US1331564A - Pneumatic cushion for vehicles - Google Patents

Description

L. a. Gauss. PNEUMATIC CUSHION FOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED 0(ZT.1B. 1915. 1,331,564.

RENEWED APR. 22, 1918.

atented Feb. 24, 1920.

WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT oFrIoE LUCIEN R. GRUSS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOIR- T0 PNEUMATIC CUSHION COMPANY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A-CORPORATION OF ARIZONA.

PNEUMATIC CUSHION FOR VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

Application filed. October 18, 1915, Serial No. 56,392. Renewed April 22, 1918. Serial No. 230,170.

To all wiiom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUCIEN R. Gauss, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Cushions for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a pneumatic cushion for vehicles, and pertains particularly to devices of the character shown in my prior patent, 1,142,162, entitled Fluidpressure cushioning and weighing mechanism dated June 8, 1915. L

The object of the present invention is to provide first, an improved form of piston construction and connection; second, a novel form of cylinder construction which permits the formation of an oil seal between the telescoping cylinders; and third, to provide means which will prevent accumulation or formation of air pockets in the oil chamber, these improvements being the result ofexperience and of actual operation of the invention.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanyiug drawings, in which Figure l is a central vertical section through the device, showing the pistons, and parts of the interior tube or cylinders in side elevation.

Fig, 2 is a central vertical section' on line 2-2,-Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawingsin detail A indicates a cylinder, the upper end of which is closed by means of a head 2 to form a cushion or compression chamber 3. Concentrically positioned within and spaced from cylinder A is a cylinder or barrel This is secured to the head 2 as at 5 and carries a piston 6 on its lower end. Slld. ably mounted telescope-wise exterior of the barrel 4 and within cylinder A is a cylinder 7, and slidably mounted within the barrel is a piston 8, whichgis connected to cylinder 7 by means of a piston rod 9 and p a. socket joint 10, so that the two'may move central opening 13 formed in the piston 6,

which opening also permits a free movement of the piston rod 9 therethrough. By referring to Fig. 2 it will be seen that compartment 11 is of smaller interior diameter than compartment 12. This is of considerable importance, as will hereinafter be described.

For the purpose of maintaining a seal between the inner barrel 4, the intermediate cylinder 7 and the main cylinder A a groove 14 has been cut in the upper end and inner side of the cylinder 7. The exterior face of cylinder 4 has also been cut on a taper so as to form a gradual decrease in the exterior diameter, said decrease producing the smallest diameter at the lower end, as indicated at 15, and the largest diameter at the upper en l, as indicated at 16. This taper construction produces a loose fit between the inner barrel and intermediate barrel, thus permitting play between same, and also permitting the formation of an oil film between same, said oil being admitted by providing an oil cup 17 of suitable construction which introduces oil into the annular space 18, where it flows down and collects in the pocket 14- formed in the upper end of the cylinder 7. An oil seal is thus formed at this point which not only lubricates the contacting faces but also forms .aseal to prevent the admission or escape of air between the contacting faces of the cylinders.

Another feature of the present invention is'the piston construction as shown. Each piston 6 and 8 is provided with a cupleather 19, which is automatically expanded by means of an annular follower-head 20 anda coil spring 21, which areintroduced between the heads of the pistons and the interior of the cup-leather proper. These coii springs exert suiiicient pressure on the follower-heads to force these down within the cup-leather, thus not only forcing the c'upleather into contact with the cylinder walls but they also automatically serve to take up wear between the contacting parts. The.

lower end of piston 8 is provided with a concave bottom, as indicated at 22, and the upper end of the piston rod is hollowed out as at 23 to form a fluid-passage between compartment 11 and compression. chamber 3, said fluid passage being opened or closed by means of a check valve 24 at the upper end, and being in communication with compartment 11 through means of a plurality of radially spaced passages 25 formed at thelower end. These passages are so disposed as to communicate with the pocket formed by the concave end of the piston and will in this manner liberate any air which might otherwise have a tendency to accumu late atthis point. Air passages such. as indicated at 26 have also been formed in the cup-leather groove of the lower piston 6 to permit the escape of air which might otherwiseaccumu'late in the groove.

In practice chambers 11 and 12 are charged with a liquid such asoil,vwhich also stands normally in the compression I chamber 3, an inch OI'tWO above the piston, above whlch level the device is charged with air. at a desired pressure through an ordinary form of bicycle valve 28, which is normally covered by the cap 29.

Upon the downward movement or cylinder A and cylinder 4, such as is caused when the vehicle body is being loaded, or which also occurs by jolts when traveling and encountering the irregularities of roadway surfaces, the air in chamber 3 on being compressed above the inelastic oil will support or cushion the load of the vehicle body.

