초록

A swing arm with impact dampener, includes a swing arm having a pivoting coupling end and a non-pivoting coupling end. An impact dampening assembly is positioned at the non-pivoting coupling end.

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What is claimed is: 1. A swing arm with impact dampener, comprising: a swing arm having a pivoting coupling end and a non-pivoting coupling end; an impact dampening assembly connecting the non-pivoting coupling end to an axle, the impact dampening assembly comprising: a tubular bushing housing posi

What is claimed is: 1. A swing arm with impact dampener, comprising: a swing arm having a pivoting coupling end and a non-pivoting coupling end; an impact dampening assembly connecting the non-pivoting coupling end to an axle, the impact dampening assembly comprising: a tubular bushing housing positioned transversely across the non-pivoting coupling end of the swing arm, the housing defining a bushing receiving cavity with two open opposed ends; a bushing offset from the axle, the impact dampening assembly allowing torsional movement of the axle relative to the non-pivoting coupling end upon application of a force to the axle, the bushing being a compliant bushing disposed in the bushing receiving cavity and protruding past each of the opposed ends; attachment plates covering each the opposed ends of the housing, the attachment plates being adapted to facilitate attachment of the non-pivoting coupling end of the swing arm to the axle; and the attachment plates exerting a clamping force upon the bushing, such that the bushing deforms in response to force exerted via the attachment plates prior to transferring impact forces via the housing to the swing arm. 2. The swing arm as defined in claim 1, wherein fasteners extend through the bushing and the attachment plates to clamp the attachment plates together. 3. The swing arm as defined in claim 2, wherein wear sleeves extends through the compliant bushing, with the fasteners extending through the wear sleeves. 4. The swing arm as defined in claim 2, wherein the fasteners are bolts and the clamping force is exerted through the use of nuts. 5. The swing arm as defined in claim 1, wherein the swing arm is forked and has two spaced apart non-pivoting coupling ends. 6. The swing arm as defined in claim 1, wherein the housing is rectangular in cross-section and the bushing is rectangular in cross-section. 7. The swing arm as defined in claim 1, wherein the bushing has two halves, each of the bushing halves being inserted from one of the opposed ends. 8. The swing arm as defined in claim 7, wherein each of the bushing halves has a flange. 9. The swing arm as defined in claim 1, wherein a compression plate is disposed within bushing receiving cavity of the housing and means are provided to cause the compression plate to exert a compression force upon the bushing. 10. The swing arm as defined in claim 1, wherein a remote edge of each of the attachment plates is C-shaped with projecting arms defining a border for a cavity. 11. The swing arm as defined in claim 10, wherein each of the projecting arms has a slotted opening. 12. The swing arm as defined in claim 1, wherein the pivoting coupling end has a pair of spaced shaft retainers defining axially aligned circular openings. 13. The swing arm as defined in claim 1, wherein the compliant bushing is made of at least two materials, each of the at least two materials having differing compliant properties. 14. The swing arm as defined in claim 13, wherein the compliant bushing has a central core made from a first materiel and a outer portion made from a second material, the first materiel for the central core being stiffer and less compliant as compared to the second material for the outer portion. 15. The swing arm as defined in claim 14, wherein the central core interlocks with the outer portion. 16. A swing arm with impact dampener, comprising: a forked swing arm having a pivoting coupling end and two spaced apart non-pivoting coupling ends; an impact dampening assembly positioned at each of the non-pivoting coupling end, including: a tubular bushing housing, which is rectangular in cross-section, positioned transversely across the non-pivoting coupling end of the swing arm, the housing defining a bushing receiving cavity with two open opposed ends; a rectangular compliant bushing disposed in the bushing receiving cavity and protruding past each of the opposed ends, the bushing having apertures extending therethrough; wear sleeves extending through the apertures in the compliant bushing; attachment plates covering each the opposed ends of the housing, the attachment plates having openings, the attachment plates being adapted to facilitate attachment of the non-pivoting coupling end of the swing arm to an axle; bolts extending through the wear sleeves in the bushing and the openings in the attachment plates; nuts cooperating with the bolts to exert a clamping force of the attachment plates upon the bushing, such that the bushing deforms in response to force exerted via the attachment plates prior to transferring impact forces via the housing to the swing arm. 17. The swing arm as defined in claim 16, wherein the bushing has two halves, each of the bushing halves being inserted into the bushing receiving cavity from one of the opposed ends. 18. The swing arm as defined in claim 17, wherein each of the bushing halves has a flange. 