System for replacement of sheet abrasive
AssigneeTimesavers, Inc.
InventorThomas Anderson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for rapid replacement of abrasive in machinery which uses the abrasive to finish the surfaces of workpieces that pass through the machinery on a belt, such as so-called widebelt sanders. One preferred embodiment of the system employs an abrasive material that is frictionally held on each edge to mounts. The position of the mounts may be varied to increase or decrease the tension of abrasive material against the working surface of the platen, that the assembly may be removed from the apparatus. In another embodiment, the abrasive material is formed with integral, permanent mounts on the edges of the abrasive material, so that the entire combination may be supplied or replaced as a unit. A variety of configurations of mounts may be used.
Claims40
A system for rapid replacement of an abrasive material having two opposed edges in a surface finishing machine having a non-removable platen, comprising:
- two rails, one on each longitudinal side of the platen, at least one of which is movable with respect to the platen;
- the abrasive material being held between two removable mounts by a frictional element on each of its two opposed edges;
- the mounts being shaped and sized to removably fit within the movable rails on each side of the platen.
A method of enabling rapid replacement of an abrasive material having longitudinally opposed edges in a surface finishing machine having a non-removable platen, comprising:
- providing the platen with a set of movable rails, one on each longitudinal side of the platen;
- frictionally holding the abrasive material by each of its longitudinally opposed edges in respective mounts, the mounts being shaped and sized to fit within respective rails;
- and
- providing at least one movable rail to control tension of the abrasive material around a working surface of the platen during normal use of the machine, so that the tension may be reduced to enable the abrasive material to be removed from the machine.
A combination of an abrasive material and a removable mount that frictionally secures a respective edge of the abrasive material within the mount, in which the mount is shaped and sized to fit within a rail located on one side of a non-removable platen of a surface finishing machine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.