U.S. patent application number 14/193396 was filed with the patent office on 2015-09-03 for apparatus and method for attaching abrasive pads to a drive plate.
This patent application is currently assigned to DIAMOND PRODUCTIONS LTD.. The applicant listed for this patent is DIAMOND PRODUCTIONS LTD.. Invention is credited to Harvey Stark.
Application Number | 20150245759 14/193396 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 54006179 |
Filed Date | 2015-09-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150245759 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Stark; Harvey |
September 3, 2015 |
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ATTACHING ABRASIVE PADS TO A DRIVE
PLATE
Abstract
For use in a concrete floor grinding, polishing or burnishing
machines, a combination of a drive plate and abrading pads attached
to the drive plate is described. The abrading pads include a planar
substrate having one or more posts projecting from a first major
surface and a resin layer impregnated with abrasive grit on its
second major surface. The drive plate includes areas thereon for
receiving the substrate and where the areas each include at least
one elongate aperture through which the post extends and when the
substrate is shifted laterally, the posts become releasably locked
in place.
Inventors: |
Stark; Harvey; (Montreal,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
DIAMOND PRODUCTIONS LTD. |
Montreal |
|
CA |
|
|
Assignee: |
DIAMOND PRODUCTIONS LTD.
Montreal
CA
|
Family ID: |
54006179 |
Appl. No.: |
14/193396 |
Filed: |
February 28, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
451/496 ; 29/428;
451/539 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 29/49826 20150115;
B24D 11/00 20130101; B24D 3/28 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47L 11/40 20060101
A47L011/40; B24D 11/00 20060101 B24D011/00; B24D 3/28 20060101
B24D003/28 |
Claims
1. A method of attaching floor abrading pads to a drive plate of a
floor finishing machine comprising the steps of: a) providing a
circular plate having a plurality of regularly circumferentially
spaced elongate aperture extending through a thickness dimension of
the plate proximate a periphery thereof, the elongate aperture
including a segment of a first shape and size at one end thereof
and contiguous to a segment of a second shape and size, less than
the first size, at an opposed end thereof; b) providing a plurality
of floor polishing pads, each comprising a planar substrate having
a predetermined shape and with at least one post projecting from a
first major surface of the substrate, the at least one post having
a flange at a free end thereof, the shape and size of the flange
being less than said first segment's shape and size and greater
than said second segment's shape and size, and the post being
approximately equal in shape and cross-sectional size to that of
the second segment's shape and size; and c) inserting the flange of
the at least one post of the floor polishing pad through the
segment of the elongate aperture of said first shape and size and
laterally displacing the floor polishing pad such that the post
fits through the elongated aperture's segment of the second shape
and size and the flange underlies the segment of the second shape
and size.
2. In combination; a drive plate for a floor finishing machine; and
at least one floor abrading pad; the drive plate comprising a
circular disk with first and second major surfaces each including a
plurality of regularly circumferentially spaced elongate aperture
extending through a thickness dimension of the metal disk proximate
the periphery of the drive plate, said elongate apertures each
comprising a first segment of a first size at one end of the
elongate aperture that is contiguously joined to a second segment
of a second size that is less than the first size at an opposed end
of the elongate aperture; and the at least one floor abrading pad
comprising a planar substrate having a predetermined shape and with
a post projecting from a first major surface of the substrate, the
post having a flange at a free end thereof where the size of the
flange is less than said first size of the first segment and
greater than said second size of the second segment and where the
cross-sectional size of the post is such as to create an
interference fit with walls defining the second segment when the
flange is inserted through the first segment and the abrading pad
is laterally displaced such that the flange is made to underlie the
second segment.
3. The combination of claim 2 wherein the drive plate further
includes recessed pockets in the first major surface, the pockets
corresponding in shape to the predetermined shape of the planar
substrate and in surrounding relation to the elongate
apertures.
4. The combination of claim 3 wherein the pockets are each
eight-sided polygons with radiused intersections.
