Vehicle anti-roll mechanism

• US 4,103,920 A
• Filed: 03/21/1977
• Issued: 08/01/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Roger R. Smith
• Original Assignee: Roger R. Smith
• Inventors: Smith, Roger R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Song, Robert R.
• Application Number:
  US05/779,857
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 280/112 A, 105/164, 105/199 A
• US Class Current: 280/5.509
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0152 characterised by the action on a particular type of suspension unit B60G17/01941 takes precedence

Abstract

Mechanism for minimizing the tendency of a vehicle to overturn or roll during high speed turns on unbanked road or rail surfaces. The mechanism includes a heavy (high mass) piston arranged in a fluid cylinder extending transversely across the vehicle undersurface; auxiliary pistons are arranged at opposite ends of the main cylinder. Centrifugal force generated during a turning maneuver forces the main piston to move outwardly along the turning radius, the main piston thereby displacing hydraulic fluid that acts on the auxiliary pistons in a pressurizing or depressurizing fashion. The auxiliary piston at the outer circumference of the turn forces that side of the vehicle up relative to the ground surface; the auxiliary piston at the inner circumference of the turn forces that side of the vehicle down relative to the ground surface. The vehicle sprung mass thereby assumes a banked attitude that enables it to more effectively resist vehicle overturning forces.

Claims

1. In a cargo-carrying road vehicle comprising a cargo body, roadwheels for the cargo body, and resilient suspension means operably connecting the cargo body to the roadwheels:

the improvement comprising anti-roll means interposed between the cargo body and each resilient suspension means;

said anti-roll means comprising a main hydraulic cylinder extending transversely across the undersurface of the cargo body, a main piston of appreciable mass slidably positioned within the cylinder for inertial movement in either direction from a normal position substantially equidistant from the cargo body sides, second and third auxiliary cylinders extending right angularly from the main cylinder at its opposite ends, second and third auxiliary pistons slidably disposed in respective ones of the auxiliary cylinders, force-transmitting hydraulic liquids filling the cylinders whereby movement of the main piston from its normal position in a given direction extends one auxiliary piston relative to its cylinder and retracts the other auxiliary piston relative to its cylinder;

the main piston having sufficient mass so that when the vehicle is steered through a turn the resultant centrifugal force will move the main piston radially away from the turn axis, said main piston thereby causing the associated liquids to pressurize the auxiliary piston at the outer turn circumference and de-pressurize the auxiliary piston at the inner turn circumference;

each resilient suspension comprising a first anchorage (26) operatively connected to a roadwheel, a second anchorage (24) operatively connected to an auxiliary piston, and a spring (22) trained between said anchorages, whereby extension or retraction of the auxiliary piston repositions the associated anchorage (24) for thereby raising or lowering the adjacent portion of the cargo body.

2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein each spring (22) is a compressed coil spring having its axis oriented horizontally and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.