Sept. 12, 1933. R
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Sept. 12, 1933. R. E3, FAGEOL 1,926,274 MULTIWHEEL VEHICLE OF THE TANDEM AXLE TYPE Filed April 26 1930 35 Sheets-Sheet lil :===C) ?zzzzZzZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZºzzarararazzzzzzzz? t Sept. 12, 1933. R. B. FAGEOL 1,926,274 MULTIWHEEL VEHICLE OF THE TANDEM AXLE TYPE Filed April 26, 1930 3. Sheets-Sheet 2 LLSLLL0SAAAAALLLAASLLLLSLLLLLL ? Stettor A22A /l???/ rtcly Sept. 12, 1933. R. B. FAGEOL 1,926,274 MULTIWHEEL VEHICLE OF THE TANDEM AXLE TYPE Filed April 26, 1930 3. Sheets-Sheet 3 ?): Stpettor criteus Patented Sept. 12, 1933 1926,274 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1926,274 MIUL IWH IEEL VEHIC LE OF IHE ANDEM AX,E TYPE Rollie B. Fageol, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Automotive Engineer ing Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application April 26, 1930. Serial No. 447,542 11 Claims. (Cl. 180——22) This invention relates to suspension arrange multiwheel spring suspension embodying rela ments for multiwheel Venicles. The invention tively light springs in combination with an addi is particularly concerned with tandem axle com tional set of springs which assists said light binations wherein one of the axles is dead and Springs Only to support relatively heavy loads or S the other is a drive axle. to resist relatively great road shocks. 60 When multiwheel vehicles, of the type having Another object lies in the provision of means a single drive axle, are driven in substantially un directly associated with a drive axle for increas loaded condition over uneven wet roads, or over ing the traction of the driven wheels under cer soft or slippery ground, it often becomes difficult tain conditions of operation of the vehicle. In this O or impossible to secure sufficient traction for the connection, it is a more specific object to asso 65 driven wheels to move the Vehicle. It is a major ciate a traction spring with the frame and the object of the present invention to remedy this driven axle in Such manner that said spring re situation by providing means associated with sists upward movement of said axle, and may the chassis frame for automatically regulating bear down upon said driven axle with a force in 5 the traction by maintaining the driven wheels in creasing in proportion to increase in distance be 70 effective engagement with the ground under sub tween the frame and the axle. stantially all operating conditions. A further object of the present invention is to Suspension systems for tandem axles must be provide mechanism for neutralizing drag by pre of a requisite fiexibility. Quite often, in Securing venting the axles from shifting in the direction of 20 the necessary flexibility and simplicity of design, their longitudinal axes. 5 the suspensions permit a certain amount of drag Still another object is that of providing a multi on the tiras at times, due to shifting of an axle wheel suspension with a traction regulating de laterally relative to the frame to place the tan vice that may function also as a torque neutral dem wheels slightly out of alignment. This drag ae. 25 may be substantially eliminated by utilizing very It is also an object of this invention to devise a 80 heavy springs. With somewhat rigid axle connec multiwheel vehicle having desirable operating tions, but the gaii is more than offset by the re characteristics under light load as well as when Sulting undesirable riding qualities of the vehi fully loaded. More specifically it is an object to cle when unloaded, and the resulting loss of flexi provide, in a tandem axle combination, a main 30 bility. I prefer to utilize relatively light springs and an auxiliary Suspension, and means for neu 85 to support the vehicle in its unloaded condition tralizing drag and automatically regulating trac in order that it may be driven for great dis tion. tances at high Speeds (when unloaded or lightly A further object resides in the utilization, in a loaded) with comfort and Without Subjecting it trailing axle attachment unit for a standard to destructive shocks and stresses. In order to four-Wheel chassis of a spring suspension con 90 carry out this preferential design, I add a second sisting of the standard springs of the four-wheel set of springs which come into action under pre vehicle unchanged in form but so connected to determined load conditions, and I provide means the drive axle as to distribute more of the load for neutralizing the drag that might otherwise thereon than on the trailing axle. 40 result from the use of the light primary