Variable mechanical vibrator

• US 4,262,549 A
• Filed: 05/10/1978
• Issued: 04/21/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donald D. Schwellenbach
• Original Assignee: Donald D. Schwellenbach
• Inventors: Schwellenbach, Donald D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Staab, Lawrence J.
• Application Number:
  US05/904,313
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 74/61, 74/87, 198/770, 209/366.5, 209/367, 310/81, 366/128
• US Class Current: 74/87
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/166 Where the phase-angle of masses mounted on counter-rotating shafts can be varied, e.g. variation of the vibration phase
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 27/20 rotating unbalanced masses
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18344 Unbalanced weights
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18552 Unbalanced weight

Abstract

A variable mechanical vibrator includes a first eccentric weight fixed to a rotatably mounted shaft. A second eccentric weight is rotatably mounted on the shaft, and the two weights are rotated together under control of mating engagement abutments, one carried by the shaft and one carried by or comprising a surface of the second eccentric weight. In one embodiment, first and second prime movers are used to rotate the shaft and the second eccentric weight, respectively; and when primary rotation of the shaft is effected by the first prime mover, the first and second eccentric weights are diametrically oppositely aligned with respect to one another on the shaft providing a balanced operation. In this mode of operation, the abutment carried by the shaft drives the abutment on the second weight to rotate such weight set with the shaft. A second mode of operation is effected under control of the second prime mover which rotates the second eccentric weight to a point where the engagement abutments engage one another in a position where the second eccentric weight and the first eccentric weight are substantially aligned with one another on the shaft to create an unbalanced condition. In this mode, the abutment on the second eccentric weight drives an abutment affixed to the shaft to rotate the shaft with the second weight. Another embodiment uses only a single prime mover, and changes in the relative positions of the two weights are effected by static and rotational inertia as the prime mover is speeded up and slowed down.

Claims

1. A variable vibrator including in combination:

a rotatably mounted shaft;

first eccentric weight means on said shaft for rotation therewith;

a cylindrical drum mounted on said shaft for free rotation with respect thereto;

second eccentric weight means attached to said drum;

first and second stop means attached to the internal surface of said drum for engagement by opposite sides of said first eccentric weight means, said first stop located to cause a first side of said first weight means to engage said first stop when driving power is applied to said rotatably mounted shaft to rotate the same, thereby causing said first weight to rotate said drum through force applied to said first stop, said first stop being located to cause said first eccentric weight means to have a center of gravity on the same side of said shaft but a predetermined number of degrees ahead of the center of gravity of said second weight means in the direction of rotation of said shaft when said first weight means engages said first stop; and

reducing the speed of driving power to said shaft resulting in rotational inertia rotating said drum relative to said shaft to cause the second stop carried by said drum to engage the opposite side of said first weight means with said first and second weight means located on opposite sides of said shaft.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said first and second eccentric weight means are selected to have substantially the same vibratory mass, and engagement of said first stop by said first weight means places said first and second weight means on the same side of said shaft and engagement of said second stop by said first weight means causes said first and second weight means to be on diametrically opposite sides of said shaft.

3. A rotating vibrator including in combination:

a rotatably mounted shaft;

first eccentric weight means on said shaft for rotation therewith;

a rotational mass including a second eccentric weight means disposed about the axis of said shaft and mounted for free concentric rotation about said shaft;

driving means coupled with at least one of said shaft and said rotational mass for changing the rotational speed of said vibrator, whereby the other of said shaft and said rotational mass comprises an inertia mass;

stop means attached to one of said shaft and said rotational mass for limiting the relative rotation of said shaft and said rotational mass between first and second relative rotational positions; and

engagement means coupled with the other of said shaft and said rotational mass for engaging said stop means in said first and second relative rotational positions;

such that in said first relative rotational position, said first and second weight means are located on diametrically opposite sides of said shaft to balance the vibrator when said driving means is decelerating, and in said second relative rotational position said first and second weight means are located on the same side of said shaft to unbalance the vibrator, with said stop means located so that said first and second weight means are locked into said second position solely by means of forces caused by rotation when said driving means is increasing or maintaining constant the rotational speed of said vibrator.

4. The combination according to claim 3 wherein said means for changing the rotational speed of said vibrator device is coupled with said shaft and said rotational mass is rotatably mounted on said shaft.

5. The combination according to claim 3 wherein said stop means comprises first and second stops for establishing said first and second relative rotational positions, respectively;

and said means for changing the rotational speed of said vibrator comprises a drive means for increasing and decreasing the speed of said one of said shaft and said rotational mass to which it is coupled, wherein the inertia of said other of said shaft and said rotational mass resists such increases and decreases in speed and thereby rotates relative to said one of said shaft and said rotational mass to cause said engagement means to engage a different one of said first and second stops from the stop engaged prior to such increases and decreases in speed.

6. The combination according to claim 5 wherein said drive means is coupled with said shaft, said rotational mass is rotatably mounted on said shaft, and said engaging means comprises at least one protrusion for engaging said first and second stops.

7. A variable vibrator including in combination:

a rotatably mounted shaft;

first eccentric weight means carried by a hollow drum fixedly attached to said shaft and having a channel therein with first and second stops located in said channel;

second eccentric weight means comprising a cylindrically shaped weight located within said channel for free movement therein between a first rotational position, with said first and second weight means being diametrically oppositely aligned with respect to said shaft, and a second rotational position different from said first rotational position as determined by the location of said first and second stops, said second rotational position being such that the center of gravity of said first weight means is a predetermined number of degrees ahead of the center of gravity of said second weight means in such position in the direction of rotation of said shaft when a constant rotational speed is reached and maintained by said drum and shaft; and

means for abruptly effecting changes in the relative speeds of rotation of said first and second weight means while said shaft is continuously rotating to effect changes in the relative rotational positions of said first and second eccentric weight means between said first rotational position and said second rotational position.

8. The combination according to claim 7 wherein said predetermined number of degrees is 5 to 10 degrees.

10. The combination according to claim 7 wherein said predetermined number of degrees is 5 to 10 degrees, and said stop means comprises first and second stops attached to different angular positions on said rotational mass and said engagement means is coupled with said shaft and positioned for engaging said first and second stops.

9. A rotating vibrator including in combination;

a rotatably mounted shaft;

first eccentric weight means on said shaft for rotation therewith;

a rotational mass including a second eccentric weight means disposed about the axis of said shaft and mounted for free concentric rotation about said shaft, said second eccentric weight means having the same vibratory mass as said first eccentric weight means;

means coupled with at least one of said shaft and said rotational mass for changing the rotational speed of said vibrator, whereby the other of said shaft and said rotational mass comprises an inertia mass;

stop means attached to one of said shaft and said rotational mass for limiting the relative rotation of said shaft and said rotational mass between first and second relative rotational positions; and

engagement means coupled with the other of said shaft and said rotational mass for engaging said stop means in said first and second relative rotational positions, such that in said first relative rotational position said first and second weight means are located on diametrically opposite sides of said shaft to balance the vibrator, and in said second relative rotational position said first and second weight means are located on the same side of said shaft to unbalance the vibrator, with the one of said first and second weight means which when driven tends to rotate faster than the other of said weight means being located relative to said stop means such that in said second rotational position said one weight means, which is the driven weight means, has a center of gravity a predetermined number of degrees ahead of the center of gravity of the other of said first and second weight means in the direction of rotation of said shaft to lock said first and second weight means into said second position solely by means of rotational forces when a constant rotational speed is reached and maintained.

11. The combination according to claim 9 wherein said predetermined number of degrees is 5 to 10 degrees.