US1866637A - Road vehicle - Google Patents

Description

July 12, 1932. R. B. FAGEOL I ROAD VEHICLE Filed July 17. 1922 7 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

g ROLL/E 5'. 1776201 @Jmw - ATTORNEYS.

WITNESS.

R. B. FA GE ROAD VEHICLE Filed July 17. 1922 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 I -lii;

IN VEN TOR.

ROLL/E a, FJGiOL Maw /@ A TTORNEYS.

iilillll R- 3- FAGEOL ROAD VEHICLE Filed July 17. 1922 7 ShGG tS- Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

) ROLL/E ELI'HGZ'OL,

' ATTORNEYS.

Y July 12, 1932.

R. FAGEOL ROAD VEHICLE Filed July 17. 1922 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Q rill/14911114 ,ll/Il/l/ 1/11/1111 IN V EN TOR.

ROLL/E E. FIGEOL. 7 BY an 4;, ATTORNEYS. I

R. B. FAGEOL July 12, 1932.

ROAD VEHICLE Filed July 17. 1922 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. EOLZ/L B. f AGEOL 4;. ATTORNEYS.

WITNESS.

July 12, 1932. B; FAGEOL 6 1,866,637

ROAD VEHICLE 7 Filed July 17. 1922 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR. ROLL/E E. MGEOL.

WW WITNESS. I ATTORNEYS.

July 12, 1932. R. B. FAGEOL 1,856,637

iiOAD VEHICLE Filed July 17. 1922 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 M R W W W m? Q N WMN/ Q HQ.

W e wv Z Q n w c I a?? m u WI.

WIT/V555.-

' reamed July 12.1932 y UNITED mu RPATENT OFFICE noun: 3. reason, oroaxmma, carnoama MAD VEHICLE Application fled July 17,

vide means for simultaneously and oppositely swinging the driving axles'to cause the wheels I thereon to make a turn without dragging.

Another object of-the invention is to provide an improved form of spring suspension which provides easy riding qualities.

The invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which, with the foreoing, will beset forth at length in the folowin description, where I shhll outline in full, t at form of the invention which I have selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming art of the presentspecification. In said rawings I have shown one embodiment of my invention, but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to such form, since the invention, as set forth in the claims, may be embodied in a plurality of forms.

Referring to said drawings Figure 1 is an elevation of a truck embodying my invention. 0 0

Fig.2 is a plan view of the truck shown in Fig. 1. a Fig. 3 is a plan view, on a larger scale,'of

the rear end of the truck.

Fig. 3. r

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5, Fig. 3.

Fig.6 is a section taken on theline'6-6, Fig.3. v

Fig. 7 is a section taken on' the line 7-7, Fig. 4. Y

Fig. 8 isa. section taken on the line 8-8, Fig. 7. r to Fig. 9 is an elevation of the front end of of the rearwheels throng angle with res ct to the frame of'the ve- Fig. 4 is a sectiontaken onthe line 4-4,

lower leaf springs 21-22 are clampe 1m. Serial 80. 515,500.

the truck, parts of the structure being omitted to disclose the construction.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the front end of the truck chassis, showing the steering mechanism. a

Fig. 11 is a section taken on the 11-11,

Fi 12 is a diagrammatic representation showmgthe relative positions and paths of travel of the wheels on making a turn. an

In the drawings I have shown the invention embodied in an eight wheeltruck having two axles at the front, on which are arranged, two pairs of. steering wheels and having two drivin axles at the rear on which are ,arll rangef two pairs of driving wheels. While the invention is particularly applicable to a truck of this character, it is to be understood that it is not limited to such ap lication, sinceit may be embodied in a true having one pair of front wheels. It has been roposed heretofore, to connect the rear, or ri ing wheels of a truck with the front or steering wheels, so that on making a turn, the rear wheels will follow in the path of the front [5 wheels, or in other words, so that all of the wheels will track. This re uires the turning a considerable hicle. I have ound that perfectly satisfactory results can be obtained by turning the rear wheels only suificiently to eliminate the drag on turning. This I accomplish byarranging the steering mechanism, so that the vehlcle turns about a center lying in a line' perpendicular to the frameof the vehicle at a oint midway between the two driving ax es, as shown in Fig. 12.

