Abstract: A wheel suspension system for steerable rear wheels of a motor vehicle, having a double-wishbone construction. An upper wheel suspension element and a lower wheel suspension element comprise an A-frame arm arrangement and an opened-up A-frame arm arrangement. A rod link is assigned either to the upper or lower suspension link, and one of the control arms or the rod link is connected with at least one control cylinder for the steering of the rear wheels.

Abstract: A three-wheel vehicle apparatus has one front wheel and two rear wheels to improve safety of operation, including a novel tilt-and-bank mechanism, front wheel suspension, safety frame, aerodynamic body design, and sliding doors. The tilt-and-band mechanism employs a tilt bar connected to hydraulic cylinders and spring/shock units mounted on the wheels which automatically tilt and bank the vehicle in turns. The front wheel suspension mounts the front wheel on a trailing arm and uses a reaction arm connected to a pivot pin in front of the wheel for better handling of centrifugal forces in turning. The safety frame employs three crosswise roll bars connected together by three longitudinal bars and connectors, all in turn connected to a complete wraparound bumper. This vehicle is made aerodynamically more efficient by a pointed nose and a new upswept tail that eliminates rear drag at high speeds.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in inflating a vehicle occupant restraint includes an inflator housing and a canister containing gas generating material. The canister has a resiliently deflectable wall which presses against the inflator housing to hold the canister against movement relative to the inflator housing. A cushion is disposed inside the canister between the wall and the gas generating material. In addition, auto ignition material is disposed in a projecting wall portion of the canister. When the apparatus is assembled, the wall of the canister is resiliently deflected by applying a force against the projecting wall portion of the canister. After the inflator housing has been closed, the canister is retained against movement relative to the inflator housing by the force applied by the resiliently deflected wall of the canister against the inflator housing.

Abstract: A frame for a recreational vehicle wherein the rear frame section is dropped or offset relative to the front frame section. The drop frame permits a recreational vehicle body carried by the frame to have a ample inside head room with a smaller outside profile. A pair of substantially vertical shock absorbers extend between frame connected shock towers and torsion bar connected wheel carrying pivot arms.

Abstract: A cargo vehicle includes a vehicle chassis and a body. The vehicle chassis has a pair of chassis frame rails to which the body is mounted. The body has a rear structural section and a front structural section. In the rear structural section, a pair of body longitudinal rails are mounted above the chassis rails. The body rails and the chassis rails are separated by a thin, vibration attenuating sheet of resilient material. A plurality of floor support members are mounted on and extend from the sides of the body and chassis rails, in contrast to prior art cargo vehicles which mounted the floor support members above the body rails. The thin, resilient separator material and the lowered floor support advantageously reduce the height of the cargo section floor. A ramp storage region is defined in the space within the body rails. In the front structural section, the ramp storage region is not required. A second pair of body longitudinal body rails is provided in the front section above the chassis rails.

Abstract: An improved vibration dampening and shock absorber suspension device for the cab of a truck vehicle is set forth having a base member adapted for mounting to the truck frame and an impact plate adapted for attachment to the truck cab where the impact plate has a lateral dimension which is less than the lateral distance between the side beams of the truck frame. Interposed between the base member and the impact plate is a pair of air springs which are maintained at a constant height by a height control valve. A pair of hydraulic shock absorbers are pivotally connected to both the impact plate and base member where the central axis of the shock absorbers form the opposite sides of a trapezoid.In another embodiment of the invention a suspension device is set forth having a base member adapted for attachment to a support body and a pair of air springs intermediate the base member and an impact plate.

Abstract: A restraining device for a U-shaped lap bar on a bumper car, the ends of which are pivotally mounted to the bumper car, is adapted to rest on the laps of the passengers and is movable to an over-center elevated position. A pneumatic piston and cylinder assembly is pivoted at one of its ends to the U-shaped lap bar and pivoted at its other end to a support bracket at a point thereon spaced with respect to a center line of the lap bar to which it is attached so that movement of the lap bar moves the piston to compress gas in the cylinder whereby pressure in the pneumatic cylinder holds the lap bar in restraint in lower position and in elevated position.

