US2658315A - Buff and method of making same - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 10, 1953 R, o. PETERSON BUFF AND METHOD oF MAKING SAME Filed .March 17, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

e M dan O.A. N. n

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`employing pleated Patented Nov. 1),` 195:3

Ruben O. Peterson,

`llniversityv Heights, 01min, as-

signon to The Osborn Manufacturing- Company,

Cleveland,

Ohio, a corporation of .Ohio

Application MarchY 17, 1949,' Serial VNo.-81,985

16 Claims.

This invention relates as indicated tol a novel buff and method of making'thevsame, and more particularly to an improved buff construction especially adapted to continuous' manufacture.

Fabric buffs of many types are, of course, well known in the art, perhaps the most common form comprising a plurality of layers offlat fabric discs stitched together Aand pierced centrally rvfor mounting on an appropriate hub. -It is also known to fold fabric sections into pleats or segments which are then stapled or otherwise bound to a central hub portion. This latter type of construction has certain advantages, including an ability to carry a considerable quantity of abrasive or polishing material and also presenting'a Work contacting surface adapted to have a uniform effect on the work-piece across the width of such face. Uneven application of abrasive and consequent streaking is thereby avoided. Such buffs are also better ventilated and therefore cooler in operation.

In the past, buffs'of these several types have generally required to be individually assembled, substantially entirely by hand, and-have consequently been rather expensive. In thoseforms fabric fingers for example, there has been a tendency for the cut edges of the fabric extending radially from the buff hub to ravel in use with consequent rather `rapid destruction of the buff.

t is therefore a primary object of my invention to provide a novel buff construction adapted to substantially mechanical assembly and manufacture and more particularly adapted to be assembled in the general manner shown and described in my prior Patent No. 2,303,386.

Another object is to form a buff comprising a plurality of more orv less conical fabric fingers which will have no cut edges extending radially from the back or hub. When such generally conical fabric fingers are arranged around the circumference of a hub part with the broader parts directed outwardly, they readily flatten and accommodate themselves to the space they are desired to fill. When such fingers are properly formed in accordance with this invention, a maximum proportion of the fabric material is distributed at the outer ends thereof where needed to provide a buff face of requisite density. Such a buff will be uniformly filled and non-streaking in operation.

A further object is to so preliminarily interconnect the buff material elements that they may beL continuously fed to a brush strip machine or the like.

Other objects of my invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention then comprises the features hereinafter fully described yand particularly pointed out in the claims, the following de- L2 scriptionand the annexed ydrawing setting forth in detailV certain illustrative,embodiments of the invention, these being-indicative, however, of but ak few-ofi thevarious Waysl in which the'principle of the invention mayfbe employed.

In said annexed drawing:

fliigqlis'fafplanview of a pluralityof'fabric discs blankedfoutfwi'thv a slight overlap, thereby to interconnect the same;

Fig. 2 shows twolayers of such continuously interconnected discs secured together attheir respective'centersand inprocess of being formed into a plurality of roppositely directed `tubular fingers;

Fig. 3-showsfthe-material of Fig. 2 after completion of suchl finger formingoperation;

Fig. 4V is a top plan viewillustrating somewhat d'iagrammaticallytheformation of such novel =buil' material intol acontinuous strip;

Fig. 5 isa side elevational view corresponding to'Fig. 4;

-Fig.-'1 shows aA rotarybuff asseA bled as taught in'Whittle Patent No. 2,288,337V but employing my novel buff material;

` Figx showsfa length of buff stripcircularized in a plurality' of rhelicalturns to form` a rotary buing element suitable for mounting on an arbor orthe like;

VFigi!- illustrates a cup buff, shown incrosssection, employing thenovel buff felement of my invention;

Fig. y10jis`a Ytop plan view of such cup buff;

Fig. l1 is an end elevational view of a long leadhelical strip bu" constructed in accordance with my invention;Y and Fig.' 12f is a longitudinal elevational'view ofthe arbor and-assembly of' the buff ofv liig. 11..

