US2999393A - Vibrator - Google Patents

Description

p 1961 E. F. PETERSON 2,999,393

VIBRATOR Filed Feb. 13. 1959 TTIT l hl ll ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,999,393 VBRATGR Edwin F. Peterson, Martin Eng. (10., Neponset, H1. Filed Feb. 13, 1959, Ser. No. 793,088 15 Claims. (Cl. 74-87) This invention relates to improvements in vibrators of the class employed in creating agitating, settling, moving, shaking and like forces in structures or objects containing or handling fluent materials, and has for its principal object the provision of a highly commercially desirable vibrator of compact and relatively inexpensive light-weight design in proportion to its capacity.

It is a significant and none-'the-less important object to provide a vibrator of the centrifugal or rotating-weight type as distinguished from the reciprocating-piston types, which are extremely noisy and which are primarily limited in operation to pneumatic driving sources. A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a vibrator so designed that it may be driven by a variety of driving sources, including but not limited to such sources as pneumatic motors and electric motors of either the singleor poly-phase types. In this respect, the improved design provides for coaxial connection of the weight-driving shaft to driving sources of the above character, the weight shaft being hollow to telescopically receive a driving shaft. It is also an object of the invention to provide speed-reduction drive means adapting the vibrator to be driven at acceptable speeds even by driving sources having different speeds, and primarily by substantially higher-speed sources such as universal electric motors and the like.

Of further significance is the vibrator design featuring means for mounting same directly on the object or structure to be vibrated, which means is centered in a plane that is radial to the weight shaft axis and that passes through the center of mass of the weight whereby to transmit forces directly rather than in devious paths. The improved vibrator is, according to this invention, additionally equipped with means for supporting directly thereon any one of several driving sources as distinguished from mounting the vibrator on the driving source which is in turn mounted on the object to be vibrated.

Further features reside in a compact design which is relatively thin as measured axially of the weight shaft and relatively wide as measured radially of said shaft, thereby reducing the size of the vibrator in one direction but affording ample size in the perpendicular direction for improving the direct mounting of the vibrator on Whatever is to be vibrated. In this regard, the mounting means takes the form of slotted mounting blocks or pads having securing devices cooperative therewith to afford clamp means for readily mounting and dismounting the vibrator with or without its directly supported drive means.

The foregoing and other important objects and desirable features inherent in and encompassed by the invention will become apparent to those versed in the art as preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed by Way of example in the ensuing description and accompanying drawing, the several figures of which are described immediately below.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective of the improved vibrator mounting and powered by a pneumatic motor.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged elevation with portions broken away and shown in section.

FIGURE 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view illustrating the basic vibrator structure of FIGURES 1-3 equipped with ratiochanging drive means and mounting a diiferent type of driving source. -;The basic vibrator comprises a casing having side walls 12 and 14 and peripheral means 16 and is here of 2,999,393 Patented Sept. 12, 1961 such design as to be ideally suited to its fabrication as a weldment, and the opposite side walls 12 and 14 are similar parallel steel plates having lower coterminous preferably straight bottom edges 18 and 20, the term bottoml' being here employed by way of illustration and not limitation. The means 16 includes a steel strip shaped in arch form as shown, having a semi-circular portion 22 and straight legs 24. The arched strip spans the plates and is welded thereto along its edges at 26 and 28.

The strip is relatively narrow to give the casing a relatively thin aspect as measured laterally of the casing, but the plates, as measured along their bottom edges 18 and 20 are relatively wide. Spaced apart lengthwise of the bottom edges of the plates are two steel mounting blocks or pads '30 and 32, each received between the proximate corners of the plates and welded thereto as at 34 and each being further welded at 36 to the legs 22 of the U-shaped strip 16. The nature of this construction provides a sturdy compact casing, relatively inexpensive and having a high strength-to-weight ratio. The plates, strip and blocks comblue to establish the casing as having a hollow interior and the spacing between the blocks affords a bottom opening 38 through which access may be had to the casing interior, as for assembly of the interior components to be presently described. Closure means in the form of a covor plate 40 normally closes the opening 38, being removably retained in place by having one edge portion thereof formed as a lip 42 received in a groove 44 in one mounting block and its opposite end portion apertured to receive a cap screw 46 threaded into a tapped lug or extension 48 on the other block. The groove-received lip 42. may be initially bent downwardly away from the general plane of the cover plate so as to require that, after the lip is inserted into the groove 44, the cover plate be forced into place, thus achieving at least a slight radially outward bias therein which aids in preventing loosening of the screw 46. The cover plate is here shown as being partly arcuate in general conformance with the curvature of the U-shaped strip 16. 1

