Abrading – Abrading process – Utilizing fluent abradant
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-25
2001-12-04
Nguyen, George (Department: 3723)
Abrading
Abrading process
Utilizing fluent abradant
C451S038000, C451S085000, C451S086000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06325701
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an abrasive cleaning device, and, in particular to a cleaning device that has a rotating, oscillating drum for subjecting articles to abrasive blast cleaning.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Articles such as automotive parts or castings are sometimes cleaned by a stream of abrasive particles such as shot directed against the articles as they are advanced through a cleaning zone. In order to ensure complete and effective contact of the abrasive stream against all portions of each article as it passes through the zone, the blast heads supplying the abrasive stream may be oscillated transverse to the direction of flow of the articles, and the articles themselves may be tumbled, for example by rotating the drum about its longitudinal axis. Preferably, to ensure complete abrasive contact and cleaning, both tumbling of the articles and oscillating of the abrasive blast heads can be employed together.
Unfortunately, the use of both of these expedients at the same time has diminished their individual effectiveness. As the drum through which the articles pass during cleaning is rotated about its longitudinal axis to tumble the articles, the sides of the drum can interfere with the stream of abrasive from the blast heads, particularly when the blast heads are oscillated to their extreme lateral position. Removal of portions of the sides of the treatment drum to accommodate the full stream of abrasive exposes a greater portion of the interior of the drum to the abrasive stream, but permits a portion of the articles being cleaned and the abrasive to spill out of the drum as it and the blast heads rotate.
One solution has been to provide jointed or hinged rigid side members for the drum which travel along guide members to provide a variable opening into the drum to accommodate the abrasive stream from the oscillating blast heads. Such systems, however, involve complexity and extensive frictional contact, resulting in wear and requiring frequent replacement and added expense.
There is, therefore, a need for an improved oscillating abrasive blast device which achieves the benefits of optimal oscillation of the drum and abrasive blast head while avoiding excess friction and wear and while maintaining the integrity of the drum and enhanced contact of the abrasive stream and articles being cleaned.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A preferred embodiment of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, which addresses the aforementioned needs, comprises an abrasive cleaning machine having an oscillating, rotating drum for receiving and holding articles to be cleaned during an abrasive cleaning process in which the drum is disposed along a longitudinal axis for rotational movement in alternating directions about the axis. A flexible belt has sections that extend around a portion of the circumference of the drum and move transverse to the longitudinal axis of the drum in concert with movement of the drum to maintain articles being cleaned and abrasive particles within the drum; and an oscillating cleaning head, including at least one jet unit, directs streams of abrasive particles through an upper opening in the drum against the articles. The cleaning head is disposed along the upper drum opening in communication with the drum interior, for oscillating movement transverse to the longitudinal axis of the drum in synchronization with oscillating, rotational movement of the drum to thereby direct streams of abrasive particles to specific areas of the drum interior during the oscillating movement of the drum.
The belt sections can be connected to form a unitary member with a portion of the belt in contact with or attached to the base of the drum, and each end of the belt attached to a rotatable spool disposed on opposite sides of the drum for synchronized alternating clockwise and counter-clockwise rotation in response to rotational movement of the drum.
Another preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a method for abrasively treating articles that includes passing the articles into one end of a drum defining a chamber and having an upper opening communicating with the chamber. One or more blast streams of abrasive particles from an abrasive cleaning head are directed through the upper opening against the articles while advancing the articles through the chamber and oscillating the drum rotationally about its longitudinal axis in synchronization with oscillating movement of the cleaning head transverse to the longitudinal axis of the drum to maintain directed communication of the blast streams with specific areas of the chamber and articles within it during the oscillating movement of the drum. Closure to at least a portion of the drum opening opposing the blast streams is provided by means of a flexible belt extending circumferentially around a portion of the drum and moving transverse to the longitudinal axis of the drum in synchronization with rotational oscillation of the drum, to maintain a portion of the belt in contact with a portion of the drum opening.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2108210 (1938-02-01), Rosenberger
patent: 2440819 (1948-05-01), Evans
patent: 4333276 (1982-06-01), Goff
patent: 4368599 (1983-01-01), Hunziker
patent: 5163253 (1992-11-01), Carpenter
patent: 5245798 (1993-09-01), Carpenter
patent: 5405284 (1995-04-01), Brenner et al.
patent: 5676588 (1997-10-01), Frederick et al.
patent: 5782677 (1998-07-01), Kanouse
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Georg Fischer Disa Goff, Inc.
Nguyen George
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