Referringnow more vparticularly to said drawingand thefpreferred embodiment of my'inven- 'tion there illustrated,`I may blank out a plurality of discs I froma continuous strip of fabric, with such' discsfoverl'apping slightly to provide interconnecting'porti'ons 2 and thereby preserving the blankedout material in the form of a continuous strip. TWo layers of fabric may be thus simultaneously blanked out or `one layer of blanked out discs 'may bersuperimposed on a similar layer of discs 3-'of like dimensions-being secured thereto at their respective centers by means 'of' adhesive, stitching, or any other appropriate means. When certain plastic sheet materials are employedv to form the discs,the 'two layers maybe centrally adhered together by applicationofheat or solvent as appropriate.

The twolayers of "discs are then separated except at their centers and spreadvapart asv shown in Fig. 2, andfolded into. oppositely extending pairs of generally conical pleated fingers. as shown inFi'g, 3.

A continuous series of such interconnected fingers may then be fed to a brush strip machine in the same general manner in which the stranded brush material is fed thereto as. described in my prior Patent No. 2,303,386, being placed transversely of a flat metal strip 5 with a retaining element such as Wire 6 disposed lengthwise therealong to secure such fingers within the channelform back produced by turning up the side portions of strip 5 to form the channel sides I and 8. The resulting strip may be mounted in any form of holder desired or may be circularized either helically or to form an annular channelform brush back 9 adapted to be seated on an arbor or otherwise mounted with the fabric fingers I extending substantially radially therefrom. Or an annular buff may be produced as taught in Whittle Patent No. 2,288,337, employing my oppositely extending pairs of buff material fingers instead of stranded brush material.

Various modifications of the foregoing construction and method of assembly are obvious Without departing from the spirit of my invention. For example, the fabric discs may be individually blanked out and then adhered or stitched together at 2 (Fig. 1) rather than being blanked in the indicated overlapping relationship. Or individual pairs of discs may be superimposed to form two layers Without being laterally connected at their edges to other adjacent pairs. In

such latter case the pairs of conical fabric ngers will be formed into the finished strips as illustrated in Fig. 4 but will require to be supplied to the metal strip forming the channel back in much the same manner that the individual strands of brush material are supplied to the backing strip as described in my Patent No. 2,303,386. By interconnecting the pairs of discs at their edges and thereby thus interconnecting the pairs of fingers (Fig. 3) the buff material is, however. considerably better adapted to be automatically transported to the strip machine and a more uniform density of fill in the finished article is assured. 'I'he term fabric as employed herein and in the claims is intended to include any suitable sheet material, whether textile or imperforate plastic sheet, for example, Thus, cotton cloth, nylon (polyamide resins), Pliofilm (rubber hydrochloride), or paper sheets are entirely suitable in embodiments of my invention for certain purposes and various other natural or manufactured fiber materials may be employed.

Furthermore, more than two layers of discs may be superimposed and centrally secured together as shown in Fig. 1 to form oppositely directed tubular pleated fingers in which each finger comprises more than a single disc of fabric. For example, four layers of discs may be thus superimposed and centrally secured together and then separated With two layers forming one nger extending in one direction and the remaining two layers forming another single finger extending in the opposite direction. In order that the oppositely extending fingers may be of equal size the number of layers of discs employed will ordinarily be some multiple of two.

If desired, the brush strip channelform back may have teeth punched in from the sides thereof as shown in Patent No. 2,303,386 for the purpose of securing the retaining wire 6 thereunder to produce a stronger assemblage. Such teeth also penetrate the fabric of the flattened conical fingers and additionally secure the same.

The fabric discs may be coated with suitablet abrasive materials such as emery, Corundum,

Alundum, and the like together with an appropriate adhesive, or such abrasives may be applied simply by dusting the same onto the textile tabrics or by pressing the same into the plastic sheets. Or a small amount of a solvent may be applied with the abrasive to the plastic sheet material to cause the abrasive particles to become cemented thereto when the solvent evaporates. Still another suitable type of fabric for my purpose is disclosed in Radford Patent No. 2,328,998, with abrasive incorporated in the fabric strands.

When the sheet material has been bunched into generally conical pleated fingers, adhesive may be applied to assist in retaining this condition, or clips or staples may be employed.

