EP0914903B1 - Machine for finishing non magnetic workpieces - Google Patents

Description

The present patent application consists, as its wording indicates, in a "MACHINE FOR THE FINISHING NON-MAGNETIC PARTS ", including new construction characteristics, conformation, design and services fulfill, with a maximum of safety and efficiency, the function for which it has been specifically screened.

By electromagnetism, first of all, magnetism produced by an electric current and also the field of electricity which jointly studies the electrical and magnetic phenomena, united to form a synthesis in which the current flow is in reciprocal link with magnetic phenomena mentioned.

There are on the market - so they can be considered to be state of the art - a variety of machines, the function of which is to polish and cleaning of non-magnetic materials, which are used in jewelry, such as gold, silver, their alloys and other similar metals, which are introduced in a volume of substantially cylindrical shape forming a static chamber or tank; this volume is subject to a magnetic field as a result of the rotation in its lower part and outside, of a turntable which is equipped with permanent magnets, this tray can turn one way or the other.

These operations are carried out thanks to the fact of having located in the lower part and outside the base of this chamber and on a turntable, permanent magnets that spin small cylinders magnetic stainless steel or material similar which, in combination with liquids determined characteristics, allow the dual function for cleaning and polishing parts introduced into this chamber, these cylinders colliding against the surface of non-magnetic parts introduced inside.

However, due to the characteristics of manufacture of these machines and as a result of a movement angular influencing this set, all parts introduced inside the room have some tendency to be close to the perimeter thereof, but however without reaching it, because the mass parts to be treated is larger than that of cylinders, so that the yield is very reduced at during these operations; experience proves that in this type of machines, you can only place a maximum of one very limited load of fine materials to clean and polish, and if we exceed these quantities, these no longer act, due to the effects of forces aforementioned centrifugals, which affect both parts to be treated only on the cylinders, the result being the machine only performs the cleaning operation.

The present invention aims to modify substantial of these machines and systems or processes thanks to which they work, in the sense of giving a new conception to what already exists, by creating a new machine as defined in claim 1.

Thanks to the machine of the invention, as a result of greater efficiency of the magnetic field created by these magnets, it is established a speed difference between the steel cylinders stainless magnetic, made stationary by this field magnetic with respect to the centrifugal force which pushes towards the perimeter, and the speed induced by this rotating tank acting on the parts and on the mass not magnetic located inside it.

The basis of the system that operates the machine recommended is constituted by the magnetic field static, produced by electromagnets or magnets permanent and rotating at peripheral speed the better suited to the tank that contains the magnetic mass and antimagnetic parts in a liquid medium, where small abrasive parts in the form of triangles and non-magnetic cylinders are added.

In this invention, the function of the field magnetic is to properly retain mass magnetic contained in the rotating tank which, at the same time under the effect of centrifugal force, transports the non-magnetic parts and mass in a medium liquid, prepared to facilitate action in each case wanted on the parts that we treat.

The retention of the magnetic mass causes a turbulence in the mass and non-magnetic parts, unexpected results that can be achieved during of the process, for example polishing, burnishing and cleaning of the parts located inside the tank, all because of turbulence and friction caused by the difference in speeds between the mass non magnetic and non magnetic parts to be treated and the non-magnetic abrasive parts that surround the rooms.

The rotation speed of the tank must be the optimal speed for the type of parts to be treated and it may be unique for a determined diameter thereof, since the peripheral speed determines the force centrifugal required. The introduction of an adjustable system speed variation allows the use of different diameters and also greater control of the degree of finish for various types of parts, in depending on the intrinsic nature of these.

Thanks to the different position of the magnets relation to the achievements which can be considered as "State of the Art" and the fact that they are fixed, at instead of turning below the tank, we get a machine for finishing non-metallic surfaces magnetic, which performs the operations described previously, such as polishing, burnishing and cleaning, with truly surprising efficiency, using liquids to achieve these results different densities, as well as granule and abrasive powder, which is distributed between the masses not magnetic (cylinders, spheres or other shapes) in producing an abrasive action, which helps to improve above functions.

To optimize machine performance, the rotation speed of the tank is controlled through a reducer coupled to the output of an electric motor, which coordinates the speed of rotation of parts introduced inside this tank, by relative to the weight, dimensions, shapes and materials of these and the nature of the liquid introduced, thanks to what benefits obtained in this machine keep their percentage of effectiveness in relation to this weight, these dimensions and nature of the materials introduced to inside of it, without any limitation of load as in the case of existing machines on the market.

