US3699807A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for vibrational testing of articles
Assignee: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
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Filing: 1971-08-03
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Granted: 1972-10-24
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Expires: 1991-08-03
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for vibrational testing of manufactured assemblies, components, etc., comprising a vibration table having a generally planar supporting surface for the article being tested, at least a pair of actuating pistons for effecting vibrational movement of the table along a primary axis generally perpendicular to the plane of the supporting surface, at least one further actuating piston for effecting transverse vibration of the table generally in the plane of the supporting surface, and a plurality of pairs of prestressed supporting cables supportingly securing the table to a peripheral stationary frame, the supporting cables being disposed substantially in the plane of the supporting surface and being pre-tensioned to at least ten percent of their ultimate breaking strength. The testing apparatus as described may advantageously be mounted on a testing centrifuge for adding an essentially constant gravitational accelerating force to the vibrational forces acting on the article being tested.
Inventors
- 👤 James J Kerley Jr
- 👤 Norman C Schaller
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 08:35
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01M; G01M7/00; G01M7/02; G01M7/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
165 words
Apparatus for vibrational testing of articles, comprising a base frame means; table means disposed within said base frame means and mounted for limited vibratory movement relative thereto, said table means including a table surface adapted to support thereon articles to be tested; actuating means for imparting vibratory movement to said table means in a direction generally perpendicular to said table surface; and prestressed supporting means connecting said table means to said base frame means and supporting substantially the entire weight of said table means, said prestressed supporting means comprising a plurality of supporting cable means symmetrically disposed with respect to said table means, said supporting cable means each being secured at one end thereof to said table means and at the other end thereof to said base frame means, each of said supporting cable means being prestressed to at least about 10 percent of its breaking strength, and all of said supporting cable means being disposed in a plane substantially parallel to said table surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
165 words
Apparatus for vibrational testing of articles, comprising a base frame means; table means disposed within said base frame means and mounted for limited vibratory movement relative thereto, said table means including a table surface adapted to support thereon articles to be tested; actuating means for imparting vibratory movement to said table means in a direction generally perpendicular to said table surface; and prestressed supporting means connecting said table means to said base frame means and supporting substantially the entire weight of said table means, said prestressed supporting means comprising a plurality of supporting cable means symmetrically disposed with respect to said table means, said supporting cable means each being secured at one end thereof to said table means and at the other end thereof to said base frame means, each of said supporting cable means being prestressed to at least about 10 percent of its breaking strength, and all of said supporting cable means being disposed in a plane substantially parallel to said table surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said supporting cable means is prestressed to between about 10 percent and 50 percent of its breaking strength.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
71 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said table means comprises a lower table frame means and an upper table member supported by said lower table frame means, said upper table member being mounted for transverse vibratory movement relative to said lower table frame means in a plane generally parallel to said table surface, said one end of each of said supporting cable means being secured to said lower table frame means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said actuating means are mounted on said base frame means and are operatively connected to said lower table frame means to impart vibratory movement thereto.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said lower table frame means comprises first and second elongated transverse frame members of generally equal length secured to each other at substantially a right angle, at about their respective mid-points, said upper table member resting upon and being supported by said elongated transverse frame members.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein each of said elongated transverse frame members extends generally parallel to said table surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein each of said elongated transverse frame members comprises a U-beam.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
60 words
Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said lower table frame means further comprises four elongated connecting frame members, each of said elongated connecting frame members being secured at one end thereof to an end of one of said elongated transverse frame members and at the other end thereof to an end of the other of said elongated transverse frame members.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein each of said elongated connecting frame members extends generally parallel to said table surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said lower table frame means has a generally square configuration, said elongated connecting frame members defining respective sides of the square, and said elongated transverse frame members defining diagonals of the square.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
138 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said supporting cable means comprise two pairs of supporting cable assemblies, each of said supporting cable assemblies comprising at least one supporting cable member, a first pair of said supporting cable assemblies being secured at one end thereof to said first elongated transverse frame member respectively at opposite sides thereof, adjacent one end thereof, and being secured at their opposite ends to said base frame member respectively at opposite sides of said first transverse frame member; and the second pair of said supporting cable assemblies being secured at one end thereof to said first elongated transverse frame member respectively at opposite sides thereof, adjacent the other end thereof, and being secured at their opposite ends to said base frame member respectively at opposite sides of said first elongated transverse frame member.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
56 words
Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein each of said supporting cable assemblies extends angularly with respect to the longitudinal direction of said first elongated transverse frame member, said first pair of cable assemblies extending outwardly and toward said one end thereof, and said second pair of cable assemblies extending outwardly and toward said other end thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein each of said supporting cable assemblies is disposed at an angle of about 70* with respect to the longitudinal direction of said first elongated transverse frame member.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein each of said supporting cable assemblies comprises a plurality of supporting cable members, all of the supporting cable members in each of supporting cable assemblies extending generally parallel to each other.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein each of said supporting cable assemblies comprises four of said supporting cable members.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said upper table member comprises a comparatively thin and generally planar table member.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said upper table member comprises a generally circular disk-like table member.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
52 words
Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said base frame means comprises a generally cylindrical base frame member surrounding said table means and said actuating means, and having a larger diameter than said upper table member, said generally cylindrical base frame member having a longitudinal axis disposed generally perpendicular to said table surface.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
117 words
Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein each of said pairs of supporting cable assemblies includes a plurality of connecting rod members corresponding in number to the number of supporting cable members in each of said supporting cable assemblies, said connecting rod members extending transversely through said first elongated transverse frame member adjacent said respective ends thereof, the supporting cable members of one of said supporting cable assemblies of each respective pair each being respectively secured to one end of each of said connecting rod members, and the supporting cable members of the other of said supporting cable assemblies of each respective pair each being respectively secured to the other end of each of said connecting rod members.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
60 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 19, further comprising a plurality of anchor block members each associated with one of said supporting cable members, each of said anchor block members being secured to said first elongated transverse frame member, and each of said suppOrting cable members being threadedly secured at one end thereof to respective ones of said anchor block members.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3640124A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-10-24 | 1976-04-24 | 1976-10-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-10-24 | 1980-04-24 | 1980-10-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-10-24 | 1984-04-24 | 1984-10-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |