Shock absorber

Claim 2

A shock-absorber leg comprising a damper unit defined by a housing tube; a piston rod extending outwardly of the housing tube; a cap secured to said piston rod and concentric with respect to the damper unit; and a rolling bellows arranged to be filled with a fluid and having its ends sealingly attached by first and second clamping rings to said housing tube and to said cap respectively, the clamping rings before assembly in the leg having internal radii which exceed the external radii of the housing tube and cap respectively by less than the wall thickness of the rolling bellows, the clamping rings on assembly being force fitted over the housing tube and cap to clampingly compress the bellows ends therebetween, said second clamping ring being a protective tube and covering the outwardly facing bellows surfaces.

Claim 3

A shock-absorber leg according to claim 1, wherein the axial length of the protective tube corresponds to the length of stroke of the leg.

Claim 4

A shock-absorber leg according to claim 1, wherein the clamping rings and the cap are outwardly and inwardly curved respectively at their rims which press against the bellows.

Claim 5

A shock-absorber leg according to claim 1, including a filler connector for filling or emptying the bellows wherein the filler connector is tightly screwed into the part of the cap which is covered by the rolling bellows.

Claim 6

A shock-absorber leg according to claim 1, wherein the rolling bellows, the cap and the housing tube are provided with slide means on the clamping surfaces before being interfitted.

Claim 7

A shock-absorber leg comprising a damper unit defined by a housing tube; a piston rod extending outwardly of the housing tube; a cap secured to said piston rod and concentric with respect to the damper unit; and a rolling bellows arranged to be filled with a fluid and having its ends sealingly attached by first and second clamping rings to said housing tube and to said cap respectively, the clamping rings before assembly in the leg having internal radii which exceed the external radii of the housing tube and cap respectively by less than the wall thickness of the rolling bellows, the clamping rings on assembly being force fitted over the housing tube and cap to clampingly compress the bellows ends therebetween, said housing tube having annular grooves in its clamping surface.

Claim 8

A shock-absorber leg comprising a damper unit defined by a housing tube; a piston rod extending outwardly of the housing tube; a cap secured to said piston rod and concentric with respect to the damper unit; and a rolling bellows arranged to be filled with a fluid and having its ends sealingly attached by first and second clamping rings to said housing tube and to said cap respectively, the clamping rings before assembly in the leg having internal radii which exceed the external radii of the housing tube and cap respectively by less than the wall thickness of the rolling bellows, the clamping rings on assembly being force fitted over the housing tube and cap to clampingly compress the bellows ends therebetween, said housing tube having annular grooves in its clamping surface.

Claim 9

A shock absorber comprising a damper unit having an external housing tube of smooth cylindrical configuration free from projections; a piston rod extending outwardly axially from said housing tube; a cap secured to said piston rod and coaxial with said damper unit; a rolling bellows adapted to be filled with a fluid and having a first end fitting over said housing tube and a second end fitting over said cap; and a pair of sheet metal clamping rings fitted over each end of said bellows for respectively connecting same to said housing tubE and said cap under compression, at least said ring surrounding said first end of said bellows retaining same against said housing tube solely by elastic deformation of the last mentioned ring, said bellows and said housing tube, said clamping rings having internal radii which exceed the external radii of said housing tube and said cap respectively by less than the wall thickness of said bellows.

Claim 10

A shock absorber comprising a damper unit having an external housing tube of smooth cylindrical configuration free from projections; a piston rod extending outwardly axially from said housing tube; a cap secured to said piston rod and coaxial with said damper unit; a rolling bellows adapted to be filled with a fluid and having a first end fitting over said housing tube and a second end fitting over said cap; and a pair of sheet metal clamping rings fitted over each end of said bellows for respectively connecting same to said housing tubE and said cap under compression, at least said ring surrounding said first end of said bellows retaining same against said housing tube solely by elastic deformation of the last mentioned ring, said bellows and said housing tube, said clamping rings having internal radii which exceed the external radii of said housing tube and said cap respectively by less than the wall thickness of said bellows.

Claim 11

A shock absorber as defined in claim 7 wherein the clamping rings and said cap are outwardly and inwardly curved respectively at their rims which press against said bellows.