Vibration and sound dampener for heavy machinery

• US 6,648,295 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2001
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Andrew James Herren, Joel Barron
• Original Assignee: Andrew James Herren, Joel Barron
• Inventors: Barron, Joel, Herren, Andrew James
• Primary Examiner(s): Braun, Leslie A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Tan
• Application Number:
  US09/970,057
• Publication Number:
  US 20030071187A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 248/618, 248/632, 248/634, 248/636, 248/638, 248/560, 248/562, 248/559, 521/676
• US Class Current: 248/636
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/0275 Control of stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 2230/0052 Physically guiding or influencing

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus that will dampen vibration and sound created by heavy machinery, such as metal presses, metal stampers, and HVAC units, as well as limit lateral movement of the heavy machinery based upon a combination of a multiplicity of air springs and rigid cylinders. The present invention provides the simplest method of dampening vibrations and sounds created by heavy machinery. The present invention further prevents lateral movement of the machinery, while simultaneously providing a means to protect such machinery against seismic events by absorbing the seismic forces.

Claims

1. A vibration and sound dampener for heavy machinery comprising a lower platform having an upper surface and a lower surface, an upper platform having an upper and a lower surface and for supporting an object to be mounted on the upper surface thereof, a multiplicity of vibration and sound isolation means provided on the upper surface of said lower platform and for supporting the lower surface of said upper platform horizontally in a floating state, the improvement comprising:

a male cylinder possessing an outer wall surface and an inner wall surface fixedly attached to the lower surface of said upper platform surrounding said vibration and sound isolation means;

a female cylinder with an outer wall surface and an inner wall surface fixedly attached to the upper surface of said lower platform and slidably mounted around said male cylinder to allow vertical movement and prevent lateral movement of said upper platform;

a means for indicating replacement of a plurality of polytetraflouroethylene strips removably attached equidistant along said interior wall of said female cylinder to accommodate vertical movement of said female cylinder relative to said male cylinder, wherein said means for indicating the necessity for replacing eroded polytetraflouroethylene strips comprises metal fasteners which partially penetrate said polyflouroethylene strips thereby serving as an indicator to change the polytetraflouroethylene strips when said polytetraflouroethylene are eroded from use thereby creating a distinctive scratching sound indicating the necessity to replace the worn polytetraflouroethylene strips.

2. A vibration and sound dampener for heavy machinery comprising a lower platform having an upper and a lower surface, an upper platform having an upper and a lower surface and for supporting an object to be mounted on the upper surface thereof, a multiplicity of vibration and sound isolation means provided on the upper surface of said lower platform and for supporting the lower surface of said upper platform horizontally in a floating state, the improvement comprising:

a male cylinder possessing an outer wall surface and an inner wall surface fixedly attached to the lower surface of said upper platform surrounding said vibration and sound isolation means;

a female cylinder with an outer wall surface and an inner wall surface fixedly attached to the upper surface of said lower platform and slidably mounted around said male cylinder to allow vertical movement and prevent lateral movement of said upper platform;

a multiplicity of vertical grooves permanently sealed at the upper end placed equidistant around said inner wall of said female cylinder;

a plurality of ball bearings rotatably fixed within said vertical grooves of said inner wall of said female cylinder, and an upper seal of said vertical groove which is removable to permit replacement of said ball bearings.