Surge suppressor

A surge suppressor for suppressing undesired pressure surges in a fluid handling system, comprising:

• (a) a unitary tubular housing having a generally open end and a generally closed end, said closed end having an internally threaded bore extending through it, said housing defining a tubular cavity;
• (b) a rigid, generally tubular baffle member coaxially disposed in said cavity and having a tubular wall portion longitudinally aligned with said generally open end and said generally closed end of said tubular housing said tubular baffle extending through said tubular housing at each end of said housing and of a length greater than the length of said housing, said tubular wall portion including a plurality of longitudinally spaced, radially extending slots formed through said wall portion and having a one-piece integrally formed, externally threaded tubular stub at one end thereof mating with said internally threaded bore;
• (c) a tubular bladder member formed from an elastomeric material coaxially disposed about said baffle member and clamped at each end between said baffle member and said housing to form a fluid tight seal proximate each end of said tubular bladder member when said externally threaded stub is mated with said internally threaded bore to effectively divide said cavity into two chambers, one chamber being exposed to said fluid subject to said undesired pressure surges;
• and
• (d) means for pressurizing the other chamber with a compressible fluid to a predetermined pressure.