Patent ID: 7169262

Claim:
A vibrational device for use with a papermaking machine having a machine direction and a cross-machine direction, the papermaking machine including a wire positioned to receive stock flow and movable in the machine direction, the wire having lateral edges extending in the machine direction and spaced a distance apart in the cross-machine direction, the vibrational device comprising: a vibrational device frame; a first vibration isolator coupled to the vibrational device frame to dampen vibration transmission to the papermaking machine; a vibration-inducing mechanism coupled to the vibrational device frame, the vibration-inducing mechanism operable to generate a vibration having a frequency, the vibration-inducing mechanism positioned between the lateral edges of the wire and laterally with respect to the first vibration isolator in the cross-machine direction; and a vibrational head coupled to the vibration-inducing mechanism and directly contacting the wire to impart the vibration to the wire.