Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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METHOD AND APPARATUS OR FINISHING SURFACES
1 The invention relates to a method for finishing sun-
faces, e.g. sanding, polishing or the like of work
pieces by means of rotating sanding members, as well
as an apparatus for carrying out the method.
In the manufacture of profiled objects such as cup-
board doors, louvered doors or the like, the surface
should be sanded in order to give the surface the
necessary finish. For this use portable polishing
machines are known, which can be manually moved
across the objects. This requires a certain skill to
obtain a uniform result, just as coverings or the
like must be made in order to protect exposed parts
against rounding during the sanding. As mentioned,
the work requires skill as well as long time to sand
such objects and where mass production of uniform
objects is in question, it is a very costly and
laborious finishing process.
It is the object of the invention to remedy these
deficiencies and this is achieved by a method where
the work pieces are placed under a number of sanding
members mounted on preferably horizontally borne,
rotating spindles, which spindles are moved in a
turning movement, making the sanding members describe
a circular movement over the work pieces, at the same
time as the spindles may rotate. Hereby a hitherto
unknown degree of efficiency and quality is obtained
as the rotating sanding members are moved in a air-
cuter course over the work piece, which has the effect that the work pieces become quite uniformly
finished as the sanding members engage from all
sides. Hereby a completely uniform sanding result is
ensured.
31530
1 By letting the work pieces pass under the sanding
spindle, e.g. by means of a conveyor belt, a con-
tenuous finishing of the surface can take place in
a rational way. By a suitable choice of sanding means,
speed and tightening the desired quality and speed
of production can be obtained.
By rotating the sanding members in various directions
as disclosed in claim 2, it is possible by e.g. let
tying adjacent spindles rotate in opposite directions
to achieve a very smooth surface, which will show
no sanding traces since an opposite finishing will
take place all over the surface, as the work pieces
are moved under the sanding members.
By being able to determine the direction of rotation
as well as the engaging and disengaging of the rota-
lion of the sanding members in predetermined places
in the turning path of the spindles, as disclosed in
claim 3, it will be possible to program the sanding
so that it is possible to sand more or less carefully
and in certain directions, and without sanding steep
edges, terminal surfaces and the like so that the sans
ding result is improved.
By mounting the spindles, as disclosed in claim I
it is possible by means of simple driving means to
obtain a transfer of movement from a central rotating
cylinder to the individual spindles, which transfer
provides the possibility of bearing against either
the upper or the lower friction ring, which deter-
mines the direction of rotation of the spindle.
Finally, it is expedient, as disclosed in claim 53 to
~.~3~53(~
1 move the beddings of the spindles by means Or a cam,
which may act on a maneuvering lever whereby eying-
cement and disengagement as well as direction of rota-
lion of the spindle may be programmed by a suitable
location of cams.
The invention will be described further in the lot-
lowing with reference to the drawing, wherein
0 fig. 1 shows an apparatus seen in the direction
I-I in fig. 2,
fig. 2 shows the same apparatus seen in the
direction II-II in fig. 1, and
fig. 3 shows another embodiment of an appear-
tusk seen in the same direction as in fig.
2.
On fig. 1 and 2 an embodiment of the invention is
shown, viz. in form of a through-feed sanding machine
e.g. for wood finishing and denibbling of panels,
doors and gates with panels.
The machine comprises a not shown frame, on which is
mounted a conveyor belt for panel doors 12 being the
illustrated work piece. The conveyor comprises
two conveyor belts 13, which are moved by a shaft 15.
The doors are placed on the belt in such a way that
they abut. Furthermore, on both sides under the
sanding members 11 a guard 14 is placed, the upper
edge of which is in line with the surfaces of the
doors 12. Hereby the lateral edges of the doors are
~3:~53C~
1 protected against sanding, as the sanding members
cannot engage the edges, which will remain sharp.
