Suspension by Rubber
Page 82
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A SUSPENSION system employing Art rubber as the resilient medium is described in patent No. 828,637. The rubber is in torsion under light load, but this changes into compression progressively as the load rises and
increases the stiffness of the suspension. (Metalastik, Ltd., Evington Valley Road, Leicester.)
A plan view of a single rear axle. is shown in the drawing. The axle is attached to a pair of beams (1) which are pivoted on the chassis frame at their ends (2). Rubber bushes are used at these points and in the joints of a Panhard
rod (3). •
The rear ends of the beams terminate in the centre-pins of rubber-busk assemblies (4)." Similar units (5) are mounted on a frame member. The outer metal sleeves of the bushes are joined, by cross-bars (6) at top and bottom, so that axle deflections load the bushes torsionally.
The bushes can be pre-stressed by diagonal turnbuckles (7) for adjustment. Heavy loads tend to pull . the bush assemblies eccentrically and are, therefore, resisted by compression.
REMOTE SPRINGING
AN independent suspension system in which the wheel deflection forces are transmitted hydraulically to a spring mounted at a remote point, is the subject of patent No. 828,606. (Moulton Developments, Ltd., The Hall, Bradfordon-Avon, Wilts.) The drawing shows the invention applied to a swinging link type suspension. T h e hydraulic unit comprises a sleeve (1) made of rubberized .cord which is flexible but not extensible. When the inner volume is varied by the application of load, the sleeve can m ove between the limits of full extension and collapse up to the buffer stops (2).
The unit is filled with oil or water and the load is transmitted through the pipe (3) to a hydro-pneumatic spring, not shown.
The device is claimed to hold its concentricity so well that only one swinging )ink (4) is needed. Another scheme, shown in an accompanying patent numbered 828,607, employs a double-wishbone link which relieves the hydraulic unit of its location duties. References-are made to earlier patents numbered 793,772, 810,191 and 813,259.
FRICTION PAD REPLACEMENT
DATENT No. 828,961 shows a disc
brake which is relatively easy to manufacture and assemble whilst permitting simple friction pad replacement. (Girling, Ltd., Kings Road, TyseIey, Birmingham, 11.) The drawing shows the disc and the caliper unit which contains the hydraulic cylinders and friction pads. The subject of the patent is the open-topped caliper assembly allowing new friction pads to be inserted from above without dismantling.
Each segmental pad (1) is bonded to a backing plate (2) and engages a part' circular abutment (3) for location. Afteir the pad units have been slid into position, they are held there by a pin placed through the holes (4).
REVERSIBLE P.T.-0.
AFIVE-SPEED gearbox in which the reverse shaft is extended outside the casing to form a two-directional power take-off, in addition to its normal func
tion, is described in patent No. 829,124. (David Brown Industries, Ltd., Park Gate Works, Lockwood, Huddersfield.)
The input shaft carries a primary pinion (1) in constant mesh with a lay,. shaft gear (2). The laysbaft carries.four gears which return the drive to four others running freely on the main shaft. Any one of these can be clutched to the output shaft (3) providing four ratios in addition to direct drive.
The layshaft drives, through 'gear 4, the reverse shaft (5) carrying a normal reverse pinion (6) which meshes direct with the clutchable gear (7). This arrangement is not shown in the drawing because the reverse shaft has been displaced for clarity.
The reverse shaft forms the power take-off at its splined end (8). A clutch (9) can couple either the gear 10 or gear 11. The latter gear runs in the opposite direction because it meshes directly with the gear 12. Thus, the power take-off can run in either direction.
SPACE-SAVING AIR SUSPENSION
AN air suspension system which employs the beams locating a rigid axle as surge tanks is shown in patent No. 828,498. (Daimler-Benz A.G., Stuttgart-Undertiirkheiin, Germany.) The drawing shows the system applied to the rear axle of a bus. The air springs are bellows (1) to which compressed air is admitted by a levelling valve, not shown.
The beam (2) connecting the springs to the axle is hollow and hermetically sealed. This enables it to be used also as an air reservoir to which the two bellows are connected.
ENGINE TESTER
EQUIPMENT for obtaining indicator J-4 diagrams from internal combustion engines is shown in patent No. 829,126 by General Motors Corp., Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A. The device plots a pressure-stroke curve.