Spring devices – Vehicle – Leaf
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-19
2001-01-23
Butler, Douglas C. (Department: 3613)
Spring devices
Vehicle
Leaf
C267S271000, C267S030000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06176478
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a rubber shear spring add-on assembly for a leaf spring and a method relating thereto.
Certain vehicles have leaf springs for the rear wheels. However, many times these springs are too stiff for the load that is to be carried by the vehicle. In the past, insofar as known, if springs of lesser stiffness were required, it was necessary to replace the stiff leaf springs with leaf springs which were less stiff. This involved the expense of purchasing the less stiff springs and the labor involved in replacing the original stiff springs. In addition, the original stiff springs usually went to waste. It is with overcoming the foregoing deficiency of the prior art that the present invention is concerned.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the object of the present invention to provide a rubber shear spring add-on assembly for an undesirably stiff leaf spring on an automotive vehicle to thereby essentially modify the stiff leaf spring to a spring of less stiffness.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a rubber shear spring add-on assembly for a stiff leaf spring of a vehicle which can be installed in a relatively simple manner without requiring extensive disassembly of the stiff leaf spring from the vehicle.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a rubber shear spring add-on assembly for a leaf spring of a vehicle which does not require replacement of the leaf spring in any respect.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a method of modifying a leaf spring to essentially produce a lower spring rate. Other objects and attendant advantages of the present invention will readily be perceived hereafter.
The present invention relates to an improvement in an automotive vehicle having first and second spaced frame members, first and second leaf springs having first and second ends with said first ends mounted on said first and second frame members, respectively, wherein the improvement comprises a rubber shear spring mounted in series between each of said second ends of said first and second leaf springs and said first and second frame members, respectively.
The present invention also relates to a modifier for a leaf spring comprising a hanger, a leaf spring carrier, and a rubber shear spring mounted between said hanger and said leaf spring carrier.
The present invention also relates to a method of modifying a leaf spring having first and second ends mounted on the frame of a vehicle comprising the steps of disconnecting said second end of said leaf spring from said frame, and connecting a rubber shear spring between said frame and said second end of said leaf spring.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1761967 (1930-06-01), Blackmore
patent: 1827284 (1931-10-01), Dootson
patent: 1925713 (1933-09-01), Crist
patent: 3087716 (1963-04-01), Nilson
patent: 4213633 (1980-07-01), Moore
patent: 5465997 (1995-11-01), Heitzmann
patent: 2846608 (1979-05-01), None
Butler Douglas C.
Gastel Joseph P.
MOR/ryde International, Inc.
Nguyen Xuan Lan
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