The truck comprises a suitable frame 15 upon which is mounted the propelling engine or motor. At its front end, the frame is rovided with a transverse shaft 16 disposefbelow the frame and suitably supported in brackets 17- secured to and depending from the frame. The front springs are journalled 06 at their centers on said shaft and are free to oscillate in a vertical plane about said shaft. Journalled on the shaft on each side of the frame, is a block 18, to which the u'gper and attheir m centers, by the U.-bo1ts 23. The springs are attached at their ends, to brackets 20, secured to the axles 24-25 by ball or universal joints, the upper spring 21 being attached to the brackets above the axles- 2425 and the the axes of the spindles lie in the same hori zontal plane as the axis of the shaft 16, thereby permitting the spring and axle. assembly to rock freely on the shaft, without causing any fore and aft rocking of the assembly. v

The front wheels 27 are interconnected by steering mechanism controlledor actuated by the hand wheel 28. The hand wheel is connected throu h the usual steering column mechanism with the lever 29. J ournalled on a bracket secured to the frame and disposed above the shaft 16,- is a lever 31, which stands vertical when the vehicle is travelling a straight path, and the fulcrum of which is disposed in the vertical plane of the axis of the shaft 16. The upper end of the lever 31, is connected to the lever 29 by the drag link 32 and the lower end of the lever 31 is connected to the steering arm 33 of the front wheel 27 by the drag link 34. The axis of the connection between t e lever 31 and the drag link'34 is concentri with the axis of the shaft 16, so that the ro ing of the spring and axle assembly about the shaft 16, will not cause deflection of the steering wheels. The steering arm 33'is provided with an integral extension 35 to which a reach rod 36 is connected, the other end of the reach rod being connected to the steering arm 37 of the front wheel 27". The steering arm 33 is provided with another extension, at the free end thereof, which is connected by the drag link 38, with the steering.

arm 39 of the wheel 27 and this steering arm is connected to the steering arm 41 of the wheel 27 by the reach rod 42. In so far as the structure heretofore described, is concerned, the steering column might be arranged so that the mechanism therein-was directly connected to the lever 31, thus eliminating the use of lever 29 and link 32, but the construction shown is preferable, when means are employed for steering the rear or driving wheels of the truck.

The truck is driven by the four driving wheels 42 42"42-42 secured to drive axles disposed within the axle housings 43-44. Disposed midway between the axle housings and supported-on brackets 45 depending from the truck frame, is a transverse shaft 46 on which the driving truck is journalled. Each axle housing is provided,

adjacent each end, with a spherical or zone shaped bearing element 47, on which is 0111"- nalled a spring hanger 48 havinfila com lementally shaped seat, so that the anger as a universal motion with respect to the housing. The h'angers, depend from the housings, and carry the ends of the rear leaf springs 49,t here being one spring on each side of the truck and each spring connecting the two hangers on the one side of the truck. Secured to the center of each spring, midway between the axle housings, is a journal box 51, rotatably mounted on the transverse shaft 46. The load on the rear wheels is thus hung from theaxle housings in such manner that the frame may swing with respect to the axle housings. The spring hangers 48 and the springs, are constructed, so that with a normal load on the truck, the axes of the drive axles and the transverse shaft lie in the same horizontal plane, thus permitting the axle and spring -assembly to rock freely on the transverse shaft without subjecting the assembly to a fore and aft motion. Either axle may be elevated or depressed, due to irregularities in the road, without subjecting the whole assembly to bodily motion, as occurs when the transverse shaft is disposedin a plane above the axes of the axles.