The mounting blocks are slotted in longitudinal alinement at 5 0 to afiord means for mounting the vibrator on a structure or object to be vibrated, as suggested at 52 in FIGURES 2-4. Each block has tapped bores 54 and these selectively receive threaded securing devices such as cap screws 56 which cooperate with the slots to afford clamp means by which the vibrator is securely but releasably mounted, as will be brought out below.

Upper corner portions of the casing plates 12 and 14 project beyond the strip or band 16 and receive legs 58 on a carrying handle 60, which is secured in place as by nuts 62 threaded on the legs 56.

The plate 12 has a circular aperture 64 therein generally centrally thereof as respects the circle on which the are 20 of the strip 16 lies, and a bearing ring 66 is received in this aperture and welded to the plate at 68. This construction is repeated in the other plate, which has a coaxial aperture 70 and welded-in ring 72. The rings 66 and 72 respectively carry suitable anti-friction bearings '74 and 76 for journaling a cross shaft 7 8.

This shaft carries for rotation therewith, as by a press fit, a hub 8i which abuts the inner race rings of both bearings 74, and an external retainer cap 82 is secured as by cap screws 84 to the ring 66, being shaped as shown to enable recessing of a lubricant fitting 86 leading to the bearing 74. The relationship of the other end of the shaft 78 to external means will be described subsequently.

The hub has a web or arm 88 secured thereto as by welding at 90 and this arm in turn rigidly carries a weight 92 of appropriate size, shape and mass. When the shaft 78 is rotated, the weight 92, which is eccentric to the shaft axis, is rotated in the enclosed orbit defined by the interior of the casing, and the forces thus created are transmitted to the object or structure to be vibrated (-as at 52, FIGURE 3) via the mounting means constituted by the blocks or pads 30 and 32. These pads, and particularly the slots 59 therein, are centered in a plane radial to the axis of the shaft 78 and passing through the center of mass of the weight 92, as indicated by the line C-C (FIGURE 3). Thus the transmitted forces travel directly and not by ofiset or devious paths to the structure on which the casing 10 is mounted. The weight assembly 80-82-92 is installed through the bottom 3-8 of the casing and the shaft 73 is inserted axially via the plate apertures 64 and 70, being forced into the hub 80 and properly located and received by the bearings 74 and 76. The casing is of course subsequently closed by the cap 82 and cover plate 40. In the initial stages of fabrication of the casing, access may be had through the opening 33 to accomplish the welds inside the casing.

It is a feature of the invention that the vibrator is directly mountable on structure to be vibrated, as distinguished from indirect mountings as via being mounted on a motor or the like which is itself mounted on the structure or object. It is a corollary feature that the casing 10 here supports the driving source and there? fore such source is independent of direct support by the vibrated structure, thus further contributing to the die rect transmission of centrifugal effects to such structure by the vibrator. In this aspect, the invention exploits the advantages of the rotary or centrifugal principle as opposed to reciprocating-piston types of vibrators and thereby eliminates undue noise, reduces the expenses of design, and construction and maintenance and enables the use of a more compact and sturdier unit.

0f still further importance, the invention provides for driving of the shaft 78 by any of a variety of power or driving sources and in the same vein provides means for supporting any of such sources directly on the casing.

One example of a driving source is shown at 94 in FIGURES l and 3, which is here representative of any welbknown air or pneumatic motor having a driving shaft 96 coaxially connectible to the vibrator shaft 78 which, for this purpose, is hollow and has one end 98 exposed to or accessible at the apertured plate 14, at which point this plate has means thereon for supporting the air motor 94 as well as any of a variety of other motors and the like, as will presently appear.