19. The swing arm as defined in claim 16, wherein the compliant bushing is made of at least two materials, each of the at least two materials having differing compliant properties. 20. The swing arm as defined in claim 19, wherein the compliant bushing has a central core made from a first material and a outer portion made from a second material, the first material for the central core being stiffer and less compliant as compared to the second material for the outer portion. 21. The swing arm as defined in claim 20, wherein the central core interlocks with the outer portion. 22. The swing arm as defined in claim 16, wherein a compression plate is disposed within the housing and screws extending through threaded apertures in the housing are used to move the compression plate to cause the compression plate to exert a compression force upon the bushing. 23. The swing arm as defined in claim 16, wherein a remote edge of each of the attachment plates is C-shaped with projecting arms defining a border for a cavity. 24. The swing arm as defined in claim 23, wherein each of the projecting arms has a slotted opening. 25. The swing arm as defined in claim 16, wherein the pivoting coupling end has a pair of spaced shaft retainers defining axially aligned circular openings. 26. A swing arm with impact dampener, comprising: a forked swing arm having a pivoting coupling end and two spaced apart non-pivoting coupling ends, the pivoting coupling end having a pair of spaced shaft retainers defining axially aligned circular openings; an impact dampening assembly positioned at each of the non-pivoting coupling end, including: a tubular bushing housing, which is rectangular in cross-section, positioned transversely across the non-pivoting coupling end of the swing arm, the housing defining a bushing receiving cavity with two open opposed ends; a rectangular compliant bushing disposed in the bushing receiving cavity and protruding past each of the opposed ends, the bushing having apertures extending therethrough, the bushing consisting of two halves, each of the bushing halves being inserted into the bushing receiving cavity of the housing from one of the opposed ends, each of the bushing halves having a flange which limits depth of insertion into the bushing receiving cavity; metal wear sleeves extending through the apertures in the compliant bushing; attachment plates covering each the opposed ends of the housing, the attachment plates having openings, the attachment plates being adapted to facilitate attachment of the non-pivoting coupling end of the swing arm to an axle, a remote edge of each of the attachment plates being C-shaped with projecting arms defining a border for a cavity, each of the projecting arms having a slotted opening; bolts extending through the wear sleeves in the bushing and the openings in the attachment plates; nuts cooperating with the bolts to exert a damping force of the attachment plates upon the bushing, such that the bushing deforms in response to force exerted via the attachment plates prior to transferring impact forces via the housing to the swing arm; a compression plate disposed within the housing; and screws extending through threaded apertures in the housing to move the compression plate and cause the compression plate to exert a compression force upon the bushing. 27. The swing arm as defined in claim 26, in combination with an axle having a cylindrical exterior surface with a pair of spaced apart swing arm mountings on the exterior surface, each of the swing arm mountings having an upper fastener receiver and a lower fastener receiver, the axle being secured to the attachment plates by fasteners which extend through the slotted openings in the projecting arms of the attachment plates and the upper fastener receiver and through the slotted openings in the projecting arms of the attachment plates and the lower fastener receiver. 28. The swing arm as defined in claim 27, wherein the attachment plates have inwardly projecting ears with threaded apertures in which are received alignment screws, the alignment screws being used to exert a force to assist in alignment of the swing arm relative to the axle by moving the fasteners extending through the upper fastener receiver and the lower fastener receiver along the slotted openings in the projecting arms of the attachment plates.