The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 18, 1996
Filed:
Sep. 07, 1994
Kirk R Vetter, Caledonia, MI (US);
Progressive Technologies, Inc., Grand Rapids, MI (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for imparting a textured surface to a work piece, particularly a metal plate or platen used to impress a textured surface on a sheet of plastic laminate or the like. According to one form of the invention, a stream of balls having substantially uniform size, shape, and weight are propelled against a surface of the work piece at a velocity sufficient for the balls to create an impact impression on the surface of the work piece. Particular characteristics of the texture may be varied by changing the velocity, size, shape, weight, size of the stream, distance travelled by the steel balls, and the sweep rate over the work surface. A suction blast gun having a particular size air jet and nozzle projects the balls against the work piece which are fed to the gun through a magazine. The balls are propelled against the surface by a pressurized fluid.