The rear axle housings are normally parallel to each other and perpendicular to the frame of the truck, but due to the swivelled connection between the ends of the springs and the axle housings, the axles may be moved so that they lie at acute angles to the frame,

thus turning the rear wheels slightly. Meansare provided for varying the angular relation of the axle housings to the frame and this means is preferably connected to the front wheel steering mechanism, so that the rear axles are turned simultaneously with the front wheels. The rear axles are turned oppositely, that is, when one rear axle turns in a clockwise direction, the other turns in a counter-clockwise direction.

Slidably mounted on the transverse shaft 46, is a sleeve 53 which'is provided with end flanges 54. Fulcrumed on the vehicle frame is a bell crank lever 55, which is connected atone end to the sleeve 53 and at the other end to the front wheel steering gear, by a rod 56, connected'in the present construction, to

the lever 29. The leverage of the connection between the steering gear and the rear axles, is such that the rear wheels are turned through a lesser angle than the front wheels.

Journalled on the sleeve 53 are four collars 616263-64, the collars being arranged in contact and between the end-1 flanges 54, so that they are not movable longitudinally with respect to the sleeve. Each collar is provided with an car 60 having'a bolt hole therethrough, which stands vertically when the truckis normally loaded; The

axes of the bolt holes in collars '61 and 62 lie in a vertical plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the truck and the axes of the bolt holes in the collars 63 and 6! lie in a vertical plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the truck and spaced from the plane of the other bolt holes. The collars are connected P to the axle housings on opposite sides of the centers thereof, "by longitudinally rigid links which serve as toggles-to move adjacent ends of the two axle ousings in op ite directions. as the sleeve 53 is moved ongitudinally and thus vary the angle of the axle housings with respect to the longitudinal axis of the truck. One side of the axle hous-, ing 43 is connected to the collar 63--by the torque rod or link- 65 which is provided on its ends with clevises which are connectedrespectively tothe collar 63 and the axle hous ing 43 by vertically disposed pivots, The

- link is formed in two parts, rotatable, but not movable longitudinally with respect to each other. The rotational movement permits the axle to assume varying inclinations in the vertical plane, with respectto the frame of the truck. The clevis 67 rotatably receives the rod, which is provided on opposite sides of its bearing in the clevis, with nuts 68, which prevent it from moving longitudinally in the clevis. The link 65 is therefore rigid longitudinally, permitting it to act as a torque rod and tovary the inclination of the axle housing with respect to the longitudinal axis of the'vehicle.

The other end of the axle housing 43 is connected t the collar 62 by a radius rod 69, which i connected to the collar and to the axle ho ing iii the .same manner as the torque ro 65 and is of the same construction as the torque rod, with the exception that it is provided intermediate its ends, with a horizontal hinge 71 which permits the rod to buckle slightly as the axle housing assumes varying angular positions in the vertical plane. By providing the hinge joint in one of the rods connected to the axle housing, the axle housing 'isfreeto assume varying angular positions in the vertical lane, due to road irregularities, regardless o .ihe angular position of the houslng in the horizontal plane. a

The axle housing44 is similarly connected to the collars'fil and 64 respectively, by the torque rod 72 and the radius rod 7 3, these rods being disposed oppositely to their arrangement in respect to axle housing 43. This places a torque rod and a radius rod on each side of the vehicle. As the sleeve 53 is shifted toward the right, the axle housings are separated on the right'side of the vehicle and drawn together on the left side, so that both axle housings are simultaneously moved to assume equal and opposite angular positions with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The sleeve is normally in central position, so that the axles are parallel and the wheels travel in straight paths. Move- 55 ment of the sleeve t6 either side of its central position causes the angles'of the wheels to be the vehicle, so that they travel along a different circle than the front wheels.

