Abstract:
A vibrator bracket for securing a vibrator to an object to be vibrated. The vibrator includes a first platform adapted for receiving a vibrator, and a second platform for attaching the vibrator bracket to a standard receptacle located on the object to be vibrated. The second platform extends from the first platform, and includes a top portion which decreases in thickness along the distance from a front end to a rear end of second platform. A handle extends and curves in a concave shape in relationship to first platform to allow easy insertion and removal of vibrator bracket from receptacle.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This invention is a continuation in part, of patent application Ser. No. 08/886,964, filed on Jul. 2, 1997, now abandoned in the name of Arnold W. Huelsmann for VIBRATOR BRACKET. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to vibrators and, more particularly, to a vibrator bracket for settling concrete and unloading materials. 
     Vibrators are typically utilized to aid in the formation of large concrete structures and in removal of bulk materials from storage containers. Typically, large concrete structures require a large formation vessel in which the concrete is cured. Air pockets may be formed by air trapped in the concrete when it is poured into the formation vessel. Curing the concrete without removal of the air pockets produces an ultimately weak concrete structure. Vibrators are utilized to repeatedly shake the formation vessel and remove any air trapped in the concrete after it is poured. 
     Vibrators are also utilized to aid in the removal of bulk materials from storage containers also utilized for transportation, such as railroad cars and drum units, during unloading. These vibrators are commonly attached to the wall of an object to be vibrated by bolts, brackets and other fastening devices. Several bolts are required to maintain sufficient contact between the vibrator and the object to be vibrated. 
     In particular, the vibrators must be tightly secured to the object to be vibrated for proper vibration performance. However, using several bolts and brackets to secure the vibrators is disadvantageous in that it prevents quick and easy removal of the vibrators by workers. 
     Setting up these vibrator and bracket assemblies for use is also time consuming. After one object has been vibrated, the vibrator and bracket assembly must be unbolted, moved to the next object to be vibrated, and rebolted into place. This process of unbolting and rebolting to release and secure the vibrator to the bracket and the bracket to the object to be vibrated is tedious and time consuming. 
     For example, a small concrete plant may repeat the process twenty times to complete ten concrete structures. The brackets often do not have handles for positioning the bracket in and removing the bracket from the object to be vibrated, which makes the mounting of the vibrator assemblies even more time consuming and difficult. 
     Moreover, many of these brackets require special customized parts, including pins of special diameter and length, and customized eye bolts to fasten the vibrators into place on the brackets. Typically, these customized parts are costly and not always readily available. Furthermore, the extreme vibration of these vibrators often causes the customized parts to wear out, thus requiring regular replacement. 
     Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a vibrator bracket that easily transports and secures a vibrator into place, and does not require bolts to attach, tighten, and secure the bracket onto the object to be vibrated. In addition, it would be desirable to provide a vibrator bracket that may be used with several types of vibrators yet is inexpensive to manufacture. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     These and other objects may be attained by a vibrator bracket which is shaped to quickly and easily secure to a vibrator and then quickly and easily move and attach to an object to be vibrated. 
     Generally, the vibrator bracket includes a first platform, a second platform, and a handle. The first platform has a surface adapted for receiving or securing a vibrator. The second platform is adapted for attaching the bracket to the object to be vibrated. The vibrator bracket is unitary with the second platform and the handle extending from the first platform. The handle allows the vibrator bracket and attached vibrator to be quickly and easily moved from one object to be vibrated to another object to be vibrated. 
     The vibrator bracket of the present invention allows the vibrator to be secured to the object to be vibrated without requiring customized fastening elements. The vibrator bracket is easily transported by the vibrator bracket handle. In addition, the vibrator bracket slidingly engages a sleeve or a receptacle on the object to be vibrated without requiring customized parts or fastening elements. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vibrator assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention and including a vibrator bracket inserted into a receptacle and shown with an attached vibrator; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the vibrator assembly shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the vibrator bracket shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the vibrator bracket shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a front view of the vibrator bracket shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a vibrator bracket in accordance with another embodiment of the invention; and 
     FIG. 7 is a side view of the vibrator bracket shown in FIG.  6 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1 is an illustration of a vibrator assembly  10  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Assembly  10  includes a commercially available vibrator  20  movably coupled to a known receptacle  40  by a vibrator bracket  60 . Vibrator  20  may be pneumatic, electric or hydraulic, and is secured to vibrator bracket  60  by fastening elements  24 . Vibrator bracket  60  is movably coupled to a standard receptacle  40 . Receptacle  40  is unitary with a first portion  44  and a second portion  48 . First portion  44  is wedge shaped with a first end  52  having a height greater than the height of a second end  56 . 
     Second portion  48  is perpendicular to first portion  44  and is shown in FIG. 1 in a vertical position, however in other embodiments, may be positioned in any manner including a horizontal position. Typically, receptacle  40  is fixedly attached to an object to be vibrated. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of vibrator assembly  10  shown in FIG.  1 . Fastening elements  24  include nuts  28  and bolts  32  that secure vibrator  20  to vibrator bracket  60 . 
