Vibratory Compactor Having Conventional and Oscillatory Vibrating Capability

Abstract

A vibratory compactor is disclosed which may include a chassis, a prime mover supported by the chassis, and at least one roller supporting the chassis. The at least one roller may be adapted to emit both conventional vibrations and oscillatory vibrations.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vibratory roller assembly, comprising:
 a drum;   a motor operatively associated with the drum;   a drive shaft powered by the motor;   a solid mass eccentric mounted to a second rotatable shaft within the drum; and   an adjustable mass eccentric mounted to a third rotatable shaft within the drum, the second and third shafts being rotationally connected to the drive shaft.   
     
     
         2 . The vibratory roller assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the solid mass eccentric and adjustable mass eccentric are rotated 180 degrees apart relative to the drive shaft. 
     
     
         3 . The vibratory roller assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the motor drive shaft, second shaft, third shaft solid mass eccentric and adjustable mass eccentric are rotatable in first and second directions. 
     
     
         4 . The vibratory roller assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the vibratory roller drum produces conventional vibrations when the motor, drive shaft, second shaft, third shaft, solid mass eccentric and adjustable mass eccentric are rotated in the first direction. 
     
     
         5 . The vibratory roller assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the vibratory roller drum produces oscillatory vibration when the motor, drive shaft, second shaft, third shaft, solid mass eccentric, and adjustable mass eccentric are rotated in the second direction. 
     
     
         6 . The vibratory roller assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustable mass eccentric includes a volume of metallic shot shiftable within a container housing. 
     
     
         7 . The vibratory roller assembly of  claim 1 , further including a first sheave mounted to the drive shaft and a first belt connecting the first sheave to the solid mass eccentric. 
     
     
         8 . The vibratory roller assembly of  claim 7 , further including a second sheave mounted to the drive shaft and a second belt connecting the second sheave to the adjustable mass eccentric. 
     
     
         9 . A vibratory compactor, comprising:
 a chassis;   a prime mover supported by the chassis; and   at least one roller supporting the chassis, the at least one roller adapted to emit conventional vibrations when rotated in a first direction and oscillatory vibrations when rotated in a second direction.   
     
     
         10 . The vibratory compactor of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one roller includes a solid mass eccentric and an adjustable mass eccentric. 
     
     
         11 . The vibratory compactor of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one roller further includes a motor and a drive shaft operatively associated with the motor, the solid mass eccentric and adjustable mass eccentric being rotatably associated with the drive shaft. 
     
     
         12 . The vibratory compactor of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one roller emits the conventional vibrations when the motor rotates in a clockwise direction, and emits oscillatory vibrations when the motor rotates in a counterclockwise direction. 
     
     
         13 . The vibratory compactor of  claim 11 , wherein the first direction is opposite to the second direction. 
     
     
         14 . The vibratory compactor of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one roller further includes a second shaft, and a third shaft, the second and third shaft being rotated by the drive shaft, the solid mass eccentric being mounted on the second shaft, and the adjustable mass eccentric being mounted on the third shaft. 
     
     
         15 . The vibratory compactor of  claim 12 , further including a cavity mounted to the third shaft, the cavity being partially filled with metallic shot. 
     
     
         16 . A vibratory roller drum, comprising;
 a cylinder;   a conventional vibrator operatively associated with the cylinder to emit conventional vibrations when rotated in a first direction; and   an oscillatory vibrator operatively associated with the cylinder to emit oscillatory vibrations when rotated in a second direction.   
     
     
         17 . The vibratory roller drum of  claim 16 , wherein the conventional vibrator includes a solid mass eccentric. 
     
     
         18 . The vibratory roller drum of  claim 16 , when the oscillatory vibrator includes an adjustable mass eccentric. 
     
     
         19 . The vibratory roller drum of  claim 16 , further including a motor operatively associated with the conventional vibrator and the oscillatory vibrator, the vibratory roller drum emitting conventional vibrations when the motor is rotated in a clockwise direction, the vibratory roller drum emitting oscillatory vibrations when the motor is rotated in a counterclockwise direction. 
     
     
         20 . The vibratory roller drum of  claim 19 , further including a drive shaft coupled to the motor, the conventional vibrator including a second shaft operatively associated with the motor, the oscillatory vibrator including a third shaft operatively associated with the motor, the solid mass eccentric being mounted on the second shaft, and the adjustable mass eccentric being mounted on the third shaft.