# US 9,038,491 B2 · Method of repositioning bearing wear in an industrial eccentric weight vibrator via power inversion and vibrator therefore > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,038,491 B2 - Document ID: US9038491B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/888,043 - Filed: 2013-05-06 - Published: 2014-11-06 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2013-05-06 - Assignees: Martin Engineering Company - Applicants: Martin Engineering Company - Inventors: Grant S. Burton; Travis J. Miller - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9038491B2 ## CPC - B06B 1/161: {Adjustable systems, i.e. where amplitude or direction of frequency of vibration can be varied} - Y10T 74/18552: Unbalanced weight - B06B: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR GENERATING OR TRANSMITTING MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS OF INFRASONIC, SONIC, OR ULTRASONIC FREQUENCY, {e.g.} FOR PERFORMING MECHANICAL WORK IN GENERAL (for particular applications, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. B07B1/40, B23Q17/12, B24B31/06; measurement of mechanical vibrations G01H; in direction finding, locating, distance or velocity measuring G01S; {generating seismic energy G01V1/02}; control of mechanical vibrations in general G05D; sound-producing devices, e.g. bells, sirens, whistles G10K, {e.g. methods or devices for transmitting, conducting, or directing sound in general G10K11/00}; generation of electrical oscillations H03B; electromechanical resonators in general H03H; electromechanical transducers {for communication techniques, e.g. microphones, speakers} H04R) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A vibratory device comprises a rotor and an eccentric weight. The eccentric weight is mounted to the shaft and has a center of mass that is offset from the shaft axis. The vibratory device is configured such that the eccentric weight is in a first rotational orientation relative to the shaft and rotates with the shaft when the shaft rotates in a first direction about the shaft axis and such that the eccentric weight is in a second rotational orientation relative to the shaft when the shaft rotates in an opposite second direction about the shaft axis. The vibratory device is further configured such that the eccentric weight automatically transitions from the first rotational orientation to the second rotational orientation when the shaft is switched from rotating in the first direction to rotating in the second direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electrically powered vibratory device configured to generate an oscillating load, the vibratory device comprising: a rotor having a shaft and a rotation limiter, the shaft having a shaft axis about which the rotor is configured to rotate; a first eccentric weight pivotally mounted to the shaft, the first eccentric weight having a center of mass that is offset from the shaft axis, the first eccentric weight comprising a rotation limiter that cooperates with the rotation limiter of the rotor in a manner such that the first eccentric weight is able to pivot about the shaft axis relative to the shaft only through an arc of rotation that is less than 360 degrees; the vibratory device being adapted and configured such that that the shaft, together with the first eccentric weight, can be rotationally driven about the shaft axis in opposite directions by switching the polarity of electrical power supplied to the vibratory device and such that the first eccentric weight will pivot through the arc in response to the polarity of electrical power being switch, the vibratory device being further adapted and configured such that switching the polarity of electrical power supplied to the vibratory device will not alter the oscillating load generated by the vibratory device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A vibratory device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the rotor comprises bushing, the bushing comprises the rotation limiter, and the first eccentric weight is mounted on the bushing and is pivotal through the arc relative to the shaft. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A vibratory device in accordance with claim 2 wherein the rotation limiter of the bushing protrudes radially outward. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) A vibratory device in accordance with claim 2 wherein the bushing can be circumferentially repositioned and locked to the shaft for rotation therewith. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A vibratory device in accordance with claim 4 wherein the bushing and the shaft each comprise a keyway and the vibratory device comprises a key positioned in the keyways. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A vibratory device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the vibratory device comprises a second eccentric weight that is connected to the first eccentric weight in a manner such that the second eccentric weight is rotationally driven via the first eccentric weight. ### Claim 7 A vibratory device comprising a rotor and an eccentric weight, the rotor having a shaft, the shaft having a shaft axis about which the rotor is configured to rotate, the eccentric weight being mounted to the shaft and having a center of mass that is offset from the shaft axis, the vibratory device being configured such that the eccentric weight is in a first rotational orientation relative to the shaft and rotates with the shaft when the shaft rotates in a first direction about the shaft axis and such that the eccentric weight is in a second rotational orientation relative to the shaft when the shaft rotates in an opposite second direction about the shaft axis, the vibratory device being further configured such that the eccentric weight automatically transitions from the first rotational orientation to the second rotational orientation when the shaft is switched from rotating in the first direction to rotating in the second direction, the vibratory device being still further configured such that the vibratory device generates an oscillating load when the shaft rotates in the first direction at a speed and generates that same oscillating load when the shaft rotates in the second direction at that same speed. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A vibratory device in accordance with claim 7 wherein the rotor comprises bushing and the first eccentric weight is mounted on the bushing and can pivot relative to the bushing about the shaft axis only a limited amount. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A vibratory device in accordance with claim 8 wherein the bushing can be circumferentially repositioned and locked to the shaft for rotation therewith. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A vibratory device in accordance with claim 9 wherein the bushing and the shaft each comprise a keyway and the vibratory device comprises a key positioned in the keyways. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) A vibratory device in accordance with claim 7 wherein the vibratory device comprises a second eccentric weight that is connected to the first eccentric weight in a manner such that the second eccentric weight is rotationally driven via the first eccentric weight. ### Claim 12 A method of adjusting a vibratory device, the vibratory device comprising a rotor and an eccentric weight, the rotor having a shaft, the shaft having a shaft axis about which the rotor is configured to rotate, the eccentric weight being mounted to the shaft and having a center of mass that is offset from the shaft axis, the vibratory device being configured such that the eccentric weight is in a first rotational orientation relative to the shaft and rotates with the shaft when the shaft rotates in a first direction about the shaft axis and such that the eccentric weight is in a second rotational orientation relative to the shaft when the shaft rotates in an opposite second direction about the shaft axis, the method comprising: operating the vibratory device in a manner such that the first eccentric weight is in the first rotational orientation, the shaft is rotating in the first direction at a speed, and the vibratory device generates an oscillating load; reversing the direction in which the shaft of the rotor and the eccentric weight rotate about the shaft axis in a manner causing the eccentric weight to move from the first rotational orientation to the second rotational orientation, the shaft to rotate in the second direction at the speed, and the vibratory device to generate the oscillating load. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A method in accordance with claim 12 wherein the rotor comprises bushing and the first eccentric weight is mounted on the bushing and can pivot relative to the bushing about the shaft axis only a limited amount. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A method in accordance with claim 13 wherein the bushing can be circumferentially repositioned and locked to the shaft for rotation therewith and the method further comprises circumferentially repositioning the bushing relative to the shaft about the shaft axis. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) A method in accordance with claim 12 wherein the first rotational orientation is one-hundred and eighty degrees from the second rotational orientation.