The striated central support of the tank slides on the keyed axis of the vertical axis of the motor / gearbox and, once stopped, it can be inserted and extracted easily to rinse or empty the tank.

The rotation of the tank can be transmitted in directly coupling it to the vertical axis of a motor, but since the required rotational speeds do not are not high it is better to do it through a reduction, which provides more rotational force to the axis, while the power and size of the engine are which significantly reduces the machine size.

To facilitate the installation and removal of the tank, we designed a striated central hub, which slides on the axis keyed to the vertical axis of the gearmotor and can, a when stopped, be easily inserted and extracted for rinse or empty the tank, a cylindrical housing with internal thread having been partly machined upper, to be able to screw the cover corresponding and keep the tank closed, after the corresponding parts, cylinders and liquids have been put inside.

Magnetic fields produced by magnets remain static and wrap strategically the environment of the rotary tank, a flat iron having been planned, to avoid loss of magnetic field by the outer part of the environment or cylinder which contains the magnets, leaving a minimum space between the tank and the fixed cylinder which serves as their housing.

Another purpose of the present invention is relates to improvements introduced in the subject of the main patent, which are based on the modification of the arrangement of the elements found inside the machine tank, tank in which finishes the parts not magnetic. These changes consist of the introduction inside this tank of a plate with radial arms, on which the chains are grafted in corresponding iron and whose purpose is to modify the state of movement of the parts introduced inside of the said tank, in order to increase the yield of the finishing operation, as we will explain in detail below.

In the main patent of the same owner, P9702304 (3), we described and claimed a machine for finishing non-magnetic parts, hearing by finishing the refining, polishing, shining and cleaning surfaces of parts based non-magnetic materials, such as gold, silver, brass, copper, plastics, minerals and others, machine which included an equipped chassis in its lower part a gear motor, a cylindrical support secured to this chassis, on which the magnets were mounted correspondents, themselves attached to this support, a cylindrical tank driven by the rotating gear motor inside the cylindrical support and covered with the corresponding sheath; engine whose operation and working process was based on taking advantage of the strength of the magnetic field produced by electromagnets or permanent magnets, in association with rotation at the most suitable angular speed, plus a magnetic metallic mass mixed with parts and an antimagnetic mass in a medium liquid; the antimagnetic mass corresponds to the parts to finish and with small abrasive parts in shape triangles and cylinders or any other shape known.

The processes that are carried out inside the machine rotary tank can be process said to be wet or dry.

Inside the tank, to do everything finishing process, always rely on the presence of magnetic particles, which can provide any shape (sticks, chain, balls, etc.) and which are retained by the magnetic action of the magnets at the places provided against the moving walls of the rotary tank. Inside the tank, for all types process, whether wet or dry, will also require necessarily the presence of the non-magnetic mass, more or less abrasive, in the form of granules of a form and of a dimension best suited, to be able develop the required process. Non-magnetic mass is the one that acts on non-magnetic parts.

Inside the tank, together with the mass non magnetic described, we introduce the parts not magnetic whose surfaces we want to treat. Strength centrifugal created inside the rotating tank made that the non-magnetic mass, as well as the non-magnetic parts that we want to process, move to the speed of the tank that contains them and, due to interference of the retained magnetic particles, it produces turbulence at these points which creates speed differences between non-magnetic mass and the parts to be treated, which makes it possible to obtain the action required on the surface of the parts.

The retention of the magnetic mass causes a turbulence in the mass and non-magnetic parts, amazing results being achieved in the process finishing, such as polishing, burnishing and cleaning of the parts located inside the tank, all as a result of turbulence and friction caused by the difference in speeds between the mass non magnetic and non magnetic parts to be treated and the non-magnetic abrasive parts that surround the rooms. The entire process is described on page 4 of this brief.

The construction, manufacture and implementation of main patent machines, have shown that, even if the predictions have been fulfilled and the machine design gave the expected performance it are parts of it that are likely improvement, whereby this return can be increases.

Improvements introduced in the machine recommended consist of the integration of a support upper located freely on the axis of the tank and at from which the iron chains are suspended corresponding.

The shape of the support, as described below, has a series of arms extending so radial, at the ends of which are mounted the chains made of iron, which hang vertically from these arms and are located inside the machine tank and held against its wall by magnetic attraction exterior.