An external ring 100 serves as a spacer between theplate 14 and a coaxial support 102, the ring being welded to the plate 14 and the support 102 being removably secured to the ring by cap screws 106. The motor 94 is in turn coaxially carried on the support 102 as by cap screws 108. The coaxial or telescopic connection between the motor shaft 96 and the vibrator shaft 78 includes a driving key 110. The support 102, or other supports readily interchangeable therewith, may be used to mount different types of driving sources, notably electric motors.

In those cases in which a particular motor, such as a poly-phase type of adequate capacity, has a speed rating, say 3450 r.p.m., adequate for the particular size, etc. of the vibrator, the motor may be mounted similarly to the mounting of the air motor and its shaft will of course be coaxially connected to the shaft 78 at 9 8110. In other words, the electric motor is simply substituted for the air motor. In either case, the motor will of course be directly supported on the casing in overhanging relation to the plane C-C. However, experience with vibrators constructed according to the invention has shown that the overhang is negligible as a disturbing factor in the use and operation of the vibrator.

The support 102 has a lubricant passage 112 leading to the bearing 76 and supplied by afitting 114.

FIGURE 4 shows a design adaptation in which the vibrator of FIGURES 1-3 may be driven by a relatively high-speed driving source, suchas a single-phase universa-l electric motor 116 and distinguished from the somewhat lower speed air motor 94 or equivalent lower speed electric motors. High-speed motors of the type referred to attain speeds in the order of 24,000 r.p.m., of 15,000 rpm. under load. Such speeds are found to be too high for vibrators of the present nature, but since such motors have other characteristics that are acceptable and even desirable, the invention provides means adapting the motor to the vibrator. This means is a speed-reduction drive means, designated at 118, and housed in a housing 120 that is substituted for the previously described support 102 and secured to thering by the cap screws 106. Like the support 102, the housing 120 is a motor support supporting the motor 116, as by bolts or cap screws 122, but, unlike the support 102, has the added function of containing the speedreduction means 118, which is preferably epicyclic gearing having a sun gear 12-4, a planet carrier 126, planet pinions 128 and a ringgear 130. This ring gear may be a steel insert having a press or equivalent fit into the housing 120 and is therefore fixed. The sun gear 124 is keyed or otherwise fixed to or formed on the output shaft 132 of the motor 116 and the reduction is such that when the sun gear is driven, the planets roll around the stationary ring gear 130 and drive the carrier at a reduced speed, here, by way of example, onefifth that of the motor shaft 132. The carrier is journaled at 134 in the housing 120 and has a coaxial shaft 136 telescopically received by the hollow end 98 of the vibrator shaft 78 and keyed thereto by the key in the same manner as the motor shaft of any direct drive motor, such as the shaft 96 of the previously described motor. The interchangeability of motors and of the support 102 and housing will be readily appar out. Of course, the speed ratio maybe varied accord ing to requirements and other types of reduction or even over-drive means may be employed. That shown is but representative. However, the epicyclic type has the advantage of compactness and in that respect contributes to one of the principal features of the invention;

It will be noted that. each of the mounting pads 30, 32 has two set screws 56 and these are disposed in opposed relation so as to engage the web 52, for example from opposite sides. The significance here isthat a better grip or bite ofthe vibrator on the object to be vibrated is secured than would be possible by the use of'one set screw, since inthe supposed case friction only would have to be relied on. In the actual case as disclosed,,the points of the set screws bite into the web and thus keep the vibrator from walking" 0d the web. These set screws are conventionally of high quality alloy steel ofsubstantial hardness. Those shown have conical ends or points but it iscontemplated also that other typesmay' be employed; for example, those having ends in the form of circularrims or so-called hollow-end types. Also, the slots 50, are wide enough so that they are not.completely filled by the web 52, which thus avoids difficulty that might be experienced in deliberate removal of the vibrator from the web in instances in which the web becomes mashed, peened or otherwise distorted from the compressive and biting action of the set screws.

Regardless of the nature of the driving source, the assembled unit of vibrator-and driver is light in weight and readily handled by the handle 60 and thus is easily mounted on, and dismounted from the-structuretobe vibrated. The compactness of design enables weight reductions up to 30% or more of known types .andithis, plus the exploitation of the centrifugal principle=and the relation of-th'e mounting means to the center ofmass of the weight makes this novel vibrator highly commercially acceptable.

