US3798847A

US3798847A - Hinge type finishing packs with replaceable units for cylindrical hub structures

Info

Publication number: US3798847A
Application number: US00253238A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Belanger
Original assignee: Belanger Inc
Current assignee: Belanger Inc
Priority date: 1972-05-15
Filing date: 1972-05-15
Publication date: 1974-03-26
Anticipated expiration: 1991-03-26
Also published as: GB1391860A; CA975177A

Abstract

The rotary flap or finishing wheel or tool has a plurality of radially extending finishing units or packs mounted in a circumferential series on a hub structure. The finishing units or packs are each pivotally mounted on the body structure by a dual clip-type assembly including an inner axially elongated and rigid pivoting clip member forming the primary component of the pack and an outer axially elongated clamping or clip member supporting or carrying the finishing or fill material and forming the secondary component of the pack. The pivotal mount of the inner clip member is afforded at an inner axially extending keyholetype opening of the clip or at an axial through-bore, either of which formations at least partially encircles and is adapted to pivot on an axial pin component located adjacent the outer periphery of the hub structure. At a point radially outwardly of its pivot pin bore, as well as of the outer periphery of the hub structure, the inner clip member has an axially slidable, dovetail or tongue-and-groove type connection to the aforementioned secondary, radially outwardly exposed outer clip or clamping member which, like the inner clip member, extends the entire axial length of the pack. The outer clamping member has a pair of radial arms which receives the fill or finishing material therebetween. In any one of a number of versions of dove-tail, tongue-and-groove, or keyhole type connections between the primary inner clip member and the secondary outer clip member, the latter is slidably assembled on, and removable from, the former to permit a ready installation and replacement of the secondary clip member in relation to the primary clip member and the hub structure.

Description

United States Patent [191 Belanger [451 Mar. 26, 1974 HINGETYPE FINISHING PACKS WITH REPLACEABLE UNITS FOR CYLINDRICAL HUB STRUCTURES [75] Inventor: James A. Belanger, Livonia, Mich.

[73] Assignee: Belanger, Inc., Northville, Mich.

[22] Filed: May 15, 1972 [21] Appl. No: 253,238

Primary Examiner-0thell M. Simpson Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Whittemore, Hulbert & Belknap [57] ABSTRACT The rotary flap or finishing wheel or tool has a plurality of radially extending finishing units or packs mounted in a circumferential series on a hub structure. The finishing units or packs are each pivotally mounted on the body structure by a dual clip-type assembly including an inner axially elongated and rigid pivoting clip member forming the primary component of the pack and an outer axially elongated clamping or clip member supporting or carrying the finishing or fill material and forming the secondary component of the pack. The pivotal mount of the inner clip member is afforded at an inner axially extending keyhole-type opening of the clip or at an axial through-bore, either of which formations at least partially encircles and is adapted to pivot on an axial pin component located adjacent the outer periphery of the hub structure. At a point radially outwardly of its pivot pin bore, as well as of the outer periphery of the hub structure, the inner clip member has an axially slidabl'e, dove-tail or tongue-and-groove type connection to the aforementioned secondary, radially outwardly exposed outer clip or clamping member which, like the inner clip member, extends the entire axial length of the pack. The outer clamping member has a pair of radial arms which receives the fill or finishing material therebetween. In any one of a number of versions of dovetail, tongue-and-groove, or keyhole type connections between the primary inner clip member and the secondary outer clip member, the latter is slidably assembled on, and removable from, the former to permit a ready installation and replacement of the secondary clip member in relation to the primary clip member and the hub structure.

