US3818651A

US3818651A - Abrading and polishing wheels

Info

Publication number: US3818651A
Application number: US00308762A
Authority: US
Inventors: P Eells
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-11-22
Filing date: 1972-11-22
Publication date: 1974-06-25
Anticipated expiration: 1991-06-25

Abstract

A wheel for abrading and polishing operations, comprising a web adapted to be connected to a motor shaft, the web having an annular rim with a radial slot tapering from a smaller opening at the periphery of the rim to a larger opening interiorly thereof. A sleeve is rotatably supported between the inclined walls of the rim slot and pressed thereagainst in wedged relation. The sleeve is formed with a longitudinal split and an actuator rod is slidably disposed within the sleeve and has a longitudinal slot. A flexible strip of material, such as sand paper or emery cloth, is disposed about the rim periphery and the two ends of the strip are inserted through the tapered slot and into the aligned sleeve split and actuator rod slot. The actuator rod is manually rotated and this action pinches the two strip ends between margins of the sleeve split and the rod slot so that the sleeve is in turn rotated to wind the two strip ends thereabout. Winding action of the sleeve tensions the flexible strip about the rim periphery and also brings the wound strip ends into wedged frictional engagement with at least one of the two walls of the radial slot, to hold the flexible strip in tensioned relation. The actuator rod is then withdrawn from the sleeve.

Description

United States Patent 1 1 Eells 1 ABRADING AND POLISHING WHEELS [76] Inventor: Paul K. Eells, 7905 State Rt. 45,

Lisbon, Ohio 44432 [22] Filed: Nov. 22, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 308,762

Primary Examiner-Othell M. Simpson Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Michael Williams [57] ABSTRACT A wheel for abrading and polishing operations, com- 1 1 June 25, 1974 prising a web adapted to be connected to a motor shaft, the web having an annular rim with a radial slot tapering from a smaller opening at the periphery of the rim to a larger opening interiorly thereof. A sleeve is rotatably supported between the inclined walls of the rim slot and pressed thereagainst in wedged relation. The sleeve is formed with a longitudinal split and an actuator rod is slidably disposed within the sleeve and has a longitudinal slot. A flexible strip of material. such as sand paper or emery cloth, is disposed about the rim periphery and the two ends of the strip are inserted through the tapered slot and into the aligned sleeve split and actuator rod slot. The actuator rod is manually rotated and this action pinches the two strip ends between margins of the sleeve split and the rod slot so that the sleeve is in turn rotated to wind the two strip ends thereabout. Winding action of the sleeve tensions the flexible strip about the rim periphery and also brings the wound strip ends into wedged frictional engagement with at least one of the two walls of the radial slot, to hold the flexible strip in tensioned relation. The actuator rod is then withdrawn from the sleeve.

2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTED E 5 I974 SHEET 2 0F 2 ABRADING AND POLISHING WHEEIS BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY In the prior art known to me, winding sleeves have been used to tension abrading or polishing strips about the periphery of a rotatable wheel. Such sleeves have been formed with longitudinal slots into which the ends of the strips were inserted, so that susequent winding of the sleeve drew the strip tightly about the periphery of the wheel. In prior art constructions, however, difficulties were encountered in maintaining the strip tightly about the wheel during use, and complicated mechanisms have been proposed to solve these problems.

My invention also utilizes a winding sleeve, but the disposition of such sleeve with respect to the rotatable wheel has been simplified while at the same time such relative disposition insures a tight grip on the ends of the abrading or polishing strip at all times.

The winding sleeve, in accordance with my invention, is particularly useful with a wheel having a web and a rim. The rim has a radial slot tapering from a smaller opening at the periphery of the rim to a larger opening interiorly thereof. The sleeve has a longitudinal split and is disposed within the rim slot, and the ends of the abrading or polishing strip are inserted through the tapered slot and the sleeve split. The sleeve is urged into wedging relation with the walls defining the tapered slot so that the strip ends, when wound on the sleeve, will be wedged against at least one slot wall. The arrangement is such that centrifugal force resulting from rapid rotation of the wheel complements, rather than opposes the urging action againstthe sleeve.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings accompanying this specification and forming a part of this application, there is shown, for purpose of illustration, an embodiment which my invention may assume, and in these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an abrading or polishing wheel, showing a preferred embodiment of my invention,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view, corresponding to the line 2-2 of FIG. 4,

