Trailing arm suspension with articulated axle mounting.

摘要

A trailing arm suspension for mounting ground-engaging wheels to a vehicle frame has an axle mounted to a trailing arm through an axle-beam connector. The suspension comprises at least two arms adapted to be pivotally mounted to opposite sides of the frame and at least one wheel-carrying axle mounted to the arms through an axle-mounting assembly. Each of the axle-mounting assemblies comprises a pair of beam-axle connectors which are mounted to one of the arms at one end thereof through a bushed connection and are rigidly connected to the axle at another end thereof through compression mounting or by welding. Each of the arms forms a collar which receives the axle. An elastomeric layer is positioned between the axle and the collar for articulation between the axle and the collar. Each of the beam-axle connectors is identical and is symmetrical about a longitudinal axis. Each beam-axle connector is generally triangular in two dimensional configuration and has a reinforcing gusset at an upper portion thereof and at a lower portion thereof. Each beam-axle connector further includes an arcuate plate at the other end thereof and through which the beam-axle connector is mounted to the axle. The compression mounting includes a hollow wrapper band which circumscribes the axle and is under tension sufficient to compress the axle at at least two sets of diametrically opposed and circumferentially spaced external surfaces of the axle and to prevent movement of the axle with respect to the wrapper band under ordinary service conditions.