Other

Seicon Limited

John Cunningham

Robert E Roemer

Robert C Banasik

David Vincent Newton

Ephrahim Garcia

A pipe support is provided that includes a frame capable of being placed around an existing pipe and a plurality of support members within the frame. The frame is a hollow cylinder that includes two connectable halves divided along the diameter of the hollow cylinder. The pipe support includes two bearing rings connected to the frame for supporting each of the plurality of members at a minimum of two contact points. Each of the two bearing rings include bearing points for each support member arranged in a cylindrical pattern concentric with the hollow cylinder frame. The pipe support includes means for rotating each of the support members at a first contact point with respect to a second contact point so that the support members engage a pipe placed within the pipe support. The support members are rods that provide vibration isolation to a pipe placed within the pipe support.

Universal support and vibration isolator

A structure that positions rotating shafts and allows continuing transmission of rotary motion between shafts or shaft segments that are not aligned with one another or that may from time to time become misaligned. The invention reduces the undesirable effect of torque or torsional transients on rotary positioning and continued transmission of rotary motion, as well as reducing vibration resulting from linear or other angular displacement on either side of the joint. The structure comprises opposing outer and inner plates, each engaging a corresponding shaft or shaft segment. The plates define a plurality of holes that support flexible members. The flexible members extend through the plates on adjacent shafts or shaft segments around the shaft ends. Torque may be transmitted from one shaft to another by the flexible members.

Variable stiffness flexible joint

A vibration isolator with an adjustable response. A vibration isolator for isolating a vibration source from a support structure include a base in engagement with the support structure and two supports connected to the base. At least one of the supports is slidably connected to the base. A flexible member having a generally elongate shape and an elongate length is supported by the two supports. The flexible member is attachable to the vibration source. Each support slidably engages the flexible member such that the flexible member can move relative to each support with the support that is slidably connected to the base being moveable along the elongate length of the flexible member.

Vibration isolator with adjustable response

A vibration isolator including a bearing support and an elastic member that communicates with a vibration source. The elastic member is capable of bending from an original position to assume a more or less bowed position in response to changes in a load applied to the midportion of the elastic member intermediate its ends and returning essentially to its original position when the original load is restored. The elastic member engages a friction-resistant bearing surface on the bearing support at a distance spaced from each of its ends and moves relative to the bearing surface in response to a bending of the elastic member. The apparatus may be tuned to effectively isolate a particular vibration frequency, for example, by altering the properties of the elastic member or by changing the distance between the points on the bearing support that engage the elastic member.

Vibration isolation device and method

A piezoelectric motor including a motor body, a compliant layer in communication with the motor body, and a predetermined number of legs in communication with the compliant layer, which urges the legs into engagement with a substrate. Each of the legs includes a piezoelectric wafer, preferably operated in the shear mode. The actuation of a piezoelectric wafer causes the corresponding leg to be displaced relative to a substrate. This displacement results in the transfer of strain energy to the compliant layer. The energy stored in the compliant layer may be released, causing the motor to advance along the substrate. The legs may be capable of moving independently from one another and also may be capable of moving sequentially or in a predetermined groups or units. The legs also may be arranged in pairs with the leg pairs being capable of simultaneous actuation. The motor is capable of maintaining a high holding force in the absence of a power input.

Piezoelectric motor

A system for supporting an architectural element such that the supporting structure resists unexpected, infrequent shocks such as might be encountered during an earthquake or other disaster and isolates the architectural element from variations in the level or stability of the surface on which the structure rests. The system provides an apparatus for supporting an architectural element that includes a pair of laterally spaced apart fixed bearing members arranged on a surface beneath or adjacent to a site for an architectural element, and an elongated elastic member supported on bearing surfaces of the bearing members at a distance spaced inwardly from the ends of the elongated member. An architectural element, which may comprise a base for a building or other structure, a building, or a portion of a building, may be placed in association with the elongated member. Beginning from an equilibrium state, the elongated member is capable of bending in proportion to the magnitude of an additional load applied intermediate the ends of the elongated members, with the ends of the elongated members sliding against the bearing members a distance also proportional to the magnitude of the additional load.

Earthquake-resistant architectural system

A method of supporting a transportation surface, such as a vehicular bridge, a railroad trestle or an elevated walkway, that is resistant to unexpected, infrequent shocks such as might be encountered during an earthquake or similar disaster. The method includes arranging laterally spaced apart fixed bearing members on a surface adjacent a path for a transportation surface and supporting elongated elastic members on the bearing members at a distance spaced inwardly from the ends of the elastic members. The transportation surface may be placed in association with the elastic members. Beginning from an equilibrium state, each elastic member is capable of bending in proportion to the magnitude of an additional load applied intermediate the ends of the elastic member, with the ends of the elastic member sliding against the bearing members a distance also proportional to the magnitude of the additional load.

Method for supporting a transportation surface

A method of supporting distribution means, such as a pipeline, that accommodates temperature-induced expansion or contraction of the distribution means as well as unexpected, infrequent shocks to the structure, and provides effective thermal isolation of the distribution means from the surface on which the structure rests. The method includes arranging laterally spaced apart fixed bearing supports on a surface adjacent a path for distribution means and supporting elongated elastic members on the bearing supports at a distance spaced inwardly from the ends of the elastic members. Distribution means may be placed in association with the elastic members. Beginning from an equilibrium state, each elastic member is capable of bending in proportion to the magnitude of an additional load applied intermediate the ends of the elastic member, with the ends of each member sliding against the bearing members a distance also proportional to the magnitude of the additional load.

Method for supporting distribution means

An earthquake-resistant architectural system incorporates a number of homeostatic devices which offer increasing, instead of decreasing, resistance to a load and its resulting stresses. A common feature of the improvement is that support posts are topped by bearings facing each other and having grooved channels which are inclined at an angle to the longitudinal axis of each resilient transverse member at rest, so that a horizontal distance, when measured in a straight line between opposite points of contact in the grooved channels, decreases as the load increases and bends each resilient transverse member.

A shock-absorbing support for a load comprises one or more spaced kinestatic members which support the load. The kinestatic members are supported at points adjacent their ends by supports which permit the kinestatic members to slide along their longitudinal axes relative to the points of support as the force on an individual kinestatic member varies, thus causing each member to assume a more or less bowed condition. With the system in a state of equilibrium, i.e., with each kinestatic member being flexed to an extent depending on its contribution to the support of the entire load, an increased load will cause an increase in the flex of each member until a new point of equilibrium is reached. If the additional load is removed, each kinestatic member will tend to straighten out, thus causing a longitudinal sliding movement through the points of support and creating friction during sliding engagement with a shock-absorbing member which absorbs the energy and prevents oscillations.

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Saratoga Springs, NY, United States of America

John Cunningham