US 10,144,106 B2Granted

Adjustable stroke mechanism for random orbital machine

AssigneeLake Country Manufacturing, Inc.

InventorsScott S. McLain, Mark Snyker

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An adjustable stroke mechanism for a random orbital machine including a housing having a wall enclosing a cavity, an adjuster ring surrounding the housing and having a first set of gear teeth along a first portion of an inner surface, and a second set of gear teeth along a second portion of the inner surface, a counterweight having gear teeth on an exterior surface disposed within the housing, and a bearing carriage having gear teeth disposed within the housing. At least one counterweight gear that meshes with the gear teeth of the counterweight and the first set of gear teeth of the adjuster ring, and at least one bearing carriage gear that meshes with the gear teeth of the bearing carriage and the second set of gear teeth of the adjuster ring, so that movement of the adjuster ring causes movement of both the counterweight and the bearing carriage.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An adjustable stroke mechanism for a random orbital machine comprising:

a housing having a circular wall enclosing a cavity, wherein the wall includes a plurality of apertures;
an adjuster ring surrounding an outer surface of the wall of the housing, the adjuster ring having a first set of gear teeth along a first portion of an inner surface of the adjuster ring and a second set of gear teeth along a second portion of the inner surface of the adjuster ring;
a counterweight disposed within the housing, the counterweight having an orifice formed therein and a set of gear teeth along an exterior surface thereof;
at least one counterweight gear disposed between the counterweight and the adjuster ring and within one of the plurality of apertures in the wall of the housing, the at least one counterweight gear configured to mesh with the first set of gear teeth of the adjuster ring and the set of gear teeth of the counterweight so that rotation of the adjuster ring causes movement of the counterweight;
a bearing carriage disposed within the housing, the bearing carriage having an orifice formed therein and a set of gear teeth along an exterior surface thereof;
and
at least one bearing carriage gear disposed between the bearing carriage and the adjuster ring and within another of the plurality of apertures in the wall of the housing, the at least one bearing carriage gear configured to mesh with the second set of gear teeth of the adjuster ring and the set of gear teeth of the bearing carriage so that rotation of the adjuster ring causes movement of the bearing carriage.

4 more elements

A method of adjusting a stroke of a random orbital machine comprising:

coupling an adjustable stroke mechanism to a random orbital machine, the adjustable stroke mechanism comprising:
a housing with a circular wall enclosing a cavity;
an adjuster ring surrounding an outer surface of the circular wall;
a counterweight disposed within the cavity;
a counterweight gear disposed within the cavity;
a bearing carriage disposed within the cavity;
and
a bearing axle coupled to the bearing carriage;
rotating the adjuster ring, the adjuster ring having a first set of gear teeth along a first portion of an inner surface of the adjuster ring and a second set of gear teeth along a second portion of the inner surface of the adjuster ting;
wherein rotating the adjuster ring causes the counterweight gear to rotate and the counterweight to move, the counterweight gear configured to mesh with the first set of gear teeth of the adjuster ring, and the counterweight having a set of gear teeth configured to mesh with the counterweight gear;
and
wherein rotating the adjuster ring causes the bearing carriage gear to rotate and the bearing carriage to move, the bearing carriage gear configured to mesh with the second set of gear teeth of the adjuster ring, and the bearing carriage having a set of gear teeth configured to mesh with the bearing carriage gear.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/339,317Filed 31 Oct 2016 · us provisional application
Priority: 2 Nov 2015
Published: US 2017/0120413 A14 May 2017
Granted: 4 Dec 2018
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

B24B 23/02
Portable grinding machines, e.g. hand-guided; Accessories therefor: with rotating grinding tools; Accessories therefor
B24B 23/028
With rotating grinding tools; Accessories therefor: angle tools
B24B 23/03
With rotating grinding tools; Accessories therefor: the tool being driven in a combined movement
B24B 23/04
Portable grinding machines, e.g. hand-guided; Accessories therefor: with oscillating grinding tools; Accessories therefor