Pole vibration damping assembly and method
View Patent ↗A pole vibration damping means includes an annular housing with internal radial pole encircling chambers in which lead spheres are provided for effecting damping of first mode harmonic vibrations with the assembly being attached to the upper end portion of the pole and operating in conjunction with a pole vibration damping device mounted medially for damping second harmonic mode vibrations.
1. A pole vibration damping assembly mountable on a vertical non-rotatable pole for damping wind induced first harmonic mode vibrations of the pole, said assembly comprising an annular housing including a horizontally oriented first housing component half-portion and a horizontally oriented second housing component half-portion horizontally aligned with the first housing component half-portion and connections connecting the first housing component half-portion to the second housing component half-portion, each housing component half-portion including an inner partial cylinder sleeve having an inner partial cylinder sleeve surface having a lower end portion, a vertical center of curvature and being dimensioned and shaped to fit in a mating manner over, and in facing contact with, an upper end portion of a vertical non-rotatable pole and having an axis approximately coextensive with the center of curvature of the pole, an outer partial cylinder sleeve positioned outwardly of the inner partial cylinder sleeve surface and having a lower end termination portion and a vertical center of curvature that is coextensive with the center of curvature of the inner partial cylinder sleeve surface, a floor panel extending between lower portions of the inner partial cylinder sleeve surface and the outer partial cylinder sleeve, a plurality of vertical partitioning panels extending vertically upward from the floor panel and extending between the inner partial cylinder sleeve and the outer partial cylinder sleeve to define non-circular damping weight receiving chambers between adjacent partitioning panels and a movable damping weight supported by the floor panel for horizontal rolling movement in each of the damping weight receiving chambers.
2. A pole vibration damping assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the damping weights are spherical balls and the shape and dimensions of the damping weight receiving chambers are sufficient to permit rolling movement in any direction of the spherical balls in the respective damping chamber in which each spherical ball is positioned.
3. A pole vibration damping assembly as recited in claim 2 , wherein the damping weights are spherical metal balls and the partitioning panels are connected to the inner partial cylinder sleeve and the outer partial cylinder sleeve.
4. A pole vibration damping assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the damping weights are spherical lead balls.
5. A pole vibration damping assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the partitioning panels are planar panels.
6. A pole vibration damping assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the partitioning panels are planar panels oriented in substantially perpendicular manner relative to the floor panel.
7. A pole vibration damping assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the damping weights are plastic coated spherical metal balls.
8. A pole vibration damping assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the damping weights are plastic coated spherical metal balls that are coated with polyurethane.
9. A pole vibration damping assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first housing component half-portion and the second housing component half-portion are fixedly connected together to cooperatively encircle the pole, each housing component half-portion includes a first planar panel extending between a first end portion of the inner partial-cylinder sleeve and a connector lug comprising part of the connection on a first end portion of the outer partial-cylinder sleeve, and a second planar panel extending between a second end portion of the inner partial-cylinder sleeve and a connector lug comprising part of the connection on a second end portion of the outer partial-cylinder sleeve and threaded metal screws comprising part of the connection connecting the connector lug of the second housing component half-portion to provide a rigid housing structure.
10. A pole vibration damping assembly as recited in claim 9 , wherein the damping weights are spherical metal balls.
11. A pole vibration damping assembly as recited in claim 9 , wherein the damping weights are spherical lead balls.