Economical automatic balancer for rotating masses

Claim 1

A device for automatically balancing a rotating mass comprising: a. an endless circular rigid self-sustaining race consisting essentially of a precision bent metallic tube having its ends welded together, said metallic tube having a substantially uniform internal diameter and having a smooth internal surface along the exterior circumferential wall so as to define a smooth raceway for spherical counterweights; b. a plurality of spherical counterweights disposed within said rigid self-sustaining race, said spherical counterweights being formed of a metal that is at least as resistant to deformation as the metal of said metallic tube; said spherical counterweights having a diameter less than the diameter of said metallic tube so as to be movable within said metallic tube; c. a lubricating and damping fluid disposed within said rigid self-sustaining race for lubricating and damping movement of said spherical counterweights; d. an aperture disposed in the radially interior wall of said rigid self-sustaining race adjacent the welded together ends; said aperture being large enough to allow insertion of said spherical counterweights and to allow smoothly finishing the weld formed where the ends are welded together for an economical smooth internal surface at said weld to prevent imperfections that would effect stacking up of the balls and creating an imbalanced condition; e. a cap that is sealingly fitted within said aperture after said weld has been smoothly finished on the interior of said circular rigid self-sustaining race and said spherical counterweights and said lubricating and damping fluid have been inserted thereinto; and f. means for connecting said rigid self-sustaining race with said rotating mass such that said spherical counterweights will align themselves within said race so as to compensate for dynamic unbalance of said rotating mass.

Claim 2

A device for automatically balancing a rotating mass comprising: a. an endless circular rigid self-sustaining race consisting essentially of a precision bent metallic tube having its ends welded together, said metallic tube having a substantially uniform internal diameter and having a smooth internal surface along the exterior circumferential wall so as to define a smooth raceway for spherical counterweights; b. a plurality of spherical counterweights disposed within said rigid self-sustaining race, said spherical counterweights being formed of a metal that is at least as resistant to deformation as the metal of said metallic tube; said spherical counterweights having a diameter less than the diameter of said metallic tube so as to be movable within said metallic tube; c. a lubricating and damping fluid disposed within said rigid self-sustaining race for lubricating and damping movement of said spherical counterweights; d. an aperture disposed in the radially interior wall of said rigid self-sustaining race adjacent the welded together ends; said aperture being large enough to allow insertion of said spherical counterweights and to allow smoothly finishing the weld formed where the ends are welded together for an economical smooth internal surface at said weld to prevent imperfections that would effect stacking up of the balls and creating an imbalanced condition; e. a cap that is sealingly fitted within said aperture after said weld has been smoothly finished on the interior of said circular rigid self-sustaining race and said spherical counterweights and said lubricating and damping fluid have been inserted thereinto; and f. means for connecting said rigid self-sustaining race with said rotating mass such that said spherical counterweights will align themselves within said race so as to compensate for dynamic unbalance of said rotating mass.