Coupling means for horizontal vibrator

• Main Author: PRITCHETT; WILLIAM C
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 02.06.1981
• Subjects: DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; MEASURING; PHYSICS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ARTCOLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TESTING

The present invention relates to means for coupling the horizontally directed force of a seismic transducer into the earth with a downward going shear wave. The coupling means consists of a plurality of downwardly convergent wedge-shaped earth engaging cleats of differing depth mounted on the transducer support means. The lateral load-bearing surfaces of the cleats have sloping faces equally inclined to the vertical, so that they tend to compact and compress the earth to a similar degree with horizontal vibrator motion. However, on some or all of the cleats these sloping faces are interrupted by horizontal faces in a stair-case fashion so as to vary the overall sharpness of such cleats.