Claims
- 1. An apparatus for straightening a U-shaped leaf spring wherein the spring includes a curved section having a concave side and a convex side and wherein the spring has a pair of elongated legs spaced-apart relationship with each other from the curved section of the spring and the curved section of the spring has a radius of curvature adjacent a side of the legs facing away from each other, the apparatus comprising:a plurality of pivotal block members which simultaneously rotate counter to one another, each of the blocks having a channel disposed thereon adapted to receive one of the leaf spring legs therein and the channel having an outer wall facing toward the other block outer wall which extends away from the curved section of the leaf spring to a respective free end such that the combined lengths of the outer walls on both blocks are substantially the same length of the convex side of the curved section of the leaf spring; each block channel having a respective inner wall facing away from the inner wall of the opposite block and facing a concave side of the leaf spring legs and adapted to engage and provide support to the concave curved section of the leaf spring during the straightening process; a mechanism to rotate the blocks and straighten out the leaf spring; and a ram to support the curved section of the leaf spring.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the rotary block members are rotated simultaneously by a rack and pinion mechanism.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the rack and pinion mechanism has a pinion associated with each pivotal block member and the pinion mechanisms are meshed in synchronization with one another.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the leaf spring has an axial center line intersection, a curved section center of radius and the center of rotation of the pivotal block members are rearward of a line drawn generally perpendicular to the axial center line of the leaf spring intersection the leaf spring center of radius.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the ram has compliance.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the outer walls have a slot between them and the ram passes through the slot to support the leaf spring.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a common piston and hydraulic cylinder moves the ram and the mechanism to rotate the blocks to straighten out the leaf spring.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mechanism to rotate the blocks includes an elongated shaft torsionally connected with each pivotal block, the shaft being fixably connected with a first lever arm along the lever arm first end, the first lever arm having a second lever pivotally connected to a second end, and the second lever being operatively connected with a fluid cylinder.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the gear shafts have meshing gears to synchronize them.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the gears are fluid cooled.
- 11. An apparatus as described in claim 8 wherein said second links are connected to a common plate and the plate is connected with a rod of the cylinder.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the shafts have an upper section and a lower section and the upper section is mounted in a common head fixably connected to a lower section of a frame.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the ram is pivotally mounted to a frame and pivotally connected with a fluid cylinder.
- 14. An apparatus as described in claim 13 wherein the plate is spring mounted on one end and when the rod of the cylinder is fully extended the plate stores energy into a spring captured between the plate and a frame member.
- 15. An apparatus for straightening a U-shaped leaf spring wherein the spring includes a curved section having a concave side and a convex side and wherein the spring has a pair of elongated legs spaced-apart relationship with each other from the curved section of the spring and the curved section of the spring has a radius of curvature adjacent a side of the legs facing away from each other and wherein the leaf spring has an axial center line, the apparatus comprising:a plurality of pivotal block members which simultaneously rotate counter to one another, each of the blocks having a channel disposed thereon adapted to receive one of the leaf spring legs therein and the channel having an outer wall facing toward the other block outer wall which extends away from the curved section of the leaf spring to a respective free end such that the combined lengths of the outer walls on both blocks are substantially the same length of the convex side of the curved section of the leaf spring; each block channel having a respective inner wall facing away from the inner wall of the opposite block and facing a concave side of the leaf spring legs and adapted to engage and provide support to the concave curved section of the leaf spring during the straightening process; and wherein a line perpendicular of the axial center line of the leaf spring intersecting a radial center of the curved section of the leaf spring is forward of center of rotation of the pivotal block members.
Parent Case Info
The present invention is a continuation-in-part of prior application Ser. No. 09/007,267, filed Jan. 14, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,320.
US Referenced Citations (8)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
63-137518 |
Sep 1988 |
JP |
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/007267 |
Jan 1998 |
US |
Child |
09/353755 |
|
US |