GB2195566A

GB2195566A - Sand-blasting apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2195566A
Application number: GB08718588A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Klaus-Dieter Eduard Goldmann
Original assignee: Goldmann Fried & Co GmbH
Current assignee: Goldmann Fried & Co GmbH
Priority date: 1986-08-20
Filing date: 1987-08-06
Publication date: 1988-04-13
Anticipated expiration: 2007-08-06
Also published as: FR2602989B1; GB8718588D0; FR2602989A1; GB2195566B; DE8622315U1

Abstract

Sand-blasting apparatus comprises a sand-blasting compartment 1 and a workpiece holder 17 which is movable outside of the compartment and which is vertically adjustable and has a rotatable workpiece support 19. A workpiece of stone, glass or like material is mounted on the holder 17 by means of a crane and introduced into the compartment 1 to be treated by a movable blasting hose 13 to form deep inscriptions and decorations. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Sand-blasting apparatus The invention relates to sand-blasting apparatus, such as for the horizontal blasting of deep and extra deep inscriptions and threedimensional decorations in stone, glass or similar materials inside a closed chamber.

In conventional sand-blasting machines, the sand-blasting head is appiied directly to the stone or material to be treated, while simultaneously the sand blast acts on the material, and dust and blasting medium are sucked back by means of the sand-blasting head. The disadvantage of this type of appliance lies in the fact that it operates only down to a limited inscription or engraving depth. Once past this depth, the seal is no longer adequate because of the presence of infiltrated air; dust and blasting medium escape, and the view of the workpiece is reduced. A sand-blasting head with return flow is not suitable for blasting three-dimensional decorations, since during this process the nozzle has to be positioned at different angles to the surface of the workpiece.

The invention provides sand-blasting apparatus, comprising a sand-blasting compartment and a workpiece holder which is movable outside of the compartment and which is vertically adjustable and has a rotatable workpiece support.

The workpiece is intended to be mounted outside the chamber, for example by a crane, on to the workpiece holder, and guided into the blasting compartment so that the surface to be treated lies in the closed, seaied blasting chamber and can be treated by means of a movable blasting hose.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 shows a front view of a sandblasting apparatus with a closed sliding door; Figure 2 shows a side view of the apparatus with the workpiece holder situated on the outside; and Figure 3 shows a view in perspective of the sand-blasting apparatus with the sliding door open and in which the interior is visible.

A sand-blasting apparatus is illustrated which has a sand-blasting chamber 1, a sliding door 2 which, for servicing purposes, leaves the installation completely open and which, subsequently, by being pulled downwards is again closed hermetically since it seals both internally and externally.

The sliding door 2 has a semi-prismatic bulge 3 on which are mounted a safety viewing window 4, two handles 5 and two hand holes 7 provided with cross-slit rubber flaps 6.

The upper part of the sand-blasting chamber 1 is provided with four legs 8 with which it is mounted on a common base plate 9.

At its bottom the blasting chamber 1 has two hoppers 10 into which the sand-blasting medium drops, whence it then passes through extraction ducts 11 to the dust-free blasting appliance.

In order to prevent excessive underpressure caused by the extraction procedure, the blasting chamber 1 is provided with air-inlet apertures 12. The top of the blasting chamber 1 is provided with an aperture through which a blasting hose 13 is introduced into the interior of the blasting chamber 1. The blasting hose 13 is provided with a bellowstype seal 14 and is counterbalanced by a counterweight 15. This ensures that the hose is freeiy movable, which is a necessity when skilled or artistic work is involved. At least two floodlighting means 21 are provided for illuminating the blasting chamber.

Outside the blasting chamber 1, a workpiece holder 17 which is in the form of a bogie, is rotatably mounted on wheels 18 and travels on rails 16. A workpiece supporting plate 19 and below it a rubber seal 20, are mounted on a vertical shaft of the bogie 17.

The workpiece holder 17 is movable horozontally along the X axis and is vertically adjustable on the Y axis. Furthermore, the supporting plate 19 can rotate about axis A in direction Z.

