Atwood Vacuum Machine Company

John J Skubal

A gas spring for movable members such as vehicle deck lids in which a piston assembly carried on the end of a rod slides back and forth in a cylinder to expand and contract the spring. The cylinder is sealed at the head end and also around the rod and is filled with a combination of oil and a gas under pressure. The piston assembly is such that the passage of oil and gas from one side to the other is restricted as the spring is expanded by extending the rod and this produces a dampening action but the restriction is eliminated when the spring is contracted so that there is virtually no dampening effect. The sealing assembly around the rod includes sealing means, an oil reservoir disposed inwardly of the sealing means and capillary passages communicating with the reservoir. Capillary action maintains a body of oil between the sealing means and the gas in the cylinder irrespective of the angular attitude of the spring.

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Rockford, IL, United States of America

John J Skubal