U.S. patent application number 12/888045 was filed with the patent office on 2012-03-22 for rotary brush with bi-directional mounting arrangement.
This patent application is currently assigned to Weiler Corporation. Invention is credited to Frank Hettes.
Application Number | 20120066854 12/888045 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45816410 |
Filed Date | 2012-03-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120066854 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hettes; Frank |
March 22, 2012 |
ROTARY BRUSH WITH BI-DIRECTIONAL MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT
Abstract
A rotary brush for use with a surface finishing tool with a
drive shaft for transmitting rotary motion to the brush. The brush
is in the form of a circular disc that supports circumferentially
disposed brushing elements, and includes a nut having internal
threads for engagement with the drive shaft. The nut extends
axially outward from each face of the disc an approximately equal
distance to facilitate bi-directional mounting of the brush on the
drive shaft.
Inventors: |
Hettes; Frank; (Greentown,
PA) |
Assignee: |
Weiler Corporation
Cresco
PA
|
Family ID: |
45816410 |
Appl. No.: |
12/888045 |
Filed: |
September 22, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/180 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A46B 2200/3093 20130101;
A46B 13/001 20130101; B24D 13/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/180 |
International
Class: |
A46B 13/00 20060101
A46B013/00 |
Claims
1. A rotary brush for use with a surface finishing tool having a
drive shaft for transmitting rotary motion to the brush, the brush
being in the form of a circular disc supporting circumferentially
disposed brushing elements and comprising a nut including internal
threads for engagement with the drive shaft, the nut extending
axially outward from each face of the disc an approximately equal
distance to facilitate bi-directional mounting of the brush on the
tool.
2. A mounting nut for a rotary brush being in the form of a
circular disc supporting circumferentially disposed brushing
elements, comprising a. a body portion having a central bore
therethrough, the bore being threaded to engage a correspondingly
threaded drive shaft, b. a disc-engaging portion located in
substantially the center of the body portion for attaching the
circular disc to the nut to transmit rotary motion of the drive
shaft to the disc through the nut, the body portion extending
outward from each face of the disc when the nut is attached to the
disc an approximately equal distance
3. The mounting nut of claim 2, the body portion including hex
flats on the exterior of the body portion.
4. A mounting nut for a rotary disc brush, comprising a hexagonal
body having an axial length L, a threaded bore extending axially
through the body for the length L, and a disc-engaging portion
located exteriorly of the body approximately half-way along the
length L for engaging a rotary disc brush.
5. A bidirectional mounting system for a rotary disc brush in the
form of a circular disc supporting circumferentially disposed
brushing elements, comprising an externally threaded drive shaft
for producing rotary motion, a nut mountable to the center of the
circular disc, the nut having a body portion with first and second
ends and a central bore threaded to engage the threaded drive shaft
for rotary movement therewith, the nut having a disc-engaging
portion in substantially the center of the body portion between the
first and second ends for attachment to the disc, the body portion
extending outward from the disc-engaging portion an approximately
equal distance.
6. A rotary brush for use with a surface finishing tool having a
drive shaft for transmitting rotary motion to the brush, the brush
comprising a circular disc supporting circumferentially disposed
brushing elements, and a nut including internal threads for
engagement with the drive shaft located on each face of the disc,
each nut extending axially outward from the face of the disc, on
which it is located an approximately equal distance to facilitate
bi-directional mounting of the brush on the tool.
7. A rotary brush, comprising a. a circular disc defining a plane,
b. a plurality of brushing elements extending radially from the
disc around the circumference of the disc and lying substantially
in the plane defined by the disc, c. a mounting nut located coaxial
with the axis of the disc and extending symmetrically on both sides
of the disc relative to the plane of the disc for mounting the disc
to a drive shaft.
8. The rotary brush according to claim 7, wherein the brushing
elements comprise wire knots.
9. The rotary brush according to claim 7, wherein the brushing
elements comprise abrasive bristles.
10. The rotary brush according to claim 7, wherein the mounting nut
has a threaded axial bore.
11. The rotary brush according to claim 7, wherein the mounting nut
has a threaded axial bore and hex flats on the outer surface
thereof.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] This disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing wire
brush tools for metal working and other finishing operations.
[0002] It is an object to provide a brushing tool which enables the
brushing tool to be mounted bi-directionally, greatly extending the
service life of the brush.
