Shock absorbing apparatus

Claim 2

A fluid flow control apparatus having a hollow cylinder provided with end walls at opposite ends thereof, a quantity of fluid in the cylinder, and a piston assembly having a piston member slidable axially within the cylinder, said piston member having an internal chamber in fluid communication with the fluid within said cylinder at opposite ends of said piston member, slide valve means disposed in said internal chamber movable axially with respect to said piston member, fluid by-pass passage means located within said internal chamber having a plurality of spaced openings each defining a selectively variable crosssectional opening size and configuration for establishing fluid communication between opposite sides of said slide valve means wHen traversed by said slide valve means, resilient means associated with said slide valve means yieldingly resisting axial movement of said slide valve means in opposite axial directions, said slide valve means movable through said internal chamber in response to fluid pressure to traverse said fluid by-pass passage means for selectively controlling the rate of flow of fluid past said slide valve means within said internal chamber, the crosssectional opening size and configuration of each of the openings of said fluid by-pass passage means being varied in accordance with preselected pressure resistance levels in the direction of movement of said slide valve means thereacross, said fluid bypass passage means thereby cooperating with said resilient means in establishing changes in resistance pressure of the fluid on opposite sides of said slide valve means notwithstanding changes in the speed of movement of said piston through said cylinder when said slide valve means moves axially with respect to said piston member to traverse said by-pass passage means.

Claim 3

The fluid-flow control apparatus of claim 1 wherein said resilient means includes spring members disposed on opposite sides of said piston member to yieldingly resist axial movement of the slide member in opposite axial directions.

Claim 4

The fluid-flow control apparatus of claim 2 wherein said bypass passage means is disposed in an internal wall of the piston member.

Claim 5

The fluid-flow control apparatus of claim 3 wherein said openings are of non-circular cross-sectional configuration.

Claim 6

The fluid-flow control apparatus of claim 4 wherein said slide member has an outer surface which conforms to the configuration of the internal surface surrounding said internal chamber of the piston member so as to slidingly engage said internal surface and wherein the outer engaging surface of the slide member has at least one axially spaced notch which is movable into radial alignment with a selected one of said openings in the internal surface of the piston member whereby fluid can flow past an aligned notch and opening to allow fluid to pass through the piston member.

Claim 7

The fluid-flow control apparatus of claim 5 wherein said slide member is selectively rotatable relative to said piston member between fixed positions in which at least one of said axially spaced notches in the slide member can be radially aligned with selected openings in the internal surface of the piston member.

Claim 8

The fluid-flow control apparatus of claim 2 wherein said piston member includes a piston rod and a piston body, said piston rod extending through one end wall of the cylinder and axially through said piston body, and wherein said slide member is slidable along said piston rod, and wherein said fluid by-pass passage means comprises openings in the outer surface of said piston rod such that said slide member is movable across said openings to control the flow of fluid around said slide member and through said openings.

Claim 9

The fluid-flow control apparatus of claim 7 wherein each said opening is of non-circular cross-section configuration.

Claim 10

The fluid-flow control apparatus of claim 8 wherein said slide member has an inner surface which conforms to the configuration of the outer surface of the piston rod so as to slidingly engage said outer surface and wherein said inner surface of the slide member has axially spaced notches which are movable into radial alignment with an opening in the outer surface of the piston rod whereby fluid can flow between the axially spaced notch and the opening to allow fluid to pass through the piston member.

Claim 11

The fluid-flow control apparatus of claim 9 wherein said slide member is selectively rotatable relative to said piston rod between fixed positions in which said axially spaced notches in the inner surface of the slide member can be radially aligned with a selected one of the openings in the piston rod.

Claim 12

The fluid-flow control apparatus of claim 1 wherein said cylinder has an inner pressure chamber in which said piston member is at least partially disposed for axial movement, an outer pressure chamber, and a flow passage adjacent an end of the cylinder communicating with both the inner and outer pressure chambers of the cylinder whereby fluid can flow between the inner and outer pressure chambers.

Claim 13

The fluid-flow control apparatus of claim 11 wherein said piston member includes a piston rod extending through one end of said cylinder and wherein said flow passage is adjacent the end of the cylinder opposite to said one end.

