Belt sander with orbitally translated abrasive belt

A method of sanding products comprising:

• (a) placing a product on a conveyor belt that moves the product through an abrading area;
• and
• (b) abrading the product in the abrading area by a mechanism having a sanding head comprising an endless abrasive belt rotating around an upper arcuate plate and a lower roller, a first motor for rotating the lower roller of the sanding head where the rotation of the lower roller causes the abrasive belt to rotate endlessly around the upper arcuate plate and lower roller, at least one rotatable eccentric shaft rotatably mounted at one end to the upper arcuate plate and at the other end to the lower roller of the sanding head, and a second motor for rotating the at least one eccentric shaft wherein rotation of the at least one eccentric shaft causes the sanding head to move in a translational orbital movement.

A method of sanding products comprising:

• (a) placing a product on a conveyor belt that moves the product through an abrading area;
• and
• (b) abrading the product in the abrading area by a mechanism having a sanding head comprising an endless abrasive belt rotating around an upper arcuate plate and a lower roller, a first motor for rotating the lower roller of the sanding head where the rotation of the lower roller causes the abrasive belt to rotate endlessly around the upper arcuate plate and lower roller, a pair of eccentric shafts comprising an eccentric shaft on each side of the abrasive belt that extends between the upper arcuate plate and the lower roller of the sanding head wherein each shaft is rotatably mounted at each end thereof in a corresponding upper and lower bearing, and a second motor for rotating the eccentric shafts wherein rotation of the eccentric shafts causes the sanding head to move in a translational orbital movement.