16 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures HINGE TYPE FINISHING PACKS WITH REPLACEABLE UNITS FOR CYLINDRICAL HUB STRUCTURES CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS My co-pending application, Ser. No. 155,733, filed June 23, 1971 now abandoned, discloses the general type of forked-section clip member which pivots a unit of fill or finishing material on the hub structure. My earlier co-pending application, Ser. No. 885,734, filed Dec. 17, 1969, now US. Pat. No. 3,685,217, illustrates and describes various forms of hub structures provided with pivotally mounted finishing units of the general sort dealt with herein, although not as associated with an inner pivotal mounting clip member which may form a permanent component of the hub structure. A concurrently filed application, Ser. No. 253,237, filed May 15, 1972, deals with a dual clip-type pack pivoting concept generally similar to that of the present application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The improved composite pack and pivoting clip concept of the invention finds application in a large number of rotative surface finishing operations, specifically, in the rough or finish working, brushing, buffing, burnishing or polishing of metal or non-metal parts, in which various types of fill material is utilized, as an example, a stacked pack of more or less abrasive sheets, cotton or sisal material. I am aware of no prior art references pertinent to the combination of a hub mounted inner clip member and a replaceable, cartridge-type secondary clip member with fill material as herein shown and described.

2. Description of the Prior Art The US. Pat. No. 3,058,269 to Block, of Oct. 16, 1962, shows an abrasive drum construction in which an anchor means of the abrasive pack is assembled to a drum member by an axial slidingmovement. However, the anchor member is received substantially in its entirety buried within the peripheral confine of the drum, and there isno suggestion of an inner clip component assembled to the drum structure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The improvement represents a considerable refinement of the type of the finishing pack pivoting concept which is the subject of my above identified application, Ser. No. 155 ,733, characterized by a very stable direct pivotal mounting of the fill material in relation to a wheel structure and drive hub, utilizing an extrusion section for that purpose. However, the present invention provides a very simple and expeditious means for removing and replacing a worn pack or unit of fill material, or one presenting a different sheet or fill material characteristic, in an operation involving the simple sliding of a secondary clip member, to which the sheets or fill materials are secured, out of its dove-tail type connection with a primary, permanently assembled clip member, and its sliding replacement by another similar pack. These operations are facilitated by reason of the fact, as noted in the Abstract, that the secondary clip is fully exposed outwardly of the hub structure, hence accessible for hand manipulation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an end elevational view ofa rotary finishing tool having a hub-applied body plate structure,'show.ing

a part of a circumferential array of like abrasive packs as replaceably applied by radially inner and outer clip members of the clip and stack sub-assembly of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view of the hub structure and pack combination, being partially broken away and sectioned on the broken but generally radial line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end or axial elevational view showing in larger scale an alternative embodiment of the clip unit featured in FIGS. 1 and 2, but similarly having slidingly associated permanent and replaceable extruded clip components; and

FIGS. 4-7, inclusive, are other views similar to FIG. 3 of still further alternative, dual-clip arrangements contemplated by the invention. 7

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A typical rotary finishing wheel or tool 10 according to the invention will basically comprise a mounting plate unit or hub structure 12, adapted to be fixedly connected to a driving wheel hub (not shown) at axially aligned plate openings 13, and a plurality of like sheet pack units, each generally designated 14, which are pivotally mounted individually to the structure 12 in equal circumferential spacing about the latter. The number of packs may, of course, vary but preferably and usually the circumferential array thereof is such as to afford, when flexed, a substantially continuous circumferential rotative finishing engagement with a workpiece of the outer extremities of the packs 14.

Each of the packs or units 14, as an example, comprises a combination of a sub-assembly of a stack of identical abrasive sheets 15 or other fill material, and an improved composite clamping and pivoting unit, generallydesignated' 16, by which the sheets or fill materials are clamped together and pivotally mounted to the hub structure 12. The sheets of sub-assembly 16 are of plain rectangular outline and may illustratively be of an abrasive coated, emery-type cloth or fabric, or of any other structural composition, as mentioned in my above-identified co-pending applications. These sheets may be uniformly oriented in a stack with the abrasive surfaces of all thereof facing circumferentially in the direction of rotation of the wheel or the leading sheet of each pack reversed so that the abrasive surface thereon faces opposite to the direction of rotation in the manner shown and described in my co-pending application, Ser. No. 253,236, filed on May 15, 1972, concurrently herewith.

It should be appreciated that other types of fill materials may be, used in sub-assembly 16 in place of the abrasive sheets 15 such as cotton, fabric, sisal, leather, brush-like materials, paper and other types and forms of fill materials now utilized or which can be adapted toperform the required surface finishing operations on metal or non-metal materials. In addition the outerworking edges of the abrasive sheets 15 or of the selected fill materials may be straight as shown or contoured to fit the work. Also the sheets 15 or selected fill materials may be slashed to allow greater flexibility and enable the finishing of contours without pre-contouring the pack as is well known in the art.