I By suspendingthe load from the rear axle housings on a bracket whichv is universallymovab e with respect to the housings, the housings 'may be moved suficiently to obtain the; dlesired inclination of the wheels. c a1m pair of axles arranged ad acent the front end 7 of. the frame, steering wheels on said axles, a pair of. driving axles arranged adjacent the rear end of the frame, driving wheels on said axles, hangers universally mounted onsaid rear axles and depending therefrom,

said hangers and pivotally connected at their centers to said vehicle frame and means connected tothe steering gear'of the vehicle for varying the angular with respect to the vehicle. v

2. The combination with a road vehicle frame of a driving truck comprising two driving axles, springs connected at their ends to said axles to :permit movement of the axles ina horizontal plane withlre'spect to the sprin ends, a transverse shaft carried by said rame upon which said springs are journalled at their centers and non-extensible toiique rodsconnecting said shaft with said ax es.

3. The combination with a road vehicle frame of a drivingv truck comprising two driving axles, springs connected at their ends to said axles to permit movement of the axles in" a horizontal plane with respect to the spring ends. atransverse shaft carried by said frame upon which said springs are journaled at their centers and non-extensible-torque rods and radius rods connecting said shaft with said axles.

4. The combination with a road vehicle frame of a driving truck comprising two driving axles, springs connected at them ends to said axles to permit movement of the axles in a horizontal plane with respect'to the springends, a transverse shaft carried by said frame upon which said springs are 'ournalled at their centers, a sleeve sli ably mounted on said shaft and a plurality of rods connecting the sleeve with each axle.-

5. vThe combination with a road vehicle frame of a driving truck comprising two driving axles, springs connected at their ends to said axles to permit movement of the axles in a horizontal plane with respect to ongitudinal axis of the permitthevehi'cle to make the-turn 1. A road vehicle'com rising a frame,' 'a

springs pivotally connected at their ends to position of the rear axles the s ring ends, a transverse shaft carriedby.

,the axles on opposite sides of the center.

" "thereof with said sleeve.

6. The combination with a road vehicle frame of a driving truck comprising two driving axles, springs connected at their ends to said axles to permit movement of the axles "in a horizontal plane with respect to the spring ends, a transverse shaft carried by said frame upon which said springs are ]ournalled at their centers, a sleeve slidably .mounted on said shaft and a radius rod connecting each axle with the sleeve.

7 Thecombination with a road vehicle frame of a .driving truck comprising two driving axles, springs connected at their ends to said axles to permit movement of the axles in a horizontal plane with respect to the spring ends, a transverse shaft carried by said frame upon which said springs are journalled at their centers, a sleeve slldably mounted each axle with the sleeve.

8. The combination with av road vehicle frame of a driving truck comprising two driving axles, springs connected at their ends to said axles to permit movement ofthe axles in a horizontal plane with respect to the spring ends, a transverse shaft carried by said frame upon which said springs are journalled at their centers, a sleeve slidably mounted on said shaft and a plurality of diverging rods connecting the sleeve with each axle.

9. The combination with a, road vehicle frame of a driving truck comprising two driving axles, springs connected at their ends to said axles to permit movement of the axles in a horizontal plane with respect to the spring ends, a transverse shaft carried by said frame upon which said springs are j'ournalled at their centers, a sleeve slidably mounted on said shaft, collars rotatably mounted on said sleeve and a plurality of rods connecting the collars with the axles.

10. The combination with a road vehicle frame of a driving truck comprising two driving axles, springs connected at their ends to said axles to'permit movement of the axles in a horizontal plane with respect to the spring ends, a transverse shaft carried by said frame upon which said springs are journalled at their centers, a sleeve slidably mounted on said shaft, collars rotatably mounted on said sleeve, a plurality of rods connecting the axles at spaced points with no said collars and means for moving the sleeve longitudinally.

11. The combination with a road vehicle frame ofa driving truck comprising two driving axles, springs connected at their ends to said axles to permit movement of the axles ably on said shaft and a torque rod connecting in a horizontal plane with respect to the sprin said rame upon which said springs are 'ournalled at their centers, a sleeve slid mounted on said shaft, collars rotatably mounted on said sleeve, and rods ivoted to said axles at spaced points b vertical pivots and connected to said col ars by vertical pivots.

-12. The combination with a road vehicle frame of a driving truck comprising two driving axles, springs connected at their ends to said axles to ermit movement of thefaxles in a horizonta plane with respect to the spring ends, a transverse shaft carried by said frame upon which said springs are ournalled at their centers, a sleeve slidably mounted on said shaft, collars rotatably mounted on said sleeve, and torque rods connectin said axles and said collars.

13. he combination with a road vehicle frame of a driving 'truck comprising two driving axles, springs connected at their ends to said axles to permit movement of the axles in a horizontal plane with respect to the spring ends, a transverse. shaft carried by said frame upon which said springs are journalled at their centers, a sleeve slidably mounted on said shaft, collars rotatably mounted on said sleeve, rods connected to said collars by vertical pivots connected to said axles at opposite sides of the center thereof, by vertical pivots and means for sliding thesleeve on the shaft to vary the angular relation of the axles.

14. The combination with a road vehicle frame of a driving truck comprising two driving axles, springs connected at their ends to said axles to permit movement of the axles in a horizontal plane with respect to the spring ends, a transverse shaft carried by said frame upon which said springs are journalled at their centers, a sleeve slidably mounted on said shaft, four collars rotatably mounted on said sleeve, a rod connected to each collar by a vertical pivot, and connected at their other ends to the said axles at opposite sides of the center thereof by vertical pivots, there being two rods connected to each axle, and means for moving the sleeve longitudinally of the shaft to vary the angular relation of the axles.

15. The combination with a road vehicle frame, of a driving truck comprising two driving axles, hangers moulited ,on said axles for umversal movement with respect thereto depending from said axles, springs pivotally connected at their ends to said hangers, a transverse shaft carried by said frame-upon which the springs are journ-alled at their centers, a sle ve mounted on said shaft, rods connectingt e sleeve with the axles on opposite sides of the centers thereof and means for moving the sleeve longitudinally to vary the angular relation of the axles.

ends, a transverse shaft carried 'by' ably I 16. The combination with'a roadg-vehicle frame, of-a driving truck comprisin twoaxles, hangers mounted on'sai axles for umv'ersal movement with depen from said axles, springs pivotally connecte at their ends. to said h transverse shaft carried by said frame upon which the springs are journalled at their centers, a sleeve mountedon said shaft, diverg-' ing torque rods connecting the sleeve with the axles and means for movin lo "tudinally of e axles.

17. The combination with a road vehicle frame, of a driving truck compri sin two driving axles, hangers mounted on sai axles for umversal movement with respect thereto dependin from said axles, springs pivotally connecte at their. ends to said hangers, a transverse shaft ,carried by said frame upon which the springs are journalled at their cento vary the angu ar relation I ters, a sleeve mounted on said shaft, collars rotatably mounted on said sleeve and torque for universal movement with respect thereto rods connectin the collars and the axles.

18. The com ination' with a road vehicle frame, of a driving truck comprising two driving axles, hangers mounted on said axles depending from said axles, springs pivotally connected at their ends to said hangers, a transverse shaft carried by said frame upon which the springs are journalled at their centers, a sleeve mounted on said shaft, collars rotatably mounted on the sleeve, and rods connected to the collars by vertical pivots and connected at their other ends to the axles at opposite sides of the center thereof, by vertical pivots.

19. The pombination with a road vehicle frame/ of a driving truck comprising two driving axles, hangers mounted on said axles for umversal movement with respect thereto and depending from said axles, springs pivotally connected at their ends to said hangers and a transverse shaft-carried by the frame upon which the springs are journalled at their centers, the shaft being normally dlS- posed substantially in the horizontal planeof the axles.

20. The combination with a road vehicle frame, of a driving'truck comprising tw'o" driving axles, hangers rotatably mounted on said axles and depending therefrom; springs pivotally connected at their ends to said hangers and pivotally connected at their centers to the vehicle frame in the horizontal plane of the axles.

