Metal working – Burnishing
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-24
2002-07-30
Hughes, S. Thomas (Department: 3726)
Metal working
Burnishing
C451S359000, C015S052000, C015S087000, C015S098000, C403S138000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06425169
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to surface working apparatus and in particular, but not exclusively, to surface working apparatus having a surface working head arrangement with a plurality of surface working elements depending therefrom, which elements are particularly adapted for an operation such as burnishing and which elements particularly exhibit relatively limited flexibility/compressibility.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Various versions of surface working apparatus are known which can be operated for tasks such as burnishing and wherein the surface working elements comprise pad members which exhibit a relative lack of compressibility/flexibility when compared with other surface working elements such as brushes etc.
In order to provide an efficient surface working apparatus, a surface working head arrangement is currently provided with has a plurality of such pads, or other surface working elements, depending therefrom such that a plurality of pads or other elements are operated simultaneously to achieve the surface working action required, be it burnishing, scrubbing, cleaning or polishing etc.
However, such apparatus is commonly required to operate over a variety of surfaces offering different characteristics and, in particular, different degrees of uniformity. For example, while some surfaces to be worked may comprise a relatively level and smooth surface, other surfaces, particularly those prone to excessive wear or potential damage, and/or older surfaces, may exhibit undulations such that a relatively uneven surface is presented for working.
Known surface working apparatus is disadvantageously limited in that the quality of surface working that can be achieved is limited since the plurality of surface working elements cannot adequately compensate for such uneven surfaces.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention therefore seeks to provide a surface working apparatus having advantages over known such apparatus.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided surface working apparatus comprising a surface working head arrangement having a frame member and including a plurality of surface working members arranged to depend therefrom in the direction of the surface to be worked, wherein each of the said plurality of surface working members is mounted resiliently relative to the said frame member by one of a plurality of respective resilient mounting arrangements.
The independent, and resilient mounting of each of the surface working members, e.g. a pad member, advantageously allows for each of the surface working members to move relative to the frame member so as to compensate for undulations or unevenness in the surface being worked. Thus, whilst the frame member may be held at a constant level, determined by the pressure to be applied, over the undulating surface, the respective surface working members can move relative to that level so as to follow independently the undulations of the surface.
Drive means are associated with the surface working apparatus for driving the surface working members and such drive means are advantageously mounted to the frame member and the surface working members then resiliently mounted to the drive means. Most appropriately, a corresponding plurality of respective drive means is also provided on the surface working apparatus.
Preferably, the resilient mounting arrangement includes a compression spring which can be further advantageously arranged to be compressed to substantially half its length when the surface working head arrangement is exhibiting the particular required force on the surface being worked. Thus, the characteristics of the compression spring are advantageously matched to the particular nature of the surface working member associated therewith, be it a pad member, brush member or other appropriate member.
The resilient member is advantageously located between the drive shaft of the drive means and a surface working member drive adaptor means. Further, a drive motor adaptor is drivingly located between the motor drive shaft and the resilient member.
Preferably, the surface working drive adaptor means includes a hollow cylindrical housing member for receiving one end of the motor drive shaft adaptor.
The resilient means is then advantageously located within the cylindrical housing for contact between a lower surface thereof and a lower surface of the motor drive shaft adaptor.
Preferably, the resilient mounting arrangement is arranged to be selectively operative dependent upon the pressure to be exerted through the surface working head arrangement and to the surface to be worked. This is a particularly advantageous feature since, when pressure levels exceed those that might otherwise damage the resilient member of the resilient mounting arrangement, the further biasing of the resilient member is prevented so as to prevent damage thereto during the further increase in pressure to be applied to the surface. Thus, as the pressure is increased above the aforementioned threshold level, pressure is no longer applied by way of the resilient member of the surface working head arrangement.
The selective operation is achieved through movement of the resilient member within the mounting arrangement and into, and out of, a position in which it can be influenced by increases/decreases in pressure.
The resilient means advantageously moves out of its operative position, i.e. a position in which it can be further compressed, once the pressure applied through the surface working head arrangement exceeds a certain, and in particular predetermined, level.
Advantageously, the resilient mounting arrangement includes a housing provided with an engagement formation which is arranged to be engaged so as to prevent further biasing of the resilient member as the pressure to be applied to the surface increases.
The resilient member advantageously comprises a compression spring which can be arranged to be compressed to substantially half its length when the required pressure is to be applied to the surface by way of the surface working head arrangement.
Further, the aforementioned engagement formation can advantageously comprise a shoulder portion arranged adjacent the resilient member and, insofar as the housing includes a bore portion, the engagement formation can advantageously comprise an annular shoulder member which can further be in the form of an annular shoulder surrounding a well, or a cylindrical recess portion.
Advantageously, the housing arrangement is arranged for providing a driving connection to a drive member extending from a motor arrangement for the surface working member and, in particular, the resilient member is arranged to contact the underside of the aforementioned driving member.
Further, the resilient member may be associated with a contact plate for contacting the aforementioned driving member.
Yet further, the undersurface of the driving member which is arranged to contact the resilient member by way of the aforementioned contact plate, or otherwise, can advantageously be provided with a chamferred, partially convex, or part spherical surface which serves to assist with a gimbal-like movement of the housing member relative to the driving member extending from the motor.
With regard to a further advantage, the housing member is provided with a resilient clip means serving to retain the driving member extending from the motor arrangement within the housing.
Advantageously, the driving member has an engagement formation arranged to receive the clip means so as to prevent its removal from the housing. The aforementioned engagement formation of the driving member can advantageously be in the form of a shoulder portion of the driving shaft.
Advantageously, the transverse cross section of the driving shaft comprises a polygon and, in particular, a hexagon. In particular, it may comprise a star shape or an appropriate form of scalloped hexagon.
In any case, the transverse cross-section advantageously exhibits corner regions and a recess can be formed in a side wall portion of t
Compton Eric
Hughes S. Thomas
Young & Thompson
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