springs. Other objects of my invention will appear from 95 A single device may be effectively utilized to the following detailed description when studied function dually as a drag neutralizer and a trac in connection with the accompanying drawings, in tion regillator, which: From the foregoing discussion it will be seen Figure 1 is a plan view of the rear end of a that great importance has been attached to the multiwheeler, showing a preferred form of my 100 operation and riding characteristics of a multi invention incorporated therein. Wheel road vehicle at such time that the latter Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view is unloaded or only lightly loaded; and rightly of the construction disclosed in Figure 1, the sec so, since it is not infrequent in actual practice tion being taken immediately inward of the ad 50 that modern vehicles (especially light trucks) jacent wheels and with the adjacent side men 105 are driven empty or but lightly loaded during ber of the frame removed. more than fifty per cent of their full operating Figure 3 is a detailed Sectional view taken sub time. Accordingly, Some of the major objects of stantially on the plane indicated by line 3-3 in my invention are as follows: Figure 1. It is an object of this invention to provide a Figure 4 is a partial Section taken on line 4-4, 10 1980.74. 3 of connecting the auxiliary leaf spring S1S to thereof and to provide a support for the spring trunnion mounting. The forward end of the flat suspension, the following apparatus is added: spring 31 is here clamped into position Ol An an 63, having a ball end 64 universally upper surface of the spring 25 instead of against carried in a spherical socket 65 on a special for the lower surface of spring 26. Spring 31 serves Wardly disposed cross frame member 86, is rigid as a stabilizer, a drag neutralizer (and may serve ly secured between the converging ends of a as a torque rod when the ball hanger 22 is pinned pair of channel beans 67. The diverging ends to the axle) for the rear trailing axle. A trac of the beams 67 carry, adjacent the ends of the tion regulating and drag neutralizing spring, as drive axle, a pair of channeled arms 68 which O in Figure 2, may be added in Figure 5 if desired. are recessed on their lower surfaces, as at 69, In Figure 6 there is shown a modified form of to receive the rectangular portions of the axle spring suspension and a modified type of traction housing that surround the live shaft 71. A short regulating means. The suspension, which per se solid rod 72 is projected into the rear end of each forms no part of the present invention, comprises channeled arm 68, and a U-bolt assembly 74 5 at each side of the frame a single spring beam clamps this rod, the rectangular axle ends and 43 having its forward end pivoted as at 4. On a the arms 68 in locked position with respect to hanger lug 23, its rear end pivoted as at 45 and one another. The rear end of rod 72 carries slidably received within a specially shaped hanger an integral cylindrical extension 73 having lug and bracket 46, and its intermediate portion mounted thereon a bearing and spacing sleeve pivoted upon a transverse trunnion 47 carried by 5. The latter is journaled in a substantially 95 a bracket 48. This suspension is so designed that cylindrical hanger 76 which has a bifurcated the trunnion is closer to the drive axle than to depending portion 77 that carries a pivot bolt the trailing axle, whereby the former supports 8. A washer 79, larger in diameter than the the greater portion of the load that is divided sleeve 75, is drawn against said sleeve and the between the two. A torque tube 16 is united extension 73 by a stud bolt 81. The hanger 76 00 with a worm housing 49 carried by the differen thus is free to oscillate upon the surface of the tial housing 15. bearing sleeve 75. A flat-topped bar 51 is rigidly secured upon the The bolt 78 pivotally receives the upper end upper Surface of the Worm housing 49, and upon of a curved shackle 82, the lower end of which 38 the flat top of this bar there is firmly attached, pivotally supports, as at 83, one end of a standard 05 as by stud bolts 52, the heavy end of a cantilever Spring beam 84. This beam 84 is centrally trun leaf Spring 53. The leaves of this spring are nioned upon the frame and connected to the of various lengths and project rearwardly with trailing axle in substantially the same manner the rear end of the longest one connected, as at as Was Spring 25 in Figure 5. The elements 54, to One end of a shackle 55. The opposite 73-83 ine., constitute, in efect, a universal con 0.