Apparatus for damping pulses in a fluid

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR DAMPING PULSES IN A FLUID, COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE MEMBER HAVING AT LEAST TWO SIDES AND ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED WITH ONE OF SAID SIDES IN CONTACT WITH A FIRST FLUID IN WHICH THERE ARE PULSES TO BE DAMPED, A HOLLOW, WALLED CHAMBER CONNECTED TO SAID FLEXIBLE MEMBER, AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID FLEXIBLE MEMBER FORMING AT LEAST A PORTION OF A WALL OF SAID CHAMBER, THE SECOND SIDE OF SAID MEMBER BEING EXPOSED TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID CHAMBER, FLUID-SUPPLY MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID CHAMBER FOR SUPPLYING A SECOND FLUID TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID CHAMBER, FLUID-EXHAUST MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID CHAMBER FOR EXHAUSTING SAID SECOND FLUID FROM THE INTERIOR OF SAID CHAMBER, VALVE MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID FLUID-SUPPLY MEANS AND SAID FLUID-EXHAUST MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE CONDUCTANCES OF SAID FLUID-SUPPLY MEANS AND SAID FLUIDEXHAUST MEANS, AND VALVE-ACTUATING MEANS OPERATIVELY COUPLED WITH SAID FLEXIBLE MEMBER AND SAID VALVE MEANS FOR CONTROLLING SAID VALVE MEANS, WHEREBY INCIPIENT MOVEMENT OF SAID FLEXIBLE MEMBER IN RESPONSE TO A CHANGE IN THE INSTANTANEOUS MEAN PRESSURE OF SAID FIRST FLUID IN THE VICINITY OF SAID FLEXIBLE MEMBER PRODUCES A CORRESPONDING CHANGE IN THE INSTANTANEOUS MEAN PRESSURE OF SAID SECOND FLUID IN SAID CHAMBER FOR MAINTAINING SAID FLEXIBLE MEMBER IN CONDITION TO VIBRATE IN RESPONSE TO SAID PULSES.