US1901287A - Adjustable spring and axle wedge - Google Patents

Description

March 14, 1933. A. w. CORRIVEAU ADJUSTABLE SPRING AND AXLE WEDGE Filed June 30,

INVENTOR, zikyszkas 13f firrzbeaa,

ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 14, 1933 ALOYSIUS wl oonnrvnAu, or' wns'r snRINerInLn, MASSACHUSETTS immune srnine Ann AXLE wanes Application filed in}; so, 1932;1Seria1 No. seam;

- This invention relates to improvements in adjustable spring and axle wedges, or pads, for counteracting or correcting the axle caster, or twist, of the front axle of a motor 5 vehicle, when the correct position of the king pin has been thrown out by reason of a slight bend, or twist of the axle, due to accidents, 0r otherwlse. I

I Heretofore, it has been the practice to insert a wedge between the lowerleaf of the front springs and the front axle, but no means is provided for accurately adjusting and bringing the axle back into its correct vertical, or other position,eitherforward or backward. I

The present invention comprises a wedge device that is composed of two members, each being formed with intermeshing, or

nesting teeth, one of them being placed OIlfOI'.

attached to the front axle, and the other between the lower leaf of the spring and the member on the 'axle,the member under'the springs being the'adjustable one, either forward or backward. The intermeshing teeth of each'of the members ofthe wedge are formed on the same-arc of a circle, and the distance between one tooth and the next corresponds to an adjustment of 1, so that several degrees of adjustment may be made 0 in practice. Reference to suitable tables,

known as :Front axle repair -data, which have'been prepared for re-setting, or positioning, a front axle, exactly, the movable wedge member maybe set from 1 to 5, as will be described. j The wedge 'construction'is further so constructed that the upper wedge member that is located immediately beneath the lower leaf of the front springs may be reversed,

0 end for endithat is to say, by having one end thicker, and, placing this end at .the front side of the axle, instead of at the rear side of the axle, whereby a greater tilt, or adjustment, in degrees, may be obtained.

In the present invention, it is possible to eifect an adjustment of 5, by. reason of the reversible feature of the upper, or movable member of the wedge.

The invention, therefore, broadly comprises a w dge member formed in two parts series of V shaped teeth 10 andll, which in termesh' and the distance, or pitc'hof these having intermeshing teeth, one of the members beingplaced onthe upper surface'of the front axle, and the other member directly under the leaves of the spring. The lower member is provided with an opening, or recesi, to receive the usual pin on the lower "lea.- r.

Referring to. the drawing: l r

Fig. 1 is a verticalsectional view on a plane transverse to thefront axle, showing a plurality of the front spring leaves'in section and the two-part wedge device inserted between the lower leaf and the upper surface of the axle.

Fig; 2 is an elevational view showing the two wedge members removed and with the upper wedge member in a position indicatmg a caster adj ustment-of 2 and the thicker end of the upper member ofv the wedge being therecessin'the lower wedge member, which receives the pin on the lower leafv of the springs, and i' Y Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but with Y the upper member of the wedge reversed with the thickened end at thefront to indicate a'caster adjustment of 5.

7 Referring to the drawing in detail 1 designates the front axle of a motor vehicle'havingv the usual upper and lower flanges 2 and 3 and the web member l. 5 indicates a plurality of the leaves of. the frontspring the ends of-which are shown broken off; 6, the lower leaf of thesprings. 7 indicates the usual U-shaped clamping members for securing the spring to the axle. Referring now to the details of the wedge device: 8 indicates the lowermember and 9 the upper member. TheJmember 8 is formed with'a lower fiat surface 8, which rests 'on the upper flat surface of the axle. Each of these members is formed with a teethrepresents 1 in distance, when considered with reference to a circle, the radius of which-has been carefully determinedto provide forthis '1' of adjustment. The 1 ing, or slot 15, to receive the boss 13 of the lower member, whereby the upper wedge member 9 maybe adjusted lengthwise, rel-aftive to the lower wedge member 8. Theadjustment of l between each of the V -shaped teeth 10 and 11 is indicated in Fig. 4;, at 16. The adjustment of the upper movable wedge member 9, relative to the fixed, member 8 is indicated in Fig- 2 at 1'Z,where a-2 adjustment is shown. In this figure, the thickened portion 9 of the wedgeis located. at

therear side of the axle, which positionis also indicated in Fig. 1. In therevent that it is necessary to make a greater adjustment than 2 for tilting-the spring; the thickened part 9 of the 'member 9 is placed at the front of the axle, as shown in Fig; 4, whereby a 5. adjustment may be effected, as indicated at '18.

It will be seen, from this description, that in order to compensate for the casteror twist of a front axle that is out of correct alignment, it is only necessary to loosen the clamping bolts 7 and jack up. the front springs of the car to permit the upper wedge plate member 9 to be adjusted the desired number of degrees or teeth, as shown-at 17, or 18, with reference tothe data chart for any given make of car. It is 'to. be understood that the whole wedge device, or pad, may be inserted, when the car is first assembled at the factory with the zero, mark of the wedge to indicate the'vertical alignment.

It willalsobe seen, after the adjustment has been madea nd thebolts 7 are tightened, there is no possibility-of the wedge members slipping out of place and. destroying the adjustment, since the .intermeshing teeth 10 and 11 will retain the members in place. 1 It is to be understood that I do not. limit myself to a construction of a 1 adjustment, as in practice adjustments are made. A adjustment simply means varying the length of the radius and the distance be tween the teeth of the wedge members, whereby a finer adjustment may be made.

. WVhat I claim is lower member to offset the caster or twist of an axle.

2; A spring and axle adjusting device, comprising two members, one of which is formed with a lower flat surface and a projecting pin, a hub part integral with the lower member having an opening therein, the upper member having an opening to receivethe hub part and the two members each having teeth formed on the arc of a circle which is" common to both members and interiiieshing teeth; on the arc of the two mem- 3. A spring andaxle adjusting device,

comprising two members, one of which is formed with. a lower fiat, surface and aprojeeting pin, a hub part integral with the lower a member having an. opening therein, the upper member having an opening to receive the hub part and the two members each having' teethformed on the arc of a circle which is common to both members and intermeshing teeth on the arc of the twomembers, an end portion of one of themembers being thicker than its opposite end portion, wherebywhen it is adjusted end for end a greater adjustment :may be made.

4. A w'edgedevice for the purpose described,,comprising two members each having a flat surface and intermeshing teeth formed on an arc that-is common to both members, one of the members having a boss part and the other an opening to receive the boss part to permit the members to be adjusted relative to each other.

j5. Av wedge device for the purpose described comprising two members each. havaxle and the lower leaf of the front springs.

f 6..A two-partwedge for the purpose described, one of the parts having-an end thicker than its opposite end and each part having intermeshing teeth formed on a common arc, co-operating means to permit the parts to be adjusted' relative to each other in a longitudinal direction, as described.

; .ALOYSIUS WM. CORRIVEAU.

z 1. In a device for adjusting the plane of a front axle of a motor vehicle, a wedge comprising two members the-bottom onehaving a pin for engagingthe recess in the axle and a hub formed with a-recess to receive'the pin of the lower leaf of a front spring, the said members having intermeshing teeth formed on the same are of a circle, whereby the upper member may be adjustedrelative, to the

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