As previously described, the machine operation is based on the rotation of masses and non-magnetic parts to be finished, which found mixed in liquid media or paraliquid or dry, inside the tank, which, by turning, as a result of the centrifugal force generated, keeps these masses stuck to its wall.

During the experiments made with the machine subject of the main patent, we realized that the excess of mass (magnetic products and non-magnetic parts) breaks the magnetic field generated by the magnets and it forms an agglomeration of the mass of the products to be polished and elements, like sticks and stars, which is not nothing but the consequence of this excess mass or although of an inadequate speed, these masses remaining completely glued to this lateral surface; it is why we introduced these modifications which contribute to this phenomenon not happening, because in some cases although the instructions from own machine define speeds and masses best suited for each type of parts to be treated, it is sometimes quite difficult for the user to measure and see if in small quantities it has exceeded limit values established for operation optimum of the machine and with the desired yields.

Another additional improvements to the present invention is the fact of replacing the tank in methacrylate with its sheath, by another made in less thick stainless steel, 1 mm, and covered with a 3 mm anti-friction jacket, which reduces the total thickness and facilitates the passage of magnetic flux, thereby increasing the force retention of the magnetic mass inside the tank, which helps the flow not to lose as much intensity thanks to the presence of this shirt and its sheath; In this way, the machine becomes more efficient, the magnetic field inside the tank then being of a size greater than that existing in the original machine.

Other additional improvements in the present invention relate to the situation of magnets fixed in the lower part of the base of the tank, this which forces the iron chains that hang from the support recommended to stay upright, avoiding thus by their presence the crowding of the masses and parts to be treated which were sometimes stuck to the wall, while thanks to the presence of iron chains, they no longer reach it and continue their angular movement at the base of the tank around the magnets.

Other details and various features of this patent application will appear during of the description given below, in which reference is made to the drawing attached to this memory, where, in a somewhat schematic way, the retained details are shown. These details are given as an example, by evoking a possible case of practical realization, but the object of this patent is not limited to the details set out herein; this description should therefore be considered from a single point of explanatory view and without limitations of any kind.

We will now list the different numbered elements on the drawing attached to present brief; (10) chassis, (11) dropouts, (12) engine electric, (13) reducer, (14) opening of connection, (15) outer cylinder, (15a) surface lateral, (16) magnets, (17) magnets, (18) tank, (18a) tank base (18), (18b) inner side surface of the tank (18), (19) flat iron, (20) screws, (21) axis of the reducer (13), (23) flat iron, (24) arm, (25) support, (26) ribbed hub, (26a) beveled area, (27) column threaded, (28) nut, (29) cover, (31a) housing in area (26a), (32) iron chains, (33) shirt, (34) magnets.

Figure 1 corresponds to a cross section in vertical and schematic projection of the machine recommended, with geared motor (12-13) and the situation random of several permanent magnets.

Figure 2 is a top view in projection horizontal and schematic of the tank (18).

Figure 3 is a front projection view vertical and exploded view of the machine.

Figure 4 is a front projection view vertical of a longitudinal section of the machine improved, where we can see the support situation (25) placed on the column (27) of the machine and from from which the corresponding iron chains are suspended (32).

Figure 5 is a top view in projection horizontal where we can see the characteristics of shape of the star support (25) with arms (24).

We add that the machine object of the present invention can become more versatile and more effective if we introduce a speed regulation and electromagnets with adjustable magnetic field.

In one of the selected achievements of what constitutes the subject of this patent for invention, as it appears in Figure 1, the recommended machine is consists of a chassis (10), built from a set of horizontal or vertical ramps, welded between them, and provided (10) with legs (11), which form a rigid structure on which the different parts of the machine, like a motor conventional electric (12), whose axis of rotation is coupled to a reduction gear (13), the opening of which connection (14) is secured by suitable means with a flat iron (23), using the screws (23a) which penetrate in the bored holes (23b) provided on this flat iron (23).

The tank (18) is formed of an open cylinder, without upper base and whose lower base (18a) is occupied in the center by a striated hub (26-26a), which serves both supporting element of a threaded column (27) at both ends, the lower end of this column being screwed into the housing (31a) and the upper end on the nut (28), which passes through a small disc or cover (29), located on the base nonexistent of this tank (18), which allows the exit of parts to be treated introduced inside (18), when begins the polishing, cleaning and other.

