Method and apparatus for media finishing
OwnerJeffrey William McEnenyinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and associated method are disclosed for finishing the surfaces of workpieces, and that is particularly suitable for metal workpieces. The apparatus includes a tub, finishing media in the tub, means for moving the media in the tub in a generally revolving motion in the tub, and means for positioning and rotating a workpiece to be polished in the media about an axis that is oblique to the axis about which the media revolves and without moving the position of the workpiece with respect to the tub as the workpiece rotates.
Claims16
An apparatus for finishing the surfaces of workpieces, and that is particularly suitable for polishing the surfaces of metal workpieces, said apparatus comprising:
- a toroidal tub;
- finishing media in said toroidal tub;
- vibrating means for moving said media in said tub in a generally revolving helical motion in said tub;
- means for positioning a workpiece to be polished in said media and rotating the workpiece in said media about an axis that is oblique to and does not intersect with the axis about which said media revolves and without moving the position of the workpiece with respect to said tub as the workpiece rotates.
An apparatus for finishing the surfaces of workpieces, and that is particularly suitable for polishing the surfaces of metal workpieces with complex shapes, said apparatus comprising:
- a horizontally positioned toroidal bowl, the center of which defines a vertical axis;
- a finishing media in said bowl;
- means for vibrating said bowl in a pattern that urges said media to move in revolving helical fashion around said vertical axis of said bowl.
- two rotatable spindles positioned to extend into said media in said bowl obliquely to but non-intersecting with said vertical axis of said bowl, each said spindle having means for mounting a workpiece thereon with the workpiece in said finishing media;
- and
- means for rotating said spindles and the workpieces thereon in said finishing media as said media revolves in said bowl and without moving the position of the spindle with respect to the bowl as the workpiece rotates.
A method of mass finishing objects comprising:
- positioning an object in a tub of finishing media;
- moving the media in a generally helical and revolving path that intersects the position of said object while;
- vibrating the moving media as it revolves;
- and while;
- rotating the object in the media about an axis that is oblique to and does not intersect with the axis of revolution of the media without moving the position of the object with respect to the tub.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.