The buff sheet material need not necessarily be cut in disc form, although this is preferred. but a strip of fabric may merely be partially slit to form a series or chain of interconnected squares. The squares of two layers will be joined centrally as above described, formed into fingers, and assembled into the channel back. The resultant article will then be trimmed to proper contour.

In either case, pairs of generally conical, somewhat tubular pleated lingers are provided joined at their inner ends for securing under an elongated retaining member and interconnected at their outer ends for continuous feeding to the backing strip. Such interconnection of the outer ends of adjacent pairs of fingers also assists in maintaining the desired uniform density of the material in the channel back.

As shown in Fig. 8, a length of buff strip may be helically wound with the conical pleated f'lngers I3 extending radially and then mounted on a suitable mandrel or arbor between clamping plates. Frequently, adapters will be desired and a buif constructed as taught in my prior Patent No. 2,409,309 will be particularly well ventilated and cool in operation. Teeth II punched in from the sides l and 8 of the channelform back in accordance with my prior Patent No. 2,303,386 assist in securing retaining member 6 in place and also, by penetrating the fabric, further reinforce the construction.

As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the generally conical shape cf the buifing fingers results in a maximum density of material at the outer ends of the same, this being of especial importance when an annular or helical buff is formed (Figs. '7 and 8).

Figs. 9 and l0 illustrate a typical cup buil' employing the bufling element of my invention. Two separate turns I 2 and I3 of my new buil? strip are inserted within an annular receptacle or cup I4, with the builing material I5 extending generally axially rather than radially therefrom. The two individual turns or loops of strip are dimensioned so that one lits snugly within the other. An inner tubular retainer I6 is clinched in place and a hub or adapter I1 inserted and secured by means of tabs I8. The flnished bui may now be mounted on a drive spindle in the usual manner. It will be apparent that one or two turns of a single length of buff strip could be employed if desired, but a better balanced assembly is obtained when two separate individual turns are used, one inside the other.

Referring now to Figs. ll and l2, a buff is there illustrated using long lead helical bull' strip as the bufling elements. It is often desired to produce a long roller type buff of general cylindrical shape and more particularly a buff in which the builing elements are spaced circumfercntially of the arbor to permit internal feeding of abrasive, improved ventilation, and an intermittent action of such elements on the work. Considerable diliiculty was encountered in developing a construction which would be adjustable and capable of holding the rather oddly shaped lengths of bun. strip and yet not be-too expensive for general use. It was found impractical to mill a plurality of angular slots about the peripheries oi a number of spaced hubs to receive the helical buff elements.

In the construction of my invention, I slide a plurality of solid aluminum alloy hubs I9 onto an arbor 2i). Each such hub is stepped to provide a portion of lesser diameter 2l in which set-screws 22 are inserted to secure the hub to the arbor against relative rotation, and a portion oi greater diameter 23 on which the channelform back 24 of the buff strip is seated with the buff material 25 extending generally radially. A relatively thin steel disc 25 is rmly attached to the wider side of each hub 19, such disc having notches 2l punched in its periphery dimensioned to receive buff strip back 24 and hold the same against lateral displacement. The peripheral face of wide portion 23 of hub I9 is drilled and tapped to receive conical-headed screws 23 adapted to engage the sides of the channelform buif strip backs 24 to hold such backs firmly seated against the hub. Disc 2E, of course, provides the necessary lateral support. One of the chief advantages of this arrangement is that disc 2t is sufficiently thin that the buff strip may be fitted in notches 21 even when passing therethrough at quite an angle, and this angle may be varied as desired. Thus, the various hub members may be sequentially rotated or indexed on the arbor 2li to oifset the corresponding notches to receive the helical buff strip, or where, as shown, a large number of closely spaced notches are provided about the peripheries of hub discs 26 such notches may be in alignments parallel to the arbor and the strip oiset one or more notches with each successive hub. In this manner any desired degree of helical pitch may be obtained, within reason, without the necessity of in any way modifying the hub members.

It will be apparent that the above-described construction is also adapted for use with conventional brush strip employing stranded brushing material such as Tampico fiber, nylon, etc. instead of my novel puffing material.

