Hydraulic buffer assembly

Abstract

A hydraulic buffer assembly for use in a paint gun includes a sealed housing having first and second ends and an interior including a chamber containing a hydraulic fluid. A piston assembly including at least one piston rod and a piston head is axially movable through the interior of the housing, wherein the piston head includes at least one orifice through which hydraulic fluid flows when the piston assembly is moved under load. The buffer assembly is configured to decrease or slow the firing rate of an automatic paint gun.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method for manufacturing a buffer assembly, the method comprising:
 providing a buffer assembly housing having a sealed chamber filled with a hydraulic fluid;   disposing a piston assembly within the buffer assembly housing, the piston assembly comprising:
 a piston rod connectable to a structure under load; and 
 a piston head attached to the piston rod, in which the piston head is movable through the sealed chamber and has a diameter smaller than an inner surface of the chamber, the piston head further having at least one axial orifice; and 
   providing a glide ring on the movable piston head, the glide ring having a diameter that is substantially equal to the inner surface of the chamber, wherein the glide ring prevents movement of hydraulic fluid around the piston head when the piston head is moved in a first direction and in which hydraulic fluid is permitted to flow around the piston head, as well as through the at least one axial orifice, when the piston head is moved in a second direction opposite the first direction.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , in which a damping force is imparted to the connected structure when the piston head is moved in the first direction that slows the movement of the piston head and connected structure. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , in which one end of the piston rod extends outside of the sealed chamber and is connectable to an automatic paint gun in order to control the firing rate thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 providing the glide ring with at least one axial orifice aligned with the at least one axial orifice of the piston head.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 movably disposing the glide ring on an extended portion of the piston head.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 providing a check valve in the at least one axial orifice of the piston head.   
     
     
         8 . A method for slowing the firing rate of a firearm, comprising:
 coupling the firing mechanism of the firearm to one end of a piston rod extending from a sealed chamber filled with a hydraulic fluid,   causing a piston head linked to the piston rod to move through the sealed chamber in a first axial direction upon firing of the firearm, the piston head having a diameter that is smaller than an inner surface of the sealed chamber and in which hydraulic fluid moves through the at least one axial orifice, but is prevented from moving around the piston head when the piston head is moved in the first axial direction, thereby creating a damping force that slows the coupled firing mechanism, and   upon application of a restoring force, causing the piston head to be moved in a second axial direction opposite that of the first axial direction in which hydraulic fluid moves around the piston head, as well as through the at least one axial orifice of the piston head.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 providing a glide ring configured to move with the piston head, the glide ring having a diameter essentially matching that of an inner surface of the sealed chamber wherein the piston head has a smaller diameter than diameter of the glide ring.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 providing at least one axial orifice in the glide ring and aligning the at least one axial orifice of the glide ring with the at least one axial orifice of the piston head.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 providing a seal retainer, and positioning the glide ring between the seal retainer and the piston head.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 9 , in which the piston head is defined by an extended portion, wherein the glide ring is movably disposed on the extended portion. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 providing the seal retainer with a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the glide ring, creating an annular space for movement of hydraulic fluid.   
     
     
         14 . A method as recited in  claim 8 , in which the firearm is an automatic paint gun. 
     
     
         15 . A method for controlling the firing rate of an automatic paint gun, the method comprising:
 coupling the firing mechanism of the automatic paint gun to one end of a piston rod extending from a buffer housing having a sealed interior chamber filled with a hydraulic fluid,   causing a piston head connected to the piston rod to move through the sealed interior chamber in a first axial direction when the automatic paint gun is fired, the piston head having a diameter that is smaller than that of an inner surface of the sealed interior chamber and in which hydraulic fluid moves through the at least one axial orifice, but is prevented from moving around the piston head when the piston head is moved in the first axial direction, and   upon application of a restoring force, causing the piston head to be moved in a second axial direction opposite that of the first axial direction in which hydraulic fluid moves around the piston head, as well as through the at least one axial orifice of the piston head.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 attaching a movable glide ring to the piston head within the buffer housing, the glide ring having a diameter that essentially matches that of an inner surface of the sealed interior chamber.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , in which the glide ring includes at least one axial orifice aligned with the at least one axial orifice of the piston head. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 disposing the glide ring on an axially extending portion of the piston head.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 disposing a seal retainer within the buffer housing, in which the glide ring is disposed between the seal retainer and the piston head.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 mounting the buffer housing in parallel with a bolt assembly of the automatic paint gun.   
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , further comprising:
 providing a pivoting assembly interconnecting the buffer assembly to the bolt assembly.