Features and advantages other than those enumerated will readily occur to those versed in the art, as will many modifications in the preferred embodimentsshown, all

of which are embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A vibrator of the class described, comprising: a pair of spaced apart parallel similar plates having coterminous lower edges and at least one plate having an aperture therethrough substantially centrally therof on an axis normal to the plates, each plate additionally having opposite generally upright end edges and a top edge, said end edges meeting and rising respectively from said lower edge at a pair of lower corners and meeting said top edge at a pair of upper corners; a pair of mounting blocks spaced apart lengthwise of said lower edges and rigidly secured to said plates respectively at said lower corners and respectively including means for mounting the vibrator on an object to be vibrated; wall means spanning and rigidly joined to the plates and being in the form of an inverted U having opposite legs secured respectively to the blocks and a bight extending from one leg to the other generally in the form of a partial annulus about the aforesaid axis, said wall means being so dimensioned that the upper corners project beyond said bight and said wall means defining with the plates and blocks a hollow casing having a bottom opening afforded by the space between the blocks; a pair of bearing means respectively on the plates and coaxial with said aperture; a shaft coaxially journaled in the bearing means and extending across the interior of said casing; weight means within the casing eccentrically of the shaft and connected to the shaft for rotation about the shaft axis in an orbit partially closed peripherally by the wml means, said shaft having an end portion exposed at said aperture for coaxial connection to a driving source; handle means connected to the upper corners where said corners project beyond said bight; and closure means spanning the lower edges of the plates and extending between and removably secured to the blocks for normally closing said bottom opening and removable to afiord access to the interior of the casing.

2. The invention defined in claim 1, including: means on the apertured plate for supporting a driving source directly on the casing in coaxial relation to said exposed end portion of the shaft.

3. The invention defined in claim 1, in which: the plates are closely spaced apart axially of the shaft to give said casing a relatively thin axial dimension, and the mounting blocks are relatively widely spaced apart to give said casing a relatively long dimension as measured in the plane of rotation of the weight means.

4. The invention defined in claim 3, in which: the mounting blocks are substantially centered on a plane radial to the shaft axis and passing through the center of mass of the weight means.

5. The invention defined in claim 4, in which: the blocks are slotted lengthwise thereof in said plane to facilitate mounting of the vibrator on an object to be vibrated.

6. The invention defined in claim 5, in which: each block includes a securing device cooperative with its slot to afford clamp means for mounting the vibrator.

7. A vibrator adapted for mounting on an object to be vibrated, comprising: a vibrator housing; vibrator means carried by the housing; and means for mounting the vibrator housing on such object, including a pair of housing-carried portions spaced apart to receive part of the object loosely between them and a pair of opposed screws, one threadedly received in and passing through each portion, and tightenable to grip said part, each screw having an end configured to bite into said part.

8. A vibrator of the class described, comprising: a pair of spaced apart parallel similar plates having coterminous lower edges and at least one plate having an aperture therethrough substantially centrally thereof on an axis normal to the plates, each plate additionally having opposite generally upright end edges and a top edge,

said end edges meeting and rising respectively from said lower edge at a pair of lower corners and meeting said top edge at a pair of upper corners; a pair of mounting blocks spaced apart lengthwise of said lower edges and rigidly secured to said plates respectively at said lower corners and respectively including means for mounting the vibrator on an object to be vibrated; wall means spanning and rigidly joined to the plates and being in the form of an inverted U having opposite legs secured respectively to the blocks and a bight extending from one leg to the other generally in the form of a partial annulus about the aforesaid axis, said wall means being so dimensioned that the upper corners project beyond said bight and said wall means defining with the plates and blocks a hollow casing having a bottom opening defined by the lower edges of the plates and the blocks; a pair of hearing means respectively on the plates and coaxial with said aperture; a shaft coaxially journaled in the bearing means and extending across the interior of said casing; weight means within the casing eccentrically of the shaft and connected to the shaft for rotation about the shaft axis in an orbit partially closed peripherally by the wall means, said shaft having an end portion exposed at said aperture for coaxial connection to a driving source; and handle means connected to the upper corners where said corners project beyond said bight.

