VIBRATION ISOLATION SYSTEM USING COMPRESSION SPRINGS

• US 3,592,422 A
• Filed: 07/29/1969
• Issued: 07/13/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert M. Norman
• Original Assignee: Robert M. Norman
• Inventors: Norman, Robert M.
• Application Number:
  US04/845,807
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• US Class Current: 248/589
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/067 using only wound springs

Abstract

A vibration isolation system for isolating loads from the effect of vibrational forces transmitted to supporting structures, either from the load or from the environment, particularly suited for isolating loads from the effects of vibration normally encountered in test operations performed in environmental test chambers, and further characterized by a plurality of suspension members, each of which includes a pair of coaxially arranged, helical compression springs so mounted as to be separately subjected to compression as the suspension members are subjected to tension, whereby a test object may be supported for operation substantially free from the effects of environmental vibration through an employment of a system of minimal bulk and complexity.

Claims

1. A vibration isolation system for isolating a load from vibrational forces, comprising:

A. a mount including means for supporting a load thereon;

B. a base structure;

C. a plurality of vibration isolation devices, each including a pair of adjacent, mutually independent, resilient members disposed adjacent to opposite ends of the device;

D. coupling means coupling each of said devices at its opposite ends to said mount and to said base structure, whereby each of the devices is subjected to tensile forces; and

E. compressive means fixedly joined between the coupling means and the resilient members adapted to deliver compressive forces acting to compress the resilient members in mutually opposite directions as the devices are subjected to tensile forces.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein each of the resilient members comprises a helical spring wound closed and ground flat at its opposite ends.

3. The system according to claim 2 wherein each of the isolation devices including aligning means for maintaining the pairs of springs in coaxial alignment.

4. The system according to claim 3 wherein the aligning means includes:

A. an elongated housing receiving said helical springs therein; and

B. a pair of parallel end plates operatively closing the opposite ends of the housing, each plate including means defining a concentric opening extending therethrough.

5. The system according to claim 4 wherein the compressive means includes:

A. tension rods, each of which is extended through an opening of said housing into a concentric relationship relative to one of said helical springs; and

B. a pair of parallel compression plates transversely disposed between the ends of adjacent springs, each being fixedly secured to an adjacent end of a tension rod, whereby each of the helical springs is confined between a compression plate and end plate with the tension rod being concentrically extended through an end plate and adapted to compress the spring as tension is applied to the tension rod.

6. The system according to claim 5 wherein the means coupling said vibration isolation devices between the load-supporting structure and said mount include a pair of elongated, adjustable turnbuckles, each having a first end fixedly secured to a distal end of one of the tension rods, and clevis coupling mounted at the second end thereof.

7. A vibration isolation system comprising:

A. a base;

B. beams substantially rigidly mounted on the base and upwardly extended therefrom providing upper ends disposed substantially in a common plane in a substantially equally spaced relationship about a common circle;

C. a mount adapted to support a load disposed substantially concentrically of the circle having downwardly extended support legs individually disposed between each adjacent pair of beams; and

D. a resilient tension member interconnecting the upper end of each beam with the lower end of each leg disposed therebetween for supporting the mount and its load on the beams.

8. A vibration isolation system comprising:

A. base means providing a plurality of adjacent pairs of coupling means disposed substantially in a common plane and in a substantially equally spaced relationship about a common circle;

B. a mount adapted to support a load disposed substantially concentrically of the circle having downwardly extended support legs individually disposed between each adjaCent pair of coupling means; and

C. a resilient tension member interconnecting each of the coupling means of each adjacent pair thereof with the lower end of the leg disposed therebetween for supporting the mount and its load on the base means.