5. The combination of claim 4 wherein the floor abrading pad's
planar substrate comprises a six-sided polygon with radiused
intersections.
6. The combination of claim 5 and further including a resin layer
incorporating diamond grit on a second major surface of the floor
abrading pad's planar substrate.
7. The combination of claim 6 wherein the resin layer is
partitioned by intersecting score lines.
8. The combination of claim 2 wherein the second major surface of
the drive plate includes a recess in the second major surface
thereof and surrounding the second segment of each of the elongate
apertures, the recess being sized to receive the flange on the free
end of the post on floor abrading pads therein.
9. The combination of claim 3 wherein each of the plurality of
pockets each includes a pair of said elongate apertures with a
predetermined spacing therebetween and the floor abrading pad
includes a pair of said posts, each with a flange on a free end
thereof, said posts being spaced so as to be capable of insertion
into the pair of elongate apertures of a given one of said
pockets.
10. The combination of claim 2 wherein the first and second
segments are generally circular, the post has a circular
cross-section and the flange is circular.
11. A resin pad for attachment to a drive plate for a floor
abrading machine comprising: a) a planar substrate having a
predetermined shape, the substrate having first and second major
surfaces; b) at least one post projecting perpendicular to the
first major surface; c) a flange surrounding a free end of the
post; and d) a resin layer impregnated with an abrasive material
the resin layer being adhered to the second major surface of the
substrate.
12. The resin pad of claim 11 wherein the resin layer is
partitioned into plural segments by intersecting score lines.
13. The resin pad of claim 11 wherein the planar substrate is
generally polygonal with radiused intersecting sides.
14. The resin pad of claim 11 having at least two posts, each with
a flange on a free end thereof, the posts projecting
perpendicularly to the first major surface.
15. The resin pad of claim 11 wherein the abrasive material
comprises diamond grit.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] None
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] I. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates generally to machines for grinding
and/or polishing and/or burnishing concrete, stone and tile
flooring and more particularly to grinding heads and resin abrading
pads designed for tool-less attachment to the rotatable drive plate
of such grinding/polishing machines.
[0004] II. Discussion of the Prior Art
[0005] It is known that concrete and stone or tile surfaces can be
made more attractive by first abrading the hardened concrete, stone
or tile flooring to yield a smooth, planar surface and then
subsequently polishing or burnishing that surface with resin pads
to provide a high gloss glaze to the surface. Machines for grinding
and/or polishing concrete, stone or tile flooring generally
comprise a wheeled frame having a handle extending upward whereby
an operator may steer the machine. Mounted on the frame is a motor
having a vertical shaft extending through the top surface of a
shroud and the shaft is connected to a drive plate within the
shroud. Adapted to be affixed to the drive plate is a plurality of
diamond grinding heads or a plurality of polishing or burnishing
pads depending upon the operation to be performed.
[0006] Grinding heads and polishing or burnishing pads are subject
to wear and need to be frequently replaced. It is therefore
advantageous to be able to couple the grinding heads or polishing
pads, as the case may be, to the drive plate quickly and easily and
without the use of tools. Furthermore, the attachment must be in a
way that positively locks the heads or pads to the drive plate so
that centrifugal and other forces encountered during use do not
result in separation of the heads/pads from the spinning drive
plate when the machine is operating.
[0007] Examples of prior art approaches for coupling grinding heads
to a drive plate are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,272,924 and
8,585,466 to Van Eijden et al. where drive pins and permanent
magnets are used to "stick" the heads to the drive plate. The U.S.
Published Application 2013/0090047 A1 to Bin teaches the use of
Velcro.RTM. hook and loop material for releasably joining a
polishing tip holder plate to the machine's drive plate. Neither of
these prior art attachment modes is deemed to be totally reliable
and may result in unwanted decoupling during use, especially where
irregularities in the concrete slab and the angular velocity of the
pads induce omnidirectional forces to the floor-engaging pads,
adversely impacting their holding power. The use of several dowel
pins and permanent magnets as in the Van Eijden patents makes
removal and replacement of the grinding heads and
polishing/burnishing pads needlessly complicated and time
consuming.