9. A vibrator of the class described, comprising: a pair of spaced apart parallel similar plates having coter-. minous lower edges; each plate additionally having opposite generally upright end edges and a top edge, said end edges meeting and rising respectively from said lower edge at a pair of lower corners and meeting said top edge at a pair of upper corners; a pair of mounting blocks spaced apart lengthwise of said lower edges and rigidly secured to said plates respectively at said lower corners and respectively including means for mounting the vibrator on an object to be vibrated; wall means spanning and rigidly joined to the plates and being in the form of an inverted U having opposite legs secured respectively to the blocks and a bight extending from one leg to the other generally in the form of a partial annulus about the aforesaid axis, said wall means being so dimensioned that the upper corners project beyond said bight and said wall means defining with the plates and blocks a hollow casing having a bottom opening defined by the lower edges of the plates and the blocks; weight means within and carried by the casing for vibratory operation to impart vibrations to the casing; and closure means spanning the lower edges of the plates and extending bet-ween and removably secured to the blocks for normally closing said bottom opening and removable to afford access to the interior of the casing.

10. The invention defined in claim 4, in which: each slotted block has a portion at each side of the slot providing an ear, the ears on each block having tapped bores coaxial on an axis transverse to said plane, and each bore receiving a screw device, each device having an objectengaging end configured to bite into the object to improve its engagement therewith.

11. A vibrator of the class described, comprising: a pair of relatively closely spaced apart rigid plates of generally similar configuration and having coterminous lower edges and side and top edge portions extending peripherally respectively about said plates, at least one of said plates having an aperture substantially centrally thereof and said lower edges respectively having opposed lower corners spaced apart in the planes of the plates a distance several times the transverse distance between the plates; a pair of mounting blocks located respectively at and welded to said corners and each block including means for mounting the vibrator on an object to be vibrated; wall means spanning the plates and being in the form of an inverted U having opposite terminal ends welded respectively to the mounting blocks, said wall means having transversely opposite edges welded respectively to the plates and extending in the form of a partial annulus about the aforesaid aperture, generally following the peripheral edge portions of said plates to define with theplates and blocks an integral relatively light-weight casing in which the space between the blocks and the lateral space between the lower edges of the plates affords a relatively small access opening to the interior of said casing; first bearing means coaxially mounted in the aforesaid aperture; second bearing means mounted on the other plate coaxially with the first bearing means; shaft means journaled in said bearing means; weight means carried by said shaft means for rotation within the casing, said weight means being so dimensioned as to be capable of being inserted and withdrawn through said access opening when the shaft is axially withdrawn from the bearing means, said weight means further having a radial dimension such as to operate in close clearance relation with the partial annulus formed by said wall means and having such transverse dimension as to operate in close clearance relation with the opposed interior surfaces of the plates; and closure means spanning the lower edges of the plates and extending between the blocks and removably carried by said casing to afford access to said casing for removal and installation of the weight means.

12. The invention defined in claim 11, in which: the blocks are respectively provided with slots coplanar in a plane parallel to the plates and midway between said plates, and each block has securing means thereon opera, tive to engage an object to be vibrated in a direction transverse to the plane of rotation ofthe weight means.

- 13. The invention defined in claim 11, in which: the plate having the aperture has a bearing means mounting member welded thereto, the other plate has a similar member welded thereto, and the bearings means are respectively carried in said members.

14. The invention defined in claim 11, in which: the shaft means is at least partially tubular and has an open end opening axially outwardly of the casing via said aperture.

15. The invention defined in claim 11, in which the weight means has a hub apertured to receive the shaft and said hub has opposite end portions abutting the respective bearing means to limit endwise movement of said weight means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 776.036 Swift Nov. 29, 1904 1,017,840 Amet Feb. 20, 1912 1,676,285 Prel-l July 10, 1928 2,054,253 Horsch Sept. 15, 1936 2,212,818 Stoltzfus Aug. 27, 1940 2,471,849 Wallace May 31, 1949 2,505,753 Cleveland May 2, 1950

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