Roto-finish Company, Inc.

Gunther W Balz

Henry L Upjohn, Ii

A method for the surface finishing of a part or workpiece with loose particulate finishing material or media comprising the steps of providing a first body of finishing media, providing a second body of finishing media, said first body and said second body being in side-by-side juxtaposition with respect to each other, independently imparting vibratory action to each of said first and second bodies of finishing media to impart relative motion to the particular segments thereof and to cause portions of said first and second bodies to impinge upon each other, and subjecting the part or workpiece to the action of said finishing media for the surface finishing of said part or workpiece while said finishing media is in motion, preferably by fixturing said part or workpiece and passing said part or workpiece through the finishing media, and preferably wherein orbital motion is imparted to each of the said bodies of finishing media, especially orbital motion which is other than unidirectional, particularly when the orbital motion imparted to said first body of finishing media is a generally clockwise orbital motion and the orbital motion imparted to said second body of finishing media is a generally counterclockwise orbital motion, the part to be finished preferably being subjected to the action of the finishing media in the area of the confluence of said orbits or rolls, and a finishing machine particularly adapted for the carrying out of the said method, are disclosed.

Dual motion vibratory finishing machine and method

A method of providing a chamber having an interior elastomeric lining suitable for use as the finishing chamber of a finishing machine or the like comprising the step of providing the inner surface of said chamber with a layer of thermally-activatable release agent and adhering the elastomeric lining to said layer of thermally-activatable release agent, the temperature at which said thermally-activatable release agent is activatable being a temperature below that at which substantial deterioration of said elastomeric lining occurs, especially wherein said thermally-activatable release agent is applied to the inner surface of said chamber in activated state and wherein said thermally-activatable release agent is allowed to solidify before adhering said elastomeric lining thereto, particularly wherein said elastomeric lining is formed in place in contact with said solidified thermally-activatable release agent, and especially wherein said elastomeric lining comprises a polyurethane; a method of lining a chamber in such manner; such a chamber having an interior elastomeric lining suitable for use as the finishing chamber of a finishing machine or the like; a method of replacing the interior elastomeric lining of such chamber; and a method of repairing the lining of such chamber, are disclosed.

Finishing chamber with readily-removable lining and means for assisting

A finishing machine comprising a generally annular finishing chamber having a bottom and upstanding side walls, centrally located vibratory means comprising a substantially vertical shaft with major and minor eccentric weights at each end thereof, one of the eccentric weights at each end of the shaft being fixed, the other of the eccentric weights at each end of the shaft being moveable with respect to said shaft, means operatively associated with said moveable eccentric weights for effecting movement thereof within permissible limits, and limit means defining the permissible movement of the moveable eccentric weight at each end of the shaft, for respectively (a) increasing or decreasing the intensity of vibrations, or (b) reversing the direction of the force factor and hence the direction of flow of mass within the finishing chamber concurrently with an increase or decrease in the intensity of vibrations, depending upon whether the moveable eccentric weights are (a) two minor eccentric weights or two major eccentric weights, or (b) one major eccentric weight and one minor eccentric weight; a vibrogyratory energizing unit, especially suitable for use in such a finishing machine; and a novel method of finishing in such machine, are all disclosed.

Finishing apparatus with automatically-variable vibrogyratory intensity

A self-separating finishing machine for finishing of parts with finishing media, having a rotatable housing comprising a finishing chamber and a storage chamber and a foraminous member therebetween, wherein the housing is rotatable from a first and finishing position to a second and media-separating position and to a third and parts-ejection position, and wherein vibratory means, preferably variable-intensity vibratory means, is operatively associated with said foraminous member for vibration of said foraminous member, especially at different intensities, when said housing is in different positions of rotation, such machine embodying a particularly advantageous type of variable-intensity vibratory motor especially adapted for use in such machine, and a method of finishing involving the impartation of various intensities of vibration to the foraminous member at different stages of the process, e.g., when the housing is in different positions of rotation, are disclosed.

