US3105424A

US3105424A - Vibratory roller device

Info

Publication number: US3105424A
Application number: US63594A
Authority: US
Inventors: Dion Henri; Couthon Jacques
Original assignee: J COUTHON Ets
Current assignee: J COUTHON Ets
Priority date: 1959-12-23
Filing date: 1960-10-19
Publication date: 1963-10-01
Anticipated expiration: 1980-10-01

Description

Oct. 1, 1963 H. DION ElAL 3,105,424

VIBRATORY ROLLER DEVICE Filed Oct. 19, 1960 FIG] INVENTORS HENRI DION JACQUES COUTHON BM w ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,105,424 VIBRATORY ROLLER DEVICE Henri Dion, Franconville, and Jacques Couthon, Paris, France, assignors to Etablissement J. Couthon, Paris, France, a corporation of France Filed Get. 19, 1969, Ser. No. 63,594 Claims priority, application France Dec. 23, 1959 4 Ciaims. (ill. 94-50) This invention relates to vibratory roller devices of the type used in the preparai-ton and conditioning of e.g. concrete ground surfaces, road surfaces, and the like. Vibratory roller devices of the class to which the invention relates generally comprise a hollow roller member journalled on a frame, a shaft extending coaxially through the roller and having an unbalancing weight thereon, and means on the frame for rotating the shaft to generate vibrations which are transmitted through the roller to a surface over which said roller is being moved for vibrating the surface.

In devices of this kind, due to the inherent manner of operation thereof violent reciprocatory strains are set up in the roller mounting assembly by the vibrations generated by the unbalanced shaft. The repeated strains would quickly put the device out of order unless very sturdy mounting means are provided for the various components of the assembly including especially the roller thereof. Usually, this requirement has been met in conventional vibratory roller devices by journalling the roller and the coaxial vibratory shaft at both ends on a suitable mounting frame, or by using equivalent mounting arrangements requiring the frame to project beyond both ends of the roller.

Mainly for this reason, conventional vibratory roller devices do not readily permit of .treating surface areas 'close to obstacles projecting from the surface, such as near the foot of a wall, tree or other similar projecting object, because a projecting part of the frame of the device would get in the way and foul the obstacle. Special smaller-size vibrating devices were required to treat such surface areas, thus complicating the operations on the worksite and increasing costs.

It is an important object of this invention to provide an improved vibratory roller device which can easily be used even in cramped circumstances to vibrate surface areas in immediate proximity to a projecting obstacle. Another object is to provide a vibratory roller device in which the roller is mounted in substantially cantilever relationship on its frame member, whereby the free end of the roller may be passed over a surface area immediately adjacent to an obstacle without the frame member fouling the obstacle, and wherein at the same time the roller mounting means are strong and sturdy and will ensure a long service life for the device. An object is to provide an improved vibratory roller construction which is simple and strong, includes effective flexible vibration-transmitting means, to the roller While substantially preventing the undesirable transmission of vibrations to the mounting frame; and wherein the components are few in number and are easily assembled and dismantled.

In accordance with this invention there is broadly provided a vibratory roller device wherein a hollow roller and an unbalanced vibratory shaft extending coaxially into the roller, are mounted, through means to be specifled, from only one side of a supporting frame member, whereby to permit vibratory engagement of the roller with a surface without interference of the frame member with any obstacle projecting from said surface adjacent the free end of said roller.

The above and other objects and aspects of the invention, as well as the novel features of construction thereof,

3,,lfl5jl24 Patented Get. 1, 1%63 will appear clearly from the ensuing detailed description of an exemplary embodiment of the invention, illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat simplified view of an improved vibratory roller device in vertical cross section; and

FIG. 2 is a similar view, but in horizontal section, of a somewhat modified embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 1, an improved vibratory roller device is shown as comprising a frame member in the form of an L- haped metallic bracket including an upper horizontal flange 1 and a vertical flange 2. Projecting from the vertical flange 2 and spaced below flange 1 is a stationary arbor or shaft 3. Also projecting from flange 2 is a cylindrical sleeve 4 which surrounds arbor 3 in coaxially spaced relation therewith and extends over a limited length of arbor 3 from the frame flange 2.

