Lubrication of oscillating head elements, for floor stripping machines

• US 20020030399A1
• Filed: 09/04/2001
• Published: 03/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lee A. Scarlett
• Original Assignee: Lee A. Scarlett
• Inventors: Scarlett, Lee A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,443,526 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 299/37.1
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 23/006 Arrangements for removing of previously fixed floor coverings

Abstract

Apparatus usable in power-operated floor stripping apparatus that includes a frame, a drive carried on the frame, wheels supporting the frame, a handle to guide the frame, and a cutting blade carried by a head which is pivotally mounted to the frame, the apparatus comprising a lightweight rugged connecting element having a first tubular part and a second tubular part, those parts having spaced, parallel axis, the second tubular part pivotally connected to the head. There are two axially spaced eccentrics on the drive shaft, which rotate within two annular bearings carried by the first tubular part. Spiral grooves are sunk in the external surfaces of said eccentrics to communicate with said lubricant receiving space to receive lubricant for distribution along said eccentrics to the annular bearings.

Claims

1. For use in power-created floor stripping apparatus that includes a frame, a drive carried on the frame, wheels supporting the frame, and handle to guide the frame, and a cutting blade carried by a head which is pivotally mounted to the frame, the improvement comprising,

a) a connecting element having a first tubular part and a second tubular part, said parts having spaced parallel axis, one tubular part having an outside diameter substantially larger than the outside diameter of the other tubular part,

b) a drive shaft extending within said first tubular part, said shaft operatively connectible to the drive to be rotated thereby,

c) said drive shaft carrying two axially spaced eccentrics to be rotated by the shaft, there being a lubricant receiving space located directly between said eccentrics,

d) two annular bearings respectively carried by and within said first tubular part, said bearings respectively receiving said spaced eccentrics to oscillate said first tubular part, said head and said blade as said eccentrics are rotated by the shaft,

e) said head consisting of lightweight metal and having two flanges interconnecting by a web, the flanges being locally thickened to substantial extent to define two lugs,

f) said second tubular part extending between said flanges and pivotally connected thereto in spaced relation go said lugs,

g) said connecting element including two substantially parallel legs extending between said first and second tubular parts and integrally merging therewith at locations spaced from the ends of said parts,

h) there being spiral grooves sunk in the external surfaces of said eccentrics to communicate with said lubricant receiving space to receive lubricant for distribution along said eccentrics to the annular bearings

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the spiral grooves have ends in communication with outer portions of said lubricant receiving space.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said grooves have entrances located at opposite ends of said lubricant receiving space, and at flared end walls of the eccentrics, and wherein each groove spirals about 360°

between its entrance and the end of the eccentric remote from said lubricant receiving space.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein each groove has about 1.25 inch width, and about 0.015 inch depth, along the groove length.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein:

(i) said legs having first webs defining planes normal to parallel axis defined by said parts, said planes defined by the webs intersecting said lugs, the webs having outer edges tangent to the outer surfaces of the tubular parts whereby said outer edges taper toward the smaller diameter part,

j) second webs normal to said first webs, and defining planes parallel to said spaced parallel axis defined by said parts, said second webs also merging with said parts, said first and second webs extending in intersecting relation at an enlarged central region of each leg,

k) said planes defined by the first webs also intersecting said eccentrics so that said lubricant receiving space is centered between said planes.

6. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said planes defined by the webs intersect said lugs proximate inner edges defined by the lugs.

7. The improvement of claim 1 including bearing bushings received in and carried by said lugs to form bearing openings for a pivot shaft connected to the frame, said bushings being self-lubricated adjacent the shaft.

8. The improvement of claim 7 wherein said lugs have lengths between ¾

and 1½

inches.

9. The improvement of claim 8 including said pivot shaft closely received in said bearing openings.

10. The improvement of claim 1 including a blade holder plate attached to the head at the bottom side thereof, said flanges having width that increase in direction toward said plate, two shafts extending parallel to said head web and through said head flanges to provide shaft projections exteriorly of said flanges, and fasteners extending through said holder plate and having threaded shanks in threaded engagement with threaded openings in said shaft projections, the fasteners having heads below said holder plate to be rotated for clamping the blade between the plate and the head bottom side, said legs merging with said second tubular part at locations proximate the increasing width of said flanges.

11. The improvement of claim 10 including said frame, drive, wheels, handle and cutting blade clamped to said holder plate.

12. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said first and second tubular parts and said legs are defined by a lightweight metal casting.

13. The improvement of claim 12 wherein said metal casting consists of metal selected from the group consisting essentially of zinc, aluminum and magnesium.

14. The combination of claim 1 wherein said eccentrics have oppositely facing end faces which flare radially outwardly and axially away from said space, to urge and guide lubricant toward said bearings, said grooves intersecting said flared end faces.

15. The combination of claim 14 wherein said bearings comprise bushings.

16. The combination of claim 14 wherein said end faces intersect the outer cylindrical surfaces of the eccentrics in planes extending at angles α

relative to the shaft axis, said angles α

being less than 90, said grooves having axially spaced entrance ends on said flared end faces closest to the center of said space 100.

18. The combination of claim 17 wherein said spiral grooves have ends in direct communication with outer portions of said lubricant receiving space.

19. The combination of claim 17 wherein said grooves have entrances located at opposite ends of said lubricant receiving space, at flared ends of said eccentrics.

20. The combination of claim 17 wherein each groove spirals about 360°

between its entrance and the end of the eccentric remote from said lubricant receiving space.

21. The combination of claim 17 wherein each groove has about 0.125 inch width, and about 0.015 inch depth, along the groove length.

17. In improved floor stripping apparatus having a connecting element, a floor stripping blade, and a head, and a drive, the combination comprising:

a) said connecting element having a first tubular part and a second tubular part, said parts having spaced, parallel axis, said second tubular part pivotally connected to the head,

b) a drive shaft extending within said first tubular part, said shaft operatively connectible to the drive to be rotated thereby,

c) said drive shaft carrying two axially spaced eccentrics to be rotated by the shaft, there being a lubricant receiving space located directly between said eccentrics,

d) two annular bearings respectively carried by and within said first tubular part, said bearings respectively receiving said spaced eccentrics to oscillate said first tubular part, said head and said blade as said eccentrics are rotated by the shaft,

e) there being spiral grooves sunk in the external surfaces of said eccentrics to communicate with said lubricant receiving space to receive lubricant for distribution along said eccentrics to the annular bearings

22. The method of operating floor stripping apparatus having a connecting element, a floor stripping blade, and a head, and a drive, the combination comprising that includes:

a) providing said connecting element to have a first tubular part and a second tubular part, said parts having spaced, parallel axis, said second tubular part pivotally connected to the head,

b) providing a drive shaft extending within said first tubular part, said shaft operatively connectible to the drive to be rotated thereby,

c) said drive shaft provided with two axially spaced eccentrics to be rotated by the shaft, there being a lubricant receiving space located directly between said eccentrics,

d) providing two annular bearings respectively carried by and within said first tubular part, said bearings respectively receiving said spaced eccentrics to oscillate said first tubular part, said head and said blade as said eccentrics are rotated by the shaft,

e) providing spiral grooves sunk in the external surfaces of said eccentrics to communicate with said lubricant receiving space to receive lubricant for distribution along said eccentrics to the annular bearings,

f) and rotating said grooves eccentrically, by rotating said eccentrics, to rotate and vibrate lubricant in said grooves, driving said lubricant toward inner surfaces defined by said annular bearings.

23. The method of claim 22 including employing pulsing centrifugal force to urge said lubricant into said grooves.