Self-separating finishing machine having variable degrees of rotation

A finishing machine for finishing the surface of unfinished parts with finishing media, comprising a finishing chamber, preferably but not necessarily resiliently mounted, for receiving unfinished parts and media and for finishing of parts therein, in which the chamber comprises a bottom and includes upstanding side walls and in which the chamber bottom comprises a plurality of annular spinner members, constituting a lower portion of the chamber, and complementary annular openings for the spinner members, the spinner members being adapted to rotate about an axis which is either substantially vertical or substantially normal with respect to the section of the chamber bottom in which located, a rotational motion-producing assembly operatively associated with each of the spinner members comprising rotatable support means for each of the spinner members, each of which support means is adapted to rotate about an axis which is substantially the same as that of its complementary spinner member, and associated drive means for rotation of each of the rotatable support means, whereby each of the spinner members may be rotated with respect to its complementary opening in the chamber bottom for carrying out a finishing operation in the chamber, the chamber being either linear or annular, and optionally including exit and/or separation and/or precession means to assist with separation and/or exit of finished parts after completion of a finishing cycle within the finishing chamber, is disclosed.

Unitary multiple centrifugal finishing apparatus

A method of producing finishing chips comprising the steps of providing a castable mixture of particulate abrasive grains and a solidifiable matrix, depositing the mixture into cavities of a generally-cylindrical, flexible mold having a plurality of cavities in the interior surface thereof conforming to the desired configuration of finishing chips to be produced, rotating said cylindrical mold during solidification of said mixture and the production of solid finishing chips within said cavities, and ejecting said solidified finishing chips from said mold by bringing said mold to an inside-out position, whereby said solidified finishing chips are ejected from said cavities, is disclosed. Apparatus which may be employed in carrying out the method, representatively comprising a generally-cylindrical chamber supported on a hollow shaft which is mounted for rotation, a flexible mold disposed within said chamber, and means associated with the bottom of said mold and operative through and within said hollow shaft for positioning said mold in chip-molding location within said chamber or in inside-out chip-ejecting location outside of said chamber, is also disclosed.

Automatic finishing chip process

A finishing machine comprising a rotatable housing, which is preferably but not necessarily resiliently mounted, comprising: a finishing chamber for receiving and finishing parts with finishing media when the housing is in finishing position, a storage chamber adapted to receive media from the finishing chamber when the housing is rotated to a parts-separation position, a foraminous member for separating media from parts, apparatus for rotating the housing about a substantially horizontal axis from a finishing position to a parts-separation position and return, and apparatus for transfer of media from the storage chamber to the finishing chamber upon return of the housing from parts-separation position to finishing position, wherein the finishing chamber comprises an annular spinner member and complementary tub member, the spinner member being adapted to rotate about a generally vertical axis when the housing is in finishing position, and a rotational motion-producing assembly and associated drive operatively associated with the spinner member for rotation thereof, whereby the spinner member may be rotated with respect to the tub member for carrying out a finishing operation; a vibratory device for vibration of the foraminous member when the housing is in parts-separation position for separation of media from parts; and a parts exit associated with the foraminous member for exit of finished parts when the housing is in parts-separation position and under the influence of the vibratory means, is provided.

Vertical self-separating centrifugal finishing apparatus with automatic

Automatic finishing chip maker

A gyratory machine for finishing parts, grinding such as paint grinding, or screening, having a fixed frame and a floating support resiliently mounted thereon, a finishing chamber mounted on the floating support, a gyratory motion-producing assembly affixed to the support comprising a vertically mounted housing, a plurality of bearings mounted in the housing, one or more vertically oriented shafts rotatably journaled in the bearings, and eccentric weights mounted on the shaft or shafts in fixed radial relationship thereto, a motor mounted on said housing for gyratory motion therewith and coupled to the shaft by a belt and pulley coupling assembly. The belt and pulley assembly applies rotating force to the shaft at a driving point or plane external with respect to the bearings, that is, at a point axially external to that portion of the shaft included between or defined by the bearings. In a further improved embodiment the annular finishing chamber is readily demountable from the floating support. In still another embodiment, a hinged ramp gate is provided alternatively to permit the parts which are being finished to return to the starting point of the finishing chamber, or to be discharged from the finishing chamber.