The objects of my invention have `been achieved in a novel and inexpensive manner, providing a buff having both improved operating characteristics and longer life. I consider the principal advantage of my new bui to reside in the ease with which it may be manufactured despite the fact that it is relatively more complex in construction than buffs now on the market. Reference may also be had to my co-pending application Serial No. 308,242, led September 6, i952, Where certain related inventions are disclosed and claimed.

As illustrated in the drawing, many diiferent types or" buiis may be produced within the teaching of my invention, generally comprising a plurality oi pairs ci tapering buinng lFingers joined at their narrow inner ends, in which region of joining they are secured to a support by means of an elongated retaining member. Such retaining member may be held in place by various means known in the art, as by inwardly extending teeth from one or both sides of a channel back or by pinching in the neck Yof such channel somewhat.

6 -Certain inventions disclosed blut notrclaimed herein` are disclosed and claimed inr my co-pending application Serial No. 195,011, led November 10, 1950, and my co-pending application Serial No. 173,465, filed-July 12, 1950.

Other modes 'of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change` being'made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in any of the following claimsor the equivalent 'of such be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim `as my invention:

l. The method of producing a rotary buff which comprises superimposing a plurality of fabric layers, blanking out an interconnected chain of discs from such superimposed layers, joining such fabric layers at the respective centers of such discs, separating certain of suchA layers from the other such layers, except where thus joined at the centers of such discs, to form pairs of oppositely extending generally conical tubular pleated fingers connected at their outer extremities to adjacent pairs thereof, placing such interconnected pairs of oppositely extending fabric nngers transversely of a metal strip, placing an elongated retaining member thereon longitudinally of such strip, forming such strip to channel form with such fingers secured therein beneath such retaining member, and circularizing such strip with such fingers extending generally radially outwardly.

2. The method of producing a rotary buff which comprises cuttingr out continuous seriesV of interconnected fabric discs, superimposing one such series of discs on a similar series, joining the center portions of superimposed pairs of discs, separating such'superimposed discs, except Where thus centrally joined, to form pairs of oppositely extending inverted conical pleated fingers connected at their outer extremities to adjacent pairs thereof, placing the resulting chain of buit elements longitudinally of a continuous metal strip with such lingers extending transversely thereof, placing an elongated retaining member on such chain of buff elements longitudinally of such strip, forming such strip to channel Iorm with such joined apices of such conical fingers secured therein beneath such retaining member, and circularizing such strip with such fingers extending generally radially'outwardly.

3. The method of producing a buff element which comprises interconnecting a plurality of discs of bufng material at their edges to form a continuous chain, superimposing one such chain on a similar chain oi discs to form superimposed pairs Of such discs, joining such pairs at their respective centers, separating such superimposed discs to the extent permittedby the joining of their centers to form pairs ofoppositely extending generally conical tubular pleated lingers connected at their outer extremities to adjacent pairs thereof, and securing such pairs of fingers to a self-sustaining supporting member at the point of central joining of suchngers, with such nngers extending therefrom in sideby-side relationship.

4. The method of rproducing a buil element which comprises joining a plurality of pairs of discs of buinng material at their centers, separating such discs of each such pair, except where thus joinedto form pairs of oppositely extending generally conical tubular pleated iingers, and securing such pairs to a self-sustaining supporting member adjacent the point of joining of such oppositely extending fingers.

5. The method of producing a buff element which comprises forming a plurality of pairs of oppositely extending generally tubular fingers of bufiing material joined at their inner ends, interconnecting such pairs of lingers near their outer ends to adjacent pairs to form a continuous chain, and securing such pairs to a self-sustaining supporting member at the point of joining of such oppositely extending fingers.

6. The method of producing a buff element which comprises forming a plurality of pairs of oppositely extending fabric ngers, interconnecting such pairs to form a continuous chain, and continuously securing such chain of pairs of fingers in a channelform support beneath a continuous elongated retaining member applied on the point of juncture of such oppositely extending fingers to cause such fingers to assume a sideby-side relationship.

7. A rotary buff comprising a circularized metal channelform back opening radially outwardly, and buff material retained therein and extending generally radially therefrom comprising pairs of fabric discs joined at their centers and separated otherwise to form pairs of generally conical tubular pleated fingers, said fingers being connected to adjacent pairs of fingers near their outer extremities, and an elongated retaining member overlying such pairs of fingers at their points of joining to secure the same in said channelform back with said fingers extending generally radially therefrom in side-by-side relationship.