A roller member 8 in the form of a hollow cylinder of sheet metal has an end flange 9 sealing its outer end for protection against ingress of dirt, and has an open inner end 13; the roller further includes two (or more) axially spaced inner flanges or diaphragms 10 and 11 formed with central apertures 12. The roller member 8 extends at its outer end somewhat beyond the end of frame flange 1, and is rotatably supported at its inner end from the frame 1-2 by way of a journal sleeve 5 rotatably engaging the outer surface of frame sleeve portion 4, and which journal sleeve 5 is formed at its outer end with an annular groove or channel 18 in which is press-fitted a ring 19 of resilient material such as rubber, firmly bonded at its axially outer end surface to the inner flange or diaphragm it? of the roller. At its outer end, the roller 8 is rotatably supported from the outer end of fixed arbor 3 by way of a similar arrangement including a rubber ring 19 bonded to inner roller flange or diaphragm l1 and press-fitted within an annular channel 18 integral with a journal sleeve member 7 having a hub portion rotatable around the outer end of stationary arbor 3.

A tubular vibratory shaft 15, formed with an eccentric unbalancing weight 16 on a side of it, surrounds the fixed arbor 3 in radially spaced relation therewith over a major portion of the extent of said arbor, and is re tained in centered relationship with the roller member by means of axially spaced ball bearings 14, the outer races of which are secured in the central apertures of the respective inner flanges or diaphragms l6 and 11 of the roller.

Means here shown as motor M mounted on the frame member 1-2, are provided for rotating the vibrator shaft 1516 through a drive connection shown as a drive belt 21 trained at its ends around a pulley mounted on the shaft of motor M and around a pulley groove 17 formed or secured around the inner end of the vibratory shaft 15, and extending through an aperture in sleeve 4. In the embodiment shown, the motor M also serves to rotate the roller 8 in order to advance the vibrator device over a ground or the like surface to e reated and for this purpose there is shown a further drive belt 2% trained around an output pulley of motor M and around a pulley groove 6 formed or secured around the inner end of the journal sleeve 5 which is flexibly coupled to the roller by way of rubber ring 12% as above described. Yielding buffer stops 22, made e.g. of rubber, are secured at one or more suitable points of the surface of frame flange 1 to take up the smallamplitude radial deflections of the flexibly-mounted roller 8.

In operation, motor M rotates the tubular vibrator shaft 15 through belt drive 21 and thus generates vibrations due to the unbalanced character of shaft 1516. Simultaneously the roller 8 is rotated through belt drive 29 to advance the device over the surface to be vibrationtreated. The vibrations generated by shaft 1516 are transmitted to the roller through the inner flanges or diapihragms 1'0 and 11, and from the roller to the ground sprface. However, the flexible mounting means 18-49 substantially prevent the transmission of said vibrations to the fixed arbor 3 and the frame 12.

It will be evident that the vibratory roller device described above can be used for vibrating a surface even in an area that may lie immediately adjacent some upstanding projection or obstacle, such as a wall of a building, or a kerb, by so placing the device that the outer end of the roller engages said area with the axis of the roller generally normal :to said wall or other obstacle; in such position the frame member 1-2 will clear the obstacle in contrast with what would occur in a conventionally constructed vibratory roller device. At the same time, it will be noted that the roller is firmly supported from the frame at axially spaced points, due to the provision of the stationary arbor 3 and the spaced inner roller flanges or diaphragrns 19 and 11, so that it can be exposed to prolonged service under the strenuous vibratory conditions involved without any failure to the roller mounting means and other components. The device is simple to assemble and dismantle, e.g. for mainterrance and repairs, since the roller can be inserted in position around the fixed arbor 3 and removed therefiom without having to dismantle the frame and without interference from the frame. The frame itself, including the integral flanges 1 and 2 and the arbor 3, is simple and sturdy and is substantially free from vibrational strains in service owing to the resilient means described for mounting the vibrating components thereon, so that it is long-lived. If desired, the stationary shaft or arbor 3 may be made from special alloy steel while the journal sleeve may be a steel casting.

