Power grinder with safety guard and spindle arresting means

• US 7,175,513 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2004
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Atlas Copco Tools AB (Atlas Copco AB)
• Original Assignee: Atlas Copco Tools AB (Atlas Copco AB)
• Inventors: Folin, Richard Claes
• Primary Examiner(s): Morgan; Eileen P.
• Application Number:
  US10/551,299
• Publication Number:
  US 20060240751A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 451/344, 451/353, 451/354, 451/359, 451/451, 451/452, 451/454, 835/46, 838/60
• US Class Current: 451/359
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 11/0092 actuating braking or stopping means
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 11/06 Safety devices for circular cutters
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 23/028 Angle tools
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 55/052 with rotating tools
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/8723 Adjustable

Abstract

A portable power grinder has a housing, a rotating output shaft with a grinding wheel mounting device, a grinding wheel safety guard adjustable between angular positions defined by apertures in the safety guard, and a manually operable safety guard arresting device engageable with an aperture. The arresting device has a lock slide movable on the housing and operable by an articulated lever connected at one end to the housing and at another end to the lock slide and being shifted by folding and unfolding, thereby moving the lock slide between a safety guard arresting position and a safety guard releasing position and locking the lock slide in the arresting position. The lock slide includes a spring exerting a force onto the safety guard in the arrested position. A lock spindle displaceably supported on the lock slide moves between a retracted safety guard locking position and an advanced position to lock the output shaft.

Claims

1. A portable power grinder comprising a housing, a rotating output shaft with a grinding wheel mounting device, a grinding wheel safety guard supported on the housing and adjustable between a number of pre-selected angular positions defined by a row of apertures in the safety guard, and a manually operable arresting device for locking the safety guard in any one of said pre-selected positions by engaging one of said apertures, wherein the arresting device comprises:

a lock slide movably supported on the housing,

an articulated lever having one end connected to said lock slide and an opposite end connected to the housing and arranged to move by folding and unfolding, respectively, said lock slide between a safety guard releasing position and a safety guard arresting position,

said lever being arranged to be shifted between its unfolded position and its folded position via an over-center movement, and to positively arrest said lock slide in said safety guard arresting position by supporting in its unfolded position said lock slide relative to the housing, and

a spring arranged to retain said lever firmly against the housing in said unfolded position.

2. A power grinder according to claim 1, wherein said lock slide comprises:

a lock spindle protruding in the movement direction of said lock slide for selectively engaging any one of said apertures in the safety guard, and

a contact portion for abutting against a contact surface of the safety guard, said spring being arranged to act substantially in the longitudinal direction of said lever in said unfolded position state, thereby exerting a biasing force on said lock slide for obtaining a contact pressure between said contact portion and said contact surface of the safety guard and for maintaining said lock spindle in its engagement with one of said apertures.

3. A power grinder according to claim 1, wherein:

the output shaft is provided with at least one indentation, and said lock spindle is displaceably guided on said lock slide for movement between a first position where it engages said apertures in said safety guard only, and a second extended position where it also engages said at least one indentation on said output shaft to thereby lock said output shaft against rotation at change of grinding tool,

a bias spring is arranged to bias said lock spindle toward said first position, and

said lock spindle is provided with a head for manual shifting of said lock spindle from said first position to said second extended position.

4. A power grinder according to claim 2, wherein:

the output shaft is provided with at least one indentation, and said lock spindle is displaceably guided on said lock slide for movement between a first position where it engages said apertures in said safety guard only, and a second extended position where it also engages said at least one indentation on said output shaft to thereby lock said output shaft against rotation at change of grinding tool,

a bias spring is arranged to bias said lock spindle toward said first position, and

said lock spindle is provided with a head for manual shifting of said lock spindle from said first position to said second extended position.

5. A power grinder according to claim 1, wherein said spring comprises a leaf spring forming half of said articulated lever.

6. A power grinder according to claim 2, wherein said spring comprises a leaf spring forming half of said articulated lever.

7. A power grinder according to claim 3, wherein said spring comprises a leaf spring forming half of said articulated lever.

8. A power grinder according to claim 4, wherein said spring comprises a leaf spring forming half of said articulated lever.

9. A power grinder according to claims 2, wherein said contact portion comprises at least one stud element arranged to engage at least one of said apertures in the safety guard arresting position of said lock slide.

10. A power grinder according to claims 4, wherein said contact portion comprises at least one stud element arranged to engage at least one of said apertures in the safety guard arresting position of said lock slide.

11. A power grinder according to claim 10, wherein said spring comprises a leaf spring forming half of said articulated lever.

12. A power grinder according to claim 9, wherein said spring comprises a leaf spring forming half of said articulated lever.