The workpiece 22 is placed on the workpiece holder 17 outside the blasting chamber 1, for example by a crane, and is moved into the blasting chamber 1 between the hoppers 10.

The workpiece holder 17 is now so positioned relative to the blasting chamber 1 that the workpiece 22 and its supporting plate 19 are disposed in the chamber with the shaft projecting through an opening 23 in the base of the chamber and into the interior 24 of the blasting chamber. The opening 23 is provided at the common boundary of the two hoppers 10.

The rubber seal 20 then seals the bogie 1 7 from the interior 24 so that no sand-blasting medium can escape to the exterior.

Accordingly, the delicate parts of the bogie, such as the shaft, brake, and the like cannot be damaged.

After the bogie 17 has been correctly positioned a special part 27 is placed across the front end of the opening 23 and the sliding door 2 closed, the special part being retained by the descending sliding door, after which both hands can be introduced through the hand holes 7. The blasting hose 13 can then be applied to the workpiece 22. The workpiece 22 can be rotated during the operating procedure. This has a positive influence on the quality of work; The sand-blasting hose 13 can be guided to any part of the interior desired, since it is suspended flexibly from a pendulum arm 25, is counterbalanced by the counterweight 15, is extendible and also passes into the compartment by means of the bellows-type seal 14.

The operating procedure is observed through the viewing window 4 in the sliding door 2. The sand blast is controlled by means of a foot switch 26 which is operative only when the sliding door 2 is closed, since the sliding door is locked by means of a door limit ciosure switch linked to the foot switch.

A hinged door may be used instead of the sliding door. In either embodiment rubber cuffed gloves or gauntlets can be used in place of the cross-slit rubber flaps 6.

The bottom of the chamber 1 may comprise, instead of the two V-shaped hoppers 10 at least one semicircular hopper.

The workpiece holder 17 need not be mounted to travel on rails. It may have two fixed and two steerable wheels. Two of the wheels may have locking brakes.

Claims

1. Sand-blasting apparatus, comprising a sand-blasting compartment and a workpiece holder which is movable outside of the compartment and which is vertically adjustable and has a rotatable workpiece support.

2. Sand-blasting apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the sand-blasting compartment has a work chamber provided with a tightly closing door having a semi-prismatic bulge on which are mounted a viewing window, two handles and two hand holes.

3. Sand-blasting apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the door is a sliding door.

4. Sand-blasting apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the door is a hinged door.

5. Sand-blasting apparatus as claimed in Claims 2, 3 or 4, wherein the hand holes are provided with cross-slit flaps.

6. Sand-blasting apparatus as claimed in Claims 2, 3 or 4, wherein the hand holes are provided with cuffed gloves.

7. Sand-blasting apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the sand-blasting compartment has a bottom comprising at least one hopper and an opening for introducing the workpiece into the compartment, the hopper being provided with at least one extraction aperture for removing sand-blasting medium.

8. Sand-blasting apparatus as claimed in Claim 7; wherein the hopper is semi-circular.

9. Sand-blasting apparatus as claimed in Claim 7, wherein there are at least two hoppers with the opening being provided at their common boundary.

10. Sand-biasting apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the sand-blasting compartment is mounted on support legs.

11. Sand-blasting apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the interior of the compartment has flood lighting means.

12. Sand-blasting apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the sand-blasting compartment is provided with air-inlet apertures.

13. Sand-blasting apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the compartment has an aperture in its top through which a counter-balanced sand-blasting hose is introduced and is provided with a bellows-type seal.

14. Sand-blasting apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the workpiece holder is mounted on two fixed and two steerable wheels, two wheels being provided with locking brakes.

15. Sand-blasting apparatus as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the workpiece support has a seal for sealing the opening when the support is inside the chamber.

16. Sand-blasting apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein sand-blasting is controlled by a foot switch linked to a door closure switch.

17. Sand-blasting apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.