Separation of the cylinders which takes place when the body rebounds causes the cylinder 7 to move down in the direction of arrow a. This produces a tendency to create a vacuum in the compartments 11 and 12, this being due to the difference in diameter of the chambers. 11 and 12 as previouslydescribed. The production of vacuum when the parts are separated checks any rebound and consequently eliminates the so-called catapult efiect which is so common inspring supported vehicles. The oil collected in the compression chamber above piston 8. has a tendency to gradually leak down by the piston and the cup-leather 19.. This oil is, however, replaced when compression takes place or when the} cylinder 7 moves up with relation to piston 6. This coming together of the piston 6 and cylinder 7 forces the oil through the opening 13 into the compartment 11, which is of smaller diameter and capacity. The oil is consequently forced through the radial openings 25, the central passage 23 in the piston rod and by check valve 24 directly into the compression chamber 3, where it is retained by the check valve which immediately closes when the cylinders separate.

Any air admitted to either-compartment 11 'or 12 will in'this manner-be trapped in the concave endof thepiston 6, and will, consequently, be forced back into the compression chamber ahead-cf the oil. A perfect lubrication of the several parts is-thus maintained, and an oil seal on top of piston 8 is similarly maintained 'as each stroke of the cylinder forces a quantitygof oil back into chamber 3, where it accummulates on top of the, piston; The seal maintained bv the oil admitted from the lubricating cup 17 prevents admission of air from'the exterior, and similarly prevents escape of air from the interior. The oil admitted also thoroughly lubricates the contacting faces of the several cylinders, consequently increasing the life and efiiciency of the. device as tions mutually check each other. The dis agreeable and dangerous shocks generally encountered on rough road surfaces are in this manner entirely overcome, and comfortable and easy riding secured. Having thus described my invention. what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A pneumatic cushion device comprising a pair of cylinders, one being of larger diameter than the other, and the smaller cyl inder being mountedtelescope wise within the larger cylmder, a valved piston within the smaller cylmder dividing-the cylindersv into a cushion chamber and an oil chamber.

a piston having a central opening formed therein secured onthe lower end of. the

smaller cylinder, and said piston dividing the oil chamber into two compartments, one being larger in diameter than the other, and communicating with each-other through the central opening and a solid rod secured to the valved piston and extending through the central opening and spaced apart therefrom 120 and connected to the lower end of the larger cylmder. i

-2. A pneumatic, cushion device com-prise inga pair of cylinders, one being of larger diameter than the other and'the smaller cyl- 1 25 indefbeing mounted telescope wise within the larger cyl1nder, a yalved piston within the smallercylinder dividing the cylinders.

into a cushion chamber and an oil chamher, a p ston secured on the lower end of 130 The combination of the steel thesmaller cylinder and dividing the oil said compartments, meansconnecting' the valved piston-with the larger cylinder, a

head member forming a closure for the upper end or" the smaller cylinder, a third cylinder carried by said head and inclosing the smallerand larger cylinders and means for admitting oil to the space formed between.

inder being mounted telescope wise within the larger cylinder, a valved piston within the smaller cylinder dividing the cylinders intoa cushion chamber and an oil chamber,- a piston secured on'the, lower end of the smaller cylinder and dividing the oil chamher into two compartments of smallerand larger diameters, an oil seal between said compartments, means connecting the valved piston with the larger cylinder, a head member forming a closure for the upper end ofthe smaller cylinder, a third cylinder carried' by said head and inclosing the smaller and larger cylinders, means for admitting oil to the space formed between the third cylinder and the smaller cylinder, I and an "elf-set formed in the upper end of the larger cylinder to receive the oil and to form a seal between the larger and smaller cylinders.

fl. A pneumatic cushion device comprising 'a pair of cylinders, one being of larger diameter than the other and the smaller cylinder being mounted telescope wise within the larger cylinder, a-valved piston within the smaller cvli'nder dividing the cylinders into a cushion chamber and an oil chamber, a piston secured on the lower 'end of the smaller cylinder and dividing the oil chamber into two compartments of smaller and larger diameters, an oil seal between said compartments, :1. rod connecting the valved piston with the larger cylinder, said valved piston having a concave lower end, a central bore extending therethrough and entering the upper end of said rod, ports in said-rod forming a communication between the concavity and the bore, and check valve for closing the upper end of said bore.

