Patent ID: 6694812
Filing Date: 2004-02-24
Classification: G01M

Abstract:
A method for automatically and dynamically balancing elongated torque-transmitting shafts each having misalignment joints operatively affixed to opposite ends thereof that establish balancing planes extending therethrough near said joints and rotatable about a centralized axis of rotation with a balancing machine having a drive motor and a programmed shaft balance computer unit operatively associated with said machine for determining the imbalance of said shaft and the discrete weight and weight attachment positions on said shaft to effect the dynamic rotational balancing thereof and further having a weight welding unit comprising the steps of: selecting and operatively loading one of said shafts in the balancing machine, powering said drive motor to operatively drive said shaft about said axis of rotation, detecting the amount and position of rotational imbalance of said shaft in relationship to both of said balancing panes thereof and supplying data of such imbalance to said balance computer so that said computer can calculate the balance correcting weight to be affixed to the shaft in both of said predetermine correction planes to effect the rotational balancing of said shaft, supplying such balance correcting weight to said welding unit, displacing said welding unit by control of said computer and moving it to a first of the correction planes, welding first imbalance correction weight directly onto the surface of the shaft at said first correction plane, subsequently effecting the movement of said welding unit as directed by said computer to said second correction plane and welding second imbalance correcting weight to the surface of the shaft at said second correction plane to thereby correct the rotational imbalance of said shaft.