Active polishing of rotatable article surfaces

• US 6,220,946 B1
• Filed: 01/29/1999
• Issued: 04/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Philip D. Arnold
• Original Assignee: Philip D. Arnold
• Inventors: Arnold, Philip D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rose, Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US09/240,311
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 451/307, 451/296, 451/303, 451/311, 451/355, 451/173, 451/49, 451/489
• US Class Current: 451/307
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 19/12 for grinding cams or camshafts
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 21/02 for grinding rotationally symmetrical surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 27/0084 the grinding wheel support being angularly adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 5/42 for grinding crankshafts or crankpins

Abstract

A belt polishing machine has a moving endless abrasive coated polishing belt that wraps around and travels over a substantial portion of a circumferential surface of a rotatable workpiece for finishing the surface. A drive pulley drives the polishing belt in a continuous path at a desired surface speed over the circumferential surface of the workpiece while the workpiece is being rotated at a desired rotational speed. Guide pulleys direct the polishing belt around and into engagement with a substantial portion of the circumferential surface and may supply tension to the polishing belt during finishing operations. Separate tensioning pulleys may be provided. A coolant feed applies coolant against the polishing belt for separating and carrying away removed material from the belt and cleaning the abrasive for a subsequent pass. A backup shoe may be provided to selectively apply additional pressure through the belt upon portions of the polished surfaces to improve cylindricity. In-process gaging of the surfaces during the polishing process may also be provided.

Claims

1. A belt polishing machine comprising:

a movable endless abrasive coated polishing belt that wraps around and travels over a substantial portion of a circumferential surface of a rotatable workpiece for finishing the surface;

drive means for driving the polishing belt in a continuous path at a desired surface speed over the circumferential surface of the workpiece while the workpiece is being rotated at a desired rotational speed;

guide means for guiding the polishing belt around and into engagement with a substantial portion of said circumferential surface, the guide means comprising guide pulleys positioned on either side of and beyond the belt engaged surface of the workpiece, the guide pulleys being carried on pivotable arms that are pivotable outward to allow gaging of the workpiece during continued finishing of the workpiece surface;

tensioning means for applying tensioning force to the polishing belt during finishing operations;

coolant feeding means for applying coolant against the polishing belt for separating and carrying away removed material from the belt and cleaning the abrasive for a subsequent pass; and

gage means positioned beyond the workpiece when in the normal finishing position, said machine and the gage means being movable relative to the workpiece to move the gage means against the workpiece while the pivotable arms swing outward to permit entry of the gage means while continuing engagement of the polishing belt against a smaller portion of said circumferential surface for continued finishing of the surface during gaging of the workpiece.

2. A belt polishing machine capable of polishing crankpins of a rotating crankshaft, said machine comprising:

a movable endless abrasive coated polishing belt that wraps around and travels over a substantial portion of a circumferential surface of a rotatable workpiece for finishing the surface;

drive means for driving the polishing belt in a continuous path at a desired surface speed over the circumferential surface of the workpiece while the workpiece is being rotated at a desired rotational speed;

guide means for guiding the polishing belt around and into engagement with a substantial portion of said circumferential surface;

tensioning means for applying tensioning force to the polishing belt during finishing operations;

coolant feeding means for applying coolant against the polishing belt for separating and carrying away removed material from the belt and cleaning the abrasive for a subsequent pass;

a main polishing head mounting said drive means and said guide and tensioning means and movable toward and away from the workpiece to accommodate a fore and aft component of crankpin rotation; and

secondary polishing means carrying said guide means on said main polishing head and capable of moving said guide means to accommodate an up and down component of crankpin rotation.

3. A belt polishing machine as in claim 2 wherein said secondary polishing means comprise pivotable arms.

4. A belt polishing machine as in claim 2 wherein said secondary polishing means comprises a pivotable carrier.

5. A belt polishing machine as in claim 2 wherein said secondary polishing means comprises a secondary polishing head.

6. A belt polishing machine having a moving endless abrasive coated polishing belt that wraps around and travels over a substantial portion of a circumferential surface of a rotatable workpiece for finishing the surface, said machine comprising:

drive means for driving the polishing belt in a continuous path at a desired surface speed over the circumferential surface of the workpiece while the workpiece is being rotated at a desired rotational speed;

guide means for guiding the polishing belt around and into engagement with a substantial portion of said circumferential surface, the guide means being carried on pivotable arms that are pivotable outward to allow gaging of the workpiece during continued finishing of the workpiece surface;

tensioning means for applying tensioning force to the polishing belt during finishing operations; and

gage means positioned beyond the workpiece when in the normal finishing position, said machine and the gage means being movable relative to the workpiece to move the gage means against the workpiece while the pivotable arms swing outward to permit entry of the gage means while continuing engagement of the polishing belt against a smaller portion of said circumferential surface for continued finishing of the surface during gaging of the workpiece.

7. A belt polishing machine as in claim 6 wherein said guide means comprise guide pulleys positioned on either side of and beyond the belt engaged surface of the workpiece.

8. A belt polishing machine as in claim 7 wherein at least one of the guide pulleys also comprises tensioning means for forcing the belt against the workpiece.

9. A belt polishing machine as in claim 7 wherein the tensioning means comprise at least one separate tensioning pulley engaging the belt between the drive means and at least one of the guide pulleys.

10. A belt polishing machine as in claim 6 and including a backup shoe engagable with the polishing belt opposite the workpiece for forcing the belt against the workpiece surface.

11. A belt polishing machine as in claim 10 wherein the backup shoe is laterally shiftable to selectively shape portions of the workpiece surface.

12. A belt polishing machine as in claim 6 and including coolant feeding means for applying coolant against the polishing belt for separating and carrying away removed material from the belt and cleaning the abrasive for a subsequent pass.

13. A belt polishing machine having a moving endless abrasive coated polishing belt that wraps around and travels over a substantial portion of a circumferential surface of a rotatable workpiece for finishing the surface, said machine being capable of polishing crankpins of a rotating crankshaft and comprising:

drive means for driving the polishing belt in a continuous path at a desired surface speed over the circumferential surface of the workpiece while the workpiece is being rotated at a desired rotational speed;

guide means for guiding the polishing belt around and into engagement with a substantial portion of said circumferential surface;

tensioning means for applying tensioning force to the polishing belt during finishing operations;

a main polishing head mounting said drive means and said guide and tensioning means and movable toward and away from the workpiece to accommodate a fore and aft component of crankpin rotation; and

secondary polishing means carrying said guide means on said main polishing head and capable of moving said guide means to accommodate an up and down component of crankpin rotation.

14. A belt polishing machine as in claim 13 wherein said secondary polishing means comprise pivotable arms.

15. A belt polishing machine as in claim 13 wherein said secondary polishing means comprises a pivotable carrier.

16. A belt polishing machine as in claim 13 wherein said secondary polishing means comprises a secondary polishing head.