Bridgestone/firestone, Inc.

Michael E Leakey

Robert F Elliott

Phyllis S Woodrum

An spring has a pair of axially spaced end members and an intervening bellows. The bellows includes inner and outer elastomeric body plies, each containing cords biased at generally opposite angles with respect to each other, such as 341/2.degree.. A pair of reinforcing strips of elastomeric coated cords are located between the inner and outer body plys. The cords of the reinforcing strips are biased in opposite directions with respect to each other and in opposite directions with respect to the cords of the body plies adjacent thereto. Furthermore, the cords of the reinforcing strips are between 2.degree. and 6.degree. less than the bias angles of the body ply cords. The reinforcing strips extend from adjacent the peripheral sealing edge of one of the end members a distance of between 2 inches and 6 inches, or generally less than one-fourth the axial separation of the end members, and stiffens the one end of the bellows to prevent the bellows from rolling over the peripheral edge of the one end member.

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Noblesville, IN, United States of America

Michael E Leakey