Land vehicles – Wheeled – Running gear
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-17
2001-06-12
English, Peter C. (Department: 3619)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Running gear
C403S004000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06244604
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a suspension adjuster and has been devised particularly though not solely for adjusting the camber of a motor vehicle wheel supported by a twin flange strut-type motor vehicle suspension.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many forms of motor vehicle suspension use a telescopic strut having its upper end mounted to the body or chassis of the motor vehicle and the lower end provided with a pair of transversely extending parallel flanges (or plates) which typically each extend in a substantially vertical plane and between which is bolted and support for the motor vehicle wheel hub assembly. The telescopic strut commonly has a coiled spring engaged coaxially about the strut.
Strut-type suspensions of this nature are very common, particularly on the front suspension of a motor vehicle. However, many forms of such suspensions commonly in use on motor vehicles do not make any, or adequate, provision for camber alignment adjustment of a wheel mounted on the wheel hub. Such adjustment is desirable to correct misalignment due to suspension wear or sagging or to correct minor defects after collision damage has been repaired or after the vehicle suspension has been misaligned following impact with an object such as a curb or porthole. If the camber adjustment on a motor vehicle wheel is not correct, steering problems may result and tire wear becomes significant.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention therefore provides a suspension adjuster for modifying a twin-flange strut-type vehicle suspension to permit chamber adjustment, the suspension having spaced, parallel flanges each extending in a substantially vertical plane transversely directed relative to the vehicle, and wherein a vehicle hub mounting arm has an upper end portion located between the flanges and is fixed by upper and lower bolts passing through respective aligned bores in the flanges and the mounting arm, the suspension adjuster being adapted to be applied after removal of one of the suspension bolts and enlargement of the diameter of the bores in the flanges, the suspension adjuster comprising:
(a) a plate having front and rear faces with a slot extending through and across the plate,
(b) side flanges adjacent the ends of the slot and extending from the front of the plate,
(c) a bolt having a head, a non-circular cross-section shank portion and a screw-thread free end portion for receiving a securing nut,
(d) the non-circular shank portion being adapted to be received in the slot in the plate and the bolt also being adapted to extend through aligned holes in the twin flanges and mounting arm of the suspension,
(e) a cam washer to be located between the head of the bolt and the front face of the plate and having a substantially circular periphery and an offset non-circular aperture through the washer for engaging the washer on the non-circular shank portion of the bolt for rotation therewith,
(f) the periphery of the cam washer locating for restraint between the side flanges of the plate whereby upon application of torque to the head of the bolt it rotates with the cam washer thereby displacing the bolt along the transverse slot to adjust camber in the vehicle suspension,
(g) means for restraining movement of the plate in the longitudinal direction of the transverse slot during camber adjustment, and
(h) the plate having protrusion means extending from the rear face of the plate adjacent the slot for engaging in the enlarged bore of one of the flanges to keep the slot and the bolt in registry with the bore.
Preferably the face of the cam washer adjacent the plate has sharp protruding teeth adapted to bit into and engage surfaces of the plate when the nut is tightened on the bolt.
Preferably, the adjuster includes a backwasher to lie under the nut and against an outer face of the flange of the vehicle suspension and most preferably sharp protruding teeth extend from the backwasher to bite into the flange when the nut is tightened.
Preferably the blot has a D-shaped screw-threaded across-section shank and both the cam washer and the backwasher have corresponding D-shaped holes therethrough causing the cam washer and the backwasher to rotate with the bolt.
In a further aspect the present invention provides a method of adjusting the camber of a motor vehicle wheel supported by a twin flange strut-type suspension, said method comprising the steps of removing one of the mounting bolts (either upper or lower) through the aligned holes in the twin flanges, pivoting the wheel hub support member about the lower mounting bolt downwardly disengaging the hole in the support member from the aligned upper holes in the twin flanges and allowing free passage of a drill through the aligned upper holes in the twin flanges, enlarging the size of the aligned upper holes in the twin flanges using a suitable drill or other bit, returning the wheel hub support member to a position where its upper mounting hole is aligned with the now enlarged holes in the twin flanges, engaging a wheel alignment adjuster of the type defined above with the aligned upper holes in the twin flanges and wheel hub support member by passing the bolt of the wheel alignment through those aligned holes, engaging the backwasher and nut of the wheel alignment adjuster with the bolt of the wheel alignment adjuster, rotating the head of the bolt of the wheel alignment adjuster causing the bolt to move from side to side within the transverse slot under the action of the cam washer until the desired camber setting is achieved, and tightening the nut to lock the assembly securely in place and maintain the required camber setting.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4733884 (1988-03-01), Pettibone et al.
patent: 4736964 (1988-04-01), Specktor
patent: 5044659 (1991-09-01), Specktor et al.
English Peter C.
Ladas & Parry
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