US Patent 7290758 Leaf spring assembly with retaining device

A leaf spring assembly includes a safety strap extending along the bottom of a plurality of stacked leaf springs that are held in a stacked relationship by a leaf fastener. The strap is attached to each leaf spring in the stack by fasteners at opposite ends of the spring such that adjacent leaf springs are connected on each side of the fastener. In the event that any one of the springs fails between the leaf fastener and one of the ends at which the strap is attached, the broken pieces of the spring remain connected to the other springs in the stack. This prevents pieces from breaking free of the assembly and creating road hazards in the event of spring failure.