Patent ID: 7426991

Claim:
A vibratory feeder system comprising a) a reaction mass including a vibratory motor; b) a moving mass including a feed tray having a delivery end extending toward a forward end of said vibratory feeder system; c) a generally L-shaped tie bar positioned between said reaction mass and said moving mass; d) leaf spring means interconnecting a downwardly-extending, forward portion of tie bar to said reaction mass; e) elastomeric spring means interconnecting a generally horizontally-extending, rear portion of said tie bar to said reaction mass, said elastomeric spring means including a first elastomeric pad and a second elastomeric pad which sandwich said rear portion of said tie bar of said feed tray, said first and second elastomeric pads operating in shear; f) means to adjust a compressive force exerted by said first and second elastomeric pads on said portion of said tie bar of said feed tray to vary a shear spring rate of said first and second pads and thereby adjust a feed rate of said vibratory feeder system.