Abstract: Provided is a lift axle suspension system employing an extendible air chamber in which the lifting mechanism is located. The mechanism for lifting the vehicle's wheels out of road engagement includes a spirally coiled spring connected to a reel having a cable wrapped around it. The unwrapped end of the cable is connected to the vehicle and the reel is connected to the suspension. When air is supplied to the air chamber it extends, lowering the wheels into road engagement. In doing so, the chamber acts against the normal bias of the spirally coiled spring, playing out the cable as the reel rotates. Release of air from the chamber causes the bias of the spring to automatically rotate the reel in the opposite direction which in turn takes up the cable and raises the wheels from the road surface. Preloading of the spring serves to hold the suspension firmly in its riding position. The predetermined length of cable to be played out serves as a stop or shock absorber against over-extension of the air chamber.

Abstract: A rigid, longitudinal beam-type suspension has its beam rigidly connected to the axle by an axle seat which does not directly contact the beam, but is spaced therefrom by a pair of longitudinally spaced lateral plates extending through the beam such that forces are minimized by the relatively wide spacing of the lateral plates and the design of their connecting mechanism with the axle seat.

Abstract: An upwardly biasing back-to-back, quarter-elliptic, diverging pair of leaf springs are employed as the lifting mechanism in a lift axle suspension system for wheeled vehicles. The springs normally bias the lift axle off of the road surface. By inflation of air bags, the wheels are lowered into engagement with the road surface against the normal upward bias of the leaf springs. Release of the air automatically retracts the wheels to their riding, lift position.

Abstract: An axle-to-beam connecting member for a beam type axle suspension, the member comprising an axle housing capable of rigidly retaining an axle therein, an elastomerically bushed beam housing for retaining a beam therein and an elastomerically bushed pin connection for pivotally connecting the member to the beam, the pin connection being displaced in the longitudinal direction of the beam from the beam housings.

Abstract: A lift axle suspension wherein the mechanism for lifting the axle includes a pivotal connection located below the longitudinal frame member of the vehicle and a pair of plates, one pivotally attached to the pivotal connection and the other rigidly attached in the suspension, an air bellows located between the pair of plates and a link member functionally attached between the axle and pivotally attached plate such that expansion or retraction of the bellows lifts the axle and the opposite operation allows the axle to be lowered.

Abstract: A mechanism for aligning an axle using a beam suspension connected at its ends to the vehicle and intermediate its ends to the axle, the mechanism including a saddle connector for the axle and beam which allows the axle to be rigidly connected before alignment and the beam to be slidably retained therein and a plate rigidly connected to the saddle connector and extending to a location proximal the beam. The method including the step of being able to first rigidly connect the axle to the suspension at a location capable of doing so, and thereafter aligning the suspension after installation on the vehicle by merely sliding the beam in the saddle connector and ridigly attaching the portion of the plate proximal the beam to the beam, thereby to secure the alignment.

Abstract: The wheel hub cavity is used to accommodate a portion of the air bellows in an axle suspension of either the single or tandem drive axle type enabling the air bellows to be located directly over the axle and under the frame. The resulting lightweight, high load carrying capacity structure includes control arms for aligning and stabilizing the suspension and air bellows at both ends of the axle, adjacent the axle housing and extending outboard into the wheel hub cavity.

Abstract: An axle suspension particularly applicable to trailers includes an elongated, substantially rigid beam, a pneumatic bellows located at one end of the beam, a hanger bracket located at the other end of the beam, an axle connecting means rigidly connected to the beam and axle, and an elastomeric bushing structure located at or near the pivot connection between hanger bracket and beam which has a different degree of deflection beamwise than hangerwise, is sufficiently rigid to provide suspension stability and is sufficiently resilient to allow operative deflections in response to articulations of the suspension to maintain substantially constant the distance between the hanger bracket and the axle connecting means.