Bridge with minimized excited bridge vibrations

Abstract

The invention includes a bridge with a structure having at least one excited bridge frequency. The bridge includes a plurality of vibration absorber disposed in the bridge. The excited bridge vibration absorbers include tuning masses pivotally connected to support frames for pivotal movement relative to pivotal axis's and torsional springs disposed along said pivotal axis. The torsional spring provide a spring forces responsive to a pivotal rotation of the tuning mass about the pivotal axis relative to the support frame wherein said the bridge pivoting vibration absorber has a natural resonant frequency below 1.5 Hz which absorbs the excited bridge frequency.

1 . A bridge, said bridge comprised of a structure having at least one excited bridge frequency, said structure having a bottom plate, a top plate, forming a bridge interior conduit chamber, a first bridge pivoting vibration absorber disposed in said bridge interior conduit chamber, said first bridge pivoting vibration absorber including a first bridge pivoting vibration absorber planar support frame with a first bridge pivoting vibration absorber foundation planar plate surface, said first bridge pivoting vibration absorber foundation planar plate surface abutting said top plate, said first bridge pivoting vibration absorber planar support frame attached to said top plate, a tuning mass pivotally connected to said first bridge pivoting vibration absorber planar support frame for pivotal movement relative to a pivotal axis, a torsional spring disposed along said pivotal axis between said support frame and said tuning mass, said torsional spring provides a spring force responsive to a pivotal rotation of said tuning mass about said pivotal axis relative to said support frame wherein said first bridge pivoting vibration absorber has a natural resonant frequency below 1.5 Hz which absorbs an excited bridge frequency, a second bridge pivoting vibration absorber disposed in said bridge interior conduit chamber, said second bridge pivoting vibration absorber including a second bridge pivoting vibration absorber planar support frame with a second bridge pivoting vibration absorber foundation planar plate surface, said second bridge pivoting vibration absorber foundation planar plate surface abutting said bottom plate, said second bridge pivoting vibration absorber planar support frame attached to said bottom plate, a tuning mass pivotally connected to said second bridge pivoting vibration absorber planar support frame for pivotal movement relative to a pivotal axis, a torsional spring disposed along said pivotal axis between said support frame and said tuning mass, said torsional spring provides a spring force responsive to a pivotal rotation of said tuning mass about said pivotal axis relative to said support frame wherein said second bridge pivoting vibration absorber has a natural resonant frequency below 1.5 Hz which absorbs an excited bridge frequency.  
   
   
       2 . A bridge as claimed in  claim 1 , said bridge including a third bridge vibration absorber disposed in said bridge interior conduit chamber, said third bridge vibration absorber including a third bridge vibration absorber planar support frame with a third bridge vibration absorber foundation planar plate surface, said third bridge vibration absorber foundation planar plate surface abutting said top plate, said third bridge vibration absorber planar support frame attached to said top plate, a tuning mass pivotally connected to said third bridge vibration absorber planar support frame for pivotal movement relative to a pivotal axis, a torsional spring disposed along said pivotal axis between said support frame and said tuning mass, said torsional spring provides a spring force responsive to a pivotal rotation of said tuning mass about said pivotal axis relative to said support frame wherein said third bridge pivoting vibration absorber has a natural resonant frequency below 1.5 Hz which absorbs an excited bridge frequency.  
   
   
       3 . A bridge as claimed in  claim 2 , said bridge including a fourth bridge vibration absorber disposed in said bridge interior conduit chamber, said fourth bridge vibration absorber including a fourth bridge vibration absorber planar support frame with a fourth bridge vibration absorber foundation planar plate surface, said fourth bridge vibration absorber foundation planar plate surface abutting said bottom plate, said fourth bridge pivoting absorber planar support frame attached to said bottom plate, a tuning mass pivotally connected to said fourth bridge pivoting vibration absorber planar support frame for pivotal movement relative to a pivotal axis, a torsional spring disposed along said pivotal axis between said support frame and said tuning mass, said torsional spring provides a spring force responsive to a pivotal rotation of said tuning mass about said pivotal axis relative to said support frame wherein said fourth bridge pivoting vibration absorber has a natural resonant frequency below 1.5 Hz which absorbs an excited bridge frequency.  
   
   
       4 . A method of controlling vibrations in a bridge having an excited bridge frequency, said method comprised of the steps of: providing a first bridge vibration absorber, said first bridge vibration absorber including a first bridge vibration absorber planar support frame, a tuning mass connected to said first bridge vibration absorber planar support frame for movement relative to a axis, a spring disposed along said axis and between said support frame and said tuning mass, said spring providing a spring force responsive to a movement of said tuning mass about said axis relative to said support frame wherein said first bridge vibration absorber has a natural resonant frequency below 1.5 Hz, attaching said first bridge vibration absorber planar support frame to said bridge, wherein said first bridge vibration absorber natural resonant frequency absorbs said excited bridge frequency.  
   