Claim 14

The fluid-flow control apparatus of claim 12 further including valve means operatively cooperating with said flow passage to selectively permit the flow of fluid from the outer pressure chamber to the inner pressure chamber and to limit the flow of fluid from the inner pressure chamber to the outer pressure chamber.

Claim 15

The fluid-flow control apparatus of claim 13 wherein said valve means is comprised of a split ring of limited resiliency having a diameter approximately the same as the diameter of the inner pressure chamber, said split ring being disposed in the inner pressure chamber in alignment with said flow passage to limit the egress of fluid from the inner pressure chamber, the resiliency of the split ring being such as to flex inwardly when a selected pressure is applied thereto from the outer pressure chamber to allow the flow of fluid from the outer pressure chamber to the inner pressure chamber of the cylinder.

Claim 16

A shock absorbing apparatus comprising in combination: a cylinder having an outer cylindrical wall and an inner cylindrical wall defining inner and outer concentric pressure chambers, a flow passage at one end of the inner cylindrical wall establishing fluid communication between the pressure chambers at said one end, end caps at opposite ends of the cylinder establishing fluid tight seals at each end of the inner and outer cylindrical walls and a quantity of fluid within said inner and outer pressure cylinders and, a piston assembly having a piston rod extending through one end cap of the cylinder and a piston member rotatably mounted on said piston rod and adapted for axial sliding movement within the inner pressure chamber, said piston member having a cylindrical body with a cylindrical inner compartment and end walls having openings therein providing fluid communication between said cylindrical inner compartment and the inner pressure chamber of said cylinder, a ring member slidably mounted on the piston rod within said inner compartment of the piston body in slidable engagement with an inner surface of the piston body, said ring member having axially spaced notches in an outer surface thereof opening toward said inner surface of the piston body, means for preventing rotation of said ring member relative to said piston rod, spring means on opposite sides of said ring member yieldingly resisting axial sliding movement of the ring member along the piston rod, said piston body having a plurality of circumferentially spaced fluid by-pass passage means in said inner surface of the piston body opening inwardly into said inner compartment, each of said fluid by-pass passage means being of a different selected size and configuration to establish a different predetermined resistance pressure in the fluid notwithstanding changes in speed of movement of said piston through said cylinder when said notches in the ring member are advanced across at least one of said fluid by-pass passage means in the piston body establishing a fluid by-pass from one side of the ring member to the other, and releasable lock means interconnecting said piston body and the piston rod to selectively prevent relative rotation between said piston body and piston rod whereby axial movement of said piston body through said inner pressure chamber will result in fluid pressure being applied against said ring member to slide said ring member along the piston rod until the notches in the ring member become aligned with at least onE of said fluid by-pass means in the inner surface of the piston body thereby allowing the fluid to pass from one side of the ring member to the other.

Claim 17

A shock absorbing apparatus comprising in combination: a cylinder having an outer cylindrical wall and an inner cylindrical wall defining inner and outer concentric pressure chambers, a flow passage at one end of the inner cylindrical wall establishing fluid communication between the pressure chambers at said one end, end caps at opposite ends of the cylinder establishing fluid tight seals at each end of the inner and outer cylindrical walls and a quantity of fluid within said inner and outer pressure cylinders and, a piston assembly having a piston rod extending through one end cap of the cylinder and a piston member rotatably mounted on said piston rod and adapted for axial sliding movement within the inner pressure chamber, said piston member having a cylindrical body with a cylindrical inner compartment and end walls having openings therein providing fluid communication between said cylindrical inner compartment and the inner pressure chamber of said cylinder, a ring member slidably mounted on the piston rod within said inner compartment of the piston body in slidable engagement with an inner surface of the piston body, said ring member having axially spaced notches in an outer surface thereof opening toward said inner surface of the piston body, means for preventing rotation of said ring member relative to said piston rod, spring means on opposite sides of said ring member yieldingly resisting axial sliding movement of the ring member along the piston rod, said piston body having a plurality of circumferentially spaced fluid by-pass passage means in said inner surface of the piston body opening inwardly into said inner compartment, each of said fluid by-pass passage means being of a different selected size and configuration to establish a different predetermined resistance pressure in the fluid notwithstanding changes in speed of movement of said piston through said cylinder when said notches in the ring member are advanced across at least one of said fluid by-pass passage means in the piston body establishing a fluid by-pass from one side of the ring member to the other, and releasable lock means interconnecting said piston body and the piston rod to selectively prevent relative rotation between said piston body and piston rod whereby axial movement of said piston body through said inner pressure chamber will result in fluid pressure being applied against said ring member to slide said ring member along the piston rod until the notches in the ring member become aligned with at least onE of said fluid by-pass means in the inner surface of the piston body thereby allowing the fluid to pass from one side of the ring member to the other.

