Pneumatic Engine Suspension
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A S a result of our recent article by Mr. L. A. Poole, entitled"Desert Tradition to Improve Bus Design," Gallay, Ltd., 103, Scrubs Lane, London, N.W.10. has drawn our attention to the Renaux elastic engine suspension for which it is British concessionnaire.
Designed primarily for aero 'engines, this suspension system is applicable to road-transport vehicle units, particularly the radial type as advocated by our contributor. Space does not permit a full description of the device, but, in brief, it embodies three air cushions which, in shape and construction, closely resemble pneumatic tyres. Each is snugly accommodated in a housing, which embraces its external circumference, these housings being incorporated in the chassis of the vehicle and disposed so as to form circles, as it were, in the opposite sides and the top of a cubical box.
Within each " tyre " is a rim, having no rigid connection with the housing. These rims are connectecl by a system of struts to a large' steel ring, in the plane of the front of the imaginary box. To this annulus the engine is bolted.
Because of their disposition, relative to each other and to the power unit, the last-named is securely held and all forces created by torque and imperfections of balance, etc., are resisted, without vibration or reactionary impulses being imparted to the chassis. The pneumatic insulators absorb these forces, and even should one or more of them
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become punctured, they possess sufficient intrinsic rigidity to function without inflation to a high enough degree of efficiency for emergency requirements. The arrangement will be clearly understood from the accompanying drawing.