Thermopneumatic support device

A thermopneumatic support device for providing support over a range of positions for objects subject to temperature changes and thus to changes in position resulting from thermal expansion or contraction, the device comprising:

• 1. an expandable chamber having a movable surface;
• 2. structural linking means secured at one portion to the movable surface and designed and adapted to be secured at a second portion to the object being supported so as to support the object;
• 3. coupling means operably connected to the expandable chamber and adapted to be connected to a stationary support;
• 4. a fluid pressure reservoir containing a mass of fluid and adapted to be in thermal conducting contact with the object being supported whereby a temperature increase in an object to be supported results in a temperature increase of the fluid and a resultant increase in pressure of the fluid;
• and
• 5. pressure linking means between the fluid pressure reservoir and the expandable chamber, the reservoir, chamber and pressure linking means forming a sealed, substantially fluid-tight system, whereby a change in the temperature of the object being supported causes a change in the pressure within the reservoir, and thus within the expandable chamber, causing movement of the movable surface of the expandable chamber in response thereto and thus relative movement between the coupling means and the structural linking means, the energy for generating the movement is obtained directly from the thermal energy in the object to be supported.

A thermopneumatically supported equipment system, one portion of the system being rigidly secured to a stationary member, the equipment system being susceptible to temperature changes and thus to changes in position of portions thereof relative to the portion secured to the stationary member resulting from thermal expansion or contraction, a thermopneumatic support device for supporting a portion of the system distant from the stationary support member and subject to changes in position relative to the stationary support member caused by thermal expansion and contraction, the thermopneumatic support device comprising variable volume thermopneumatic actuating system means having first and second portions relatively movable with respect to each other, thermal conducting means operatively connected to the actuating system means and in thermally conductive contact with the equipment system such that thermal energy is conducted between the equipment system and the actuating system means when there is a change in temperature in the equipment system;

• the actuating system varying in volume in direct response to variations in temperature of the equipment system being supported, the energy for the volume changes being provided directly by the thermal energy being conducted by the thermal conducting means;
• coupling means operably connected to the first portion and in structurally supporting connection to the equipment system;
• and linking means operably connected to the second portion and in structurally supported connection to a stationary support;
• whereby the equipment system is supported over a range of positions changing in accordance with the thermal changes in the equipment, the energy for the change in positions being provided directly by the thermal energy conducted between the equipment and the actuating system.