     Vibrator bracket  60  includes a first platform  64  adapted for receiving vibrator  20 , and a second platform  68  extending from first platform  64  and separated by a middle section  72 . In one embodiment vibrator bracket  60  is unitary, with second platform  68  configured so that assembly  10  may be secured to the object to be vibrated (not shown). More specifically, second platform  68  is wedge shaped with a first end  76  having a height greater than the height of a second end  80 . Second platform  68  is movably coupled to receptacle  40 . 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective illustration of vibrator bracket  60 . In one embodiment, first platform  64  has a first surface  84  that is substantially flat and adjacent to vibrator  20  (shown in FIGS.  1  and  2 ). First platform  64  has a first end  88  and a second end  92 . 
     A first handle  96  extends from first end  88  of first platform  64 . First handle  96  has a plate  100  attached at an end  104 . In one embodiment, first handle  96  is configured in a concave shape in respect to first platform  64  and second platform  68 . Plate  100  provides a larger area to grab onto handle  96  for removal of vibrator bracket  60  from receptacle  40  (shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) which is attached to an object to be vibrated. Vibrator bracket  60  may then be transported and inserted into another receptacle  40  attached to another object to be vibrated. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a bottom plan view of vibrator bracket  60 . In one embodiment, at least one flange  108  and a supporting member  112  extend from vibrator bracket  60  to handle  96  to reinforce handle  96 . 
     In alternative embodiments, first handle  96  may be of various sizes and shapes. For example, vibrator bracket  60  may include a straight handle, a handle of different length, a handle that is cupped, a plurality of additional handles may extend from handle  96 , or a plurality of handles may extend from a handle that is cup shaped, as described below in greater detail. A butt  116  extends from middle section  72  (shown in FIG. 2) and past second end  92  of first platform  64  and second end  80  of second platform  68 . 
     FIG. 5 illustrates a front view and is included to provide a further illustration of vibrator bracket  60 . 
     In operation, receptacle  40  is fixedly attached to an object to be vibrated, typically a railroad car, a concrete formation vessel, or some other kind of vessel which contains material that either must be removed from or settled into the vessel. Vibrator  20  is secured to first platform  64  and the vibrator bracket  60  is transported by handle  96  and platform  100  to the object to be vibrated. 
     Second platform  68  of vibrator bracket  60  is then inserted into first portion  44  of receptacle  40  and vibrator  20  is started. Once the vibrating of the vessel is complete, vibrator  20  is stopped and vibrator bracket  60  with secured vibrator  20  may be quickly removed from the first object to be vibrated and secured to a second object to be vibrated. Vibrator bracket  60  provides for quick and easy transporting and securing of vibrator  20  onto receptacle  40  that is fixedly attached to the objects to be vibrated. Vibrator bracket  60  may be made from a light and durable metal such as aluminum, titanium, or a steel alloy that can withstand the forces generated by vibrator  20 . 
     FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a vibrator bracket  200  in accordance with an another embodiment of the present invention. Vibrator bracket  200  includes a first platform  204  having a first surface  208  that is concave in shape and arced inwardly to cradle commercial vibrator  20  (shown in FIGS.  1  and  2 ). 
     Vibrator bracket  200  includes a first handle  212 , a second handle  216 , and a third handle  220 . Vibrator bracket  200  includes a second platform  224  that is inserted and removed from standard receptacle  40  (shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) that is fixedly attached to an object to be vibrated. Second platform  224  is similar to second platform  68  in FIGS. 2,  3 ,  4 , and  5 . 
     Second handle  216  and third handle  220  extend outwardly from a first side  228  and a second side  232 , respectively of first handle  212 . First handle  212  is cup shaped and located above an aperture  236  which extends through first handle  212  for receiving a fastening element, such as a rebar screw (not shown), for securing the vibrator to the object to be vibrated. In the present embodiment, the rebar screw is inserted into aperture  236  and repeatedly tightened until vibrator  200  is secured to the object to be vibrated. 
     Second platform  224  includes grooves  240  formed on top surface  244  of second platform  224 . Groves  240  slidingly engage the inner walls of receptacle  40 . Grooves  240  help position and facilitate removal of vibrator bracket  200  from receptacle  40 . In the present embodiment, vibrator bracket  200  may be made from a light and durable metal such as aluminum, titanium, or a steel alloy that can withstand the forces generated by vibrator  20 . 
     In operation, vibrator bracket  200  is similar to vibrator bracket  60  except that once vibration of an object to be vibrated is complete, vibrator bracket  200  may be removed by handles  212 ,  216 ,  220 , or combinations thereof and transported to another object to be vibrated by handles  212 ,  216 ,  220 , or combinations thereof. 
     Vibrator brackets  60  and  200  allow vibrator  20  to be secured to the object by standard receptacle  40  that is fixedly attached to the object to be vibrated without requiring customized fastening elements. 
     Vibrator brackets  60  and  200  are easily transported by vibrator bracket handles  96 ,  212 ,  216 , or  220 , respectively. In addition, vibrator brackets  60  and  200  slidingly engage known receptacle  40 , fixedly attached to the object to be vibrated without requiring customized parts or fastening elements. 
     From the preceding description of various embodiments of the present invention, it is evident that the objects of the invention are attained. Although the invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that the same is intended by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation. Accordingly, the spirit and scope of the invention are to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims.