Vibrator arrangement for improving building soil

A method for transferring bulk material from a feed container into a sluice with a silo tube of a vibrator, the method comprising:

• moving the sluice with a sluice drive by exerting a sluice driving force on the sluice, the sluice driving force being generated by a sluice motor,
• moving the feed container filled with the bulk material from a waiting position to an abutment position against a stop formed on the sluice, wherein the feed container is moved by a feed container drive by exerting a container driving force on the feed container, the container driving force being generated by a container motor,
• holding the feed container in the abutment position at the stop of the moving sluice by reducing the container driving force of the feed container drive in a direction of the abutment position from a first value to a second value with a smaller absolute value than the sluice driving force of the sluice drive, and
• transferring at least part of the bulk material from the feed container into the sluice while both the feed container and the sluice are moving.

A vibrator for building soil, the vibrator comprising:

• a sluice with a silo tube,
• a sluice drive configured to move the sluice with a sluice driving force acting on the sluice, the sluice driving force being generated by a sluice motor,
• a feed container configured to feed a bulk material to the sluice, wherein the sluice is arranged to receive the bulk material from the feed container and guide the bulk material into the silo tube,
• a feed container drive configured to move the feed container between a waiting position and an abutment position against a stop formed on the sluice, the feed container drive exerting a container driving force on the feed container, the container driving force being generated by a container motor, and
• a controller of the feed container drive, wherein the controller is configured to:
• reduce the container driving force of the feed container drive in a direction of the stop when the feed container is in the abutment position from a first value to a second value with a smaller absolute value than the sluice driving force of the sluice drive, and
• maintain the container driving force of the feed container drive acting in a direction of the stop after the feed container reaches the abutment position during feeding of the bulk material from the feed container into the sluice.