Snubber with integral test structure

A snubber for connection between first and second relatively movable external members and having structure which permits said snubber to be tested without being disconnected from said first and second external members comprising a cylinder, first and second end wall in said cylinder, a piston in said cylinder between said first and second end wall, a chamber in said cylinder on opposite side of said piston from said first end wall, a piston rod mounting said piston and having a piston rod portion extending through said first end wall and having a piston rod end located outside of said cylinder on the opposite side of said first end wall from said piston, fluid in said chamber, a seal in said first end wall surrounding said piston rod portion, first securing means for securing said piston rod end to said first external member, a housing for attachment to said cylinder, attachment means for selectively fixedly attaching said housing to said cylinder to cause both to act as a unit for normal buffer operation and for detaching said housing from said cylinder for permitting relative movement between said cylinder and said housing for testing of said snubber, support means for causing said housing to support said cylinder after said attachment means detach said housing from said cylinder to permit said relative movement therebetween, and second securing means for securing said housing to said second external member whereby said cylinder can be supported for relative movement in said housing while said first and second securing means maintain their connection with said first and second external members, respectively.

ln an environment wherein a first member is secured relative to a second member and wherein gradual movement therebetween is permissible but abrupt movement above a predetermined velocity is to be prevented, a snubber with structure for securing said first member to said second member and for permitting testing of said snubber without disconnecting said snubber from said first and second members comprising a cylinder, first and second end walls in said cylinder, a piston in said cylinder between said first and second end walls, first and second chambers in said cylinders on opposite sides of said piston, a piston rod mounting said piston and including a piston rod portion extending through said first end wall and having a piston rod end located outside of said cylinder on the opposite side of said first end wall from said piston, fluid in said cylinder in said first and second chambers on opposite sides of said piston, a seal in said first end wall surrounding said portion of said piston rod, first securing means for securing said piston rod end to said first member, a housing for attachment to said cylinder, attachment means for selectively fixedly attaching said housing to said cylinder to cause both to act as a unit for normal buffer operation and for detaching said housing from said cylinder for permitting relative movement between said cylinder and said housing for testing of said snubber, support means for causing said housing to support said cylinder after said attachment means detach said housing from said cylinder to permit said relative movement therebetween, and second securing means for securing said housing to said second member whereby said cylinder can be supported for relative movement in said housing while said first and second securing means maintain their connections with said first and second members, respectively.

A method of operating and testing a snubber attached between first and second relatively movable external members and having a piston and cylinder unit consisting of a cylinder with a relatively movable piston therein and fluid chambers with fluid therein on opposite sides of said piston within said cylinder, said testing being effected without detaching said piston and cylinder unit from said first and second external members between which it is attached during normal snubber operation, comprising the steps of operating said snubber by firmly connecting said piston and cylinder unit to function as a unit between said first and second external members to cause said piston to move relative to said cylinder only when said first and second external members move relative to each other, said testing of said snubber including the steps of effectively disconnecting said piston and cylinder unit from between said first and second external members while it remains attached therebetween to permit said piston to move relative to said cylinder for testing purposes while said first and second external members do not move relative to each other, supporting said piston and cylinder unit for said relative movement while said piston and cylinder unit remains effectively disconnected during said testing of said snubber, and pumping fluid into one of said chambers while exhausting fluid from the other of said chambers to effect said relative movement between said cylinder and said piston in one direction while said piston and cylinder unit remains effectively disconnected from said first and second external members and while it remains attached between said first and second external members to thereby test said snubber.