Patent GB-965868-A (GB)
Title: Energy dissipating device
IPC: F16D63/00
Filed: 1963-01-31
Abstract: 965,868. Energy dampers; friction brakes; couplings. SOC. APPLICAZIONI GOMMA ANTIBRIVANTI " SAGA " S.p.A. Jan. 31, 1963 [Jan. 31, 1962], No. 3954/63. Headings F2E, F2S and F2U. An energy dissipating device, Fig. 1, comprises a plurality of rigid rollers 1 disposed between two tracks 2 of resilient material relative translatory movement between which causes the rollers 1 to roll and deform the resilient material to effect the desired energy dissipation. A bearing for a pivot pin, Fig. 3, includes rollers 4 which are pressed between two resilient tracks 5 on outer and inner rigid tubular members 6, 6a, the rollers 4 being laterally confined by retaining rings 7, 7 secured by split rings 9 to the outer tubular member 6. The rollers 4 may be in the form of needle bearings arranged in one or more circumferential rows. A thrust bearing, Fig. 6, not shown, comprises a ring of balls pressed between two resilient tracks which are retained in a pair of grooves formed in the opposed faces of two juxtaposed rigid discs, one of which is rotatably mounted on and the other fast with a horizontal rotatable shaft, the discs being urged toward each other, e.g. by a spring. A torsion vibration damper, Fig. 10, comprises a rigid ring 35 having its inner surface sub-divided into a number of variable-curvature sectors 36 each lined with a resilient layer 37 and an inner cylindrical member covered with a resilient layer 39, a rigid roller 40 being forced between the layers 37, 39 in each sector 36. In an axial vibration damper rigid balls 44, Fig. 12, are forced between resilient layers 42, 43 provided on the inner and outer surfaces respectively of a rigid outer tube 41 and a stem 49 axially-slidable therein. Shoulders 45, 46 on the tube 41 cooperate with axially-spaced collars 47, 48 on the stem 49 to provide stops which limit the extent of rolling of the balls 44. The tube 41 may be formed of a reinforced flexible hose to provide a flexible curved-axis damper, the stem 49 being also flexible. In an alternative arrangement the stem and tube are of corresponding conical form. In a further embodiment, two rows of rigid rollers 55, Fig. 14, are constrained between resilient linings 53, 52 on a rigid box-like structure 50 and a plate 51 axially-slidable therein. In a brake construction, Fig. 7, a flange on a rigid annulus 17 fast with a shaft to be braked, not shown, extends within a circular recess formed by the flanges 18a, 18b of a stationary rigid annulus 18, the opposed faces of the flange of the annulus 17 and the flanges 18a, 18b being provided with viscous-resilient material which act as rolling tracks for two circular sets of needle bearings 19 forced therebetween. In a further brake construction, Fig. 9, a drum 27, rotatably mounted within a cylinder 26 having an inner layer 29 of viscous-resilient material, carries a number of radially-displaceable shoes 28 which are acted upon by hydraulic pressure supplied through passages in the drum 27 and which are covered with a continuous layer 30 of viscousresilient material. Rigid rollers 30, retained by rings 32, are interposed between the two resilient layers 29, 30. The cylinder 26 may be provided with cooling fins. A clutch construction, Fig. 8, comprises discs 20, 22 which are keyed and splined respectively to coaxially aligned shafts 21, 22 and carry corresponding rings 24 of viscous resilient material in annular grooves in their opposed faces a circumferential row of frusto-conical rollers 25 being interposed between the rings 24. A variable thrust is applied to the splined disc 22. The resilient material of the rolling tracks may comprise compact, or foamed, natural or synthetic resins, elastomers &c., characterized by a pronounced hysteresis loop and may be in the form of an inflatable tube with, or without, means for varying the internal pressure. Rubberized cloth, or multilayer rubber can also be used in the manufacture of the tracks.