The sanding arrangement itself is mounted above the
work pieces 12. In the shown example it comprises six
spindles 10 mounted in a not shown bedding that can
be turned around the center of the equipment. The axis
of rotation is vertical. Hereby the spindles 10 may
describe a circular movement, a motor 3 over a not
shown drive turning all the spindles. Each spindle
is provided with a steering arm 9 carrying at the top
a horizontally mounted roller 16, which during rota-
lion is moved under a stationary ring 5. On this ring
5 various cams or guides 17, 18 may be secured, which
may act on the steering arm 9 in vertical direction.
Furthermore, a cylinder 19 is embedded, which can be
made to rotate around a vertical shaft by means of a
motor 2. This cylinder is provided with an upper and
a lower slanting facing 6 and 7, which facings are
provided with a friction promoting material such as
rubber ox the like.
Between these two lacings 6, 7 a friction cone 8 is
mounted, which cone is secured to one end of the
spindle 10. By raising and lowering this cone by
way of the steering arm 9, the spindle can be made
to turn in two directions and if desired be risen-
gaged in the middle positions, as shown on fig. 2
by the left spindle.
Jo
This construction will permit programming of the
sanding process the choice of cams or guides de-
scribing the sanding process in such a way that the
I i31)
1 machine can be programmed in any desired way depend-
in on the prescribed sanding work.
The entire sanding equipment is secured to an upper
machine part 1 that can be raised or lowered in rota-
lion to the conveyor belt thus permitting the machine
to be adjusted in height to work piece and weed me
charism.
On fig. 3 another embodiment of the apparatus is
shown. It differs prom the apparatus shown and desert-
bed on fig. 1 and 2 in that it has a large U-shapedlya~e en
maneuvering arm 20, extending between a bedding 25
inside the rotating driving cylinder 19, and the
spindle 10 between the sanding member 11 and the cone
8. The bedding 25 is connected to toes Myra 3 in such
a way that the arms 20 and thus the punned 10 can
rotate around the cylinder 19.
Thus, the arm 20 can tilt around the bedding 25 so
that the cone 8 can be brought into contact with the
lower and toe upper friction ring 6, 7, respectively
on the cylinder 19.
On the upper side ox the arm 10 a roller 21 is mount-
Ed which con be turned around a vertical axis
During rotation of the spindle 10 this roller 21 can
be tilted in or out in relation to the ring by means
of cams 23 and 24 mounted on the stationary ring 5,
and thus swing the spindle 10 with the cone 8 up or
down in relation to the cylinder 19.
In order to hold the roller against the cams 23 and
24 one or more draw-springs 22 are mounted.
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1 By a suitable choice of cam size the direction ox
rotation for the spindles may be determined. As
shown on fig. 3, the left spindle is tilted so that
the cone 8 is in friction contact with the lower ring
6. A smaller cam 24, shown to the right on the draw-
in will make the cone engage the upper friction
ring 7 and hereby give the spindle an opposite direct
lion of rotation. A cam with a thickness in between
these mentioned cams will hold the cone in between
the friction rings 6 and 7 and thus stop the rota-
lion of the spindle.
Thus, by choosing the size of cam and place of these
on the ring 5 the sanding can be programmed in such
a way that it may be adapted individually according
to need. Furthermore, the very rigid construction
of arm, bedding and spindle provides a completely non-
vibrating and thus a smooth and precise sanding result.
The other parts shown on fig. I which correspond to
the parts shown on fig. 1 and 2 haze the same rerun
go numbers.
The shown motors 2 and 3 can be adjusted infinitely
variable, whereby the desired completely programmer
able through-feed machine can be obtained.
The sanding member 11 shown and described is a cry-
finder comprising juxtaposed rings with thin sanding
threads, which member may engage the work piece in
an efficient way. However, any form of sanding member,
polishing disc or wire brush, bronze brush or the
like may be used according to requirement
~IIL23~L530
1 Instead ox the described embodiment with steering
levers and cams, the machine may be provided with
different kinds ox control and adjustment means.
Thus, the spindle may be engaged and disengaged by
means of hydraulic or electromagnetic means, just as
an independent motor or each spindle would be
imaginable.
I
