Importance

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Abstract

A single air spring positioned under one side of a vehicle provides side to side leveling of the vehicle. Main springs support the vehicle above a pair of coaxial wheels or coaxial wheel sets. An auxiliary, inflatable air spring is positioned to provide additional support to the vehicle above one of the wheels. Deflection of the main springs from a norm or index is indicated by movement of tie rods mounted from the wheels, axle, or base of the main springs relative to the suspended portion of the vehicle. One tie rod is directly linked to a free end of an equalizer lever whereby the equalizer lever moves in the same direction as the tie rod. The second tie rod is coupled to the remaining free end of the equalizer lever by a rotatable rod, whereby the appropriate end of the equalizer lever moves in the direction opposite to the tie rod. The equalizer lever is suspended at its center from an actuation lever for a valve used to control inflation and deflation of the auxiliary air spring. The actuation lever has a pivot axis fixed with respect to the suspended vehicle, so movement the center point of the equalizer lever results in movement of the actuation lever. The direction of movement of the actuation lever results in valve action to inflate, deflate, or hold the pressure in the auxiliary air spring.

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First Claim