Force-balanced air supply for pneumatic tools

A method of force-balancing the air supply to a pneumatic tool assembly comprising a housing having a central axis and an air block operative to receive a supply of pressurized air and a pneumatic tool, comprising:

• directing air to said tool assembly through said air block in a non-axial direction, thereby imparting a non-axial force to said assembly;
• passing air from said air block via a first air passage to an annular air supply ring disposed circumferentially about the tool and operative to supply air to the tool;
• and
• passing a portion of said air from said annular air supply ring to at least one balancing air passage to create air pressure in said at least one balancing air passage that is generally equal to that in said first air passage, said at least one balancing air passage operative to oppose said force.

A method of supplying air to a pneumatic tool having a central axis without inducing a force on said tool, comprising:

• disposing an annular air supply ring axially around said tool, said air supply ring covering an air inlet aperture in said tool;
• directing air to said tool through said annular air supply ring via a first air passage;
• and
• force-balancing said annular air supply ring against force induced by air pressure in said first air passage by directing air to at least one balancing air passage, the air pressure in said at least one balancing air passage operative to balance said induced force.

A pneumatic tool assembly having substantially equal compliance in all radial directions about a central axis, comprising:

• a housing;
• a pneumatic tool mounted in said housing;
• a compliance force mechanism coupling said pneumatic tool to said housing, said compliance force mechanism operative to impart a substantially equal compliance force to said pneumatic tool in all radial directions about said axis;
• a non-axial air block in said housing, operative to receive a supply of pressurized air;
• a first air passage in said housing, in airflow relation with said air block;
• an annular air supply ring in said housing, in airflow relation with said first air passage, said ring disposed about the axis of the tool and operative to supply air to the tool;
• and
• at least one balancing air passage in said housing, in airflow relation with said annular air supply ring and operative to oppose a non-axial force induced by air flowing through said air block.

A pneumatic tool assembly having a central axis, comprising:

• a pneumatic tool disposed in a housing;
• a gimbal disposed in the housing and moveably supporting the tool;
• an air supply manifold disposed in the housing, axially spaced from the gimbal and operative to supply air to an air inlet in the tool;
• wherein air is directed through the gimbal, and subsequently to the air supply manifold.

A pneumatic tool assembly having a central axis, comprising:

• a housing;
• a pneumatic tool having a longitudinal axis disposed in the housing such that the tool longitudinal axis is generally aligned with the assembly central axis;
• air supply device for supplying air to the tool in a non-axial direction;
• and
• means associated with the air supply device for counterbalancing non-axial force induced on the pneumatic tool by air entering the air supply device.