Fluid flow surge dampening system

Claim 1

A SURGE DAMPENING DEVICE FOR USE IN A PIPE LINE TO MINIMIZE SURGES OF PRESSURE THEREIN, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A FIRST RESILIENT FLUID-IMPERVIOUS SLEEVE MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED IN SAID PIPE LINE TO FORM A CONTINUATION THEREOF DIRECTLY EXPOSED TO FLUID FLOWING THEREIN AND TO YIELDINGLY RESPOND TO SUDDEN SURGES OF PRESSURE THEREIN, THE MEAN PRESSURE IN THE PIPE BEING SUBJECT TO GRADUAL VARIATIONS, A PERFORATED MANDREL HAVING A PLURALITY OF THROTTLING ORIFICES ENCIRLING SAID FIRST SLEEVE, A SECOND RESILIENT FLUID-IMPERVIOUS SLEEVE MEMBER ENCIRCLING SAID MANDREL AND MAINTAINING SAID MANDREL IN A SEPARATE BODY OF FLUID, WHEREBY SUCH PRESSURE SURGES EFFECT FLOW OF FLUID IN SAID BODY THROUGH SAID MANDREL AND YIELDING RESPONSE BY SAID SECOND SLEEVE, CUSHIONING COMPARTMENT MEANS ENCIRCLING SAID SECOND SLEEVE FOR MAINTAINING GAS UNDER PRESSURE TO DAMPEN SUCH PRESSURE SURGES, A SOURCE OF GAS UNDER PRESSURE, SENSING MEANS CONNECTED TO THE PIPE LINE FOR SENDING A FLUID PRESSURE SIGNAL RESPONSIVE TO PRESSURE IN THE PIPE LINE, RESERVOIR MEANS DELAYING AND DAMPING THE FLUID PRESSURE SIGNAL FROM SAID SENSING MEANS AND SENDING A DAMPENED FLUID PRESSURE SIGNAL, AND A CONTROL VALVE FOR SAID SOURCE RESPONSIVE TO THE DAMPENED FLUID PRESSURE SIGNAL FOR MAINTAINING THE GAS PRESSURE IN SAID COMPARTMENT SUBSTANTIALLY EQUIVALENT TO THE MEAN PRESSURE IN THE PIPE.