Abrading – Abrading process – Utilizing nonrigid tool
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-24
2001-10-09
Morgan, Eileen P. (Department: 3723)
Abrading
Abrading process
Utilizing nonrigid tool
C451S300000, C451S304000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06299512
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to machines for abrading material and, more particularly, to an improved sanding machine for providing an enhanced finish on work pieces.
RELATED ART
Motorized sanding machines have been used for many years to sand the upper and lower surface of wooden work pieces that are conveyed along a movable conveyor forming the worktable of the sanding machine. These motorized sanding machines will typically utilize a wide sanding belt that is entrained around vertically spaced rollers. A limitation to these sanding machines is that they will often leave cross-grain scratch patterns in the sanded surface of the wooden work piece that results in an unattractive and perhaps unacceptable finish in the work piece. A further problem relates to movement of the work piece induced by the rotational movement of the rotating sanding belt of the sanding head. Mechanized hand sanders have been used in order to provide an acceptable finish on wooden work pieces, but the sanding operations are highly labor intensive and expensive.
Further, wide belt sanding machines with orbiting abrasive belts are well known to those skilled in the art. Representative wide belt sanders are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,832,807 to Kaiser et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,719,721 to Stump. Generally, in this type of sanding apparatus, one or more (and typically two) individual sanding heads are utilized wherein each employs an endless wide abrasive belt entrained over individual rollers or drums. At least one of the rollers or drums is power driven to impart a high speed orbital motion to the abrasive belt. Generally, two individual sanding heads arranged in tandem are provided wherein each is disposed vertically above a horizontal conveyor so as to provide operative contact between the upper surface of work pieces being fed through the machine and the surface of the abrasive belt. Further, the first sanding head is typically in the form of a contract drum for dimensioning at the drum stage and the second sanding head is in the form of a platen wherein the finishing occurs at the platen station.
Another type of sanding machine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,650 to Sauder, Jr. et al. which provides a sanding machine for sanding the surfaces or work pieces placed upon a conveyor that transports the work pieces in a first direction wherein each of two sanding heads is oscillated at two different frequencies relative to the work pieces on the conveyor. The first oscillating frequency orbits the sanding heads in a circular motion over the work pieces on the conveyor, while the second oscillating frequency (which is greater than the first frequency) results in a vibration of the individual sanding elements engaging the work pieces. The double orbital motion sanding machine disclosed in the patent includes a plurality of sander elements transversely spaced above the conveyor, and the sander elements of first sanding head are staggered with respect to the sander elements of the second sanding head. This type of sanding apparatus, however, while useful for many purposes is not as effective for sanding certain types of work pieces as the rotating endless belt sanding head-type of sanding machine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, applicants provide a free standing sander for abrading products that includes a sanding head having an endless abrasive belt rotating around an upper roller and a lower roller. A first motor rotates at least of one of the upper and lower rollers of the sanding head so as to cause the abrasive belt to rotate endlessly around the upper and lower rollers. A conveyor is provided adjacent the lower roller of the sanding head to convey the products towards the sanding head while the first motor rotates the abrasive belt of the sanding head around the upper roller and the lower roller. At least one rotatable eccentric shaft is rotatably mounted at one end to the upper roller and to the other end to the lower roller of the sanding head, and a second motor is provided for rotating the at least one eccentric shaft such that rotation of the least one eccentric shaft causes the sanding head to move in a translational orbital movement.
Further, in accordance with the present invention, applicants provide a method of sanding products that includes placing a product on a conveyor belt that moves the product through an abrading area. Next, the product is abraded in the abrading area by a mechanism including a sanding head comprising an endless abrasive belt rotating around an upper roller and a lower roller, a first motor for rotating at least one of the upper and lower rollers of the sanding head where the rotation of the at least one roller causes the abrasive belt to rotate endlessly around the upper and lower rollers, at least one rotatable eccentric shaft rotatably mounted at one end to the upper roller and at the other end to the lower roller of the sanding head, and a second motor for rotating the at least one eccentric shaft such that rotation of the at least one eccentric shaft causes the sanding head to move in a translational orbital movement.
Also, in accordance with the present invention, applicants provide a second embodiment of the free-standing sander and method of sanding products that utilizes an arcuate plate at the top thereof as a substitute for the top roller utilized in the prior embodiment of the inventive free-standing sander and method of sanding products.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide an improved sanding machine of the type having a sanding head comprising an endless rotating sanding belt entrained around an upper and lower roller that does not leave cross-grain or otherwise unacceptable scratch patterns in the sanded surface of the work piece.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved sanding apparatus of the type having a sanding head comprising an endless rotating sanding belt wherein the sanding head is caused to move in a translational orbital movement.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved sanding machine of the type having a sanding head comprising an endless rotating sanding belt that provides a homogeneous sanding pattern on the surface of work pieces processed by the machine.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved sanding machine of the type having a sanding head comprising an endless rotating sanding belt wherein both rotational movement and translational orbital movement are provided to the endless sanding belt in order to render unnoticeable the scratches created by the sanding belt upon the work pieces.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved sanding machine of the type having a sanding head comprising an endless rotating sanding belt that is particularly well adapted for cross-grain sanding of solid wood and veneers in such a way as to eliminate the pattern of longitudinal scratches created by conventional sanding machines utilizing sanding heads with rotating endless sanding belts.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved sanding machine of the type having a sanding head comprising an endless rotating belt which combines a single orbital movement of the sanding head with the conventional rotation of the endless sanding belt of the sanding head.
Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will become evident as the description proceeds hereinafter, when taken in connection with the drawings described below.
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patent: 3665650 (1972-05-01), Przygocki
patent: 3900973 (1975-08-01), Van Der Linden
patent: 4267671 (1981-05-01), Rettew
patent: 4719721 (1988-01-01), Stump
patent: 4742650 (1988-05-01), Suader et al.
patent: 5081794 (1992-01-01), Haney
patent: 5181342 (1993-01-01), Haney
patent: 5224300 (1993-07-01), Pineau
patent: 5321913 (1994-06-01), Haney
pat
Bau Eligio
Costa Alessandro
Jenkins & Wilson, P.A.
Morgan Eileen P.
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