Surface treatment tool

Abstract

By, according to the invention, designing a surface treatment tool with a grinding head (16, 17) with cylindrical rollers (18), so that the tool (16, 17, 18) is balanced by weight because the tool's centre of gravity is close to the tool's surface treatment area, the tool (18) will automatically adjust according to the surface (25) of the treated workpiece, regardless of the level of the surface. Hereby is achieved a previously unknown simple way to surface treat, be it flat and curved workpiece surfaces alike. Furthermore, the tool (16,17,18) is balanced by weight so that treatment pressure can be adjusted according to need.

Claims

1. A surface treatment tool for treatment of workpiece surfaces (25), which tool comprises a rotating tool head (13,14,15,16) which is radially mounted several rotating tools (17,18), which rotating tools (17,18) include cylindrical, cutting or grinding rollers (18), wherein the tool head (13,14,15,16) is fitted with opposite bearings (12) being rotatably mounted to ends (10,11) of a suspension thereby providing said tool head (13,14,15,16) with an axis (20) of rotation, wherein the suspension is rotatably mounted to a fitting bearing (9) thereby providing the suspension with an axis (21) of rotation which is perpendicular on the axis (20) of rotation of the tool head (13,14,15,16), wherein the fitting bearing (9) is rotatably mounted to a fitting bracket (8) that is tiltable about a tilt axis (22) perpendicular to the axis (21) of the rotation of the suspension, wherein the ends (10,11) of said suspension are rotatably mounted to said opposite bearings (12) at a position below the fitting bracket (8) such that the axis of rotation (20) of the tool head is positioned at a level below the axis of rotation (21) of the suspension (10, 11).

2. The surface treatment tool according to claim 1, further comprising a supporting frame having legs (3, 4) mounted to a support bracket or base plate (1) wherein the fitting bracket (8) is supported by the supporting frame.

3. The surface treatment tool according to claim 2, wherein the supporting frame is supported by a weight compensator (6) comprising an actuator for compensation of the weight of the tool head (13,14,15,16) and the suspension ends (10, 11).

4. A method of treating a shaped surface with the surface treatment tool according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) An embodiment for a surface treatment tool will be described in detail in the following with reference to the drawing where

(2) FIG. 1 shows a side view of a horizontally suspended tool,

(3) FIG. 2 shows the tool from above, and

(4) FIG. 3 shows the tool head treating a workpiece with an inclined surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) The embodiment shown in the figures will in the following be described as a device for especially grinding, delustring and similar surfaces where the tool is shaped as a grinding roller known as Fladdervalser.

(6) These rollers 18 are, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, cylindrical tools consisting of slotted circular grinding elements which are juxtaposed to form a roller, thereby obtaining a grinding tool that is safe to use as a uniform grinding effect is obtained even where there are level differences in the workpiece surface.

(7) As is shown by the figures, each roller 18 is secured to an axle-journal 17, of which this example has six journals spread evenly around the grinding head.

(8) This grinding head contains a gearing driven by a motor 16.

(9) The exchange is such that the grinding rollers 18 will be rotated around the centre axis of the tool, axis of rotation 19, in one direction 23, while the grinding rollers 18 will be rotated in adjacent opposite directions 24, as indicated with arrows in FIG. 3. This is to obtain a uniform surface treatment.

(10) To rotate the grinding head a motor 13 with a gear 14 is mounted to the motor 16. The gear 14 is in engagement with a gear rim 15 on the grinding head.

(11) Instead of the grinding rollers, rollers with other treatment means such as metal brushes, cutting rollers, polishing rollers, rolling sanders, and similar depending on the purpose, can be mounted in exactly the same way.

(12) The motor 16 is fitted with opposite bearings 12 being rotatably mounted to the ends 10,11 of a suspension, thereby providing the tool head 13,14,15,16 with an axis of rotation denoted 20.

(13) The ends 10,11 of the suspension are in the form of a fork-like arm, as shown in FIG. 2.

(14) These ends 10,11 are rotatably mounted to a fitting bearing 9, thereby providing the suspension with an axis of rotation 21 perpendicular to the suspension axis 20 of the tool head in the opposite bearings 12. The fitting bearing is furthermore rotatably mounted to a fitting bracket 8, which makes the fitting bracket tiltable around an axis 22 perpendicular to the axis of rotation 21 and parallel to the suspension axis 20 of the tool head. These configurations constitute the gimbal effect of the tool head, which ensures that the tools 18 will always seek a position where they are leveled and dependent of the surface shape of the workpiece.

(15) The fitting bracket 8 is supported by a supporting frame comprising two legs 3, 4, which supporting frame has ends 2 that are mounted to the surface treatment tool's support bracket 1.

(16) To balance the tool there is, under a traversing beam 7 which connects the legs of the supporting device 3,4, mounted a weight compensator 6, which can be of any suitable kind; mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic.

(17) By means of this weight compensator 6, the weight of the tool head can be adjusted so that the tools 18 get the desired weight, and thereby the desired pressure against the surface of the workpiece 25.

(18) If a higher treatment pressure is desired the balance is reduced, whereby the weight of the tool head is increased and vice versa. Hereby, the treatment pressure can be adjusted according to need.

(19) By means of this device an even treatment pressure can be ensured, as well as a completely uniform treatment of the surface is ensured, whether this surface is arched, curved, concave or convex.

(20) Furthermore, the weight balancing and the device's own weight together with the gimballed grinding equipment ensures a previously unknown freedom of treatment as the tool automatically adjusts according to the condition and shape of the surface.

(21) This self-adjustment is achieved by simple means with no operational disadvantages; on the contrary a high degree of reliability, low wear and thus long durability is achieved without the use of energy and components such as adjustment equipment comprising sensors and adjustment settings.