8. A rotary buff comprising a circularized metal channelform back opening radially outwardly, and buff material retained therein and extending generally radially therefrom comprising pairs of fabric discs joined at their centers but otherwise separated to form pairs of oppositely extending generally corneal tubular pleated fingers, and an elongated retaining member overlying such pairs of fingers at their points of joining to secure the same in said channelform back with said fingers extending generally radially from the respective sides of said retaining member in side-by-side relationship.

9. A rotary buff comprising an inner supporting element and buff material extending generally radially therefrom, said buff material comprising pairs of fabric discs joined at their centers but otherwise separated to form pairs of oppositely extending generally tubular pleated fingers, and means securing said pairs of fingers to said supporting element at their points of joining, with the fingers of each pair extending individually in side-by-side relationship radially from said element.

10. A rotary buff comprising a circularized metal channelform back opening radially outwardly, and buil material retained therein and extending generally radially therefrom comprising pairs of generally tubular fabric fingers joined at their inner ends, such pairs of fingers being connected with adjacent pairs of such fingers near their outer ends, and an elongated retaining member overlying such pairs of fingers at the points of joining of their inner ends to secure the same in said channel'rorm back with said fingers extending generally radially therefrom and with the fingers of each pair in side-by-side relationship.

11. A rotary buff comprising an inner supporting element and buff material extending generally radially therefrom, said buff material comprising pairs of generally tubular fingers joined at their inner ends, such pairs of fingers being connected with adjacent pairs of such fingers, and means securing said pairs of fingers to said supporting element at the points of joining of their inner ends, with the fingers of each pair extending individually in side-by-side relationship radially from said element.

12. A builing element comprising a metal channel back and buff material retained therein, said buff material comprising pairs of fabric discs joined at their centers and separated otherwise to form pairs of generally conical tubular pleated fingers, said fingers being connected to adjacent pairs of fingers near their outer extremities, and an elongated retaining member overlying such pairs of fingers at their points of joining to secure the same in said channel back with the fingers of each pair extending therefrom in generally sideby-side relationship.

13. A buffng element comprising a channel back and bufi material retained therein, said buff material comprising pairs of fabric discs joined at their centers but otherwise separated to form pairs of generally tubular pleated fingers, and an elongated retaining member overlying suoli pairs of fingers at the points of joining of said discs to secure the same in said channel back with the fingers of each pair extending individually therefrom in generally side-by-side relationship.

14. A buiiing element for use in rotary buffs and the like comprising two fabric sheets joined together at their centers but otherwise separated to form a pair of oppositely extending generally conical tubular pleated fingers joined at their respective apices for securing to a hub or like support.

15. The method of producing a bun element which comprises joining a plurality of sheets of buiiing material generally centrally of such sheets, separating certain of said sheets from the remainder of said sheets, except where thus joined, to form pairs of oppositely extending generally conical pleated fingers joined together at their narrower ends, and securing a plurality of such pairs of bufing fingers to a self-sustaining support adjacent the points of joining of such fingers.

16. A bufling element comprising a channel back and buiiing material retained therein, said bufling material comprising pairs of fabric discs joined at their centers but otherwise separated to form pairs of individual generally conical pleated fingers, an elongated retaining member overlying said pairs of fingers at the points of joining of said discs to secure the same in said channel back with the individual fingers of each pair extending therefrom in generally side-byside relationship, and teeth extending inwardly from at least one side of said channel back penetrating such fabric and overlying said retaining member.

RUBEN O. PETERSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 260,558 Fowler July 4, 1882 1,404,620 Levett Jan. 24, 1922 2,031,105 Hall Feb. 18, 1936 2,122,609 Hendrickson July 5, 1938 2,146,284 Churchill Feb. 7, 1939 2,168,871 Hague Aug. 8, 1939 2,303,386 Peterson Dec. l, 1942 2,409,309 Peterson Oct. 15, 1946 2,427,137 Hall Sept. 9, 1947 2,455,098 Seelenfreund Nov. 30, 1948

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