Compliant elastomeric shock absorbing apparatus

A shock absorbing apparatus comprising:

• a flexible housing substantially formed from a pair of identical fluid-impermeable elastomeric housing sections defining an interior,
• a plate having a portion disposed within the interior of the housing, said portion having at least one orifice, the plate separating adjacent symmetric chambers within the interior of the flexible housing containing a hydraulic fluid that are fluidically connected by the at least one orifice, the plate further having a portion extending outside of the flexible housing;
• a pair of mounting plates for connecting the flexible housing to a structure that is under load in which transmitted loads from the structure cause the contained hydraulic fluid to move under pressure through the at least one orifice to provide shock absorption, wherein each mounting plate is attached to:
• i) opposing ends of one of the elastomeric housing sections of the flexible housing, and ii) opposing sides of the portion of the plate having the at least one orifice extending outside of the flexible housing;
• and
• one or more pin members disposed within the interior of the housing, each said pin member having a tapered configuration for engaging the at least one orifice in order to define a variable orifice diameter, wherein each of the identical fluid-impermeable elastomeric housing sections further includes a striker plate aligned with the at least one orifice to enable loads to be transmitted to either side of the flexible housing and in which each said pin member is disposed between the striker plate and the plate having the at least one orifice, each said pin member being coupled to a fastener extending through the striker plate.