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, similar to FIG. 2, but showing parts in another relation,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, corresponding to the line 4-4 of FIG. 2, and showing the abrading or polishing strip in phantom lines, and

FIG. 5 is a separated perspective view of parts of the assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The wheel W herein disclosed has an annular rim which may include, if desired, an outer rubber ring 11 cemented thereto in order to provide a resilient backing for abrading or polishing operations. The wheel has a web 12 provided with a central opening 14 to fit the rotatable shaft of a motor (not shown). The web 12 is about one half the width of the rim 10, as best seen in FIG. 4, to provide a flat interior face 15.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the rim 10 has a radial slot S tapering from a smaller opening at the periphery of the rim to a larger opening interiorly thereof. As seen in FIG. 4, the larger opening of the radial slot leads into the space 16 which is free of the web 12, and the web itself has a relief opening 17 communicating with the larger slot opening. If used, the rubber ring 11 has an opening of a size substantially equal to the smaller opening of the radial slot.

Disposed crosswise of the rim 10 and fitting within the larger opening of the radial slot is a metallic sleeve 18 which has a longitudinal split 19, as best seen in FIG. 5. The sleeve, intermediate its ends, is formed with a transverse groove 20 in its periphery for a purpose to appear. It will be noted that the diameter of the sleeve 18 is larger than the smaller opening of the radial slot and, as a matter of fact, is large enough so that a peripheral portion thereof is disposed adjacent to the innermost end of the larger slot opening.

The sleeve is resiliently urged to 'wedged relation with the

walls

21, 22 defining the radial slot and this may be achieved in any suitable manner. In the embodiment disclosed, an arcuately shaped spring wire 23 lies along the flat face 15 of the web and has one end disposed in an annular groove 23 formed in the inner periphery of the rim, and is anchored in place by means of a pin 25. The free end of the spring wire fits within the transverse groove 20 in the sleeve 18 to restrain the latter against axial movement and to resiliently urge the sleeve to wedged relation with the

slot walls

21,22, as seen in FIG. 2. v

A rotator member 26 (see especially FIG. 5) has a rod portion 27 of an outside diameter to snugly but slidably fit within the sleeve. This rod portion isabout the same length as the sleeve and has a longitudinal slot 28. Any suitable means may be provided to rotate the member 26, such as the integrally connected, angularly extending handle 29. A stop pin 30 may be secured to the rod portion at the innermost end of the slot 28 to engage the end of the sleeve and thus limit insertion of the rod portion to a correct amount.

The abrading or polishing means is in the form of a flexible strip 31, such as sand paper, emery cloth, or the like. The strip is preferably of a width about equal to the width of the rim l0, and of a length so that both end portions thereof may be disposed through the radial slot S, through the split 19 of the sleeve 18, and into the longitudinal slot 28 of the rod portion 27, it being assumed that at this time, the split 19 and slot 28 are aligned as seen in FIG. 2. The length of the strip 31 is so chosen that with the end portions disposed as described, a certain amount of strip slack is provided about the periphery of the rim.

The rotator member 26 is then turned and a slight amount of relative rotation between the rod portion 27 and sleeve 18 will pinch the ends of the flexible strip between the margins of the rod portion slot 28 and the sleeve split 19 and thus cause rotation of the sleeve 18. As seen in FIG. 3, rotation of the sleeve will cause the ends of the flexible strip to be wound thereabout and the free end of the spring wire 23 will now press against the wound ends and urge them to wedged relation with the wall 22 of the radial slot S. If desired, the sleeve may be rotated sufficiently to wind enough of the strip ends thereabout so that the wound ends are pressed into wedged relation with both

walls

21,22 of the radial slot, but the amount of rotation shown in FIG. 3 is sufficient for most purposes. As the strip ends are wound about the sleeve, the strip intermediate the ends is drawn snugly against the periphery of the rim 10, or against the periphery of the rubber ring, if used, and the degree of rotation required of the sleeve 18 will be governed by the amount needed to snugly tighten the strip about the rim periphery.

The rotator member 26 may then be removed'by longitudinally withdrawing the rod portion 27 from the sleeve, so that the final assembly is that shown in FIG. 3. Since the wheel has a split rim and has the sleeve 18 offset from the wheel center, it is preferable to balance the wheel and the parts indicated by reference numeral 32 represent lead weights held in cross bores in the rim 10.

