Device for damping shocks caused by _moving heavy objects

• US 4,492,291 A
• Filed: 02/10/1982
• Issued: 01/08/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (AES Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (AES Corporation)
• Inventors: Dollfus, Jacques, Chometon, Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): Butler, Douglas C.
• Application Number:
  US06/347,378
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• Field of Search: 188/371, 188/372, 188/373, 188/374, 188/375, 188/376, 188/268, 188/377, 52/393, 52/573, 52/167, 52/662, 52/2, 293/133, 267/140.1, 267/140.4, 267/80, 267/81, 267/82, 248/548, 206/591, 206/521, 428/138, 428/137, 297/216, 376/285, 376/234, 252/631, 252/633, 252/627
• US Class Current: 188/377
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 7/12 using plastic deformation of members F16F9/30 takes precedence; yieldable means for mounting bumpers on vehicles B60R19/26; yieldable or collapsible steering columns B62D1/192
• CPC Class Codes: G21C 19/07 Storage racks; Storage pools
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/30 Nuclear fission reactors

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for damping impacts caused by the fall of heavy objects. This device comprises a group of deformable mechanical members arranged perpendicularly to a first plate and a second plate, a supplementary plate having substantially the same weight as each mechanical member being placed between the latter and the second plate. The supplementary plates are contiguous and each mechanical member has at least one predeformation at its end adjacent to the second plate. Application to the protection of discharge ponds against the fall of caskets.

Claims

1. A device for damping shocks due to impacts by heavy moving objects, comprising:

(A) a plurality of substantially identical tubular members, each of which has

(1) an axis,

(2) a pair of axially opposite ends, and

(3) a radially deformed portion intermediate its ends that allows the member to be endwise crushed by a substantially axial compressive impact;

(B) a supporting plate to which each of said members is secured at one of its ends and from which said members all project in one direction, in radially spaced relation to one another;

(C) a plurality of substantially thick supplementary plates, one for each of said members, each

(1) rigidly secured to the other end of its member, normal to the axis thereof, and

(2) having edge portions spaced radially outwardly from its member that oppose edge portions of supplementary plates on adjacent members to maintain the members radially spaced from one another notwithstanding axial crushing deformation of them;

(D) a bendingly deformable perforated sheet overlying said supplementary plates and having a plurality of apertures, one for each said member, each aperture being substantially coaxial with its member;

(E) means at the edge of each said aperture bonding the perforated sheet to the supplementary plate beneath the aperture; and

(F) a substantially imperforate sheet overlying said perforated sheet and having edge portions substantially coterminous with those of the perforated sheet and bonded to them, so that portions of said imperforate sheet and said perforated sheet that are inward of their said edge portions are flatwise slidable relative to one another.

2. An impact damping device for protecting a wall or the like from shocks due to heavy objects moving toward a surface thereof, said device comprising:

(A) a supporting plate for overlying said surface;

(B) a plurality of substantially identical elongated members, each of which is lengthwise crushable under a substantially endwise compressive impact, each of said members being secured at one of its ends to the supporting plate, and all of said members projecting in one direction from the supporting plate and being laterally spaced apart;

(C) a plurality of supplementary plates, one for each of said members, each

(1) rigidly secured to the other end of its member, substantially parallel to the supporting plate, and

(2) having edge portions spaced laterally outwardly from its member that oppose edge portions of supplementary plates on adjacent members to maintain the members laterally spaced apart notwithstanding crushing deformation of them;

(D) a bendingly deformable perforated sheet overlying said supplementary plates and having a plurality of apertures, one for each said member, each aperture being substantially coaxial with its member;

(E) bonding means confined to zones at the edges of said apertures whereby said perforated sheet is secured to each of said supplementary plates;

(F) a substantially imperforate sheet overlying said perforated sheet; and

(G) connecting means substantially confined to adjacent edge portions of said perforated sheet and said imperforate sheet whereby they are maintained in flatwise overlying relationship but are slidable relative to one another at their portions inward of said edge portions.

3. The impact damping device of claim 2, further characterized by:

each of said members

(1) being tubular and

(2) having a radially deformed portion intermediate its ends that renders it lengthwise crushable.

4. The impact damping device of claim 3, further characterized by:

each of said members further being

(3) cylindrical and

(4) made of stainless steel.