Energy dissipating unit

Claim 2

A hydraulic energy dissipating unit including an outer cylinder containing a body of fluid, movable wall means inside said cylinder and defining opposite fluid chambers variable in volume during relative movement between said cylinder and said movable wall means under forces applied thereto, and force magnitude control valve means comprising means defining an aperture in said movable wall means communicating said chambers the edge of which aperture defines a fluid orifice of a diameter, an elongated pin affixed to said movable wall means coaxial with said orifice having a shank of a diameter smaller than that of said orifice and with one end of said pin located proximate said orifice, said one end of said pin being formed with a predetermined taper, a valve sleeve mounted slidably on said shank of said pin and including an annular flange adapted to close the annular area intervening said pin and said orifice edge, and spring means urging said valve sleeve to a position engaging said annular flange with said orifice edge, whereby there is provided a hydrostatic pressure area on said annular flange of said sleeve equalling said intervening area and a dynamic orifice flow area larger than the latter to a degree dependent upon said taper of said pin at said one end thereof.

Claim 3

The combination recited in claim 1 wherein a retainer cup mounts said pin on said movable wall means and defines a volume with said orifice at one end of such volume, said spring means comprising a coil compression spring, and outlet apertures in said retainer cup at the end of said volume opposite said orifice, whereby fluid flowing through said orifice is directed over the coils of said spring and out said outlet apertures.

Claim 4

A hydraulic energy dissipating unit including an outer cylinder containing a body of fluid, movable wall means inside said cylinder and defining opposite fluid chambers variable in volume during relative movement between said cylinder and said movable wall means under forces applied thereto, and force magnitude control valve means comprising means defining an aperture in said movable wall means communicating said chambers bounded by an in-turned lip from said wall means the edge of which lip defines a fluid orifice of a diameter, an elongated pin affixed to said movable wall means coaxial with said orifice having a shank of a diameter smaller than that of said orifice and with one end of said pin located proximate said lip edge, said one end of said pin being formed with a predetermined taper, a valve sleeve mounted slidably on the shank of said pin and including an annular flange adapted to close the annular area intervening said pin and said lip edge, and spring means urging said valve sleeve to a position engaging said annular flange with said lip edge, whereby there is provided a hydrostatic pressure area at said annular flange of said sleeve equalling said intervening area and a dynamic orifice flow area larger than the latter to a degree dependent upon said taper of said pin at said one end thereof.

Claim 5

A hydraulic energy dissipating unit including an outer cylinder containing a body of fluid, movable wall means inside said cylinder and defining opposite fluid chambers variable in volume during relative movement between said cylinder and said movable wall means under forces applied thereto, and force magnitude control valve means comprising means defining an aperture in said movable wall means communicating said chambers bounded by an in-turned lip from said wall means the edge of which lip defines a fluid orifice of a diameter, an elongated pin affixed to said movable wall means coaxial with said orifice having a shank of a diameter smaller than that of said orifice and with one end of said pin located proximate said lip edge, said one end of said pin being formed with a predetermined taper, a valve sleeve mounted slidably on the shank of said pin and including an annular flange adapted to close the annular area intervening said pin and said lip edge, and spring means urging said valve sleeve to a position engaging said annular flange with said lip edge, whereby there is provided a hydrostatic pressure area at said annular flange of said sleeve equalling said intervening area and a dynamic orifice flow area larger than the latter to a degree dependent upon said taper of said pin at said one end thereof.

Claim 6

The combination recited in claim 3 further including notches in said annular lip providing a return path of fluid flow of predetermined area when said annular flange is seated on said lip.

Claim 7

A hydraulic energy dissipating unit including an outer cylinder containing a body of fluid, movable wall means inside said cylinder and defining opposite fluid chambers variable in volume during relative movement between said cylinder and said movable wall means under forces applied thereto, and force magnitude control valve means comprising means defining an aperture in said movable wall means communicating said chambers bounded by an in-turned lip from said wall means the edge of which lip defines a fluid orifice of a diameter, a retainer cup affixed to said wall means, an elongated pin mounted at one end on said cup and coaxial with said orifice with the outer end of said pin located proximate said orifice edge, said pin having a shank of a diameter smaller than that of said orifice and said other end of said pin being formed with a predetermined taper, a valve sleeve mounted slidably on the shank of said pin and including an annular flange adapted to close the annular area intervening said pin and said lip edge, a coil spring seated between said cup and said wall means urging said valve sleeve to a position engaging said annular flange with said lip edge, means defining notches in said lip providing a return path of fluid flow of predetermined area when said annular flange is seated on said lip, whereby there is provided a hydrostatic pressure area at said annular flange of said sleeve equalling said intervening area and a dynamic orifice flow area larger than the latter to a degree dependent upon said taper of said pin at one end, and means defining outlet apertures in an end of said cup opposite said orifice whereby fluid flowing through said orifice is directed over the coils of said spring and out said outlet apertures.

Claim 8

A hydraulic energy dissipating unit including an outer cylinder containing a body of fluid, movable wall means inside said cylinder and defining opposite fluid chambers variable in volume during relative movement between said cylinder and said movable wall means under forces applied thereto, and force magnitude control valve means comprising means defining an aperture in said movable wall means communicating said chambers bounded by an in-turned lip from said wall means the edge of which lip defines a fluid orifice of a diameter, a retainer cup affixed to said wall means, an elongated pin mounted at one end on said cup and coaxial with said orifice with the outer end of said pin located proximate said orifice edge, said pin having a shank of a diameter smaller than that of said orifice and said other end of said pin being formed with a predetermined taper, a valve sleeve mounted slidably on the shank of said pin and including an annular flange adapted to close the annular area intervening said pin and said lip edge, a coil spring seated between said cup and said wall means urging said valve sleeve to a position engaging said annular flange with said lip edge, means defining notches in said lip providing a return path of fluid flow of predetermined area when said annular flange is seated on said lip, whereby there is provided a hydrostatic pressure area at said annular flange of said sleeve equalling said intervening area and a dynamic orifice flow area larger than the latter to a degree dependent upon said taper of said pin at one end, and means defining outlet apertures in an end of said cup opposite said orifice whereby fluid flowing through said orifice is directed over the coils of said spring and out said outlet apertures.