Tumbling apparatus

Vibratory apparatus comprising:

• a container having a central axis and a material supporting surface;
• mounting means for resiliently mounting the container for unconstrained vibratory movement relative to a mounting surface,
• vibration generator means for generating vibratory forces along a linear path displaced from the central axis and from a center of gravity of the container on the side of the center of gravity spaced from the central axis,
• said vibration generator means being mounted on the container,
• said vibratory forces vibrating each point on the material supporting surface along segments of circles, each segment having a center at a position spaced from said central axis and from the center of gravity on the side of the central axis spaced from the center of gravity.

Vibratory apparatus comprising:

• a container having a central axis, a center of gravity displaced from said central axis, and a material supporting surface;
• means for resiliently mounting the container for unconstrained vibratory movement relative to a mounting surface;
• and
• vibration generator means secured to the container for producing vibratory forces along a linear path extending on the side of the center of gravity of the container closest to said vibration generator means,
• said vibratory forces vibrating each point on the material supporting surface in paths lying on segments of circles having a center of rotation lying on a line normal to said linear path and passing through said center of gravity,
• said center of rotation being located on the other side of said central axis from said center of gravity.

Vibratory apparatus comprising:

• a container having a material supporting surface and a central axis;
• said container being rigidly mounted on a frame,
• means for resiliently mounting said container and said frame for vibratory movement relative to a mounting surface;
• and
• vibration generator means secured to the container for producing vibratory forces directed along a linear path;
• said container and frame having a center of gravity offset from the central axis of the container,
• said linear path of vibratory forces being offset from said center of gravity on the side of the center of gravity away from the central axis of the container,
• said vibratory forces vibrating each point on the material supporting surface along a path lying on a segment of a circle having a common center of rotation, said common center of rotation lying on a line normal to said linear path of passing through said center of gravity,
• said common center of rotation being located on the other side of said central axis from the center of gravity.

In a vibratory apparatus having a container rigidly mounted on a frame, means for resiliently mounting said container and said frame on a mounting surface with an axis of the container lying substantially horizontal, and vibration generating means for vibrating said container and frame comprising:

• a vibration generator;
• support means mounted on the container, said support means, said container and said frame having a center of gravity offset from said axis of the container on the same side of the axis of the container as the support means,
• resilient means for resiliently mounting the vibration generator on the support means, said vibration generator producing vibrational forces along a linear path passing on the side of the center of gravity of the container closest to said vibration generator, said vibrational forces generated by said vibrations generator producing rotational forces acting on the container to cause the container to rotate segmentally about a center of rotation,
• said center of rotation being located on the other side of said center of gravity from the vibration generator and being spaced from the container axis,
• the vibrational forces of the vibration generator producing rotational forces on the container which conveys material up the adjacent surface of the container until the material tumbles back into the container.

In a vibratory apparatus having a frame, resilient means mounting the frame on a mounting surface, a container having spaced ends with an inlet port at one end and an outlet port at the other end, the container being rigidly mounted on the frame with the axis of the container tilted from the inlet port toward the outlet port at an angle of a few degrees from the horizontal, said container and frame having a center of gravity offset from the axis of the container, and vibration generating structure comprising:

• a linear vibration generator;
• resilient means for resiliently mounting the vibration generator on the container;
• said vibration generator producing vibrational forces along an axis of the vibration generator, the vibrational forces being offset from the axis of the container and being offset from the center of gravity on the side of the center of gravity away from the axis of the container;
• said vibrational forces producing a center of rotation on the other side of the axis of the container from the center of gravity to produce rotational forces acting substantially perpendicular to radii drawn from the center of rotation to a point on the inside surface of the container,
• whereby media and parts being tumbled in the container will be moved up the inside surface of the container setting up a path of tumbling movement.

Vibratory apparatus comprising:

• a cylinder container having a material supporting surface and a substantially horizontally disposed central axis;
• an inlet at one end portion of said container and an outlet at the other end portion of said container,
• a base;
• a plurality of isolation springs resiliently mounting the container on the base,
• a bracket rigidly mounted on the container;
• and
• vibration generator means carried by the bracket for producing vibratory forces directed along a linear path that passes exterior of the container;
• said vibration generator means comprising
• (a) a support plate;
• (b) vibratory force transmitting springs connecting said support plate to said bracket;
• (c) a motor mounted on said support plate;
• (d) eccentric weights driven by said motor for producing said vibratory forces along said linear path;
• said isolation springs permitting unconstrained vibratory movement of the container relative to said base;
• said container and bracket having a center of gravity located on one side of the central axis of the container between the central axis of the container and the linear path of the vibratory forces;
• said vibratory forces vibrating each point on the material supporting surface along a path lying on a segment of a circle having a common center of rotation, said common center of rotation lying on a line that passes through said center of gravity and is perpendicular to said linear path of vibratory forces produced by said vibration generator means,
• said common center of rotation being located on the opposite side of said central axis of the container from the center of gravity.