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A vibratory compaction roller has a pretensioning mechanism that exerts a pretension or biasing force between the drum and the motor housing that inhibits relative axial movement between the output shaft of each drive motor and the associated motor housing, thus significantly reducing the generation

A vibratory compaction roller has a pretensioning mechanism that exerts a pretension or biasing force between the drum and the motor housing that inhibits relative axial movement between the output shaft of each drive motor and the associated motor housing, thus significantly reducing the generation of noise that would otherwise be created during machine operation. The pretensioning mechanism may take the form of one or more springs positioned between the drum and a drum support that also supports the motor. Bushings are provided between the springs and the drum to accommodate rotational motion between each spring and the drum. Alternatively, the pretensioning mechanism may be provided on a side of the drum opposite the motor and may pull the drum away from the motor.

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1. A vibratory compaction roller comprising: a frame;first and second longitudinally-spaced rotatable drums that supports the frame on a surface to be compacted, each drum having a cylindrical outer surface and first and second ends that are rotatably supported on the frame;an exciter assembly that

1. A vibratory compaction roller comprising: a frame;first and second longitudinally-spaced rotatable drums that supports the frame on a surface to be compacted, each drum having a cylindrical outer surface and first and second ends that are rotatably supported on the frame;an exciter assembly that transmits vibrations to the first drum;a drive motor that is supported on the frame and that imparts rotational drive torque to the first end of the first drum; anda pretensioning mechanism that forces the motor and the first drum apart; wherein the motor is a wheel motor and the pretensioning mechanism comprises a spring that pushes an output shaft of the motor against a thrust bearing of the motor. 2. The vibratory compaction roller as recited in claim 1, wherein the exciter assembly is located longitudinally between the first and second drums. 3. The vibratory compaction roller as recited in claim 1, wherein the frame has first and second sides on which hubs on the respective first and second ends of each of the first and second drum are rotatably borne, wherein the motor is a hydraulic wheel motor which is mounted on the first side via a drum support and which has an output shaft that is rotatably borne by a bearing, and wherein the hub on the first end of the first drum is affixed to an output shaft of the wheel motor so as to rotate therewith. 4. The vibratory compaction roller as recited in claim 3, the pretensioning mechanism comprises a spring that pushes the motor output shaft against the bearing. 5. The vibratory compaction roller as recited in claim 4, wherein the pretensioning mechanism comprises a plurality of compression springs that are spaced circumferentially around the output shaft of the motor. 6. The vibratory compaction roller as recited in claim 5, further comprising a bearing structure that is positioned axially between an inner end of each spring and the first drum and that slides against the first drum upon drum rotation relative to the frame. 7. The vibratory compaction roller as recited in claim 6, wherein each spring is mounted in an associated axial bore formed in an inner end face of the drum support, and wherein each bearing structure comprises a stepped bushing having 1) an inner face that slides against the first drum and 2) an outer sleeve that is received within an associated bore and that receives an inner end of an associated spring. 8. The vibratory compaction roller as recited in claim 5, wherein the pretensioning mechanism imposes a separating force on the motor mount of between 1500 N and 2500 N. 9. The vibratory compaction roller as recited in claim 1, wherein the pretensioning mechanism comprises a bolt that extends through the frame and that is threaded into a tapped bore in the second end of the first drum. 10. A vibratory compaction roller comprising: a frame having first and second opposed sides;first and second longitudinally-spaced drums that support the frame on a surface to be compacted, each drum having a cylindrical outer surface and first and second hubs that are rotatably supported on the respective sides of the frame via respective first and second drum supports;an exciter assembly that transmits vibrations to at least one of the drums;first and second hydraulic wheel motors, each of which has an output shaft and a housing that is mounted on an associated drum support, wherein the output shaft is connected to the first hub of the associated drum so as to deliver drive torque thereto; andfirst and second pretensioning mechanisms, each of which pushes the output shaft of the respective motor against an associated thrust bearing so as to inhibit relative axial movement between the motor output shaft and the motor housing, each pretensioning mechanism including a plurality of circumferentially-spaced compression springs that surround the output shaft of the associated motor and a plurality of bearing structures, each of which is positioned axially between an inner end of an associated spring and the associated first hub and each of which slides against the associated first hub upon drum rotation relative to the frame. 11. The vibratory compaction roller as recited in claim 10, wherein each spring is mounted in an associated axial bore formed in an inner end face of the associated drum support, and wherein each bearing structure comprises 1) a stepped bushing having an inner face that slides against the associated first hub and 2) an outer sleeve that is received within an associated bore in the drum support and that receives an inner end of the associated spring. 12. A method of operating a vibratory compaction roller having a frame and first and second longitudinally spaced drums that rotatably support the frame on a surface to be compacted and that are mounted on the frame, the method comprising: driving the first drum to rotate via operation of a motor supported on the frame adjacent a first end of the first drum;imparting vibrations to the first drum via operation of an exciter assembly; andforcing the first drum and motor apart via operation of a pretensioning mechanism; wherein the motor is a wheel motor and the pretensioning mechanism comprises a spring that pushes an output shaft of the motor against a thrust bearing of the motor. 13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the pretensioning mechanism imposes a separating force of between 1500 N and 2500 N. 14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the pretensioning mechanism reduces sound generated upon operation of the vibratory compaction roller at maximum rated vibration generation levels by at least 2.5 dB when compared to operation of the same vibratory compaction roller at rated vibration generation levels without the pretensioning mechanism. 15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the pretensioning mechanism reduces sound generated upon operation of the vibratory compaction roller at maximum rated vibration generation levels by at least 3.0 dB when compared to operation of the same vibratory compaction roller at rated vibration generation levels without the pretensioning mechanism. 16. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the frame has first and second sides on which hubs on the respective first and second ends of each of the first and second drums are rotatably borne, wherein the motor is a hydraulic wheel motor which is mounted on the first side via a drum support and which has an output shaft that is rotatably borne in the drum support by a bearing, and wherein the hub on the first end of the first drum is affixed to an output shaft of the wheel motor so as to rotate therewith, and whereinthe pretensioning mechanism comprises a plurality of compression springs that are spaced circumferentially around the output shaft of the motor. 17. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the frame has first and second sides on which hubs on the respective first and second ends of the drum are rotatably borne, wherein the motor is mounted on the first side of the frame via a drum support and has an output shaft that is rotatably borne on the drum support by a bearing, and wherein the hub on the first end of the first drum is affixed to an output shaft of the motor so as to rotate therewith, and whereinthe pretensioning mechanism comprises a bolt that extends through the frame and that is threaded into a tapped bore in the hub on the second end of the first drum.