The pivoting inner clip unit 16 for each pack 14 comprises two somewhat dissimilar components, both rigid sections of a metal or non-metal extrusion, but seetioned differently, as will be described. One of these is a primary, radially extending pivoting inner clip mem-. ber 17 of the general nature illustrated and described in my co-pending application, Ser. No. 155,733. Clip member 17 is slidably connected thereto a secondary, radially extending outer cartridge-type pack clamping or clip member of the unit 16, which member is generally designated 18 and is later described in detail.

Inner clip member 17 is coextensive in axial length with the sheets 15, the pack 14 being confined fairly closely at opposite axial ends thereof by two axially end-most plates 19 of the hub mounting plate structure 12, yet is free to pivot individually in action relative to those plates, as well as relative to-each optional inter mediate plate 19' of the same structure. In the general manner of my application Ser. No. 885,734, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,685,217, said plates are spaced axially from one another, as an example, by tubular sleeves 20 encircling elongated securing pins 21 which pass through axially aligned openings in plates 19, 19'. Opposite ends of the pins 21 are welded at 22 to end plates 19, or may be rigidly end-restrained relative thereto, as by nut and screw means. However, it is contemplated in some instances that the plate assembly 12 be a permanent rigid structure with the radially inner pack pivoting clip members 17 permanently assembled to that structure. However in some casesit is contemplated that the inner clip members 17 may be removed from the hub structure 12 to repair or replace damaged inner clip members without requiring the disposal of the entire hub structure.

The present invention may also be used with other forms of hub structures, as an example, as shown in my copending application, Ser. No. 885,734, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,685,217, and in my U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,535,833 and 3,621,622.

Therefore, prior to completion of said assembly a series of elongated pack pivoting pins 23, in a number equalling the abrasive packs 14 and equally spaced circumferentially about the plates 19 in radially outward parallelism with the securing pins 21, are seated in inner recesses 24 of those plates, having been passed through a pivot bore 25 in a block-like inner portion 26 of the form of clip member 17 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, as well as through an opening in the intermediate plate 19', if present. Thus, the inner clips 17 are pivotally premounted usually as permanent components of the plate assembly 12, affording a radially inner swing of the associated outer clips 18 and the several packs 14 on the axes of the pins 23. The clip 17 projects radially outwardly of the periphery of plate unit 12, where itis formed to provide radial arms 27 defining therebetween a radially outwardly opening, dove-tail shaped recess or groove 28. In this groove a correspondingly sectioned integral tang part 29 of the secondary outer clip member or component is slidingly mated, with a sufficiently tight frictional fit to prevent axial displacement in operation, while still permitting initial installation and replacement of outer clip 18 relative to the inner clip 17. Radial separation of those parts is, of course, impossible.

The outer clip member 18, in common with other extruded clip versions shown herein, presents a body portion 30 from which its tang 29 radially projects, and a piar of clamp arms 31 projecting in the opposite radial direction. With the stack of abrasive sheets 15 or other fill material inserted between arms 31 and abutted against clip body portion 30, sturdy staples 32 are driven through the arms and fill material to complete the assembly of the replaceable pack constituent of the invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of the invention, which is specially designated by the reference nu- I meral 34, although 'it is practically identical to the clip embodiment 16 of FIGS. 1 and 2, and it indeed presents more clearly than those views the structural details common to both forms.

' Accordingly, reference numerals corresponding to those appearing in FIGS. 1 and 2 are employed to designate corresponding parts or details of the embodiment 34 of FIG. 3; and further description will be dispensed with. This procedure, to the extent possible, will be followed in connection with the description of the further embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 4 -7, incluslve.

