Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
A method for measuring the degree of compaction acheived in a bed of material by a vibratory compaction device comprising the steps of: vibrating the compaction device against the bed of material to be compacted to generate a characteristic signal of the vibratory motion of the compacting device against said material, said characteristic vibratory motion signal having a fundamental frequency and a plurality of harmonic frequencies; measuring the amplitude of said characteristic vibratory motion signal at said fundamental frequency; measuring the amplitude of said characteristic vibratory motion signal for at least the second harmonic of said fundamental frequency; and comparing the measured amplitudes of said fundamental frequency and said at least second harmonic frequency to ascertain the degree of compaction of said bed of material.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
125 words
A method for measuring the degree of compaction acheived in a bed of material by a vibratory compaction device comprising the steps of: vibrating the compaction device against the bed of material to be compacted to generate a characteristic signal of the vibratory motion of the compacting device against said material, said characteristic vibratory motion signal having a fundamental frequency and a plurality of harmonic frequencies; measuring the amplitude of said characteristic vibratory motion signal at said fundamental frequency; measuring the amplitude of said characteristic vibratory motion signal for at least the second harmonic of said fundamental frequency; and comparing the measured amplitudes of said fundamental frequency and said at least second harmonic frequency to ascertain the degree of compaction of said bed of material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step of comparing comprises computing the quotient between the measured amplitude of said fundamental frequency and said second harmonic frequency.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
68 words
The method of claim 1, comprising the further steps of: measuring the amplitude of the third harmonic of said characteristic signal of said vibratory motion; weighting and adding the measured amplitudes of the second and third harmonic frequencies to provide a weighted sum thereof; and comparing the weighted sum with the measured amplitude of the fundamental frequency to ascertain the degree of compaction of the bed of material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 3, wherein said characteristic signal of vibratory motion has both vertical and horizontal amplitude components with respect to said bed of material and only said vertical components are measured at said fundamental and harmonic frequencies.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 3, wherein said characteristic signal of vibratory motion has both vertical and horizontal amplitude components and both said vertical and horizontal amplitude components at said fundamental and harmonic frequencies are measured for comparison.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
153 words
A system for measuring the degree of compaction achieved in a bed of material by a vibratory compaction device comprising: means for vibrating the compaction device against the bed of material to be compacted; transducer means for generating a characteristic signal of the vibratory motion of the compacting device against said material, said characteristic vibratory motion signal having a fundamental frequency and a plurality of harmonic frequencies; first filter means for filtering said fundamental frequency from said characteristic frequency to obtain a fundamental amplitude signal; means for measuring the amplitude of said fundamental amplitude signal; second filter means for filtering at least one harmonic frequency component from said characteristic signal to obtain a harmonic frequency signal; means for measuring the amplitude of said harmonic frequency signal; and means for comparing the amplitudes of said fundamental and harmonic frequency signals to generate a signal representative of the degree of material compaction of said material.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
153 words
A system for measuring the degree of compaction achieved in a bed of material by a vibratory compaction device comprising: means for vibrating the compaction device against the bed of material to be compacted; transducer means for generating a characteristic signal of the vibratory motion of the compacting device against said material, said characteristic vibratory motion signal having a fundamental frequency and a plurality of harmonic frequencies; first filter means for filtering said fundamental frequency from said characteristic frequency to obtain a fundamental amplitude signal; means for measuring the amplitude of said fundamental amplitude signal; second filter means for filtering at least one harmonic frequency component from said characteristic signal to obtain a harmonic frequency signal; means for measuring the amplitude of said harmonic frequency signal; and means for comparing the amplitudes of said fundamental and harmonic frequency signals to generate a signal representative of the degree of material compaction of said material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 6, wherein said means for comparing comprises divider means for determining the ratio between the amplitude of said fundamental frequency signal and the amplitude of said harmonic frequency signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
68 words
The system of claim 6 further including: third filter means for filtering an additional harmonic component of said characteristic signal to obtain an additional harmonic frequency signal; means for measuring the amplitude of said additional harmonic frequency signal; means for adding the respective measured amplitudes of harmonic signals; and means for comparing the amplitude of the fundamental signal to the sum of the amplitudes of the harmonic signals.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 6 further including means for applying the signal from said means for comparing to said means for vibrating to control the degree of compaction.