Pneumatic spring

Claim 1

A pneumatic spring comprising a flexible tubular body having an enlarged portion, an axially arranged tubular neck portion of smaller diameter and radially outwardly directed beads at each end having a larger diameter than said tubular neck portion, an elongated tubular piston surrounding the neck and having an outer diameter smaller than the enlarged portion, said piston comprising a hollow tubular sleeve having a cylindrical inner surface and a curved outer surface, said outer surface having a rounded top edge and tapering inwardly along its length to a predetermined point and then outwardly to a bottom edge, the bottom edge having a diameter greater than the diameter of the top edge and having a groove for receiving one of the beads of said body, retaining means at each end of said body for securing the respective beads, said retaining means being adapted to be fastened to respective supports, at least one of which is axially movable, to thereby cause said piston to be telescopingly movable within the body, said body rolling along the outer surface of said piston under varying load conditions applied to said supports.