The radially outwardly extending arms of clip extrusion 31 are shown in FIG. 3 as projecting from the body portion 30 in a mildly divergent relationto one another, but are compressed into tight engagement with the radially inner ends of the stack of abrasive sheets or other fill material in the final stapling or equivalent operation on the replaceable clip unit. Otherwise, the composite clip unit 34 substitutes for the through-bore 25 of FIGS. 1 and 2, entirely surrounded by the material of the body portion 26, a keyhole-shaped opening 35, co-extensive in length with the pack. The neck 36 of this opening communicates radially outwardly with the dove-tail formation 28 in which the tang 29 of outer clip 18 matingly engages in a sliding fashion.

The modified version 38 of FIG. 4 resembles the embodiment 34 in its retention of a keyhole-type pivoting opening 35, but the throat of that formation opens to a second, generally keyhole-type formation 39 presenting inturned, integral ears 40, which formation slidably receives extruded clip 41 of the replaceable unit. For this purpose, that clip has an integral quasi-cylindrical interlock formation 42slidably mated'in the keyhole opening 39. i

The version 44 of FIG. 5 features an inner clip extrusion or member 45 which is generally of the outline of a key. It comprises a generally cylindrical inner extremity 46 having an axial through-bore 47 at its pivot zone, and a reduced thickness neck 48 integrally connecting with a generally C-shaped portion'49; the latter provides a tongue-and-groove opening 50 in which a correspondingly shaped inner tang portion 51 of the secondary extrusion 52 is slidably received.

The variation 54 of FIG. 6 presents a radially inner portion 55 having a pivoting bore at 56, but the neck of the portion 55 is radially outwardly shaped in the general form of a T at 57. This formation has tongueand-groove type sliding engagement by a mated opening 58 of the outer clip extrusion or member 59, an integral cross-piece 60 of the latter separating opening 58 from the outer arms 31. It is seen that the modification of FIG. 6 is essentially a reversal of the arrangement of clip member 44 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 presents an embodiment 62 in which the inner clip member 63 has a radially inner through-bore 64 and an outwardly projecting integral neck portion 65 in the general outline of a T. This formation is slidingly engaged at its circumferentially opposite sides by radially inner arms 66 of the outer clip member 67, in a tongue-and-groove fashion at inner extremities 68 of said arms. A cross-piece 69 integrally connects arms 31 just outwardly of the inner members neck portion 65 for a snug slidable replacement engagement of outer extrusion 67 with the inner clip member 63.

The inner and outer clip members disclosed herein may be made from metals or plastic materials by various forming operations including extruding, molding,

The inner clip members may be permanently mounted in the hub structure as shown in the drawing, forming a throw-away type wheel or hub structure or the inner clip members may be mounted in a hub structure of a rotary finishing tool which permits replacement of the inner clip members and the packs carried thereby as shown and described in my other patents and applications.

What is claimed is:

- l. A pack adapted to be mounted on a rotary wheel hub structure, comprising a radially extending inner clip member having means to pivotally engage the same with the hub structure to swing individually on an axis paralleling the rotative axis of the hub structure, a unit of finishing material, and mounting means slidably engaging said clip member to mount said unit of finishing material on said clip member for assembly, removal and replacement in relation to the latter and the hub structure, without requiring removal of said clip member from the hub structure.

2. The pack of claim 1, in which said inner clip member has a pivot portion engageable with a pivot part of the hub structure which parallels the latters rotative axis, and a formation also paralleling said axis, said mounting means comprising a clamping member for said unit of finishing material having a formation in mated, axially sliding engagement with said formation of the inner clip member.

3. The pack of claim 2, in which said clamping member has said mated formation adjacent a radially inner portion thereof.

4. The pack of claim 3, in which said formations of said members have tongue-and-groove type, slidable mating engagement with one another.

5. The pack of claim 2, in which said pivot portion of said inner clip member has a keyhole-type formation adjacent a radially inner end of the member to pivotally engage said pivot part of the hub structure.

6. The pack of claim 4, in which said pivot portion of said inner clip member has a keyhole-type formation adjacent a radially inner end of the member to pivotally engage said pivot part of the hub structure.

7. The pack of claim 2, in which said pivot portion of said inner clip member has an axial through-bore wholly surrounded by the material of said pivot portion and adapted to pivotally engage said pivot part of the hub structure.

8. The pack of claim 4, in which said pivot portion of said inner clip member has an axial through-bore wholly surrounded by the material of said pivot portion and adapted to pivotally engage said pivot part of the hub structure.