Finishing apparatus

The present application provides a finishing chamber lining, particularly suited for use in an industrial type finishing machine, comprising a compressible elastomeric substrate having a particulate, insoluble, abrasive material uniformly distributed therethrough and having a working or outer surface, the abrasive material having a particle size between one (1) and 100 microns and a hardness, as measured on the Mohs Hardness Scale, of at least one (1), the abrasive material being insoluble in the elastomeric substrate and in reactants and solvents employed in producing the same, the working surface comprising an outermost abrasive-interspersed, gripping surface which is adapted to be self-regenerating upon erosion in use. The finishing chamber lining increases the work action within the finishing chamber and minimizes inactivity, depression, or dead spots within the finishing chamber when in use with loose finishing media and workpieces to be finished therein. Finishing chambers lined with the same, finishing machines comprising such lined finishing chambers, and method of making and using, are also provided.

Finishing machine with abrasive lined chamber and method of finishing

A gyratory finishing machine, of the type in which the finishing units gyrate about a common center and advantageously rotate about their own axis, is provided with loading and unloading means for loading and unloading selected finishing chambers without stopping the gyration of the other finishing chambers. This is generally accomplished through a null-point producing means for establishing a null-point relation between the selected finishing chamber and the loading and unloading means. The null-point can be established by bringing the selected finishing chamber to said common center, or by causing said loading and unloading means to gyrate in unison with the gyration of the selected finishing chamber. The loading and unloading can be effected while the selected finishing chamber is at the common center or by transferring the selected finishing chamber from the null-point to a remote loading station.

Finishing machine and process

Apparatus and method for surface finishing of parts or workpieces by attrition, in the presence of a liquid vehicle, with loose, comminuted, granular, or particulate solid finishing material or media, comprising relatively large finishing particles, i.e., chips, is described. The apparatus comprises a finishing chamber having a containing surface comprising an upstanding wall and a bottom symmetrically arranged about a common axis, being relatively rotatable about said axis, and having apposed closely-spaced surfaces, with a resilient seal having correspondingly apposed elements therebetween, the apposed elements of said seal being in closely-spaced apart or touching relationship and the surface of at least one of said apposed seal elements being irregular. The bottom, e.g., is adapted to rotate about the common axis and thus to impart motion to the contents of the chamber and impell them radially outwardly by centrifugal force, thereby also building up a liquid pressure head along the outer edge areas of the finishing chamber bottom. The spacing and irregularities in the apposed seal elements provide communication between the chamber and the exterior, and said spacing and irregularities are of a size sufficient to permit outflow of liquid vehicle under the said head of liquid pressure, including fine abrasive, metal, or like material ('fines') which may be entrained therein, but insufficient to permit passage of workpieces and finishing chips.

Finishing apparatus embodying improved seal and method

Finishing machine

The application discloses abrasive finishing chips suitable for use as abrasive media in finishing processes and apparatus for the finishing of parts and workpieces, comprising abrasive grains dispersed in a matrix comprising at least 50% by weight of ground glass bonded together with a substantially uniform bond and of a shape suitable for employment as an abrasive media chip, and a process for the production of such chips which comprises the steps of providing ground glass, causing abrasive grains to be dispersed therein, subjecting the mixture to shape-forming procedure, heating the same to the sintering point of the ground glass, that is, at a temperature between the softening point and the working (fluid) point of the glass but below 1950.degree. F., and allowing the same to cool, thereby to produce abrasive media chips to the type aforesaid.

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Kalamazoo, MI, United States of America

Gunther W Balz