5. A pneumatic cushioh device com-prising a pair of cylinders, one being of larger diameter than the other and the smaller-cylinder being mounted telescope wise within the larger cylinder, said smaller cylinder being also tapered. on the exterior surface to produce a smaller diameterat the lower end, a valved piston within the smaller cylinder dividing the cylinders into a cushion chamber and an oil chamber, a piston having a central opening formed therein secured on the lower end of the smaller cylinder, said piston dividing the oil chamber into two compartments, one being larger in diameter than the other, and communicating with each other through the central opening, a rod secured to the valved piston and extending through the central opening and a socket connection between the rod and the lower end of thevlarger cylinder.

. 6. A pneumatic cushion device comprising a pair of cylinders, one being of larger diameter than the other, and the smaller cylinder being mounted telescope wise within the larger cylinder, a valved piston within the smaller cylinder dividing the cylinders into a cushion chamber and an oil chamber, said'piston having-a concave bottom, a piston having a central'opening formed therein secured on the lowerend of the smaller cvlinder, said piston dividing the oil chamher into two compartments, one being larger in diameter than the other, and communicating with each other through the central opening. arod secured to the valved piston, said rod having a passage formed therein communicating at one end with the valve and at the other end with the concave bottom, and a socket connection between the rod and the lower end of the larger piston, 7. pneumatic cushion device, comprischamber for air and a lower chamber for,

oil, a plunger on the end of the upper cylinder operating within said lower chamber and dividing the same into two inter-communicating compartments of differential diameters, packedsliding joints for the piston and plunger, a valved communication between the two chambers, a jacket surrounding said cylinders and forming an' oil pocket overlying the joint therebetween, and an external source of oil supply for said pocket, said differential diameter compart ments operating upon compression of the cylinders to force oil from the lower chamber into the upper chamber to maintain a seal for said packed joint, and on the extension of said cylinders creating a suction between the walls thereof whichtends to draw oil into the lower chamber from said pocket. 8. A pneumaticcushion device, comprising in combination a pair of telescoping cylinders having their walls spaced slightly apart, a piston carried 'by one of said cylinders and slidable within the other forming between said cylinders an upper chamber for air and a lower chamber-for oil, a plunger on the end of the upper cylinder operating within said lower chamber and dividing the same into two inter-communicating compartments of differential diameters, packed sliding ointstor the piston and 111g in combination a pair of telescoping cylinders, a plston carried by one of said plunger, said packed joints including an upturned, outwardly expanded cup-leather from the lower chamber into the upper her from said pocket.

chamber to maintain a seal for said packed joint, and onthe extension of said cylinders creatinga suction between the walls thereof which tends to draw oil into the lower cham- 9; An air spring comprising a pair of cylinders mounted one within the other and spaced from each other to form an intermediate annular chamber, a head member to which said cylinders are secured, a third cylinder telescoping into the annular chamher, a piston on the innermost of the first named cylinders slidably mounted within the third cylinder, a piston rod secured tothe third cylinder by a socket connection, and a piston secured on the opposite end of said rod slidably mounted within the innermost of the first named cylinders.

10. An air spring comprising a pair of cylinders mounted one within the other and spaced from each other to form an intermediate annular chamber, a head member to which said cylinders are secured, a third cylinder telescoping into the annular chamber, a piston on the innermost of the first named cylinders slidably mounted within the third cylinder, the third cylinder by a socket connection. a piston secured on the opposite end of said rod slidably mounted within the innermost of the first named cylinders; a cup leather mounted on each piston, a tapered spreading head slidably mounted on each piston adapted-to enter the cup leather, and a spring bea piston rod secured tohind each spreading head adapted to force said head into the cup leather.

11. An air spring comprising a head member, an inner and an outer cylinder spaced from each other, secured to the head member, and forming an annular chamber between said cylinders, a lower cylinder adapted to telescope into said annular chamher, a head member on the lower cylinder, a piston slidably mounted in the inner cylinder, a piston rod on said piston, a socket joint connecting the piston rod with the head on the lower cylinder, and a piston, secured on the lower end of the inner cylinder slidably mounted in the lower cylinder.

12. An air spring comprising a head member, an inner and an outer cylinder spaced from each other, secured to the head member, and forming an annular chamber between said cylinders, a lower cylinder adapted to telescope into said annular chamher, a head member on the lower cylinder, a piston slidably mounted in the inner cylinder, a piston rod on said piston, a socket joint connecting the piston rod with the head on the lower cylinder, and a piston, secured on the lower end of the inner cylinder slidably mounted in the lower cylinder, said last-named piston having'a central passage through which the first named piston rod passes, said passage forming a communication between two chambers formed below and above said piston, a third chamber formed between the head and the first named piston, means for automatically maintaining an oil seal above said firstnamed piston, and means for supplying oil to the annular chamber.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Lucian a. Gauss Witnesses JOHN H. HERRING, A, B. 'BUN'r.

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