Tuned mass damping system and method

Claim 1

A damping system for attenuating the motion of a structure caused by external forces, said motion characterized by the vibration, rocking, or undulation of said structure, said damping system comprising: (a) a countermass; (b) means for enabling said countermass to oscillate in a translational manner relative to said structure, comprising: (i) two torsion bars each having first ends attached to said structure with the longitudinal axis of each torsion bar normal to the line of motion of said countermass relative to said structure; (ii) two spools respectively attached to second ends of said torsion bars; (iii) two pulleys respectively attached to said structure equidistant along a line normal to the line motion of said countermass; (iv) two equally tensioned cables having first ends respectively connected to said spools and second ends connected to said countermass with said pulleys each connecting one of said two cables to provide an equal tension on said countermass and with a sufficient length of each cable wrapped around said corresponding spool to enable the oscillation of said countermass; (c) means for frictionally damping said oscillating motion of said countermass relative to said structure; and wherein (d) said damping system has a frequency of oscillation matching the natural frequency of oscillation of said structure.

Claim 11

A device for stabilizing a vertical elongated structure against transverse oscillation comprising a first coulomb dampened spring-mass assembly attached to said structure, said assembly having a frequency of oscillation matching the natural frequency of oscillation of said structure and including: (a) a countermass; (b) two torsion bars each having first ends fixed to said structure with the longitudinal axis of each torsion bar normal to the line of motion of said countermass relative to said structure; (c) two spools respectively attached to second ends of said torsion bars; (d) two pulleys respectively attached to said structure equidistant along a line normal to the line of motion of said countermass; (e) two equally tensioned cables having first ends respectively connected to said spools and second ends connected to said countermass with said pulleys each contacting one of said two cables to provide an equal tension on said countermass and with a sufficient length of each cable wrapped around said corresponding spool to enable the oscillation of said countermass; and (f) means for frictionally damping the motion of said countermass relative to said structure.

Claim 12

A device for stabilizing a vertical elongated structure against transverse oscillation comprising a first coulomb dampened spring-mass assembly attached to said structure, said assembly having a frequency of oscillation matching the natural frequency of oscillation of said structure and including: (a) a countermass; (b) two torsion bars each having first ends fixed to said structure with the longitudinal axis of each torsion bar normal to the line of motion of said countermass relative to said structure; (c) two spools respectively attached to second ends of said torsion bars; (d) two pulleys respectively attached to said structure equidistant along a line normal to the line of motion of said countermass; (e) two equally tensioned cables having first ends respectively connected to said spools and second ends connected to said countermass with said pulleys each contacting one of said two cables to provide an equal tension on said countermass and with a sufficient length of each cable wrapped around said corresponding spool to enable the oscillation of said countermass; and (f) means for frictionally damping the motion of said countermass relative to said structure.