Abrading – Tool support for flexible-member tool
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-10
2004-09-21
Hail, III, Joseph J. (Department: 3723)
Abrading
Tool support for flexible-member tool
C451S464000, C051S302000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06793569
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention concerns a sanding strip with a sanding means for a sanding wheel for mounting on a rotatable axle, where the sanding wheel comprises a core comprising undercut grooves in which the sanding strip is anchored by edge rails co-operating herewith, and in which there are secured line-formed bracing elements which extend radially from the core, preferably in the form of line-formed brushes, at least the one side surface of which supports the sanding means, the free ends of which extend outside the free ends of the brushes.
2. Description of Related Art
Such sanding wheels are used, for example, within the woodworking and furniture industries for the surface treatment/sanding of plane surfaces for producing smooth surfaces. Since the sanding means normally used in connection with sanding wheels is very flexible as a consequence of their small thickness, the function of the bracing elements/the brushes is to ensure a certain application pressure between the sanding means and the items which are to be sanded.
The bracing elements, in the following referred to as the brushes, thus have no actual cleaning effect in the form of a removal of sanding dust from the sanded surface during rotation of the sanding wheel. The sanding dust is removed by suction applied over the sanding area and, moreover, by subsequent processing of the sanded items.
The sanding wheels are produced in variable breadths and with variable diameters, and are mounted on rotatable axles on sanding machines which are arranged for this purpose. An example of this can be a sanding machine comprising a table with a feed unit for the feeding forward of the items, which are surface treated during their passage of the axles with the sanding brushes. The sanding machines may well comprise up to several successively arranged rollers with sanding brushes, each provided with sanding material of different roughness. Out of regard for the processing of the edges of the items, the sanding rollers can be inclined in relation to the transport direction of the items, in that this results in a slight chamfering (moulding) of the side edges of the sanded items. Moreover, the inclined position of the rollers results in the constant removal of the sanding dust from the sanded surface. The said inclined position of the rollers in a sanding machine constitutes a considerable contribution towards the increase at the costs involved in the manufacture of a sanding machine, in that the inclined suspension of the rollers in relation to the transport direction of the items requires special bearings and drives for the axles on which the sanding wheels are mounted.
From DK 171364 there is known a sanding wheel where the sanding strips are secured to a cylindrical core for mounting on a rotatable, driven axle. The sanding strips are secured extending in a radial manner from the cylindrical core, and the sanding strips are secured in undercut grooves which extend parallel in the periphery of the core for accommodation of sanding strips arranged for this purpose, where the brushes are enclosed within a U-shaped nylon or aluminium rail, the external profile of which has a cross-section which co-operates with the cross-section of the undercut grooves. At the end of the core, the grooves are blocked by the edges of covers mounted on the ends of the core, whereby the sanding strips are held in position in the state of use, and the sanding strips can be replaced without having to dismount the core, in that only the one end cover is removed and the sanding strips to be replaced are drawn out of the undercut grooves at the and of the core, and new sanding strips are mounted.
It is important to note that the sanding strips which are used and disclosed in DK 171 364 are relatively stiff in the axial direction, in that they comprise brushes with brush hair which is firmly anchored in a profile of stiff material such as a U-shaped strip steel profile, the free ends of which are clamped together around the one end of the brush hairs. It should be noted that by this known technique the sanding means are secured to the sanding strips with an aluminium clamping rail. This is firmly clamped so that the sanding means are secured between the external side of the brush rail and the clamping rail. With this construction, it is achieved that it is not necessary to replace/discard the core each time the sanding strips need to be changed. However, the actual construction of the sanding strips is inexpedient, in that the sanding means are secured to the brush with said clamping rail, the result being that this type of sanding strip is very stiff in its axial direction.
In DK 171 364, however, other solutions are disclosed for the securing of the sanding means for the sanding strips, for example by placing the sanding means between the walls in the undercut grooves and the outer side of the clamping rail which co-operates with the groove, whereby the axial stiffness of the sanding strip is reduced in comparison with the above-mentioned embodiment where use is made of two clamping rails.
However, it is common to all known sanding strips with brushes that they involve line-formed brushes which, with or without an edge wire, are secured between the clamped-together webs of a U-shaped clamping rail, the result being that the sanding strip has an axial stiffness which makes it unsuitable for absorbing deviations in the axial direction. It must be noted that when there is mention here of deviations in the axial direction, this is to be understood as axial deviations of the clamping rail in relation to a straight extent.
In DK 172548 B1 there is disclosed a method for the manufacture of a flexible sanding element where both the brush hair and the sanding means are secured in a flexible U-shaped plastic profile, in the cavity of which the one side of the sanding means are placed together with supporting brush hair and heat-fusible plastic wire, where by heating above the melting temperature of the plastic there occurs a bedding-in of the brushes and the sanding strips, so that they form an integral unit which ensures that brushes and/or sanding means are not released during use of rotating sanding or polishing tools of which the sanding elements form part.
There is hereby achieved a flexible sanding element which is able to absorb deviations in the axial direction. However, the method concerning the manufacture of this type of sanding strip in not expedient, in that this requires the placing of both brush hair and the side edge of the sanding means in the U-shaped profile together with a heat-fusible plastic wire, and it requires a heating of the plastic wire after the brush hair and the sanding means have been placed in the cavity of the U-shaped profile.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The invention provides a flexible sanding strip for use on sanding wheels having undercut grooves for securing the sanding strip at peripheral areas thereof, where use is not made of clamping rails for securing the sanding means on the sanding strip, and which can be produced in a simple manner. Furthermore, the invention provides a method for the manufacture of sanding strips in endless webs, from which suitable lengths can be cut for mounting on the periphery of a sanding wheel with undercut grooves.
According to one aspect of the invention, a sanding strip comprises a flexible brush profile rail with an external profile for accommodation in undercut grooves in the external periphery of a cylindrical core, and where the brush hair which forms the line-formed brush is placed and secured in bunches in the respective holes in an in-line row of holes in the longitudinal direction of the brush profile rail, and in such a manner that along the brush profile rail a space is formed between the individual brush hair bunches in the longitudinal direction of the brush profile rail, which is characterized in that the sanding means are secured directly to at least one side of the brushes outside the brush profile rail, preferably by gluing.
By the securi
Cantor & Colburn LLP
Hail III Joseph J.
Ojini Anthony
LandOfFree
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