ONE OR TWO WAY ENERGY (SHOCK) ABSORBER

• US 3,796,288 A
• Filed: 10/10/1972
• Issued: 03/12/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Harold S. Hollnagel
• Original Assignee: Harold S. Hollnagel
• Inventors: Hollnagel, Harold S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reger, Duane A.
• Application Number:
  US05/296,471
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 188/1B,129,285,319 267/9B,9C
• US Class Current: 188/129
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 7/09 in dampers of the cylinder-and-piston type

Abstract

Various embodiments of energy or shock absorbers are disclosed; however, they all have in common the inclusion of a casing with a rod movably supported in the casing for movement relative thereto. In each embodiment there is included a plurality of friction blocks which are urged into engagement with the inner walls of the casing by inclined surfaces coacting with wedge members attached to the rod. As the rod is moved relative to the casing, the wedge member disposed on the rod is moved into further wedging engagement with the friction blocks to urge the friction blocks outwardly and into engagement with the inside walls of the casing. The particular novelty generic to all of the embodiments is the feature of being able to adjust the degree to which the friction blocks are urged outwardly into engagement with the casing in the static condition. This is accomplished by effecting a relative rotation between the casing and the rod upon which the wedge members are supported. More specifically, this adjustment is accomplished by the threaded engagement between the rod and the wedge members whereby upon rotation of the rod relative to the casing, the wedge members are moved into greater or lesser wedging engagement with the friction blocks.

Claims

1. An energy absorbing device comprising:

a casing member, a rod member supported in said casing member for movement relative thereto, friction means disposed in frictional engagement with said casing member, and moving means for urging said friction means into said frictional engagement in response to said movement of said rod member relative to said casing member and for adjusting said frictional engagement in response to relative rotation between said moving means and said rod member;

said moving means including wedge means for wedging said frictional means into frictional engagement with said casing member and actuation means disposed between said friction means and said wedge means, said actuation means including outwardly flaring portions defining an outwardly opening wedge surface adjacent said wedge means.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said moving means is carried by said rod member and includes a threaded connection between said wedge means and said rod member.

3. An assembly as set forth in claim 2 including attachment means for attaching said casing member and said rod member to environmental structure and including connection means interconnecting said attachment means and one of said casing member and said rod member for allowing rotation thereof without rotating said attachment means whereby said attachment means may be attached to environmental structure and one of said casing member and rod member rotated to effect the adjustment of said frictional engagement.

4. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said rod member includes first and second portions, said first portion bEing rotatable independently of said second portion and carrying said moving means whereby said first portion may be rotated relative to said casing member and said second portion;

said second portion comprising attachment means for attaching said rod member to an environmental structure.

5. A device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said first portion includes a tubular member and said second portion includes a cylindrical member rotatably received within said tubular member.

6. A device as set forth in claim 5 including means for preventing relative rotation between said friction means and said casing member about the axis of said rod member thereby effecting relative rotation between said moving means and said rod member.

7. A device as set forth in claim 6 wherein said casing member is hollow and four-sided in cross section to define said means for preventing said rotation between said friction means and said casing member.

8. A device as set forth in claim 6 wherein said friction means includes a pair of friction blocks disposed in opposed relationship to one another so as to engage opposite sides of said casing member.

9. A device as set forth in claim 8 wherein said wedge means includes wedge blocks disposed at each end of said friction blocks.

10. A device as set forth in claim 9 wherein said wedge blocks are wedge cylinders disposed on said rod member, one of said wedge cylinders being threadedly attached to said rod member.

11. A device as set forth in claim 9 wherein said actuation means includes a supportive backing plate for supporting each of said friction blocks, said outwardly flaring portions being disposed on the ends of said backing plate.

12. A device as set forth in claim 11 wherein said second portion of said rod member includes a socket at the end opposite said cylindrical member defining said attachment means.

13. A device as set forth in claim 12 wherein said first portion includes means for receiving a tool to rotate the same relative to said second portion and said casing member.

14. A device as set forth in claim 13 wherein each of said friction blocks includes a pad having friction surfaces engaging said casing member made of woven Teflon fibers bonded to a rigid backing material.

15. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said casing member includes first and second portions, said first portion being rotatable independently of said second portion, said first portion including means for preventing relative rotation between said friction means and said casing member thereby effecting relative rotation between said moving means and said rod member;

said second portion defining attachment means for attaching said casing member to an environmental structure.

16. A device as set forth in claim 15 wherein said casing member is substantially circular in cross section and includes an inwardly extending axial groove defining said means for preventing relative rotation between said friction means and said casing member.