Abstract: An air bag inflator is provided with a new and useful auto-ignition device. The auto-ignition device comprises a thermoelectric battery, preferably located outside of the inflator housing. The thermoelectric battery is adapted to become electrochemically active in a predetermined temperature range (e.g. 300.degree.-400.degree. F.), and to provide an electrical signal which actuates the inflator.

Abstract: An apparatus for enhancing traction for two drive wheels of a self-propelled vehicle, wherein the kit includes a reservoir coupled to a primary conduit through selective actuation of a solenoid valve. The primary conduit is in fluid communication with a secondary conduit, wherein the secondary conduit includes a spray head positioned adjacent each drive wheel of the vehicle. The spray head includes an apertured semi-spherical spray head to disperse fluid to and adjacent the drive wheels to effect melting of snow and ice thereabout. The kit further includes a dispersion brush selectively securable about the nozzle to minimize dirt and debris intrusion into the spray head, and further includes elastomeric cap member to overlie the spray head and enclose the same during periods of non-use.

Abstract: A primary drive line for delivering power from a power-take-off (pto) shaft on a tractor to an input shaft on an implement includes a swivel hitch comprised of an upper gearbox and a lower gearbox. The upper gearbox is fastened to a pair of spaced apart, upper vertical plates carried on a tongue extending forwardly from the implement, and the lower gearbox is fastened to a pair of spaced apart, lower vertical plates carried by a yoke assembly that is attached to the tractor. An output shaft on the upper gearbox is coupled to the implement input shaft. The lower gearbox has two input/output shafts, one of which is coupled to an input shaft on the upper gearbox. The other input/output shaft on the lower gearbox is connected to the tractor pto shaft. When changing tractor pto speeds (i.e.

Abstract: A tongue assembly for use in a safety apparatus in which belt webbing restrains movement of an occupant of a vehicle includes a base, a cover, and a cam. The cover is mounted for sliding movement on the base. The cover has an actuator portion engageable by the belt webbing to slide the cover along the base between a first portion and a second position. The cover engages and pivots a cam when the cover slides from its first position to its second position. The cam has a clamping surface disposed adjacent a clamping surface on the base. A portion of the belt webbing passes between the clamping surfaces on the base and the cam member. The cam is pivoted by sliding movement of the base into a clamping position in which the cam clamps the belt webbing against the base to block movement of the belt webbing through the tongue assembly.

Abstract: A pivotless suspension system for a bicycle comprising a shock absorber integral to the frame and an inherently resilient structural member to assist in the suspension system. An adjustable air spring is mounted integral to a seat stay and comprises means for selectably pumping and venting the air spring to increase or decrease ride stiffness. A titanium frame embodiment comprises either a standard or elevated resilient chainstay which acts as the resilient structural member and assists the air spring in the suspension system. A bump driven pump for the air spring; handle bar control of pumping and venting; and a locking means for effectively nullifying the suspension can be provided.

Abstract: A surface effect vehicle has a propulsion and guidance system comprising a thrust generator (2) for producing a flow of fluid, a duct (7) adapted to receive the flow of fluid from the generator (2) and to conduct this to an outlet opening (11), a pair of rudders (14) mounted on opposite sides of the outlet opening (11) so as to be angularly adjustable relative to the outlet opening (11) to vary the extent to which they obstruct the outlet opening (11), and a rudder control system (17, 18, 19, 33, 34) adapted to move the rudders (14) together in the same sense between extreme angular positions in which the air flow is deflected to one side or the other of the outlet opening (11), wherein the rudder control system is adapted to move the rudders (14) in the opposite sense to one another so that they close together across the outlet opening (11) and thereby cause the fluid flow therefrom to be substantially progressively reversed.