[0008] A need therefore exists for an improved way of releasably
securing grinding heads and/or polishing or burnishing pads to the
drive plate of a floor surface prep machine of the type described
that resists decoupling during use and which allows quick
replacement without the need for tools. The present invention
achieves these ends.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] In accordance with the present invention, there is provided
an abrading pad for attachment to a drive plate of a concrete or
stone floor finishing machine where the abrading pad includes a
planar substrate having a predetermined shape and with first and
second major surfaces. Projecting perpendicular to a first major
surface of the substrate is at least one post having a flange at a
free end. Affixed to the second major surface of the substrate is a
resin layer impregnated with an abrasive.
[0010] To affix the abrading pad to a circular metal disk
comprising the machine's drive plate, a plurality of pockets may be
formed inwardly from a first major surface, the pockets being
regularly circumferentially spaced proximate the peripheral edge of
the drive plate. The inclusion of pockets in the drive plate may
not always be necessary. Each of the pockets may include at least
one elongate aperture that extends through the thickness dimension
of the metal disk. The elongate aperture comprises a first segment
of a first size at one end and transitioning into a second segment
of a second size less than that of the first size at an opposed end
of the elongate aperture. The first size of the first segment is
larger than the size of the flange on the pad's at least one post,
allowing insertion of the post with the flange through the first
aperture segment. The cross-sectional dimensions of the post are
approximately the same as the size of the second circular segment
such that when the pad is moved laterally, an interference fit is
created when the pad is translated relative to the drive plate to
the point where the flange is made to underlie the elongate
aperture's second segment.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The foregoing features, objects and advantages of the
invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the
following detailed description of a preferred embodiment,
especially when considered in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings in which:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a polishing pad
constructed in accordance with the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a perspective top view of the polishing pad of
FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view thereof;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a plan view of a machine drive plate designed to
accommodate the polishing pad of FIGS. 1-3; and
[0016] FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial view of the drive plate of
FIG. 4.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0017] This description of the preferred embodiments is intended to
be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to
be considered part of the entire written description of this
invention. In the description, relative terms such as "lower",
"upper", "horizontal", "vertical", "above", "below", "up", "down",
"top" and "bottom" as well as derivatives thereof (e.g.,
"horizontally", "downwardly", "upwardly", etc.) should be construed
to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the
drawings under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience
of description and do not require that the apparatus be constructed
or operated in a particular orientation. Terms such as "connected",
"connecting", "attached", "attaching", "join" and "joining" are
used interchangeably and refer to one structure or surface being
secured to another structure or surface or integrally fabricated in
one piece, unless expressively described otherwise.
[0018] Keeping the above points in mind and referring to FIGS. 1-3
of the drawings, a preferred embodiment of a floor abrading pad is
displayed. The pad is indicated generally by numeral 10 and is seen
to comprise a planar substrate 12 of a rigid plastic with
polyurethane being preferred. The substrate here is shown as having
a generally polygonal shape with radiused intersecting sides as
seen in the views of FIGS. 2 and 3. However, it is to be understood
that this shape is somewhat arbitrary and other shapes can serve as
well.
[0019] With reference to FIG. 1, the substrate 12 is seen to have
an upper major surface 14 and a lower major surface 16. At least
one post and preferably first and second posts 18 projects
perpendicularly from the lower major surface 16 and formed on the
free end of each is a flange as at 20 and 22.
[0020] Bonded to the upper major surface 14 by a suitable adhesive
is a substrate comprising, for example a resin layer 24, which is
preferably partitioned into plural segments by intersecting score
lines plainly visible in the view of FIG. 2. Intermixed with the
resin are synthetic diamonds of a desired grit size. Pads of the
type described may be offered with differing grit sizes ranging
from course to very fine.
[0021] Having described the constructional features of the floor
abrading pads to be used with a floor polishing, burnishing and
grinding machine, consideration will next be given to the
construction of the drive plate and especially the mode of
attachment of the above described abrading pads thereto.
