Impact absorbing bumper

Claim 1

An impact absorbing bumper comprising a housing having a front wall, a rear wall, side wall means joining said front and rear walls forming a chamber, said front wall having an opening, substantially resilient impact receiving means extending through said opening, said impact receiving means having an impact receiving portion of substantially the same cross sectional area as said opening positioned outwardly of said front wall to permit the sliding movement of said impact receiving means, a substantially resilient flat wall portion slidably mounted in said chamber and engaging said side wall means, said flat wall portion being substantially larger in cross sectional area than said opening, a plate member mounted in said flat wall portion in said chamber at substantially said opening and between said impact receiving portion and said flat wall portion, a resilient tube positioned in said chamber, said tube having valve means extending through said housing and acting as an inlet for air under pressure into said tube, said tube engaging said side wall means, said rear wall and said resilient flat wall portion whereby impacts received by said resilient impact receiving means is transmitted to said plate member and said resilient flat wall portion to compress said resilient tube as said impact receiving means, said flat wall portion and said plate member are slid inwardly of said chamber and support means secured to said housing for mounting said bumper.