Expanding independent load suspension system
View Patent ↗An expanding independent load suspension system that incorporates a square walking beam, unique bushings, and multiple expanding sliding units to spread the load bearing tires evenly over the surface instead of grouping them close together. With the weight of the vehicle having the ability to pivot over three separate axes, it maintains an equal pressure on all the tires no matter what the surface conditions. Additional benefits are derived by the separation of the tires with the new design of the square walking beam causing less damage to the roadways. The vehicle has been designed to operate on the highways in the conventional ten-foot width, and then expand to a maximum of twenty feet to move large loads with the permits required.
1. An expanding independent load suspension system comprising:
(a) a primary box member fixably attached to a frame of a load carrying transport vehicle;
(b) a pair of opposing primary sliding members capable of expansion and contraction, located below said primary box member;
(c) a primary trunnion, housing a primary bushing and a primary journal;
(d) a secondary box member, located below said primary journal, housing a pair of opposing secondary sliding members capable of expansion and contraction;
(e) a secondary trunnion, housing a secondary bushing and a secondary journal; and
(f) a walking beam, fixably attached to said secondary journal, having wheel mounting bushings positioned at both ends of said walking beam, wherein a group of two or more wheels attached to an axle are mounted on said wheel mounting bushings using a mounting bracket;
whereby said primary bushing, said secondary bushing and said mounting bushings allow said primary journal to pivot about an axis that is parallel to the frame of a load carrying vehicle, and said secondary journal to pivot about an axis perpendicular to the same frame of the same load carrying vehicle, and said axle, having said group of two or more wheels attached thereto, to pivot about an axis parallel to the same frame of the same load carrying vehicle for the purpose of enabling said sliding members and wheel groups to independently pivot in response to changing road surface topography.
2. The expanding independent load suspension system according to claim 1 , wherein said pair of opposing primary sliding members capable of expansion and contraction, expand in order to separate two or more groups of two or more wheels, and contract to bring said two or more groups of two or more wheels back together.
3. The expanding independent load suspension system according to claim 1 , wherein said a secondary box member, located below said primary journal, housing a pair of opposing secondary sliding members capable of expansion and contraction, expand in order to separate one or more groups of two or more wheels, and contract to bring said one or more groups of two or more wheels back together.
4. The expanding independent load suspension system according to claim 1 , wherein said walking beam is a non-circular walking beam.
5. The expanding independent load suspension system according to claim 1 , wherein said walking beam is a square walking beam.
6. The expanding independent load suspension system according to claim 1 , wherein said primary and secondary journals are non-circular in shape.
7. The expanding independent load suspension system according to claim 6 , wherein said primary bushing, said secondary bushing, and said mounting bushings are cylindrical in shape and have non-circular orifices which accept said non-circular walking beam ends and said non-circular primary and secondary journals.
8. The expanding independent load suspension system according to claim 1 , wherein said walking beam includes a walking beam with its ends curved downwardly to produce a pre-load bow.
9. The expanding independent load suspension system according to claim 1 , wherein said primary, secondary and mounting bushings are constructed of high density thermoplastic which allows for long wear and a good lubricating effect.
10. The expanding independent load suspension system according to claim 1 , wherein said walking beam is constructed to include a gradually enlarged and thereby thickened mid-section, where said secondary journals are fixably attached.
11. The expanding independent load suspension system according to claim 1 , wherein said walking beam is replaced by a single axle suspension beam having a non-circular shape, means for expansion actuation, and an air bag cushion.
12. The method for making an expanding independent load suspension system comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a primary box member fixably attached to a frame of a load carrying transport vehicle;
(b) providing a pair of opposing primary sliding members capable of expansion and contraction, located below said primary box member;
(c) providing a primary trunnion, housing a primary bushing and a primary journal;
(d) providing a secondary box member, located below said primary journal, housing a pair of opposing secondary sliding members capable of expansion and contraction
(e) providing a secondary trunnion, housing a secondary bushing and a secondary journal; and
(f) providing a walking beam, fixably attached to said secondary journal, having a wheel mounting bushings positioned at both ends of said walking beam, wherein a group of two or more wheels attached to an axle are mounted on said wheel mounting bushings using a mounting bracket;
whereby said primary bushing, said secondary bushing and said mounting bushings allow said primary journal to pivot about an axis that is parallel to the frame of a load carrying vehicle, said secondary journal to pivot about an axis perpendicular to the same frame of the same load carrying vehicle, and said axle, having said group of two or more wheels attached thereto, to pivot about an axis parallel to the same frame of the same load carrying vehicle.
13. The method for making an expanding independent load suspension system according to claim 12 , wherein said step of providing a pair of opposing primary sliding members capable of expansion and contraction, whereby said sliding members expand in order to separate two or more groups of two or more wheels, and contract to bring said two or more groups of two or more wheels back together, further includes the step of providing means for actuating the expansion and contraction of said opposing primary sliding members.
14. The method for making an expanding independent load suspension system according to claim 13 , wherein said step of providing means for actuating the expansion and contraction of said opposing primary sliding members, wherein said means for actuation includes hydraulic, electrical and electronic actuation.
15. The method for making an expanding independent load suspension system according to claim 12 , wherein said step of providing a walking beam includes the step of providing a non-circular walking beam.
16. The method for making an expanding independent load suspension system according to claim 12 , wherein said steps of providing a primary bushing, providing a secondary bushing and providing a mounting bushing further includes the steps of providing said primary bushing, said secondary bushing, and said mounting bushings which are cylindrical in shape and have non-circular orifices which accept said non-circular walking beam ends and said non-circular primary and secondary journals.
17. The method for making an expanding independent load suspension system according to claim 12 , wherein said step of providing a walking beam further includes the step of providing a walking beam with its ends curved downwardly to produce a pre-load bow.
18. The method for making an expanding independent load suspension system according to claim 11 , wherein said step of a primary bushing, providing a secondary bushing and providing a mounting bushing further includes the steps of providing said primary bushing, said secondary bushing, and said mounting bushings which are constructed of high density thermoplastic which allows for long wear and a good lubricating effect.
19. The method for making an expanding independent load suspension system according to claim 11 , wherein said step of providing a walking beam further includes the step of providing a walking beam which is constructed to include a gradually enlarged and thereby thickened mid-section, where said secondary journals are fixably attached.
20. The method for making an expanding independent load suspension system according to claim 11 , wherein said step of providing a walking beam further includes the steps of providing a single axle suspension beam.