[0022] Referring to FIG. 4, a ring portion of a drive plate for
attachment to a concrete, stone or tile floor finishing machine is
indicated generally by numeral 30 and comprises an annular metal
plate member 32 that may have a plurality of pockets 34 of a size
and shape to receive a pad 10 therein and that are evenly
distributed adjacent the periphery of the annular plate 32. As an
example, and without limitation, with the annular plate 32 may be
made of aluminum and may be 9.53 mm in thickness, the depth of the
pockets 34 that are machined into the surface of the plate may have
a depth of 3.05 mm. Other embodiments of a suitable drive plate may
be void of such pockets, allowing a thinner and lighter plate
material to be used. For example, a thickness of 6.35 mm for an
aluminum ring similar to FIG. 4 but void of the pockets 34 has
proven workable. Also, materials other than aluminum, such as a
hard, non-brittle plastic, may be used in fabricating the drive
plate.
[0023] Located between each of the pockets 34 is an oval aperture
36 that extends through the thickness dimension of the annular
plate 32 and these punched oval apertures 36 function to further
reduce the weight of the machine.
[0024] It may also be observed from FIG. 4 that the pockets 34
generally comprise eight-sided polygons where the intersections
between adjacent linear segments are radiused and thus somewhat
match the shape of the substrate 16 of the polishing pads 10.
[0025] Located in each of the pockets 34 is an elongate aperture 38
for receiving each post on the pad 10. The aperture(s) extend
through a thickness dimension of the annular plate 32. Each of the
elongate apertures 38 comprises a first segment 40 of a first size
and shape at one end of the elongate apertures 38, and a second
segment 42 of a second size and shape that is less than the first
size and shape of the segments 40 and where the two segments are
contiguously joined. In FIG. 4, the first segment is circular in
shape and of a diameter allowing the flange 20, 22 to fit through
it.
[0026] FIG. 5 is a greatly enlarged partial view of the annular
plate 32 and one of the pockets 34 containing the elongated
apertures 38 that comprise the first circular segment 40 and the
contiguously joined second circular segment 42. The dashed line 44
in FIG. 5 is indicative of the fact that the drive plate 32 is
undercut on its back side.
[0027] The diameter of the circular segment 40 is only slightly
greater than the diameter of the flange 20 on the post 18 of the
abrading pad 10 while the diameter of the second circular segment
40 is approximately the same as the diameter of the post 18. Thus,
to affix an abrading pad to the drive plate, one merely inserts the
flange 20 through the first circular segment and then laterally
translates the pad to move the posts 18 into the second circular
segment 42, and with the flange residing in the undercut
represented by the dashed line 44. Because of the friction fit
maintained between the abrading pad's posts 18 and the walls
defining the second circular segment 42, a predetermined force must
be applied by hand to the pad to again shift it so that the flange
20 is again aligned with the first circular aperture 40, allowing
removal of a pad once it has become worn.
[0028] Because of the way that the pads are oriented when affixed
to the drive plate in the manner described, it is oriented close to
the periphery of the annular plate, thereby providing a maximum
angular velocity which is conducive to increased polishing
efficiency. Moreover, the high angular velocity results in a
centrifugal force on the abrasion pad that serves to hold the
abrading pad's posts in the far end of the drive plate's elongated
aperture.
[0029] This invention has been described herein in considerable
detail in order to comply with the patent statutes and to provide
those skilled in the art with the information needed to apply the
novel principles and to construct and use such specialized
components as are required. However, it is to be understood that
the invention can be carried out by specifically different
equipment and devices, and be used with a variety of
grinding/polishing pads. As an example, rather than utilizing posts
of round cross-section, they can be of other cross-sectional
shapes. Furthermore, the flanges need not be circular, but should
correspond to the shape of the elongated aperture segments so as to
be able to be inserted through them. Also, various modifications,
both as to the equipment and operating procedures, can be
accomplished without departing from the scope of the invention
itself.
* * * * *