Background Art Typically, a pressure-responsive switch is rela- ' 0 tively delicate and when used in a harsh and severe environ¬ ment where excessive vibration is encountered, it may fail within a very short period of time. One environment in which this type of switch is employed is in a vehicle, such as a crawler tractor or excavator, where the switch senses 5 pressure to provide an indication to the operator as to whether the intake air cleaner is clogged. This environ¬ ment is one of the most severe in terms of vibration where such a switch might be employed. In such an application, the switch has in the past been connected to the air intake 0 tube by a metallic conduit to provide fluid communication therebetween and to also provide an electrical connection between the switch and the air intake tube as well. How¬ ever, this conduit also transfers detrimental engine vibration directly to the switch causing premature failure. 5 Disclosure of Invention

The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.

In one aspect of the invention, a vibration isola¬ tor which is fitted between an air tube and a pressure- 0 sensitive switch comprises a resilient member for isolating vibration between the ends thereof, a coupling element at each end to which the air tube and the switch may respec¬ tively be connected, and a conducting wire connected between the ends of the isolator to provide an electrical 5 connection between .the air tube and the switch when they are coupled to their respective ends of the isolator. The isolator has a passageway extending between the ends thereof providing fluid communication between the air tube

and the switch. The coupling elements are metallic and are secured to the ends of the resilient member, which is a cylindrical tube.

The conducting wire is disposed within the resilient member and formed therein to allow the wire to be extended without breaking when the resilient member is distorted or twisted under vibration.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the metallic wire is embedded within the resilient tube to protect it against corrosion or other damage.

In another exemplary embodiment of the invention the metallic wire is coiled externally about the resilien member and is mechanically connected to the metallic coup ling elements to provide the electrical connection there- between.

Brief Description of Drawings The.details of construction and operation of the invention are more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and in which like reference numerals refer to like parts through out.

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a crawler tractor having a portion broken away to .show the engine compartment where an embodiment of a vibration isolator constructed in accordance with the present invention is employed.

Fig. 2 is a view showing a vibration isolator connected between the air tube and the pressure-responsiv switch and the warning indicator circuit. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of one embodiment of the vibration isolator partially broken away showing the conducting wire embedded within the resilient tube.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of an alternative embodiment of the vibration isolator showing the conduct- ing wire coiled around the resilient tube.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Referring to Fig. 1, a crawler tractor, generall designated 10, has a bucket mechanism 12 located forwardl

thereof, an engine 14 and an operator's station, generally designated 16. The engine is provided with battery 18. Within the engine compartment is an air cleaner 20 which delivers combustion air to the engine 14 through an air intake tube 22.

As best seen in Fig. 2, the intake tube 22 is provided with a metallic T-shaped fitting or connector 26 such that fluid communication therewith is provided through a metallic conductor 28 to a pressure-responsive switch 30. A warning light or indicator 32 is mounted on the dashboard of a control console 34 at the operator's station 16 as illustrated in Fig. 1. The pressure-respon¬ sive switch 30 may have a diaphragm which causes contacts to close when no pressure is sensed within the intake tube 22. Such condition .indicates air cleaner 20 is clogged. When the switch 30 is closed, an electrical cir¬ cuit is completed from battery 18 through conductor 27, indicator 32, conductor 28, pressure-responsive switch 30 and vibration isolator 36 to grounded metallic connector 26. T e vibration isolator 36, shown in Fig. 3, in¬ cludes a central resilient elastomeric or rubber tube 50 and metal end fittings or coupling members 52 and 54. The cylindrical tube 50 has a passageway 56 extending longi¬ tudinally between its respective ends 60 and 62. The coupling member' 52 is bonded to the end 60 of the tube 50 and has a threaded longitudinal bore 66 which is aligned with an end of the passageway 56 and is adapted to receive the threaded end of the conductor 28. The coupling mem¬ ber 54 is bonded to the- end 62 of the tube 50 and has a longitudinally extending tapered shank 70. The shank 70 is externally threaded and is adapted to be received with¬ in the port of the connector 26 defined by tapered threaded bore 72. Extending through the coupling member 54 is a longitudinal bore 76 which is aligned with the end of the passageway 56. • Thus, fluid communication is provided between the indicator switch 30 and the interior of intake tube 22.

The coupling members 52 and 54 are provided with external flats 80 so that the couplings have a hexagonal • cross-sectional configuration and are also in alignment with one another to allow tightening of the isolator 36 to the connector 26 and the conductor 28.

The resilient tube 50 thereby isolates the vacuu indicator switch 30 from the vibration associated with th air intake tube 22 by absorbing any vibration or relative motion between the parts within the engine compartment. However, since the resilient tube also electrically insu¬ lates the coupling members 52 and 54, it is necessary tha means be provided to conduct electricity, past the resilie tube 50 to complete the circuit of the warning system and ground the vacuum switch 30. In past constructions, the connection of the metallic conductor 28 directly to the metallic connector 26 completed the circuit. This avoide the necessity of providing a separate electrical connecti distinct from the air line connection.

In Fig. ^' 3, one means of completing the electrica circuit in accordance with the invention is illustrated and consists of a thin, metallic conducting wire 84 which is embedded or bonded within the annular wall 86 of the tube and is physically connected by any suitable means to the metallic coupling members 52 and 54 at each end there Thedisposition of the metallic conducting wire 84 within the wall of the tube 50 protects it against corrosion and damage. This wire thus provides means for electrically connecting the coupling members 52 and 54 and, hence, the indicator switch 30 and air intake tube 22 via the air line connection-.

In Fig. 4, a modified embodiment of the vibratio isolator, designated 36, has a thin, metallic conducting wire 90 coiled externally around the cylindrical outer surface 92 of the resilient tube 50 that is connected to the metallic coupling members 52 and 54 to provide an electrical connection therebetween. Herein, the coupling members 52 and 54 have a diameter greater than that of th tube 50 so as to permit physical attachment of the wire 9

OMPI

on the inner surfaces 96 and 98 of the coupling members 52 and 54, respectively, which extend radially outward beyond the outer surface 92 of the resilient tube 50.

The wire ^' 84 in the Fig. 3 version is sinuously configured and the wire 90 in the Fig. 4 version is coiled so. as to permit linear extension thereof without breaking when the resilient tube 50 is flexed or deformed by vibra¬ tion transferred to it by the engine. Effectively, no vibration is transferred via this sinuous thin wire between the ends of the isolator.

It is understood that the metallic coupling mem¬ bers 52 and 54 may take any suitable form. For example, both the coupling members 52 and 54 may be made from con¬ ventional hex nuts with the coupling member 54 being pro- vided with an externally threaded nipple having one end threaded into the body of the coupling member 54 and the other end threaded into the connector 26.

It is also understood that the resilient tube 50 may be constructed by bonding the coupling members 52 and 54 or hex nuts together with a resilient material so as to obtain a flexible bond of sufficient dimension to isolate vibration and maintain a tight fluid connection between the couplings during use.

Industrial Applicability The flexible vibration isolators 36 and 36' , shown respectively in Figs. 3 and 4, are effective in pre¬ venting the transfer of vibration from the engine 14 of the tractor 10 by absorbing vibration. Yet, they provide fluid communication between the air intake tube 22 and the pressure-responsive switch 30, and also act to com¬ plete an electric circuit therebetween through wire 84 or wire 90 to allow the switch 30 to be electrically con¬ nected to indicator 32.

Other aspects, objects and advantages of this invention can be obtained from a study of the drawings, the disclosure and the appended claims.