SUMMARY
[0003] A rotary brush for use with a surface finishing tool is
disclosed. The tool has a drive shaft for transmitting rotary
motion to the brush. The brush is in the form of a circular disc
that supports circumferentially disposed brushing elements, and
comprises a nut including internal threads for engagement with the
drive shaft. The nut extends axially outward from each face of the
disc an approximately equal amount to facilitate bi-directional
mounting of the brush on the tool.
[0004] In a further embodiment, also disclosed is a rotary brush,
comprising a circular disc defining a plane, a plurality of
brushing elements extending radially from the disc around the
circumference of the disc and lying substantially in the plane
defined by the disc, and a mounting nut located coaxial with the
axis of the disc and extending symmetrically on both sides of the
disc relative to the plane of the disc for mounting the disc to a
drive shaft The brushing elements may comprise wire knots, abrasive
bristles, or other suitable brushing elements.
[0005] Also disclosed is a mounting nut for a rotary brush,
comprising a body portion having a central bore therethrough, the
bore being threaded to engage a correspondingly threaded drive
shaft, and a disc-engaging portion located in substantially the
center of the body portion for attaching the circular disc to the
nut to transmit rotary motion of the drive shaft to the disc
through the nut. When the nut is attached to the disc he body
portion extends outward from each face of the disc an approximately
equal distance. The body portion of the mounting nut may include
hex flats on the exterior of the body portion. Also disclosed is a
bidirectional mounting system for a rotary disc brush in the form
of a circular disc supporting circumferentially disposed brushing
elements, comprising an externally threaded drive shaft for
producing rotary motion, a nut mountable to the center of the
circular disc, the nut having a body portion with first and second
ends and a central bore threaded to engage the threaded drive shaft
for rotary movement therewith, the nut having a disc-engaging
portion in substantially the center of the body portion between the
first and second ends for attachment to the disc, the body portion
extending outward from the disc-engaging portion an approximately
equal distance.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] For the purpose of illustration, the drawings show a form of
rotary brush that is presently preferred. However, it should be
understood that the brush is not limited to the precise
arrangements and instrumentalities shown in the drawings.
[0007] FIG. 1 is a front view of a rotary brush according to the
prior art.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a side view of the rotary brush of FIG. 1.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the rotary brush of FIG. 1,
taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 1.
[0010] FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are simplified illustrations of the manner
in which the rotary brush according, to the prior art may be
mounted to a surface finishing tool.
[0011] FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3 of a rotary
brush as disclosed and claimed herein.
[0012] FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are simplified illustrations of the manner
in which the rotary brush as disclosed and claimed herein may be
mounted to the surface finishing tool.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] Referring to the drawings, wherein like numerals indicate
like elements, there is shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 a rotary brush
10 according to the prior art. The prior art brush 10 has a disc 12
that supports a plurality radially extending wire knots 14. Wire
knots are formed by passing wire bundles through circumferential
perforations located along the edge of disc 12. Wire knots 14 are
formed by looping and twisting the wire bundles around the edge of
the disc 12.
[0014] Disc 12 is sandwiched between side plates 16. Side plates 16
are formed near the rim to define a bulbous cavity 16 to surround
and hold wire knots 14 in place. The extreme ends 18 of side plates
16 are tightly crimped against wire knots 14 in order to restrict
pivotal movement of wire knots 14 in the plane of disc 12. Side
plates 16 may be welded to disc 12. A mounting nut 20 is provided
for mounting rotary brush 10 to a drive shaft of a surface
finishing tool or other means of imparting rotary motion to the
brush. Mounting nut 20 typically has internal threads 22 to enable
rotary brush 10 to threadingly engage a correspondingly threaded
drive shaft.
[0015] As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, mounting nut 20 has one side
24 that is swaged or rolled over to help anchor mounting nut 20 to
disc 12. By forming side 24 in that manner, mounting nut 20 can be
firmly attached to disc 12 without the need for additional elements
such as adhesives, rivets, and the like. Although prior art
mounting nut 20 facilitates attachment to disc 12, it can be seen
that mounting nut 20 extends for a distance y on the side of the
disc 12 opposite the swaged side 24. As a result, the rotary brush
is asymmetric when viewed from the side as in FIG. 3.
