Patent ID: 7159952

Claim:
An automatic balancing device ( 2 ) for a rotatable system, comprising: a track ( 18 ) arranged about a rotational axis (A) of the rotatable system; at least one balancing body ( 20 ) displaceably arranged in the track ( 18 ), the track ( 18 ) having two surfaces ( 22 a , 22 b ) inclined toward each other in a direction of a centrifugal force (F) acting on the at least one balancing body ( 20 ) during rotation of the system and defining a cross-section for receiving the at least one balancing body ( 20 ); and elastic locking means ( 24 ) arranged along the track ( 18 ) between the inclined surfaces ( 22 a , 22 b ) for limiting the cross-section defined by the inclined surfaces ( 22 a , 22 b ) and for displacing the at least one balancing body ( 20 ) away from the inclined surfaces ( 22 a , 22 b ) in a direction opposite the direction the centrifugal force (F) acts on the at least one balancing body and pressing the at least one balancing body ( 20 ) against an inner boundary ( 26 ) of the track ( 18 ), whereby the at least one balancing body ( 20 ) becomes locked when a rotational speed of the system and, thereby, the centrifugal force (F) acting on the at least one balancing body ( 20 ) are below predetermined thresholds for the rotational speed and the centrifugal force.