U.S. patent application number 15/976003 was filed with the patent office on 2018-12-06 for tool mount for floor finishing machine with snap-in latch.
The applicant listed for this patent is DIAMOND PRODUCTIONS LTD.. Invention is credited to Pavel Ikonomov, Harvey Stark.
Application Number | 20180345453 15/976003 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 64459241 |
Filed Date | 2018-12-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180345453 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Stark; Harvey ; et
al. |
December 6, 2018 |
TOOL MOUNT FOR FLOOR FINISHING MACHINE WITH SNAP-IN LATCH
Abstract
A replaceable tool mount for rotary floor treating machines
consists of a wedge-shaped block having downwardly and inwardly
sloping side edges designed to fit within a correspondingly shaped
slot formed in a bottom surface of a circular drive plate. The
upper surface of the wedge-shaped block includes a radial notch. A
latch connected to the block by a living hinge overlays the notch
and has a tab at its free end adapted to engage the peripheral edge
of the drive plate when the block is advanced along the slot in the
steel plate to a point when the tab snaps over the plate's
peripheral edge. This prevents the block from any further movement
until the latch is again released by raising it to the point where
it no longer engages the front edge of the plate.
Inventors: |
Stark; Harvey; (Montreal,
CA) ; Ikonomov; Pavel; (Laval, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
DIAMOND PRODUCTIONS LTD. |
Montreal |
|
CA |
|
|
Family ID: |
64459241 |
Appl. No.: |
15/976003 |
Filed: |
May 10, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62512881 |
May 31, 2017 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B24D 7/066 20130101;
B24B 7/186 20130101; B24B 41/047 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B24B 41/047 20060101
B24B041/047; B24B 7/18 20060101 B24B007/18 |
Claims
1. A replaceable tool mount for a rotary floor treating machine
comprising: (a) a block having tapered sides leading from a rear
edge to an arcuate front edge, and having a planar top surface
adapted to support a floor finishing tool thereon and a bottom
surface including a notch extending radially inwardly from the
arcuate front edge toward, but short of the rear edge of the block,
and an integrally formed resilient latch member cantilevered with
respect to the notch, the latch member terminating at a free end
thereof in a tab, the tab extending at a predetermined angle to a
remainder of the latch member.
2. The replaceable tool mount of claim 1 wherein the rear edge is
of a greater length than the arcuate front edge of the block.
3. The replaceable tool mount of claim 2 wherein the tapered sides
are of a predetermined thickness and each includes a first portion
extending perpendicular to the top surface and a second portion
that flares outward at an angle from the first portion.
4. The replaceable tool mount of claim 1 wherein the latch member
is joined to the bottom surface by a living hinge.
5. The replaceable tool mount of claim 1 wherein the tool mount is
formed of molded plastic material.
6. The replaceable tool mount of claim 4 wherein the tab extends
beyond a plane of the bottom surface when the latch member is not
being depressed into the notch.
7. A replaceable tool mount for a drive plate of a floor treating
machine comprising: a) a circular steel plate adapted for rotary
attachment to a floor treating machine, the plate having a planar
upper surface and a lower surface that includes a concentrally
located circular recess with a plurality of regularly spaced
radially extending tapered slots extending from the circular recess
to a peripheral edge of the circular steel plate, the slots being
more narrow at a front edge than at a rear edge and where side
edges of the slots taper upwardly and inwardly in progressing from
the lower surface toward the upper surface; and b) a tool mount of
claim 1 insertable into a selected one of the radially extending
tapered slots in the steel plate from the centrally located
circular recess causing the latch member to be recessed into the
notch, the tool mount being radially movable in the selected slot
until the tab snaps over the peripheral edge of the steel plate.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCED TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a non-provisional application of
Application No. 62/512,881, filed May 31, 2017 and claims priority
from that application which is also deemed incorporated by
reference in its entirety in this application.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] None
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
I. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates generally to equipment for smoothing
and polishing concrete, stone and wooden floors and more
particularly to an improved tool mount for attachment to a drive
plate of motor driven floor treatment machines.
II. Discussion of the Prior Art
[0004] Machines for smoothing or polishing floor surfaces are
generally of two types, ride-on and walk-behind. In each, at least
one drive plate is provided that is generally circular and may have
one or more abrasive pads or other tools affixed to an underside
thereof. The plate is driven by a motor that powers a vertical
drive shaft to which the drive plate is affixed.
[0005] The prior art offers a variety of ways in which abrasive
pads and other tools are removably Mined to the drive plate. For
example, Velcro hook and loop material has been employed, as have
magnets, screws and bolts. As, say, an abrasive tool wears down
through use, it must be replaced and it is desirable that the
replacement operation be carried out expeditiously and preferably
without the use of a hand tool of any kind. The present invention
meets the foregoing criteria.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention is directed to the construction of a
replaceable tool mount for use on rotary floor treating machines.
It comprises a molded plastic machined metal block with inwardly
tapered sides leading from a rear edge of the block to its front
edge. The block has a planar top surface that is adapted to support
an abrasive pad or other floor treatment tool known in the art
thereon and a bottom surface that includes a rectangular notch
extending inwardly from the front edge of the block toward, but
short of, the block's rear edge. An integrally formed latch member
is cantilevered with respect to the rectangular notch and the latch
terminates with a tab at a front edge of the latch member that
extends at a predetermine angle to the remainder of the latch
member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] 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 like numerals in the several views refer to
corresponding parts.
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tool mount for a floor
finishing machine when viewed from the upper right thereof;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the mount when viewed from
below;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a top plain view thereof;
[0011] FIG. 4 is a front view thereof;
[0012] FIG. 5 is a bottom plain view thereof;
[0013] FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 6-6 in
FIG. 4; and
[0014] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of plural mounts following
installation on a floor machine drive plate.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0015] The description of the preferred embodiment 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 the
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 expressly described otherwise. As
used herein, the term "floor treating machine" is meant to include
floor troweling machines, floor grinding, floor polishing, floor
burnishing, floor scrubbing and swing machines.
[0016] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, the preferred embodiment of the
tool mount 10 is seen to comprise a machined or molded steel or
plastic block 12 having a front edge 14 and a rear edge 16 with
tapered side edges 18 and 20. The top surface 22 of the block 12 is
flat and is adapted to support an abrasive material or other floor
treating tool thereon. As seen in FIG. 3, the rear edge 16 is
rectilinear while the front edge 14 is accurate, exhibiting a
predetermined radius.
[0017] As seen in FIGS. 2 and 5, formed inward from the bottom
surface 24 of the block 12 and centrally located a rectangular
notch or channel 26 leading from the arcuate front edge 14 toward,
but short of the rear edge 16. Integrally formed in the block and
overlaying the notch 26 is a cantilevered resilient latch member
28. The latch member terminates at a front edge in an integrally
formed tab 30 projecting normally from the remaining portion of the
latch member 28 as seen in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 6.
[0018] The location 32 where the latch member 28 joins to the
remainder of the block 12 comprises a "living hinge" allowing the
latch member to deflect into the notch 26 when an upward force is
applied to the tab 30 when viewed as in FIG. 6.
[0019] While the tool mount. 10 is preferably formed from plastic
in a molding operation, it can also be formed from a suitable metal
such as steel or aluminum.
[0020] Referring once again to FIGS. 1 and 4, they show the tapered
side edges 13 and 20 are of a predetermined height dimension and
each includes a first portion 34 that extends perpendicular to the
top surface 22 and a second lower portion 36 that flares outwardly
at a predetermined angle.
[0021] In FIG. 7, there is shown a circular drive plate 38 that is
adapted to attach to a motorized drive mechanism (not shown) of a
floor treating machine. It includes a connecting circular recess 39
and a series or recesses 41 in a bottom surface 40 where the
recesses include tapered side edges 42 corresponding to the taper
of the tool mount 10 and the flared portion 36 of its side edges 18
and 20. Furthermore, the radius of curvature of the arcuate front
edge 14 of the tool mount 10 matches that of the plate 38. It can
be appreciated that when the tool mounts are inserted into the
recesses in the drive plate 38 from the central recess 39 on the
drive plate and advanced toward the periphery of the plate 38, the
resilient, spring-like latch 28 will be forced up into its notch 26
by the tab 30 rubbing on the base of the drive plate's recess. When
the tool mount is fully inserted, the tab 30 will snap down over
the peripheral edge of plate 38 and thereby prevent any movement of
the mount 10 back toward the center of the plate.
[0022] When it is desired to remove an abrasive tool affixed to the
mount 10 for replacement, a user need merely lift up on the tab 30
to again place the latch within its notch while simultaneously
urging the mount 10 toward the drive plate's center to exit the
recess 39 in the drive plate.
[0023] Although the invention has been described in. connection
with specific embodiments of the same, it will be understood that
it is capable of obvious variations without departing from its
scope.
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