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, which tool comprises a rotating tool head on which is radially mounted several rotating tools (18), which tools include cylindrical, cutting or grinding rollers, wherein the tool is fitted with opposite bearings (12) with an axis of rotation (20) to which bearings (12) the ends of a suspension (10,11) are mounted, which suspension is mounted to a to a fitting aperture (8, 9) in an axis (21) of rotation, which axes (20, 21) run perpendicular to each other, wherein the axis of rotation (20) runs in a level below the axis of rotation (21) of the suspension (10, 11), and where the weight of the tool (17, 18) below the axis of rotation (20) is bigger than the weight of the too (13, 16) above the axis of rotation (20).

2. The surface treatment tool according to claim 1, wherein the fitting aperture (8, 9) comprises a supporting frame (3, 4) mounted (2) to a support bracket or base plate (1).

3. The surface treatment tool according to claim 2, wherein the supporting frame (3,4) is supported by a weight compensator (6) comprising an actuator for compensation of the weight of the tool (16, 17, 18) and the suspension (10, 11) and thus pressure of the tool (18) against a workpiece surface (25).

4. The surface treatment tool according to claim 2, wherein the suspension (10,11) is rotatably mounted in the fitting aperture (8).

5. A method of treating a surface with the surface treatment tool according to claim 1, wherein the surface is flat or uneven, including one or more of concave, convex and curved, and which extends substantially horizontally, vertically, or in between.

6. A surface treatment tool for treatment of workpiece surfaces, which tool comprises a rotating tool head having several radially mounted rotating tools mounted thereon, wherein the rotating tools include cylindrical, cutting or grinding rollers, wherein the tool head is suspended for rotation about a suspension axis between separated ends of arms of a suspension device, wherein the suspension arms are supported at joined ends opposite to the separated ends by a fitting with a first axis of rotation that runs perpendicular to the suspension axis, wherein the suspension axis runs on a level below the first axis of rotation of the fitting, wherein the surface treatment tool has a center of gravity below the suspension axis, wherein the center of gravity is situated on a rotation axis of the rotating tool head that is perpendicular to the suspension axis.

7. The surface treatment tool according to claim 6, wherein the suspension device is mounted at the joined ends for adjustment in position in response to movement of the fitting, wherein the supporting device has an actuator to move the fitting so that the center of gravity of the tool head is moved toward or away from a surface of a workpiece in order to adjust pressure exerted by the rotating tools against the surface of the workpiece.

8. The surface treatment tool according to claim 6, wherein the fitting has a second axis that is parallel to the suspension axis, and wherein the fitting is connected to a supporting device.

9. The surface treatment tool according to claim 8, wherein the supporting device has an actuator to move the fitting relative to a support of the supporting device.

10. A method of treating a surface with the surface treatment tool according to claim 6, wherein the surface is flat or uneven, including one or more of concave, convex and curved, and which extends substantially horizontally, vertically, or in between.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0017] An embodiment for a surface treatment tool will be described in detail in the following with reference to the drawing where

[0018] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a horizontally suspended tool,

[0019] FIG. 2 shows the tool from above, and

[0020] FIG. 3 shows the tool head treating a workpiece withan inclined surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] 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?.

[0022] 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.

[0023] 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.

[0024] This grinding head contains a gearing driven by a motor 16.

[0025] 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.

[0026] To rotate the house is mounted a motor 13 with a gear 14, which is in engagement with a gear rim 15. In this way, the tools can be rotated on the same level as runs perpendicular on the axis of rotation 19.

[0027] 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.

[0028] The tool head is suspended in bearings 12, which are mounted on each side of the head so that they run in the centre level and so that the tool head with the tools 18 will have its centre of gravity in or close to the centre axis 19 by means of the suspension 12 in the head's axis of rotation. In this way, all the tools 18 will be on the same level.

[0029] In addition to being levelled the tool will, during the rotations and the rotation of the rollers, be in a balanced position. This is because the individual rollers 18 during their rotation will function as flywheels rotating in opposite directions during their rotation around the centre axis 19. This makes for a stable system as rotating flywheels on axles that rotate around a central axis.

[0030] This phenomenon, which is called precession and is known from gyroscopes, has the effect of achieving an almost complete balance of the occurring moments of inertia in the rotating parts and thereby an unusually even and uniform treatment of the workpiece. In addition are the major operational advantages which are achieved by this completely even load on tools, gears and bearings.

[0031] To obtain the gimbals of the tool house it is, as mentioned, mounted 12 to suspension in the form of a fork-like arm comprising two arms 10, 11, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0032] These arms are joined in a bearing 9 with an axis of rotation 21 for the suspension, which is perpendicular on the suspension axis 20 of the tool house. This constitutes the gimbal of the tool head which ensures that the head and thereby the tools 18 will always seek a position where they are levelled and dependent of the surface shape of the workpiece, and wherein the tool's centre of gravity will move towards the axis 19.

[0033] The position of the suspension 9 is embedded in a bearing house 8, which is supported by a device comprising two legs 3, 4, which ends are mounted 2 to the support bracket or base plate 1 of the device. This position 8 is tiltable around an axis 22, allowing the tool head to tilt up and down and in such a way that the tool can follow the surface contours 25. Not shown embedded barriers in the form of stops ensure that the tool head remains within its working area.

[0034] To balance the tool there is, under a traversing beam 7 which connects the legs of the supporting device 3,4, mounted an actuator 6, which can be of any suitable kind; mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic.

[0035] By means of this actuator 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.

[0036] 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.

[0037] 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 being arched, curved, concave or convex.

[0038] 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.

[0039] 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.