Vehicle suspension with rigid torque beam

Abstract

A vehicle suspension of a type generally disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,801,086, especially adapted to dropframe vehicles, wherein a torque beam is formed to straddle the frame of the vehicle and be attached through a resilient bushing to the web of the frame, all of which gives a controlled spring to the vehicle as well as an accommodation for the tilting of the axle about a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

What I claim is: 
     
       1. In a vehicle suspension assembly for a vehicle having a frame: a torque beam .Iadd.having first and second ends .Iaddend.adapted to be secured to the vehicle frame at a first point; a spring also adapted to be secured to the vehicle frame at a second point spaced from the first point; a first resilient bushing having an outer sleeve adapted to be firmly secured .Iadd.directly .Iaddend.to the frame; an inner sleeve, an elastomeric sleeve between the outer and inner sleeve; a pivot extending through the inner sleeve, and initially rotatable therein; the torque beam having spaced arms at its .Iadd.first .Iaddend.end, one extending across each end of the inner sleeve, means for non-rotatably connecting the said arms to the pivot, so as to restrain rocking movement of the arms relatively to the inner sleeve; the torque beam arms extending from the first point toward the second point, and .[.converting.]. .Iadd.converging .Iaddend.to a closer relation .Iadd.at the second end.Iaddend.; means connecting the two arms to form a box-like torque beam; a buffer beam; .[.a second resilient bushing.]. .Iadd.means .Iaddend.connecting the .Iadd.second .Iaddend.end of the torque beam .[.near the second point.]. to the buffer beam .[.and another third resilient bushing connecting the two beams between the first and second points.].; the spring being attached to the buffer beam beyond the torque beam, and means to connect the buffer beam .[.between its resilient bushings.]. to an axle housing. 
     
     
       2. In the assembly of claim 1: the means for connecting the torque beam arms to the pivot comprising a noncircular end frame secured to the end of each arm adjacent the ends of the pivot, a plate on each end of the pivot complementary in shape to the non-circular end frame, means to make the plates non-rotatable with respect to the pivot. 
     
     
       3. In the assembly of claim 2: the end frame and the complementary plates being rectangular, and the pivot having eccentric means cooperative with the plates and the bushings to enable the torque beam to be displaced lengthwise relation to the bushings. 
     
     
       4. In the assembly of claim 1: the buffer beam having two laterally spaced arms, one on each side of the coverged arms of the torque beam.[., the resilient bushings connecting the two beams having outer sleeve secured across and to the two arms of the torque beam and pivots inside the sleeve.].. .[.5. In the assembly of claim 4: each of the second and third bushings connecting the two beams having an elastomeric insert between the outer sleeve and its pivot..]. .[.6. In the assembly of claim 4: three bushing pivots being bolts whereby the torque resistance can be adjusted and set..]. .[.7. In the assembly of claim 1: a shock absorber connected 
     
     
        to the buffer beam beyond the second bushing..]. 8. In a vehicle suspension for a vehicle having .Iadd.an axle and .Iaddend.a frame .Iadd.with a wide portion and a narrow portion wherein the wide portion is between the axle and the narrow portion.Iaddend.; a torque beam adapted to be attached to the vehicle frame at a first point, the end of the torque beam being bifurcated to enable it to receive .Iadd.the wide portion of .Iaddend.the frame between its bifurcations .[.at said first point.]., means to connect the torque beam to the .Iadd.wide portion of the .Iaddend.frame between the bifurcations; a bolster beam adapted to be connected to the vehicle axle, means to connect the bolster beam to the frame at a second point on the frame spaced from said first point, the bolster beam comprising two spaced side members secured firmly together in spaced relationship; the torque beam inward of the bifurcated end being narrowed and received between the said side members of the bolster beam, and means .[.attached.]. .Iadd.attaching .Iaddend.the bolster and torque 
     
