Torsional vibration damper with adjustable tuning

A Torsional Vibration Damper (“TVD”), comprising:

• an elastomer member (“elastomer”) including
• a first planar annular surface with a radial slit oriented perpendicular to the Central Axis (“CL”) of the TVD;
• a second planar annular surface, identical to and axially opposing, the first planar annular surface;
• a partially cylindrical Inner Diameter (“ID”) surface that bounds the first and second planar annular surfaces located radially proximate to the CL;
• a partially axisymmetric Outer Diameter (“OD”) surface that bounds the first and second planar annular surfaces located radially distal to the CL, further including
• a first tapered surface extending from the axial center-point of the elastomer to the first planar annular surface;
• a second tapered surface extending from the axial center-point of the elastomer to the second planar annular surface;
• such that first and second tapered surfaces have the same OD at the axial center-point of the elastomer and the same ID at either axial periphery of the elastomer;
• a compound ring (“ring”) comprising of two identical metallic “C” shaped half-rings, each including
• a first planar semi-annular surface oriented perpendicular to the CL;
• a second planar semi-annular surface, identical to and axially opposing, the first planar semi-annular surface;
• a partially axisymmetric ID surface that bounds the first and second semi-annular planar surfaces, located radially proximate to the CL, further including
• an indented channel located axially symmetrically about the axial center-point of the TVD further including
• a first planar semi-annular surface oriented perpendicular to the CL;
• a second planar semi-annular surface, identical to and axially opposing, the first planar semi-annular surface;
• a first tapered surface extending from the axial center-point of the ring to the first planar semi-annular surface;
• a second tapered surface extending from the axial center-point of the ring to the second planar semi-annular surface;
• such that first and second tapered surfaces have the same OD at the axial center-point of the ring and the same ID at either axial periphery of the channel and mate radially with the partially axisymmetric OD surface of the elastomer;
• a partially cylindrical OD surface that bounds the first and second semi-annular surfaces, located radially distal to the CL, further including
• an indented channel that is located axially symmetrically about the axial center-point of the ring further including
• a first planar semi-annular surface oriented perpendicular to the CL;
• a second planar semi-annular surface identical to and axially opposing the first planar semi-annular surface;
• a semi cylindrical OD surface that bounds the first and second planar semi-annular surfaces;
• an open radial clamp sized to mate axially and radially with the compound channel defined on the OD surface of the ring;
• such that during installation, the partially cylindrical ID surface of the elastomer is radially installed onto the vibrating shaft or flange (S/F) by opening the elastomer at the radial slit, followed by radially installing the two half-rings into the ring with two diametrically opposing radial slits, followed by radially installing the open style radial clamp in the compound channel present on the OD surface of the ring, and finally axially holding the TVD in place on the S/F by a diametric reduction of the open radial clamp.