Abstract: A suspension system for a vehicle includes a frame mounting bracket for mounting to the vehicle. The suspension includes front and rear rubber torsion axle assemblies. Front and rear lever assemblies are respectively pivotally attached to the vehicle at front and rear lever pivot points. Outer housings of the rubber torsion axle assemblies are each respectively rigidly mounted to the front and rear lever assemblies. A rigid control arm is pivotally connected at one end to the front lever assembly at a front control arm pivot point and its other end is pivotally connected to the rear lever assembly at a rear control arm pivot point. When the suspension assembly encounters a force causing the front lever assembly to rotate in one direction about the front lever pivot point the rigid control arm causes the rear lever assembly to rotate about the rear lever pivot in an opposite direction.

Abstract: A device for damping vibrations acting on a tracked vehicle is provided, which has a front and rear track roller. Torsion springs are mounted along a vehicle pan. Alternatively, the torsion springs can be subdivided into smaller torsion springs. For the immediate track rollers, a further device is provided in which the long torsion springs which hitherto absorbed the torsion are divided into a plurality of smaller torsion springs and mounted not transversely with respect to the vehicle pan, but in a direction of travel with respect thereto. The torsion springs are functionally connected to one another via drive and/or transmission elements, and are accommodated outside an interior space. In this way, no further installation space is required transversely with respect to and below the vehicle pan, at most in the side region or within a small recess in the pan, a so-called pan niche.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a semi-active suspension including suspension dampers controllably adjustable in accordance with electronic stability control commands and ride and handling commands. Vehicle steering response states, turning direction states and vehicle dynamics states are binary coded in respective state variables and suspension control calibrations are binary coded in calibration words. Integrity and security of state variables and calibration words are ensured in efficient binary digit resource allocation schemes.

Abstract: A suspension system provides a pair of walking beams mounted parallel to a longitudinal main frame of a vehicle subframe. The walking beams support tandem axles. The walking beams are mounted to lower outboard brackets extending from each axle. A spherical joint extending from each longitudinal end of each walking beam engages the lower outboard brackets. Each walking beam is constrained against fore-aft movement through a pair of watts linkages. The watts linkages are separated by a lateral torsion tube. Each walking beam is connected to its respective watts linkages through a revolute joint and pivot relative to the torque tube. A pair of tie-rods are attached between each watts linkages and a fixed support. The tie rods include spherical joints at each end. Each axle is further restrained by a V-rod attached to an upper bracket extending from each axle.

Abstract: A stabilizer for vehicle with a framework incorporates a torsion bar which extends transversely to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and is supported swivellingly relative to the framework of the vehicle by a first bearing in a first end region of the bar and a second bearing in a second end region of the bar. A first shank is non-swivellingly connected to the bar by a first connection, and a second shank which is non-swivellingly connected to the bar by a second connection. These shanks extend from the bar in substantially the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and are swivellingly connected to a wheel shaft arrangement of the vehicle. The longitudinal direction of the bar intersects the shanks at an oblique angle, at least in the regions of the connections between them. The shanks extend obliquely in a vertical direction at least in the regions of the connections to the bars or over the full extent of the shanks.

Abstract: A movable-deck trailer is provided which includes a frame with front and back ends, a tongue assembly mounted on the frame front end and a deck mounted on top of the frame. A wheeled carriage is mounted on the frame between its front and back ends and includes a pair of walking beam assemblies adapted for pivoting with respect to the frame. Each walking beam assembly mounts multiple torque tube axle/suspension assemblies. The carriage is longitudinally movable with respect to the frame and deck. A multiple-vehicle, movable-deck trailer includes multiple deck portions, the rearmost being tiltable. A movable-deck trailer adapted for tilting under the influence of either gravity or hydraulic power includes a hydraulic piston-and-cylinder unit interconnecting a frame and a tongue assembly thereof. A movable-deck trailer with a deck adapted for raising to the height of a loading dock includes hydraulic cylinders for raising and lowering same with respect to a frame.

Abstract: Apparatus providing a pivot axis for rear wheels of a vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle has a chassis, an arm pivotally attached to the chassis and four rear wheels divided into two forward wheels and two rearward wheels. The apparatus of the present invention has two halves, wherein each half includes a rocking member and a ground directing member. The rocking member is pivotally attached to the arm at a central location on the rocking member and rotatably connected to one forward and one rearward wheel at front and back locations, respectively, of the rocking member. The ground directing unit is pivotally attached to the arm and to the rocking member near the rearward wheel. Accordingly, the ground directing unit provides a force to the rearward wheel while no force is provided to the forward wheel.

Abstract: A tandem axle vehicle suspension is provided which, in variant embodiments, employs one or two torque beams each supporting an axle of a tandem axle vehicle and each pivotally connected to a load compensator where a single elastomer spring is mounted between each torque beam and compensator and is subjected to both compression and shear forces during over-the-road operation.

Abstract: An articulated vehicle includes an articulated frame formed by front and rear frame sections which are pivotally joined. A hydraulic motor is coupled to a front pair of wheels rotatably mounted to the front frame section. An oscillating axle assembly which includes a rear pair of wheels is pivotally mounted to the rear frame section for rotation about an axis oriented parallel to the longitudinal extent of the vehicle. The rear pair of wheels are coupled to the front pair of wheels through a drive assembly. A transverse torsion bar is rotatably mounted to the rear frame section. A pair of torsion arms are rigidly mounted to opposite ends of the torsion bar and extend rearwardly toward the oscillating axle assembly. A pair of links are pivotally coupled to the torsion arms via a pair of pivot mounts. Further pivot mounts pivotally couple opposite ends of the links to opposite ends of the oscillating axle assembly.

Abstract: A hinge pin of segmented form with its components in threaded connection with one another. The components of the pin include tool receiving surfaces engageable by a wrenching tool for applying torque during assembly and disassembly of the pin. The components are provided with male and female threads.

Abstract: An oscillating double axle assembly comprising a bogie chassis including a transverse beam and two longitudinal beams, with a central pivot assembly located in alignment with the transverse beam and supporting each longitudinal beam for pivotal movement with respect thereto. An arm is centrally mounted on the central pivot assembly for free pivotal movement and the arm rotatably carries at its opposite ends wheels at equal spacing from the central pivot assembly. A spring assembly is secured to the arms and to the longitudinal beams to resist relative movement therebetween. One embodiment contemplates a reinforcement tube which extends from the ends of the transverse beam and which supports the arms through the intermediary of roller bearings. An elastic system resists relative rotation between the arms and the reinforcement tube.