9. The pack of claim 6, in which a slot portion of said keyhole-type formation opens radially outwardly to the groove portion of a formation mating said members.

10. The pack of claim 4, in which the groove portion of a formation mating said members is on said inner clip member.

11. The pack of claim 9, in which said formationmating groove portion is on said inner clip member.

12. The pack of claim 4, in which the groove portion of a formation mating said members is on said clamping member.

13. The pack of claim 9, in which said formationmating groove portionis on said clamping member.

'14. A pack adapted to be mounted on a rotary hub structure having a rotative axis with said pack extending radially outward of the axis,.comprising a radially extending elongated inner clip member having means adapted to mount the same on the hub structure parallel to the rotative axis of the hub structure, a flap-like member of fill material presenting a radially outer portion adapted to engage a workpiece, and elongated mounting means including on the inner portion thereof means slidably engaging said inner clip member to mount said flap-like member of fill material on said inner clip member for assembly, removal and replacement in relation to the latter and the hub structure, without requring removal of said inner clip member from the hub structure, said mounting means having a length generally corresponding to the axial length of said elongated inner clip member, said mounting means having a radially outer and outwardly extending portion integral with said inner portion and coextensive thereith in overall axial length, to which outwardly extending portion a radially inner portion of said flap-like member is fixedly secured, said mounting means being movable relative to said inner clip member in a direction parallel to the rotative axis of the hub structure to effect said assembly, removal and replacement with respect to said inner clip member, said inner clip member including a formation, said mounting means including a formation in mated, axially sliding engagement with said formation on said inner clip member thuspreventing movement of said mounting means in a direction other than parallel to the axis of the hub structure.

15. The pack of claim 14, in which the formations of said inner clip member and said mounting means have tongue-and-groove type, slidable mating engagement with one another.

16. The pack of claim 14, in which said outwardly extending portion of said mounting means has at least two radially extending, circumferentially spaced arm formations integral and co-extensive therewith in overall axial length, between which arm formations the radially inner portion of said flap-like member is fixedly secured.

Claims

1. A pack adapted to be mounted on a rotary wheel hub structure, comprising a radially extending inner clip member having means to pivotally engage the same with the hub structure to swing individually on an axis paralleling the rotative axis of the hub structure, a unit of finishing material, and mounting means slidably engaging said clip member to mount said unit of finishing material on said clip member for assembly, removal and replacement in relation to the latter and the hub structure, without requiring removal of said clip member from the hub structure.

2. The pack of claim 1, in which said inner clip member has a pivot portion engageable with a pivot part of the hub structure which parallels the latter''s rotative axis, and a formation also paralleling said axis, said mounting means comprising a clamping member for said unit of finishing material having a formation in mated, axially sliding engagement with said formation of the inner clip member.

11. The pack of claim 9, in which said formation-mating groove portion is on said inner clip member.

13. The pack of claim 9, in which said formation-mating groove portion is on said clamping member.

14. A pack adapted to be mounted on a rotary hub structure having a rotative axis with said pack extending radially outward of the axis, comprising a radially extending elongated Inner clip member having means adapted to mount the same on the hub structure parallel to the rotative axis of the hub structure, a flap-like member of fill material presenting a radially outer portion adapted to engage a workpiece, and elongated mounting means including on the inner portion thereof means slidably engaging said inner clip member to mount said flap-like member of fill material on said inner clip member for assembly, removal and replacement in relation to the latter and the hub structure, without requring removal of said inner clip member from the hub structure, said mounting means having a length generally corresponding to the axial length of said elongated inner clip member, said mounting means having a radially outer and outwardly extending portion integral with said inner portion and coextensive thereith in overall axial length, to which outwardly extending portion a radially inner portion of said flap-like member is fixedly secured, said mounting means being movable relative to said inner clip member in a direction parallel to the rotative axis of the hub structure to effect said assembly, removal and replacement with respect to said inner clip member, said inner clip member including a formation, said mounting means including a formation in mated, axially sliding engagement with said formation on said inner clip member thus preventing movement of said mounting means in a direction other than parallel to the axis of the hub structure.