The modified version shown in FIG. 2 is similar to that just described, the only difference being that in this modification the horizontal flange 1 of the frame member is omitted, so that the roller 8 lies entirely outside the frame, except at its inner end near frame member 2. An arm 23 is shown extending from the frame member 2 for steering the device over the ground.

It will be understood that various other modifications may be made without departingfrom the scope of the invention. For example the drive means for the roller from motor M may be omitted; the rotatable mounting means for the roller about fixed arbor 3 may assume other forms than that shown.

What we claim is: I

1. A vibratory roller device, comprising a frame; a stationary, horizontal arbor having an inner end and an outer end, said inner end being connected to said frame and projecting outwardly therefrom as a cantilever; a roller surrounding said arbor and having an axis of rotation; an unbalanced shaft within said roller and surrounding said arbor and being vibratable transversely when rotated; a tubular sleeve projecting from said frame and surrounding said shaft; a plurality of transverse, centrally-apertured diaphragms spaced along said axis of rotation and connected to said roller; first means rotatably supporting said roller and comprising a plurality of hearing surface members, different ones respectively rotatably engaging said arbor and said tubular sleeve. and being resiliently coupled to dififerent ones of said plurality (if diaphragms, whereby said frame is substantially isolated from transverse motion of said roller; second means rotatably supporting said shaft and comprising a plurality of bearing surfaces substantially rigidly coupled in the transverse sense to different ones of said plurality of diaphragms, whereby the vibration of said unbalanced shaft is transmitted to said roller; and drive means mounted on said frame adjacent said inner end of said arbor for rotating said shaft.

2. The device of claim 1, said drive means including means for also rotating said roller.

3. The device of claim 1, in which said plurality of bearing surface members are resiliently coupled to different ones of said plurality of diaphragms by means comprising annular resilient members secured on one surface to different ones of said diaphragms and secured on the opposite surface to the corresponding bearing surface member.

4. The device of claim 3, in which said drive means includes means for also rotating said roller.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

Claims

1. A VIBRATORY ROLLER DEVICE, COMPRISING A FRAME; A STATIONARY, HORIZONTAL ARBOR HAVING AN INNER END AND AN OUTER END, SAID INNER END BEING CONNECTED TO SAID FRAME AND PROJECTING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM AS A CANTILIVER; A ROLLER SURROUNDING SAID ARBOR AND HAVING AN AXIS OF ROTATION; AN UNBALANCED SHAFT WITHIN SAID ROLLER AND SURROUNDING SAID ARBOR AND BEING VIBRATABLE TRANSVERSELY WHEN ROTATED; A TUBULAR SLEEVE PROJECTING FROM SAID FRAME AND SURROUNDING SAID SHAFT; A PLURALITY OF TRANSVERSE, CENTRALLY-APERTURED DIAPHRAGMS SPACED ALONG SAID AXIS OF ROTATION AND CONNECTED TO SAID ROLLER; FIRST MEANS ROTATABLY SUPPORTING SAID ROLLER AND COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF BEARING SURFACE MEMBERS, DIFFERENT ONES RESPECTIVELY ROTATABLY ENGAGING SAID ARBOR AND SAID TUBULAR SLEEVE AND BEING RESILIENTLY COUPLED TO DIFFERENT ONES OF SAID PLURALITY OF DIAPHRAGMS, WHEREBY SAID FRAME IS SUBSTANTIALLY ISOLATED FROM TRANSVERSE MOTION OF SAID ROLLER; SECOND MEANS ROTATABLY SUPPORTING SAID SHAFT AND COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF BEARING SURFACES SUBSTANTIALLY RIGIDLY COUPLED IN THE TRANSVERSE SENSE TO DIFFERENT ONES OF SAID PLURALITY OF DIAPHRAGMS, WHEREBY THE VIBRATIONS OF SAID UNBALANCED SHAFT IS TRANSMITTED TO SAID ROLLER; AND DRIVE MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME ADJACENT SAID INNER END OF SAID ARBOR FOR ROTATING SAID SHAFT.