Suspension structure for automotive vehicles

Abstract

A vertically swingable control arm has a pivotal connection with a bracket on the vehicle frame and another connection to a bracket on the axle. One or more of these connections includes a bolt passing through aligned apertures in the bracket and control arm. The bracket apertures have a larger cross dimension than the bolt to facilitate alignment of the axle relative to the frame. The axle is initially secured in aligned relation by tightening a nut on the bolt. A plate carried by the bolt is then welded to the bracket to fix the relative alignment of the axle and frame.

I claim: 
     
       1. In a vehicle having a frame with ground-engaging wheels suspended therefrom by two arms having pivotal connections to opposite sides of the frame for substantially coaxial swinging in a vertical direction, wheel-carrying axle means having connections with said arms, and spring means in load-transmitting relation between said frame and arms, improved structure wherein at least one of said connections includes a member having an apertured portion, said arm having an apertured portion, the apertures of said portions being aligned,   pin means extending through said apertures and thereby securing said arm and member together,   at least one of said apertures having a cross dimension greater than that of said pin means therein so that said arm and member can be freely shifted relative to each other for aligning said axle means relative to said frame,   means effective to tighten said pin means relative to said arm and frame and thereby initially secure said axle means and frame in their relatively aligned position,   enlarged means movably disposed on and in bearing engagement with said pin means, said enlarged means engaging said member in tightened condition of said pin means, .Iadd.   said enlarged means having an edge portion, and means on said member positioned to engage said edge portion to maintain the predetermined alignment to said enlarged means with respect to said member, .Iaddend.   and a welded connection between said enlarged means and member effective to fix the relative alignment of said axle means and frame.   
     
     
       2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said pin means and enlarged means are relatively detachable from each other to facilitate disassembly and then reassembly of said arm and member with said axle means and frame in said fixed relative alignment. 
     
     
       3. The combination defined in claim 2 wherein said enlarged means comprises an element having an opening through which said pin means removably extends. 
     
     
       4. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said enlarged means has opposite side edge portions which extend in a generally vertical direction, said welded connection being between said side edge portions and said member. 
     
     
       5. .[.The combination defined in claim 1 wherein.]. .Iadd.In a vehicle having a frame with ground-engaging wheels suspended therefrom by two arms having pivotal connections to opposite sides of the frame for substantially coaxial swinging in a vertical direction, wheel-carrying axle means having connections with said arms, and spring means in load-transmitting relation between said frame and arms, improved structure wherein at least one of said connections includes a member having an apertured portion, said arm having an apertured portion, the apertures of said portions being aligned,   pin means extending through said apertures and thereby securing said arm and member together,   at least one of said apertures having a cross dimension greater than that of said pin means therein so that said arm and member can be freely shifted relative to each other for aligning said axle means relative to said frame,   means effective to tighten said pin means relative to said arm and frame and thereby initially secure said axle means and frame in their relatively aligned position,   enlarged means movably disposed on and in bearing engagement with said pin means, said enlarged means engaging said member in tightened condition of said pin means, .Iaddend.   said enlarged means .[.comprises.]. .Iadd.comprising .Iaddend.an element having an opening, and said pin means comprises a bolt which extends through said opening, said tightening means comprising nut means on said bolt, said element having opposite side edge portions and another portion, means on said member positioned to engage said other portion and thereby secure said side edge portions of said element in a generally vertical direction, .[.said welded connection being between said side edge portions and said member.]. .Iadd.and   a welded connection between said enlarged means at said side edge portions and said member effective to fix the relative alignment of said axle means and frame.Iaddend..   
     
     
       6. The combination defined in claim 5 wherein said other portion comprises a generally horizontally extending portion, and said means on said member comprises a generally horizontal shoulder which projects adjacent thereto. 
     
     
       7. The combination defined in claim 5 wherein said bolt has a head with a flat, said means on said member also being positioned to engage said flat and secure said bolt against rotation upon turning of said nut means. 
     
     
       8. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said pin means comprises a headless bolt, both ends of which are threaded and extend away from said member and arm, said tightening means including a nut on each end of said bolt. 
     
     
       9. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said enlarged means comprises an element having an opening through which said pin means extends, said element having a boss around said pin means which extends axially into said one aperture, said aperture having a cross dimension greater than that of said boss. 
     
     
       10. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said pin means extends generally horizontally in a direction transverse to said arm, said greater cross dimension being in a generally horizontal direction longitudinal of said arm. 
     
     
       11. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said pin means extends generally horizontally in a direction transverse to said arm, said one aperture having a cross dimension greater than that of said pin means, both in a vertical direction and in a horizontal direction longitudinal of said arm. 
     
     
       12. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said member comprises a bracket having laterally spaced sides with aligned apertures therein and defining said apertured portion thereof, said apertured portion of said arm being disposed between said bracket apertures, said enlarged means comprising two enlargements, each of which engages an outer face of one of said sides. 
     
     
       13. The combination defined in claim 12 wherein said pin means comprises a bolt and said tightening means comprises a nut thereon, means forming a head on said bolt, said bracket sides, apertured portions, and enlargements being contained between said head and nut, at least one of said enlargements being axially movable on said bolt to facilitate said tightening. 
     
     
       14. The combination defined in claim 13 wherein each of said enlargements comprises a plate with an opening through which said bolt slidably extends, said plates having generally vertical side edge portions, said welded connection being between said side edge portions of said plate and said outer faces of said bracket sides. 
     
     
       15. The combination defined in claim 14 wherein each of said plates has another portion, said bracket sides having shoulders which project outwardly of said outer faces adjacent said other portions and provide obstructions to turning of said plates when said nut is tightened and thereby secure said side edge portions in their generally vertical orientation. 
     
     
       16. The combination defined in claim 12 wherein said pin means comprises a threaded element and said tightening means comprises a nut threaded on each end of said element, said bracket sides apertured portions, and enlargements being axially movable on said element to facilitate said tightening. 
     
     
       17. The combination defined in claim 12 wherein said bracket is mounted on said frame, said pin means providing a member of said pivotal connection. 
     
     
       18. The combination defined in claim 17 wherein each of said arms has a said pivotal connection to said frame. 
     
     
       19. The combination defined in claim 12 wherein said bracket is mounted on said axle means. 
     
     
       20. The combination defined in claim 19 wherein each of said bracket sides is provided with two of said apertures spaced longitudinally of said arm, and said arm having two apertures, each of which is aligned between apertures in said sides, said pin means comprising two pins, each of which projects through a group of the aligned apertures. .Iadd. 21. In a vehicle having a frame with ground-engaging wheels suspended therefrom by two arms having pivotal connections to opposite sides of the frame for substantially coaxial swinging in a vertical direction, wheel-carrying axle means having connections with said arms, and spring means in load-transmitting relation between said frame and arms, improved structure wherein at least one of said connections includes a member having an apertured portion, said arm having an apertured portion, the apertures of said portions being aligned,   pin means extending through said apertures and thereby securing said arm and member together,   at least one of said apertures having a cross dimension greater than that of said pin means therein so that said arm and member can be freely shifted relative to each other for aligning said axle means relative to said frame,   means effective to tighten said pin means relative to said arm and frame and thereby initially secure said axle means and frame in their relatively aligned position,   enlarged means movably disposed on and in bearing engagement with said pin means, said enlarged means engaging said member in tightened condition of said pin means,   said enlarged means comprising an element having an opening through which said pin means extends, said element having a boss around said pin means which extends axially into said one aperture, said aperture having a cross dimension greater than that of said boss, and   a welded connection between said enlarged means and member effective to fix the relative alignment of said axle means and frame. .Iaddend..Iadd. 22. In a vehicle having a frame with ground-engaging wheels suspended therefrom by two arms having pivotal connections to opposite sides of the frame for substantially coaxial swinging in a vertical direction, wheel-carrying axle means having connections with said arms, and spring means in load-transmitting relation between said frame and arms, improved structure wherein   at least one of said connections includes a member having an apertured portion, said arm having an apertured portion, the apertures of said portions being aligned;   pin means extending through said apertures and thereby securing said arm and member together;   at least one of said apertures having a cross dimension greater than that of said pin means therein so that said arm and member can be freely shifted relative to each other for aligning said axle means relative to said frame;   means effective to tighten said pin means relative to said arm and frame and thereby initially secure said axle means and frame in their relatively aligned position;   enlarged means movably disposed on and in bearing engagement with said pin means, said enlarged means engaging said member in tightened condition of said pin means;   said pin means extends generally horizontally in a direction transverse to said arm, said one aperture having a cross dimension greater than that of said pin means, both in a vertical direction and in a horizontal direction longitudinal of said arm; and   a welded connection between said enlarged means and member effective to fix the relative alignment of said axle means and frame. .Iaddend..Iadd. 23. In a vehicle having a frame with ground-engaging wheels suspended therefrom by two arms having pivotal connections to opposite sides of the frame for substantially coaxial swinging in a vertical direction, wheel-carrying axle means having connections with said arms, and spring means in load-transmitting relation between said frame and arms, improved structure wherein   at least one of said connections includes a member having an apertured portion, said arm having an apertured portion, the apertures of said portions being aligned,   pin means extending through said apertures and thereby securing said arm and member together,   at least one of said apertures having a cross dimension greater than that of said pin means therein so that said arm and member can be freely shifted relative to each other for aligning said axle means relative to said frame,   means effective to tighten said pin means relative to said arm and frame and thereby initially secure said axle means and frame in their relatively aligned position,   enlarged means movably disposed on and in bearing engagement with said pin means, said enlarged means engaging said member in tightened condition of said pin means,   a welded connection between said enlarged means and member effective to fix the relative alignment of said axle means and frame,   a bracket having laterally spaced sides with aligned apertures therein and defining said apertured portion thereof, said apertured portion of said arm being disposed between said bracket apertures, said enlarged means comprising two enlargements, each of which engages an outer face of one of said sides,   the pin means comprises a bolt and said tightening means comprises a nut thereon, means forming a head on the bolt, the bracket sides, apertured portions, and enlargements being contained between the head and nut, at least one of the enlargements being axially movable on the bolt to facilitate said tightening, and   a welded connection between said enlarged means and member effective to fix the relative alignment of said axle means and frame. .Iaddend.