' axles and depending therefrom, springs pivotally connected at their ends to said hangers, and trunni'ons carried by the frame substantially in a plane comprising theaxles on which I respect thereto s eathe sleeve -.wheels secured to said axles,

springs are pivotally mounted at theircente I 3 22. The combination with a 'road vehicle frame, of a truck com rising two driving axles, as ierical bearing at each 10 end of each axle, a angerjournalled on each bearing and depending from the axle, and a spring on each side of the vehicle, the ends of the springs being pivotally connected-to said hangers. 23. The combination with a road vehicle frame, of a driving truck comprisin two driving axles, hangers mounted on sai axles for un1versal movement with res ct thereto, sprm said angers, a transverse shaft secured to said frame, said springs being journalled at ,their centers to said shaft and means connecting, the shaft andthe axles operative to prevent rotational movement of the axles and I to vary the angular'relation of the axles with pivotally connected at t eir ends to 80 spring; means comprising hangers, each connected to an axle at 'one end by a universal joint and pivoted :tothe spring at its other end for suspending opposite ends of said spring from and substantially below the level of said axles in a manner to permit limited as universal movement of said spring with relation to said axles; a trunnion member subported on the mid portion of said spring; anda frame pivotally supported from said trunnion member. 4

25. A road vehiclev comprisin parallel axles, wheels supported on sai axles, a frame, a spring suspension secured to said frame and connected to said axles by arms each having a universal connection with an axle and a pivotal connection to a spring that permit the shifting of one axle angularly relative to the other and means to shift said axles angularly with respect. to each other.

26. A road vehicle comprising a frame, a plurality of forwardly disposed axles, dirigible wheels on said axles, a'plurality of rearwardly disposed axles, non-dirigible said last named" axles being secured to said frame by spring suspensions that permit slight relative angular movement of said axles, and steering mechanism for simultaneously operating said dirigible wheels and shifting the axles having the non-dirigible wheels. secured thereto.

27. 'A road vehicle having tandem driven axles secured to the vehicle frame by springs so that slight angular shifting of the axl w is permitted, wheels on said axles, steering mechanism, dirigible wheels, means con'necting said steering mechanism and said dirigible wheels, and means coupling sai d steering mechanism and said driven axles, said last 'named means comprising mechanism causing the drivenjaxles to rotate slightly op posite rotative directions upon actuation of said steering mechanism.

28. A road vehicle havin tandem driven axles secured to the vehicle rame by springs attached to the axles by swinging arms that permit slight angular shifting of the axles, wheels on said axles steering mechanism, means connecting said mechanlsm and axles comprising mechanism causing said axles to rotative d1rec-.

rotate slightly in opposite time upon actuation of said steering mecha msm.

29. In a vehicle suspension of the character described, a main frame; a pair of interspaced axles disposed below the frame; springs interposed between the ends of the axles and the frame; pivotal connections between the springs and the axles; a pair of wheels on each axle; means whereby the axles may be moved towards each other on one side of the frame and away from each other on the other side of the frame; said means comprisinga stationary member secured transversely of the frame; a crosshead member slidably mounted thereon; a pair of radius arms interposed between each axle and the crosshead member and connected with the respective axles and the crosshead member;

and means for importing a sliding movement to the crosshead member transversely of the frame.

30. In a multi-wheel road vehicle, a frame; dual axles adjacent one end of said frame; and a spring suspension assembly for mounting said frame u on said axles; said assembly comprising a spring member, means pivotally connecting said member to said frame for movement in a vertical plane, means flexibly supporting the free ends'of said spring member upon said axles to permit free transverse movement of the latter toward and from each i other as said s rin member deflects during ment in a vertical plane, dual axles supporting the free ends of said spring member in a manner to permit said axlesto move transversely toward and from each other as said spring member changes in length, and a set of arms connected between said axles and said frame to stabilize the suspension and to tgansmit any axle torque reactions to said ame.

3 2. In the vehicle construction defined in clalm {51, said set of arms comprising a pair of radius arms connected between said axles 'and points on the frame approximately at the line of the axis of spring oscillation, and

a pair of torque arms connected between said axles and a portion of the frame substantially midway between the axles.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand. A

ROLLIE B. FAGEOL.

Images