Cutlery – Cutting tools – Scrapers
Patent
1987-07-24
1989-08-29
Watts, Douglas D.
Cutlery
Cutting tools
Scrapers
1523607, 152361, 30169, 30347, B26B 300
Patent
active
048604500
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to a surface stripping device. Although primarily intended as a stripping device for wall coverings such as wallpaper, it is envisaged that the device could have a variety of uses such as for paint or varnish stripping, stripping of floor covering such as vinyl tiles, general descaling operations in industry, removal of road surfaces prior to resurfacing and in boat antifouling.
According to the invention the device comprises a blade in the form of a generally circular disc having one or more cutting edges around its periphery, together with means for causing said disc to undertake an orbital motion in a plane generally parallel to the general plane of the disc.
The blade may be circular, defining a single circular cutting edge, or multi-sided (for example, 12 sided), thus defining a plurality of straight cutting edges. The cutting action may be enhanced by specially treating the edge: for example by serrating it, or by forming a burr on it, or both.
The blade is mounted for use on a drive unit capable of providing the required orbital motion. Such units are already known and are used, for example, to power orbital sanders. Generally such units comprise an electric motor housed within a generally cylindrical casing having a handle which in use is gripped by the operator. A gearbox is used to convert the rotary output from the motor into an orbital motion, this usually involving a turn through 90.degree.. Thus, the general plane of the blade is parallel to the axis of the cylindrical casing.
The blade may be rigidly mounted on the drive unit, but in practice is preferably flexibly mounted since this assists the operator in not penetrating the surface during stripping, which can happen if the blade is not kept parallel to the surface. Thus, the blade may be tightened against a rubber or similar flexible washer, or the drive may incorporate a rubber "cush drive" which both reduces vibration and allows a considerable degree of blade movement relative to the power unit. A spring mounting could also be used, using a helical coil spring to transmit the drive.
This problem of penetration of the surface during stripping may also be reduced by segmenting the blades as this increases the flexibility of the blade itself. This segmenting may be achieved by forming a plurality of radial slots extending towards the center of the blade from the periphery. In a multi-sided blade, each segment can be separated from the rest by such a slot. The slots are typically 1 mm wide.
The blades may be made from steel, for example stainless steel, or plastics material. The general flexibility of the blades may however be improved by manufacturing them from flexible material such as spring steel, or even hard plastics materials such as polycarbonates. The periphery of the blade may be hardened, to improve wear, or may be faced with carbide to provide a cutting edge having a long life expectancy.
The use of flexible blades enables a reciprocatory action to be applied to the blade, as well as the orbital motion described above. Such reciprocatory action would be in a direction at right angles to the general plane of the disc. This effectively means that the orbital motion, instead of being in a single plane, is in a plane which reciprocates backwards and forwards towards and away from the wall surface being stripped. Flexible blades can take up this movement and, indeed, will benefit by additionally cutting as radial movement of the blade periphery takes place.
In order that the invention may be better understood several embodiments thereof will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a stripping device according to the invention;
FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are plan, side section and sectional detail respectively of a first embodiment of a blade for use with the stripping device of the invention;
FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are views corresponding to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 respectively showing a second embodiment;
FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 are views corre
REFERENCES:
patent: 4295274 (1981-10-01), Bricher et al.
patent: 4592108 (1986-06-01), Svendsen
Asdren Limited
Watts Douglas D.
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