Abstract: A semi-active suspension system having a linear actuator operatively connected between a sprung mass and an unsprung mass of the vehicle for each corner of the vehicle. An accumulator connected to the actuator through an electrically controlled valve. An actuatable fluid RAM is in fluid communication with the accumulator for controlling fluid pressure in the accumulator. A hydraulic ram driver is operatively connected to the RAM. A sensor senses force inputs to the vehicle. A controller controls (i) the ram driver for pressurizing the accumulator to a desired fluid pressure, and (ii) the electrically controlled valve in response to sensed force input so as to effect a fluid pressure change in the actuator. Each fluid RAM includes a hydraulic motor having a housing and a piston slidably mounted in the housing.

Abstract: A cover for an air bag system for covering a folded air bag, comprising; network members for reinforcing the cover, and a tear line for starting a cleavage formed on the cover. The network members are provided on the portion other than the tear line, wherein joint pieces for connecting the network members with each other across the tear line are formed.

Abstract: A suspension system for a vehicle in which lateral rigidity of a suspension arm member to resist external force in a transverse direction of the vehicle at turning, for example, is increased effectively by an assist link, and rigidity in the longitudinal direction of the suspension arm member to resist external force from the longitudinal direction of the vehicle while running over a rough road, for example, is decreased when the vehicle body side support of the suspension arm member close to the assist link swings in a longitudinal direction, with the vehicle body side support part of a vertical link member acting as a fulcrum. Thus, compliance to the input from the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is ensured fully and comfortableness to ride when running over a rough road, for example, and driving stability at turning, for example, can coexist at a high level.

Abstract: An airbag restraint system for protecting a vehicle passenger in the event of a serious vehicle collision. The airbag restraint system includes a bag-shaped section which is supplied with high pressure gas generated by a gas generator. The bag-shaped section is formed by being integrally woven under a pattern weaving and includes a doubly woven main part having front and rear side woven cloth members which are separate from each other to define a chamber to be supplied with the high pressure gas. A singly woven outer peripheral part is formed around the doubly woven main part and has an outer peripheral woven cloth member which is integral with the front and rear side woven cloth members of the doubly woven main part. The doubly woven main part and the singly woven outer peripheral part are continuously and integrally woven, thereby reducing the number of component parts of the airbag while facilitating production of the airbag.

Abstract: An improved connection is provided for mounting a trailing arm air suspension to the subframe of a slider suspension. A beam is welded to the bottom of a pair of frame rails, and a hanger bracket is welded to the bottom of the beam. One or more gussets is mounted to the beam to strengthen the connections between the hanger bracket and the beam and the beam and the frame rail. The connection also includes a support bracket for the air spring. The support bracket includes upper and lower flanges, with the lower flange mounting an upper end of the air spring and being mounted to the bottom of the frame rail. The upper flange extends acutely upwardly from the lower flange and is connected to an upper portion of the frame rail.

Abstract: A steering system for a vehicle has a tilt mechanism for adjusting the height of a steering wheel. The steering wheel can be tilted through a larger angular range while the vehicle is parking but is inhibited from being tilted out of a smaller angular range included in the larger angular range while the vehicle is running.

Abstract: An inflator generates gas for inflating a vehicle occupant restraint. The inflator comprises a housing. The housing has a chamber for gas generating material and gas outlet openings through which gas flows from the housing into the restraint. A filter in the housing provides a gas flow path to the gas outlet openings. The filter filters and cools the gas as it flows in the gas flow path. The filter comprises a plurality of filter layers. At least one of the filter layers has a higher resistance to gas flow than at least one other of the filter layers. The filter layer of higher resistance to gas flow has a portion extending between and engaging the housing and the other filter layer to provide a gas flow sealing zone adjacent the housing. The gas flow sealing zone has a resistance to gas flow higher than the resistance to gas flow of the gas flow path.