Hydro-pneumatic suspension device

Claim 1

A HYDRO-PNEUMATIC SUSPENSION DEVICE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) A SHELL MEMBER ENCLOSING A CAVITY; (B) A PLUNGER MEMBER HAVING AN AXIS AND AN AXIAL END PORTION LOCATED OUTSIDE SAID SHELL MEMBER; (C) ATTACHING MEANS ON SAID SHELL MEMBER AND ON SAID END PORTION OF SAID PLUNGER MEMBER FOR ATTACHING SAID MEMBERS TO A SUSPENDED AND TO A SUPPORTING STRUCTURE RESPECTIVELY; (D) PARTITION MEANS DIVIDING SAID CAVITY INTO A STORAGE SPACE AND A PRESSURE SPACE, SAID PLUNGER MEMBER HAVING ANOTHER AXIAL END PORTION IN SAID PRESSURE SPACE AND A PORTION INTERMEDIATE SAID END PORTIONS EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THROUGH SAID STORAGE SPACE, AND BEING AXIALLY RECIPROCABLE IN A DIRECTION INWARD AND OUTWARD OF SAID PRESSURE SPACE IN SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID PARTITION MEANS; (E) PUMP MEANS IN SAID PRESSURE SPACE INCLUDING A PISTON MEMBER AND A CYLINDER MEMBER DEFINING A PUMP SPACE THEREIN, ONE OF THE TWO MEMBERS OF SAID PUMP MEANS BEING CONSTITUTED BY SAID OTHER END PORTION, AND THE OTHER OF SAID TWO PUMP MEANS MEMBERS BEING FASTENED TO SAID SHELL MEMBER AND BEING RECIPROCABLY ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID ONE PUMP MEANS MEMBER TO SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSE SAID PUMP SPACE; (F) FIRST PASSAGE MEANS CONNECTING SAID STORAGE SPACE AND SAID PUMP SPACE, FIRST ONE-WAY VALVE MEANS IN SAID PLUNGER MEMBER TO CONTROL SAID FIRST PASSAGE MEANS WHEN SAID TWO MEMBERS OF SAID PUMP MEANS ARE ENGAGED, SAID VALVE MEANS BEING SELECTIVELY RESPONSIVE TO A PRESSURE IN SAID PUMP SPACE LOWER THAN THE PRESSURE IN SAID STORAGE SPACE TO CONNECT SAID PUMP AND STORAGE SPACES FOR PASSAGE OF FLUID THEREBETWEEN; (G) SECOND PASSAGE MEANS CONNECTING SAID PRESSURE SPACE AND SAID PUMP SPACE, SECOND ONE-WAY VALVE MEANS PROVIDED IN SAID SECOND PASSAGE MEANS TO BE SELECTIVELY RESPONSIVE TO A PRESSURE IN SAID PUMP SPACE HIGHER THAN THE PRESSURE IN SAID PRESSURE SPACE WHEN SAID TWO PUMP MEANS MEMBERS ARE ENGAGED TO CONNECT SAID PUMP AND PRESSURE SPACES FOR PASSAGE OF FLUID THEREBETWEEN; AND (H) RESILIENT MEANS IN SAID PRESSURE SPACE FOR MAINTAINING THEREIN A PRESSURE HIGHER THAN ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE.