlargement, and avehiclebody yieldingly supported by the axle,of a pedestal carried by the body, having guides or rails on opposite sides of the central enlargement of the axle, shoes between the enlargement and the guides'or rails, having studs journaled in said enlargement, means to prevent transverse displacement of the axle relative to the body, and pedestals at the ends of the axle constituting guides or rails therefor, asset forth.

3. The combination with an=axle and a vehicle-body yieldingly supported thereby, of a pedestal carried by the body, having guides or rails on opposite sides of a central enlargement of the axle, means engaging the guides or rails to prevent transverse displacement of the axle relative to the body, pivotal connections between the enlargement of the axle and said means to permit vertical movement of the axle ends independently of each other, and antifriction-rollers between said guides and said means, as set forth.

4:. The combination of an axle having enlargements at its center andends, a vehiclebody yieldingly supported by said axle, a pedestal or guide carried by the body having guides or rails on opposite sides of the central enlargement of the axle, shoes intermediate the central enlargement of the axle and the guides or rails, said shoes being pivoted in the enlargement, antifriction-rollers carried by the shoes and bearing on the guides or rails, and pedestals carried by the body having guides or rails onopposite sides of the enlargements of the ends of the axle, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The combination with an axle and a vehicle-body yieldingly supported thereby, of a pedestal constituting a guide for the axle, carried by the body midway of the axle, means carried by the axle and engaging the guide to prevent transverse displacement of the axle relative to the body, and pedestals at the ends of the axle forming guides or rails therefor to prevent longitudinal movement of the axle relative to the body, as set forth.

6. The combination with an axle and a vehicle-body yieldingly supported thereby, of a pedestal constituting a: guide for the axle carried by the body midway of the axle, means carried by the axle and engaging the guide to prevent transverse displacement of the axle relative to the body, pedestals at the ends of the axle forming: guides or rails therefor to prevent longitudinal movement of the axle relative to the body, and a strut or brace connecting all of the pedestals, as set forth;

ALBERT F. MADDEN. Witnesses:

M. LAWSON DYER, S. S. DUNHAM.

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