Method and apparatus for damping relatively large amplitude type vibrations in electric power transmission conductors and other oscillating bodies

Claim 1

IN AN ELECTRIC POWER TRANSMISSION LINE INSTALLATION WHICH INCLUDES TOWER MEANS HAVING CROSS ARMS SUPPORTED THEREON AND A POWER TRANSMISSION CONDUCTOR LINE EXTENDING BETWEEN THE TOWER MEANS, AND COMBINATION OF A TRANSMISSION LINE SUSPENSION MEMBER DEPENDING FROM EACH OF SAID CROSS ARMS, AN INSULATOR BODY PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TO EACH OF SAID SUSPENSION MEMBERS, CURVED TRACK MEANS SUPPORTED WITH THE INSULATOR BODIES FOR MOVEMENT THEREWITH, THE LOWER EXTREMITIES OF THE INSULATOR BODIES BEING CONDUCTED TO THE TRANSMISSION CONDUCTOR LINE, A CONTAINER MEMBER DISPOSED ON SAID TRACK MEANS AND ARRANGED FOR ROLLING MOVEMENT ON SAID TRACK MEANS AND HAVING THEREIN A MASS OF SHIFTABLE WEIGHTING MATERIAL FOR MOVEMENT IN SAID CONTAINER DURING ROLLING MOVEMENT OF SAID CONTAINER ON SAID TRACK MEANS, SAID CONTAINER AND SAID SHIFTABLE WEIGHTING MATERIAL BEING RESPONSIVE TO INDUCED OSCILLATIONS OF THE TRANSMISSION LINE TO MOVE BACK AND FORTH ALONG THE CURVED TRACK MEANS AND THEREBY PRODUCE MOMENTS OF FORCES WHICH OPPOSED MOMENTS OF FORCES OF THE OSCILLATIONS IN THE POWER LINE.