Apparatus for isolating vibrations

Claim 2

A vibration isolation mount comprising, in combination, A base means; an inflatable air chamber supported on said base means; load-supporting means supported by said air chamber and including a load-supporting sidewall extended downwardly in protective relation with said air chamber and an air controller including an upper member mounted on said load-supporting sidewall and a lower member mounted on said base means and provided with first and second ports, said first port being connected to a source of air pressure and said second port being connected to said air chamber, said ports communicating within said air controller; and means within said air controller responsive to the vertical position of the load-supporting means to bleed air continuously from the system to vary the admission and release of air to the air chamber to maintain a constant level of the load-supporting means with respect to the base means.

Claim 3

The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said load-supporting sidewall includes a lower edge normally spaced from said base means when said chamber is normally inflated and supportedly engaged by said base means upon deflation of said air chamber.

Claim 4

A vibration isolation mount comprising, in combination, a base means; an inflatable air chamber supported on said base means; load-supporting means supported by said air chamber and including a load-supporting sidewall extended downwardly in protective relation with said air chamber, said load-supporting sidewall including a lower edge normally spaced from said base means when said chamber is normally inflated and supportedly engaged by said base means upon deflation of said air chamber; an air controller including an upper member mounted on said load-supporting sidewall and a lower member mounted on said base top wall and provided with first and second ports, said first port being connected to said air chamber, said ports connecting within said air controller; and means within said air controller responsive to the vertical position of the load-supporting means to bleed air continuously from the system to vary the admission and release of air to the air chamber to maintain a constant level of the load-supporting means with respect to the base means.

Claim 5

A vibration isolation mount comprising, in combination, a base means; an inflatable air chamber supported on said base means; load-supporting means supported by said air chamber and including a load-supporting sidewall extended downwardly in protective relation with said air chamber, said load-supporting sidewall including a lower edge normally spaced from said base means when said chamber is normally inflated and supportedly engaged by said base means upon deflation of said air chamber; an air controller including an upper member mounted on said load-supporting sidewall and a lower member mounted on said base top wall and provided with first and second ports, said first port being connected to said air chamber, said ports connecting within said air controller; and means within said air controller responsive to the vertical position of the load-supporting means to bleed air continuously from the system to vary the admission and release of air to the air chamber to maintain a constant level of the load-supporting means with respect to the base means.

Claim 6

A vibration isolation mount comprising, in combination, a base means; an inflatable air chamber supported on said base means; load-supporting means supported by said air chamber and including a load-supporting sidewall extended downwardly in protective relation with said air chamber, and an air controller including an upper member mounted on said load-supporting sidewall and a lower member mounted on said base means and provided with first and second ports, said first port being connected to said air chamber, said ports connecting within said air controller; and means within said air controller responsive to the vertical position of the load-supporting means to bleed air continuously from the system to vary the admission and release of air to the air chamber to maintain a constant level of the load-supporting means with respect to the base means and damping means operative between said chamber sidewall and said load-supporting sidewall.

Claim 7

A vibration isolation mount comprising, in combination, a base means; an inflatable air chamber supported on said base means; load-supporting means supported by said air chamber and including a load-supporting sidewall extended downwardly in protective relation with said air chamber, and an air controller including an upper member mounted on said load-supporting sidewall and a lower member mounted on said base means and provided with first and second ports, said first port being connected to said air chamber, said ports connecting within said air controller; and means within said air controller responsive to the vertical position of the load-supporting means to bleed air continuously from the system to vary the admission and release of air to the air chamber to maintain a constant level of the load-supporting means with respect to the base means and damping means operative between said chamber sidewall and said load-supporting sidewall.

Claim 8

The apparatus defined in claim 4, wherein said load-supporting sidewall includes a lower edge normally spaced from said base means when said chamber is normally inflated and supportedly engaged by said base means upon deflation of said air chamber.

Claim 9

The apparatus defined in claim 4, wherein said damping means comprises a vertically extending guide disposed between said sidewalls.

Claim 10

A vibration isolation mount comprising, in combination, a base means; an inflatable air chamber supported on said base means; load-supporting means supported by said air chamber and including a load-supporting sidewall extended downwardly in protective relation with said air chamber, said load-supporting sidewall including a lower edge normally spaced from said base means when said chamber is normally inflated and supportedly engaged by said base means upon deflation of said air chamber; an Air controller including an upper member mounted on said load-supporting sidewall and a lower member mounted on said base means and provided with first and second ports, said first port being connected to a source of air pressure and said second port being connected to said air chamber, said ports communicating within said air controller and means within said air controller responsive to the vertical position of the load-supporting means to bleed air continuously from the system to vary the admission and release of air to the air chamber to maintain a constant level of the load-supporting means with respect to the base means; and damping means operative between said chamber sidewall and said load-supporting sidewall.

Claim 11

A vibration isolation mount comprising, in combination, a base means; an inflatable air chamber supported on said base means; load-supporting means supported by said air chamber and including a load-supporting sidewall extended downwardly in protective relation with said air chamber, said load-supporting sidewall including a lower edge normally spaced from said base means when said chamber is normally inflated and supportedly engaged by said base means upon deflation of said air chamber; an Air controller including an upper member mounted on said load-supporting sidewall and a lower member mounted on said base means and provided with first and second ports, said first port being connected to a source of air pressure and said second port being connected to said air chamber, said ports communicating within said air controller and means within said air controller responsive to the vertical position of the load-supporting means to bleed air continuously from the system to vary the admission and release of air to the air chamber to maintain a constant level of the load-supporting means with respect to the base means; and damping means operative between said chamber sidewall and said load-supporting sidewall.

Claim 12

The apparatus defined in claim 7 wherein said damping means comprises a vertically extending guide disposed between said sidewalls.

Claim 13

A vibration isolation mount comprising, in combination, base means; an inflatable air chamber supported on said base means; load-supporting means supported by said air chamber and including a load-supporting sidewall extended downwardly in protective relationship with said air chamber and engageable with said base means upon deflation of said air chamber; an air controller communicating with said air chamber and mounted on one of said means and operatively associated with the other of said means; means for supplying air continuously to the air controller; and means including an air control member within the air controller to bleed air continuously from the system at a variable rate responsive to the vertical position of the load-supporting means, said air control member being movably mounted whereby upon leakage-imposed engagement of the sidewall with said base means said air control member will move to a fail-safe position.

Claim 14

A vibration isolation mount comprising, in combination, base means; an inflatable air chamber supported on said base means; load-supporting means supported by said air chamber and including a load-supporting sidewall extended downwardly in protective relationship with said air chamber and engageable with said base means upon deflation of said air chamber; an air controller communicating with said air chamber and mounted on one of said means and operatively associated with the other of said means; means for supplying air continuously to the air controller; and means including an air control member within the air controller to bleed air continuously from the system at a variable rate responsive to the vertical position of the load-supporting means, said air control member being movably mounted whereby upon leakage-imposed engagement of the sidewall with said base means said air control member will move to a fail-safe position.

Claim 15

A vibration isolation mount comprising, in combination, base means; an inflatable air chamber supported on said base means; load-supporting means supported by said air chamber; an air controller communicating with said air chamber and mounted on one of said means and operatively associated with the other of said means; means for continuously supplying air to the air controller and means within said air controller to bleed air continuously from the system at a variable rate responsive to the vertical position of the load-supporting means including confronting air releasing members which are normally biased away from physical contact by the flow of air bleeding from the system.

Claim 16

A vibration isolation mount comprising, in combination, base means; an inflatable air chamber supported on said base means; load-supporting means supported by said air chamber; an air controller communicating with said air chamber and mounted on one of said means and operatively associated with the other of said means; means for continuously supplying air to the air controller and means within said air controller to bleed air continuously from the system at a variable rate responsive to the vertical position of the load-supporting means including confronting air releasing members which are normally biased away from physical contact by the flow of air bleeding from the system.