     
        beam together. .Iadd.9.  In a vehicle having a frame including a longitudinal side rail which has vertically spaced generally longitudinally extending sections and a drop section connected between and joining the vertically spaced sections, the side rail including the drop section having generally a vertical web and a flange extending transverse to the web, the flange on the drop section being positioned between the web and the axle, a suspension having beam means connected to an axle, spring means connected between the beam means and the frame, a mounting assembly for pivotally supporting the suspension directly from the web at the drop section comprising a first hollow sleeve, means to rigidly connect the first hollow sleeve directly to the web at the drop section in transverse orientation relative thereto, a hollow elastomeric member within the hollow sleeve having transverse ends, a cylindrical member within the hollow elastomeric member, the cylindrical member having transverse ends and being at least as long as the hollow elastomeric member to expose its ends without interference from the elastomeric member, the cylindrical member also being long enough to locate its ends transversely beyond the flange, a pair of longitudinally extending, transversely spaced arms supported from the beam means and straddling the flange, and means to join the respective arms directly to the respective end of the cylindrical member for unitary movement with the cylindrical member, the spring means being spaced from the cylindrical member. 
     
     
        .Iaddend. .Iadd.10.  The combination of claim 9 wherein the side rail comprises an I beam including the generally vertical web and a top flange, the transverse flange comprising a bottom flange on the I beam, the means to connect the first hollow sleeve to the drop section comprising a hole in the web for receiving the first hollow sleeve, and a weld connection between the web and the first hollow sleeve, the space between the arms being greater than the width of the bottom flange. .Iaddend. .Iadd.11. The combination of claim 10 including a first reinforcing member welded to the beam and extending between the top and bottom flanges in spaced relation to a first side of the web, a hole in the first reinforcing member for receiving the first hollow sleeve, the first reinforcing member and the 
     
     
        first hollow sleeve being welded together. .Iaddend. .Iadd.12.  The combination of claim 11 including a second reinforcing member welded to the beam and extending between the top and bottom flanges in spaced relation to a second side of the web, a hole in the second reinforcing member for receiving the first hollow sleeve, the second reinforcing member and the first hollow sleeve being welded together. .Iaddend. .Iadd.13. The combination of claim 9 wherein the cylindrical member comprises a second hollow sleeve, a bolt journalled in the arms, the bolt having an eccentric shank located within the second hollow sleeve, the means to join the respective arms to the respective ends of the cylindrical member comprising a head on one end of the bolt adapted to apply pressure against one arm to bind the one arm against one end of the second hollow sleeve, and a nut threaded onto the other end of the bolt to apply pressure against the other arm to bind the other arm against the other end of the second hollow sleeve, the bolt when the nut is loosened being rotatable within the arms to revolve the eccentric within the second 
     
     
        hollow sleeve. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14.  In a vehicle having a frame including a longitudinal side rail, a suspension having beam means having a first end defined by transversely spaced arms, means spaced from the first end for connecting the beam means to an axle of the vehicle, spring means spaced from the first end and connected between the beam means and the frame, a mounting assembly for pivotally supporting the suspension directly from the side rail to thereby obviate use of a hanger comprising a bushing having an outer sleeve, an inner sleeve, and an elastomeric member therebetween, means to rigidly connect the outer sleeve directly to the side rail, and means to join the inner sleeve at the ends thereof to the respective arms of the first end of the beam means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.15. The combination of claim 14 wherein the axle is between the first end and the spring means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. The combination of claim 14 wherein the means to join the inner sleeve to the arms comprising means to clamp the arms to the ends of the inner sleeve. .Iaddend. 
     
     
        .Iadd.  .  The combination of claim 16 wherein the means to clamp comprises a bolt having a head on one end for bearing against one arm and a nut threadable onto the other end of the bolt for bearing against the other arm. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18. The combination of claim 14 including a hole through the side rail for receiving the outer sleeve, the means to connect the outer sleeve to the rail comprising a weld between the rail and the outer sleeve. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19. The combination of claim 14 including an intermediate sleeve between the outer sleeve and the elastomeric member, the outer sleeve and the intermediate sleeve being welded together. .Iaddend.