   
       5 . A method as claimed in  claim 4 , said method including providing a second bridge vibration absorber, said second bridge vibration absorber including a second bridge vibration absorber planar support frame, a tuning mass connected to said second bridge vibration absorber planar support frame for movement relative to a axis, a spring disposed along said axis and between said support frame and said tuning mass, said spring providing a spring force responsive to a movement of said tuning mass about said axis relative to said support frame wherein said second bridge vibration absorber has a natural resonant frequency below 1.5 Hz, attaching said second bridge vibration absorber planar support frame to said bridge at a second placement point, said second placement point distal from said first bridge vibration absorber, wherein said second bridge vibration absorber natural resonant frequency absorbs said excited bridge frequency.  
   
   
       6 . A method as claimed in  claim 4 , said method including providing a third bridge vibration absorber, said third bridge vibration absorber including a third bridge vibration absorber planar support frame with a third bridge vibration absorber foundation planar plate surface, a tuning mass pivotally connected to said third bridge vibration absorber planar support frame for pivotal movement relative to a pivotal axis, a torsional spring disposed along said pivotal axis between said support frame and said tuning mass, said torsional spring provides a spring force responsive to a pivotal rotation of said tuning mass about said pivotal axis relative to said support frame wherein said third bridge pivoting vibration absorber has a natural resonant frequency below 1.5 Hz which absorbs an excited bridge frequency, and attaching said third bridge vibration absorber to said bridge at a third placement point.  
   
   
       7 . A method as claimed in  claim 4 , said method including providing a fourth bridge vibration absorber, said fourth bridge vibration absorber including a fourth bridge vibration absorber planar support frame with a fourth bridge vibration absorber foundation planar plate surface, a tuning mass pivotally connected to said fourth bridge pivoting vibration absorber planar support frame for pivotal movement relative to a pivotal axis, a torsional spring disposed along said pivotal axis between said support frame and said tuning mass, said torsional spring provides a spring force responsive to a pivotal rotation of said tuning mass about said pivotal axis relative to said support frame wherein said fourth bridge pivoting vibration absorber has a natural resonant frequency below 1.5 Hz which absorbs an excited bridge frequency, and attaching said fourth bridge vibration absorber to said bridge at a fourth placement point.  
   
   
       8 . A bridge vibration absorber for absorbing a problematic excited bridge frequency of a bridge, said bridge vibration absorber comprised of a bridge vibration absorber planar support frame, a tuning mass connected to said bridge vibration absorber planar support frame for movement relative to a axis, a spring disposed along said axis and between said support frame and said tuning mass, said spring providing a spring force responsive to a movement of said tuning mass about said axis relative to said support frame wherein said bridge vibration absorber planar support frame provides for attachment of said bridge vibration absorber to said bridge with said bridge vibration absorber having a natural resonant frequency below 1.5 Hz.  
   
   
       9 . A method of making a vibration absorber for a structure having a problematic excited frequency, said method including: providing a pivoting vibration absorber planar support frame plate, said pivoting vibration absorber planar support frame plate for attachment to said structure, providing a tuning mass and pivotally connecting said tuning mass to said pivoting vibration absorber planar support frame plate for pivotal movement relative to a pivotal axis, providing a torsional spring and disposing said torsional spring along said pivotal axis between said support frame and said tuning mass, said torsional spring providing a spring force responsive to a pivotal rotation of said tuning mass about said pivotal axis relative to said support frame wherein said pivoting vibration absorber has a natural resonant frequency below 1.5 Hz which absorbs said excited frequency.  
   
   
       10 . A tuned vibration absorber, for absorbing vibratory disturbances in a structure, said tuned vibration absorber comprising: a vibration absorber planar support frame plate, said pivoting vibration absorber planar support frame plate for attachment to said structure; 
 a tuning mass movably connected to the support frame plate for movement relative to a pivotal axis, the tuning mass further comprising an arm and an adjustment mass located along the length of the arm with the tuning mass suspended away from the planar support frame plate; and a torsional spring located along the pivotal axis and positioned between the adjustment mass and the support frame plate and wherein said torsional spring provides a spring force responsive to pivotal rotation of the tuning mass about the pivotal axis relative to the support frame plate.    
   
   
       11 . A method of making a vibration absorber for a structure having a problematic excited frequency, said method including: providing a pivoting vibration absorber support frame, said pivoting vibration absorber support frame for attachment to said structure, providing a tuning mass arm and pivotally connecting said tuning mass arm to said pivoting vibration absorber support frame for pivotal movement relative to a pivotal axis, providing a first torsional spring member and at least a second torsional spring member and disposing said first torsional spring member and said second torsional spring member in series along said pivotal axis between said support frame and said tuning mass arm, said first torsional spring member and said at least second torsional spring member in series providing a torsional spring force responsive to a pivotal rotation of said tuning mass arm about said pivotal axis relative to said support frame wherein said pivoting vibration absorber has a natural resonant frequency below 1.5 Hz which absorbs said excited frequency.