On the base of the machine, see Figure 3, are mounted by suitable means fixing screws or the like and an outer cylinder (15) without upper and lower bases, which serves as a support element for the corresponding magnets (16) and (17), located on its lateral surface (15a), see figures nos ^. 2 and 3.

Inside the outer cylinder (15) is the tank (18), the striated hub (26) being coupled to the axis (21) of the reducer (13), through the housing (31a), by gravity.

As already explained, in the State of Technical, the magnets located at the base of the machine, in the lower part and outside of the tank (18), have been eliminated, while in the object machine of the invention, the magnets located in the cylinder exterior (15) and on its lateral surface (15a), have been increased considerably, going on to occupy almost the full height of (15a) and further, a magnet (16) has placed on the other (17) on the same level, which contributes to increasing the working margin of the cylinders magnetic introduced inside the tank (18), with pieces of abrasive and the parts to be treated.

For the same purpose, that is to say, increase the yield of these magnets (16-17), an iron plate (19), see figure 2, is placed at the rear of these, so that the magnetic field generated by them is significantly increased, the magnetic force created being then oriented towards the front, namely towards the axis (21) of the tank (18), whereby the metal cylinders and must be attracted with more than force due to increased magnetic field obtained; this allows an increase in the yield of 30%, compared to machines that are part of the state of the Technique, in which the magnets are arranged at the base of the machine parallel to the base (18a) of the tank.

The different positioning of the magnets (16-17), as well as their situation in double layer and on double level in the outer cylinder (15), cause the metal cylinders or rods are completely glued to the inner side surface (18a) of the tank (18), forming like the back of a hedgehog, so well that they oppose the movement of pieces of jewelry introduced inside the tank (18) and impelled by centrifugal force against this hedgehog surface, which, associated with the liquids put inside it, causes their polishing, browning and cleaning.

For the same purpose, that is to say to increase the movement of jewelry pieces introduced at inside the tank (18), it has been provided with a uniformly and at the base (18a) thereof, a set of blades or small projections (30) which force these parts not to remain immobilized on the base (18a) thereof due to their own weight, but on the contrary because of the angular movement and the impulse of the centrifugal force which pushes them on these protrusions (30), they are forced to undertake kinds of somersaults to the point of hitting them cylinders or the metal rods that are there retained while the side surface (18a) of the tank (18) turns, thus serving as a means to overcome the inertia of the parts when the engine is started (12) and the movement of the axis (21).

Due to the position of the magnets (16-17) on the lateral surface (15a) of the outer cylinder (15), we have noticed that the small metallic cylinders, under the action of the magnetic force generated by (16-17), remain placed like columns inside on the surface (18a), so that the shock between the parts thrown upwards by the projections (30) causes the surface of these parts to be scratched, but not "picketing" - called "peening" in this area technique - of this surface, which, seen with a magnifying glass, appears as a series of dots on these pieces creating deformations of these, which constitutes up to presents one of the most serious relative disadvantages machines existing on the market.

Due to the high yield obtained and to avoid that the lateral surface (18a) of the tank (18) does not undergo no type of premature wear, place inside the latter a jacket of an anti-friction material (33), see figure 2.

Also with a view to improving the efficiency of the machine, that is to say to cause the maximum of movement of the parts introduced inside the tank (18), the central part of the tank (18), namely the hub (26), has been designed in a slightly conical shape and with an upper base forming a beveled area (26a).

In one of the selected achievements of which is the subject of this patent application, as can be seen in figure 2, on column (27) we placed the support (25), this support (25) at the stage the machine will remain stationary and its arms (24), arranged radially as support means iron chains (32) placed at the ends thereof, which are located opposite the magnets correspondents (16-17) distributed on the body of the machine and in its outer cylinder (15), such so that the combination of the magnetic field generated by them and that created by other magnets (34), located in the lower part of the tank (18), forces these iron chains (32) to remain upright, as an obstacle which is parallel to the surface side of the tank (18) and that of the sheath (33), glued to this surface of (18) by the action of force magnetic magnets (16-17) and thus preventing the mass of treatment, as well as the mass of the products to treat are found, under the effect of excess weight or speed, glued to this lateral surface; these masses are therefore forced to describe a movement towards inside and facing the center of the machine, around the iron chains (32), which improves the movement of turbulence and rotation on itself of this mass, while increasing the efficiency of polishing and the finishing of the pieces.