I claim:

1. A wheel for abrading and polishing operations, comprising:

a web having an annular rim, the web having means for attaching the wheel to a revolvable shaft,

said rim having a radial slot tapering from a smaller opening at the periphery of said rim to a larger opening interiorly thereof,

a sleeve disposed crosswise of said rim and rotatably fitting within said slot, said sleeve having an outside diameter which is larger than the smaller opening of said slot, and said sleeve having a longitudinal split,

resilient means urging said sleeve in a direction toward the smaller opening of said tapered slot to wedge the sleeve between the oppostely disposed walls defining said slot,

a flexible strip having an abrading or polishing surface and adapted to be disposed tightly about the periphery of said rim, said strip intermediate its ends being positioned against said rim periphery and the two end portions of said strip extending through said tapered slot and through said sleeve split and disposed within said sleeve,

rotation of said sleeve causing said end portions to wind thereabout and thereby tighten said strip about the periphery of said rim, the wound end portions engaging at least one of said oppositely disposed slot walls and being held wedged thereagainst by the urging action of said resilient means, and a rotator member for rotating said sleeve, said rotator member comprising a rod fitting within said sleeve and having a longitudinal slot adapted to be aligned with the sleeve split and into which fit the end portions of said strip, said rod being manually rotatable and being removable from said sleeve by pulling it axially out of said sleeve.

2. The method of securing a flexible abrasive or pol-- ishing strip tightly about the peripheral of the rim of a wheel, comprising:

disposing said strip flatwise against the periphery of said rim with the operating side outward,

inserting the two ends of the strip through a radial slot which tapers from a smaller end at the rim periphery to a larger end interiorly thereof, and also inserting said strip ends through a longitudinal split in a cylindrical sleeve which is rotatably supported between the two inclined walls of said rim slot and further inserting said strip ends into a longitudinal slot in an actuator rod disposed within said sleeve when the rod slot and sleeve split are aligned,

pressing said sleeve into wedged relation with said rim slot walls,

rotating said rod to pinch the strip ends between margins of the rod slot and the sleeve split and thereby in turn rotating said sleeve and withdrawing the rod from the sleeve when the wound strip ends are pressed into frictional engagement with at least one of the walls of the rim slot.

Claims

1. A wheel for abrading and polishing operations, comprising: a web having an annular rim, the web having means for attaching the wheel to a revolvable shaft, said rim having a radial slot tapering from a smaller opening at the periphery of said rim to a larger opening interiorly thereof, a sleeve disposed crosswise of said rim and rotatably fitting within said slot, said sleeve having an outside diameter which is larger than the smaller opening of said slot, and said sleeve having a longitudinal split, resilient means urging said sleeve in a direction toward the smaller opening of said tapered slot to wedge the sleeve between the oppostely disposed walls defining said slot, a flexible strip having an abrading or polishing surface and adapted to be disposed tightly about the periphery of said rim, said strip intermediate its ends being positioned against said rim periphery and the two end portions of said strip extending through said tapered slot and through said sleeve split and disposed within said sleeve, rotation of said sleeve causing said end portions to wind thereabout and thereby tighten said strip about the periphery of said rim, the wound end portions engaging at least one of said oppositely disposed slot walls and being held wedged thereagainst by the urging action of said resilient means, and a rotator member for rotating said sleeve, said rotator member comprising a rod fitting within said sleeve and having a longitudinal slot adapted to be aligned with the sleeve split and into which fit the end portions of said strip, said rod being manually rotatable and being removable from said sleeve by pulling it axially out of said sleeve.

2. The method of securing a flexible abrasive or polishing strip tightly about the peripheral of the rim of a wheel, comprising: disposing said strip flatwise against the periphery of said rim with the operating side outward, inserting the two ends of the strip through a radial slot which tapers from a smaller end at the rim periphery to a larger end interiorly thereof, and also inserting said strip ends through a longitudinal split in a cylindrical sleeve which is rotatably supported between the two inclined walls of said rim slot and further inserting said strip ends into a longitudinal slot in an actuator rod disposed within said sleeve when the rod slot and sleeve split are aligned, pressing said sleeve into wedged relation with said rim slot walls, rotating said rod to pinch the strip ends between margins of the rod slot and the sleeve split and thereby in turn rotating said sleeve and withdrawing the rod from the sleeve when the wound strip ends are pressed into frictional engagement with at least one of the walls of the rim slot.