[0016] Rotary brush 10 is intended to be mounted to a finishing
tool so that the mounting nut 20 faces outward relative to
finishing tool 26, as best seen in FIG. 4. That is brush 10 is
intended to be mounted on the drive shaft 28 in such a manner that
brush 10 rotates within safety guard 30 so that a user's hands and
fingers are shielded from the brush 10 when it is being rotated by
finishing tool 26. Thus, the prior art brush 10 uses the asymmetric
mounting nut 20 to encourage the brush 10 to be mounted only one
way on the drive shaft 28, for safety reasons.
[0017] However, mounting brush 10 as shown in FIG. 4 means that the
brush 10 rotates always in the same direction. As the brush 10 is
used, the wire knots 14 tend to wear down and become dull, so that
the brush 10 becomes less "aggressive" in removing material from a
surface to be finished by the brush 10. To extend the life of a
brush 10, users in the field often remove the brush 10 after it has
become worn, turn it over, and remount it to the drive shaft 20
with mounting nut 20 facing inward, as best seen in FIG. 5. This
effectively causes the brush 10 to rotate in the opposite
direction, and presents an unworn, more aggressive face of the wire
knows 14 to the surface to be finished.
[0018] Mounting the brush 10 in that manner, however, leads to
safety problems. Because of the safety guard, it is sometimes
difficult to insert a wrench or other tool to tighten mounting nut
20 to securely attached brush 10 to drive shaft 28. Failure to
adequately tighten mounting nut 20 and securely attach brush 10 to
drive shaft 20 can result in the brush becoming loose and flying
off the tool at high speed, posing a clear risk of injury to the
user, to bystanders, and to property. In addition, because the
mounting nut 20 is asymmetric relative to disc 12, by mounting
brush 10 so that mounting nut 20 faces inward, the plane of disc
12, and consequently wire knots 14, extend past the safety guard
30. A rapidly rotating brush 10 extending beyond safety guard 30
poses a clear risk of hand and finger injury, or worse, to the
user.
[0019] The brush disclosed and claimed herein overcomes the
problems with the prior art brush and enables a rotary brush to be
mounted with either surface of the brush disc facing inward
relative to the finishing tool. Referring first. to FIG. 6, rotary
brush 40 has substantially the same structure as brush 10. Thus,
rotary brush 40 includes a disc 42 that supports a plurality of
radially extending wire knots 44. Disc 42 is sandwiched between
side plates 46, and the extreme ends 48 of side plates 46 are
tightly crimped against wire knots 44, all as with brush 10.
[0020] Rotary brush 40 also includes a mounting nut 50 for mounting
rotary brush 40 to a drive shaft 28 of a surface finishing tool 26
or other means of imparting rotary motion to the brush. Mounting
nut 50 has internal threads 22 to enable rotary brush 40 to
threadingly engage drive shaft 28.
[0021] Mounting nut 50 extends axially outward from the plane of
disc 42 for a distance x on each side of disc 42. The distance x on
one side of disc 42 is approximately equal to the distance x on the
opposite side of disc 42, but exact equality is not necessary. The
actual distances may vary slightly, as long as they are
approximately the same on both sides of disc 42. Preferably,
distance x is less than the distance y by which mounting nut 20
extends from on one side of prior art brush disc 12 (sec FIG.
3).
[0022] By making extent x of mounting nut 50 less than the extent y
of mounting nut 20, there is greater assurance that, if brush 40 is
turned over and mounted on drive shaft 28 the opposite way, safety
guard 30 will be able to fully shield wire knots 44 of brush 40. As
best seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, when mounted with either surface of
disc 42 facing outward, the plane of disc 42 is at approximately
the same distance from the finishing tool 26. That way, brush 40 is
fully shielded by safety guard 30 and there are no wire knots 44
that extend an unsafe distance beyond the edge of safety guard 30.
In addition, mounting nut 50 has hexagonal flats on both sides of
disc 42, so that a user can easily reach the hexagonal flats with a
wrench or other tool to securely tighten mounting nut 50 to drive
shaft 48.
[0023] It is presently preferred that mounting nut 50 be a single
piece. However, mounting nut may comprises two separate halves, one
half being attached to one face of the disc 42 and the other half
being attached to the other face of the disc 42.
[0024] The disclosed brush may be embodied in other specific forms
without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof
and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims,
rather than to the foregoing specification, as indicating the scope
of protection claimed.
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