Belt grinding assembly having pivoting means

A grinding assembly according to claim I wherein said cam bar track is constructed from a cold rolled steel material and has an overall depth of one inch, a maximum width of four and one-half (4.5) inches, and

• said cam bar track comprises first, second and third channel portions each having ends, wherein:
• the third channel portion has a trailing surface with a vertical length of approximately 3 and 5/8 inches and a chamfered end surface,
• the second channel portion has a middle surface that is situated relative to the trailing surface at an included angle of about eighty-three (83) degrees and has a length of approximately four (4) inches,
• the first channel portion has a lead in surface that is situated at an included angle of about eighty-three degrees relative to the middle surface, the first channel portion having an overall length of approximately twelve (12) inches, and
• means for adjusting the location of the cam bar track relative to the workpiece feed axis to control the shape of the surface ground on the object.

A belt grinding assembly for forming a new surface on an object, said grinding assembly comprising:

• frame means;
• a belt grinding mechanism comprising:
• a continuous abrasive belt having a backing with front and rear surfaces, and abrasive granules attached along said front surface;
• means for driving said abrasive belt i a first direction along a path relative to said frame means;
• backup means having a support surface for said belt along said path;
• a wheel having a periphery, a wheel axis at a right angle to said first direction, and a wheel radius defined from said wheel axis;
• means mounting said wheel on said frame means for rotation about said wheel axis;
• drive means for rotating the periphery of said wheel past said support surface at a uniform rate of speed and in a first rotational direction;
• a plurality of object holder assemblies having radially outward and inward sides, each object holder assembly including engagement means for releasably engaging and holding an object along said radially outward side, said object holder assemblies including:
• pivotal mounting means for mounting said object holder assemblies about object holder assembly axes that are parallel to the axis of the wheel and which are spaced about the periphery of said wheel;
• said pivotal mounting means mounting each of said object holder assemblies with said engagement means projecting radially outwardly of said wheel for pivotal movement about said object holder axis between a pre-grinding position and a post-grinding position with pivotal movement of said object holder assembly from said pre-grinding to said post-grinding position being generally in said firs rotational direction of said wheel;
• biasing means for biasing each object holder assembly toward said pre-grinding position;
• pivoting cam means generally adjacent said support surface for pivoting each object holder assembly from said pre-grinding position to said post-grinding position against the bias of said biasing means during movement of the object holder assembly past said back-up means to bring an object into forceful engagement with the abrasive belt along said support surface so that a radius may be ground on the object.

A grinding assembly for forming a new surface on an object, said grinding assembly comprising:

• frame means;
• machining means comprising:
• means for grinding a workpiece,
• means for driving said means for grinding a workpiece along a grinding path relative to said frame means;
• and
• workpiece feed means comprising a member having an arcuate peripheral portion having a workpiece feed axis and a workpiece feed radius defined from said workpiece feed axis;
• means mounting said workpiece feed means on said frame means or rotation of at least a portion of said workpiece feed means about said workpiece feed axis along a workpiece feed path;
• drive means for rotating at least a portion of the peripheral portion of said workpiece feed means past said machining means in a first direction;
• and
• a plurality of object holder assemblies having radially outward and inward sides, each object holder assembly including engagement means for releasably engaging and holding an object along said radially outward side, said object holder assemblies including:
• pivotal mounting means for mounting said object holder assemblies about object holder assembly axes that are parallel to the workpiece feed axis and which are spaced bout the peripheral portion of said workpiece feed means;
• said pivotal mounting means mounting each of said object holder assemblies with said engagement means projecting radially outwardly of said workpiece feed means for pivotal movement about said object holder axis between a pre-grinding position and a post-grinding position with pivotal movement of said object holder assembly from said pre-grinding to said post-grinding position being generally in said first direction of said workpiece feed means;
• cam means generally adjacent said machining means for pivoting each object holder assembly from said pre-grinding position to said post-grinding position during movement of the object holder assembly past said machining means to bring an object into forceful engagement with the machining means so that a radius may be ground on the object.