Rubber coupling

Claim 1

A guiding, resilient coupling comprising, in combination: (a) two machine parts arranged in adjacent relationship and having respective, adjacent, facing, spaced apart surfaces defining a gap therebetween, said machine parts being movable relative to eaoh other in at least two orthogonal directions, one of which is substantially transverse to the average longitudinal direction of said gap; and (b) means for coupling said machine parts together comprising: (1) a resilient body arranged in said gap and having a profile substantially matching the cross-sectional shape of, and substantially filling at least a portion of, said gap, thereby defining external surfaces which face at least a portion of the gap-facing surfaces of said machine parts; (2) at least one resilient projection integral with said resilient body and jutting out from said profile of said resilient body; (3) adhesive joining means comprising adhesive on a surface of each of said resilient body and said resilient projection, adhesively joining each such surface to a respective one of said machine parts; (4) the facing surface of said resilient body which is not joined to a respective one of said machine parts being non-integrally, intimately adjacent to the gap-facing surface of such machine part, thereby providing guidance in at least one of said orthogonal directions; whereby the external surfaces of said resilient body within said gap which are not joined to a respective, facing surface of a machine part by said adhesive joining means form guiding sufaces for such machine part and wherein said resilient body serves as a buffer against relative movement of said two machine parts in said one direction without the imposition of any substantial stress due to relative movement of said machine parts in another, orthogonal direction.