Claim 18

In a hydraulic dampening apparatus having a hollow cylinder with end walls at opposite ends thereof, a quantity of hydraulic fluid in the cylinder, and a piston assembly with a generally cylindrical piston member slidable axially in said cylinder so that hydraulic fluid is allowed to flow through the piston member upon sliding movement of the piston member, the improvement comprising: a chamber within said piston member, end walls at opposite ends of said piston member having openings therethrough in fluid communication with said chamber to allow the passage of hydraulic fluid, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced fluid by-pass passage means in an internal surface of said piston member, each including a recess opening in said surface and each having a different predetermined cross-sectional opening size and configuration to regulate the pressure resistance in the fluid notwithstanding changes in speed of movement of said piston through said cylinder, a slide member totally disposed within said chamber movable axially with respect to said piston member and said slide member being adapted to traverse a selected recess opening in selectively controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid past said slide member and through said recess opening whereby the rate of flow of hydraulic fluid past said slide member and through said recess opening and the resistance pressure of hydraulic fluid at opposite ends of the piston member is at least partially determined by the position of said slide member relative to the selected recess opening.

Claim 19

In a hydraulic dampening apparatus having a hollow cylinder with end walls at opposite ends thereof, a quantity of hydraulic fluid in the cylinder, and a piston assembly with a generally cylindrical piston member slidable axially in said cylinder so that hydraulic fluid is allowed to flow through the piston member upon sliding movement of the piston member, the improvement comprising: a chamber within said piston member, end walls at opposite ends of said piston member having openings therethrough in fluid communication with said chamber to allow the passage of hydraulic fluid, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced fluid by-pass passage means in an internal surface of said piston member, each including a recess opening in said surface and each having a different predetermined cross-sectional opening size and configuration to regulate the pressure resistance in the fluid notwithstanding changes in speed of movement of said piston through said cylinder, a slide member totally disposed within said chamber movable axially with respect to said piston member and said slide member being adapted to traverse a selected recess opening in selectively controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid past said slide member and through said recess opening whereby the rate of flow of hydraulic fluid past said slide member and through said recess opening and the resistance pressure of hydraulic fluid at opposite ends of the piston member is at least partially determined by the position of said slide member relative to the selected recess opening.

Claim 20

In the hydraulic dampening apparatus of claim 16, further including resilient means in said chamber yieldingly resisting axial movement of the slide member.

Claim 21

In the hydraulic dampening apparatus of claim 17, wherein said resilient means are disposed on opposite sides of said piston member so as to yieldingly resist axial movement of the slide member in opposite axial directions.

Claim 22

In the hydraulic dampening apparatus of claim 18, wherein each said opening is of non-circular cross-sectional configuration.

Claim 23

In the hydraulic dampening apparatus of claim 19 wherein said slide member has an outer surface which conforms with the configuration of said internal surface of the piston member and wherein said internal surface surrounds said chamber so that an outer surface of said slide member slidingly engages said internal surface and wherein said outer surface of the slide member has axially spaced notches which are movable into radial alignment with at least one of said recess openings in the internal surface of the piston member whereby fluid can flow through the axially spaced notches and said recess opening to allow fluid to pass through the piston member.

Claim 24

In the hydraulic dampening apparatus of claim 20, wherein said slide member is selectively rotatable relative to said piston member between fixed positions in which said axially spaced notches in the slide member can be radially aligned with a selected one of the openings in the internal surface of the piston member.