Another of the additional improvements of this invention consists in replacing the methacrylate tank (18), which in the main patent had to be covered the corresponding sheath (33), by another tank (18), made of stainless steel with a bottom with two slopes (18a) and whose thickness will be approximately 1 mm, which, associated with the sheath thickness of approximately 3 mm, will that the total thickness that the field will have to cross magnetic produced by the magnets located on the body of the machine will go from 6 to 4 mm, thanks to which the size of the magnetic field created will be increased, which will develop the action exerted on the magnetic mass which is at the interior of (18).

The association of increased turbulence caused by the iron chains (32) that remain vertical and glued to the surface of the shirt (33) and of the increased magnetic field causes a higher efficiency in processing non magnetic inserted inside the tank (18) for their finish.

We will consider as improvements equivalent to those recommended in the present invention, the fact that the modification of the formal characteristics of the support (25), with shaped radial arms (24) star, allows the suspension of elements like chains of iron, plates, wire or the like, the finality is to avoid the agglomeration of parts introduced inside, when these are processed and subjected to an angular speed by rotation of the tank (18).

After having sufficiently described what this consists of Patent, with reference to the attached plans, it is understood that we can introduce any modification of detail which we deem advisable, provided that the variations recommended do not alter the essence of the patent which is summarized in the following claims.

Claims (10)

1. "MACHINE FOR FINISHING NON MAGNETIC PIECES", which are made up of a chassis (10), built from ramps and resting horizontally or supported by legs (11), inside this chassis (10) there is a means of propulsion , such as an electric motor (12), which prints with an angular movement onto a disc with magnets attached creating a magnetic field inside a tank (18), which contains the non magnetic pieces to be treated; mounted on this chassis (10) is a cylinder (15) with no bases, on the side surface (15a) of which there are magnets (16, 17), distributed at regular intervals in a circle and at several levels from the horizontal, and the said tank (18) rotates and is located in the middle of the cylinder (15).
2. "MACHINE FOR FINISHING NON MAGNETIC PIECES", characterised according to the preceding claim by the fact that the shaft (21) of the reducer (13) connected into the tank (18), is equipped with a column (27), that in turn holds a nut (28) allowing a cover (29) to be attached onto the open upper area of this tank (18), the opening of the connection (14) of the reducer (13) is held by screws (23a) that pass through holes (23b) drilled through the iron plate (23).
3. "MACHINE FOR FINISHING NON MAGNETIC PIECES", characterised according to the preceding claims by the fact that from the base (18a) of the tank (18) there is a series of projections (30), the tank (18) being held onto the shaft (21) of the reducer (13) by a hub (26) whose lower base receives the screws (20) that are across the base (18a).
4. "MACHINE FOR FINISHING NON MAGNETIC PIECES", characterised according to the preceding claims by the fact that in the central part of the tank (18) there is a grooved hub (26) that is chamfered on its upper part (26a) and has a housing (31a) in its central part to connect the column (27).
5. "MACHINE FOR FINISHING NON MAGNETIC PIECES", characterised according to the first claim by the fact that, as an alternative, in the outer cylinder (15) and on its side surface (15a), there may be several concentric layers of magnets (16).
6. "MACHINE FOR FINISHING NON MAGNETIC PIECES", characterised according to the first and fifth claim by the fact that, as an alternative, the outer face of the magnets (16) may be equipped with a metal surface, for example an iron plate (19).
7. "MACHINE FOR FINISHING NON MAGNETIC PIECES", characterised according to the preceding claims by the fact that the side surface (18b) of the tank (18) has a coating of anti-friction material (33).
8. "MACHINE FOR FINISHING NON MAGNETIC PIECES", characterised according to the first claim by the fact that, as an alternative, on the column (27) there is mounted a support (25) with radial extensions or arms (24), from which iron chains (32) hang vertically, these iron chains (32) are parallel to the side surface of the tank (18), are made from stainless steel and covered with the corresponding sheath (33).
9. "MACHINE FOR FINISHING NON MAGNETIC PIECES", characterised according to the first claim by the fact that the bottom or base (18a) of the tank (18) slopes in two directions towards the outside.
10. "MACHINE FOR FINISHING NON MAGNETIC PIECES", characterised according to the first claim by the fact that on the chassis (10) and above the base (18a) of the tank (18) magnets (34) have been installed.

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