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US 5,964,645 AGranted
Window polisher
AssigneeDouglas Industries, Inc.
InventorThomas Jemt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automatic polishing machine for polishing aircraft windows uses pressurized air to create a suction to hold the polishing unit on the aircraft, creates a suction to automatically pick up a polishing pad, which is impregnated with polishing compound, and, using a motor driving through a flexible drive joint, and using X and Y axis step motors, drives a polish head along the aircraft window, polishing the window.
Claims20
A machine for automatically polishing aircraft windows, comprising:
- a polish head mounting block defining a vertical direction;
- a polish head shaft mounted on said polish head mounting block, said polish head shaft having a hollow interior and an upper end and a lower end;
- a motor which rotates said polish head shaft relative to said polish head mounting block;
- a flexible drive joint mounted at the lower end of said polish head shaft;
- a polish head mounted on said flexible drive joint so that said polish head is rotationally driven by said polish head shaft and can pivot relative to said shaft;
- said flexible drive joint having a hollow interior which communicates with the hollow interior of said polish head shaft;
- and
- said polish head being permeable, so that pressurized air passing through the hollow interior of said polish head shaft passes through said flexible drive joint and through said permeable polish head, and so that, if a vacuum is drawn on the interior of said polish head shaft, it pulls a suction through said polish head and through said flexible drive joint.
5 more elements
A method of cleaning aircraft windows, comprising the steps of:
- mounting the frame of a polishing machine, having a polish head, on the aircraft on top of a window;
- providing pressurized air, water, and electricity to said polishing machine and turning on the machine;
- mounting a kit including a plurality of polish pads on said frame;
- directing the polish head of the machine to go to the kit, and using the pressurized air to provide a vacuum to the polish head, using that vacuum at the polish head to pick up the polish pad;
- directing the machine to squirt water and to rotate the polish head as the polish head follows a predetermined path along the window to polish the window;
- and
- directing the machine to provide pressurized air to the polish head to eject the polish pad after the predetermined path has been completed.
4 more elements
A polishing machine for polishing aircraft windows, comprising:
- a frame defining upward, downward, forward, rear, left and right directions;
- a plurality of suction feet mounted to said frame and directed downwardly;
- a polish head mounted on said frame and directed downwardly;
- a first pressurized gas line connected to said polishing machine, through which pressurized gas is supplied to said polishing machine, said first pressurized gas line including conduits to said suction feet;
- a first venturi valve in fluid communication with said first pressurized gas line, wherein, when said first venturi valve is in a first position, it provides pressurized air to said suction feet, and, when said first venturi valve is in a second position, it uses the pressurized air to create a suction at said suction feet.
2 more elements
A polishing machine for polishing aircraft windows, comprising:
- a frame defining upward, downward, forward, rear, left and right directions;
- a plurality of suction feet mounted on said frame and directed downwardly;
- a polish head mounted on said frame and directed downwardly;
- a first pressurized gas line connected to said polishing machine, whereby pressurized gas may be supplied to said polishing machine, said first pressurized gas line including conduits to said suction feet;
- a second pressurized gas line connected to said polishing machine, said second pressurized gas line in fluid communication with said polish head;
- a first venturi valve in fluid communication with said first pressurized gas line, wherein, when said first venturi valve is in a first position, it provides pressurized air to said suction feet, and, when said first venturi valve is in a second position, it uses the pressurized air to create a suction at said suction feet;
- a second venturi valve in fluid communication with said second pressurized gas line, wherein, when said second venturi valve is in a first position, it provides pressurized gas to blow a polish pad away from said polish head, and, when said second venturi valve is in a second position, it creates a vacuum at said suction head for holding a polish pad on said polish head;
- a first step motor mounted on said frame for providing the forward-to-rearward motion of said polish head;
- a second step motor mounted on said frame for providing the left-to-right motion of said polish head;
- an air-operated motor mounted on said frame, said air-operated motor being mounted to rotate said polish head when pressurized air is provided to the air-operated motor;
- and
- a piston-cylinder combination mounted on said frame to raise and lower said polish head.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.