Abstract: A hand operated orbital sander having a hand grip portion provided with a fluid supply inlet connected to a source of pressurized fluid and a fluid discharge; a base portion for mounting a sanding pad and having a chamber, a fluid inlet for directing fluid into the chamber and a fluid outlet for discharging fluid from the chamber; a resiliently deformable sleeve portion for connecting the base portion to depend from the hand grip portion and defining a conduit for placing the fluid outlet in flow communication with the fluid discharge; a fluid operated rotor rotatably supported by the base portion within the chamber and mounting an eccentric weight for imparting orbital movement to the base portion; and a flexible conduit for connecting the supply inlet to the fluid inlet to apply pressurized fluid to the rotor to effect rotation thereof.

Abstract: An air line connector includes a hose block having first and second passageways disposed in flow communication; a connector block having third and fourth passageways disposed in flow communication; a pivot member having opposite ends rotatably received within the second and third for pivotally connecting the hose and connector blocks; a connector member having one end rotatably received within the fourth passageway; first and second attaching arrangements for connecting the ends of the pivot member to the hose and connector blocks to prevent separating movement of such blocks axially of the pivot member; and a third attaching arrangement for connecting the connector member to the connector block. The first attaching arrangement may include a locking pin supported by the hose block for engagement with the pivot member.

Abstract: A dual action sander having a manually manipulated housing, a motor supported by the housing, a motor shaft balancer driven by the motor for rotation relative to the housing about a drive axis, a balancer shaft carried by the motor shaft balancer for rotation relative thereto about a second axis radially offset relative to the drive axis and for mounting a sanding device, a latch pin slidably supported by the motor shaft balancer for movement in alignment with the drive axis between unlatched and latched positions, the latch pin having a first end and a second end with the first end being engageable with the balancer shaft when the latch pin is in latched position for preventing rotation of the balancer shaft relative to the motor shaft balancer about the second axis, a manual operator carried by the housing for engagement with the second end of the latch pin and being movable to force the latch pin into latched position, and a spring for biasing the latch pin for movement towards the unlatched position.

Abstract: A reciprocating abrading, polisher or buffing tool is disclosed in which a counterweight for a shoe adapted for the mounting of an abrading, polishing or buffing member is driven by the shoe for oppositely directed reciprocating movement. Pairs of guides for supporting the shoe and counterweight for reciprocating movement are mounted on a shroud having halves fixed to each other and to depend from a rim of a body of the sander or polisher, so as to permit selective rotational displacements of the shoe and counterweight relative to the body. In one form of the invention employing suction to withdraw dust from adjacent the shoe, the shroud is employed to positionally locate an L-shaped connecting duct relative to a dust discharge opening in the shoe and a dust collecting duct leading to an aspirator.

Abstract: A valve for controlling flow of air comprising in combination a valve housing having a chamber, inlet and outlet air flow paths communicating with the chamber adjacent oppositely facing sides thereof, and a valve seat arranged in one of the flow paths; a valve sleeve supported for rotation within the chamber and having a through opening provided with opposite ends arranged for placing the inlet and outlet air flow paths in flow communication; and a valve member having sealing and operating ends, the sealing end being arranged within one of the flow paths for removable engagement with the valve seat for selectively blocking and unblocking the flow of air through one of the flow paths, the operating end extending into the chamber from one of the flow paths and through one of the opposite ends for receipt within the through opening of the valve sleeve.

Abstract: There is disclosed in connection with a random orbital sander the utilization of improved arrangements for resiliently supporting an air motor, controlling the flow of pressurized air to the motor, and utilizing air exhausted from the motor to withdraw dust from a shroud arranged to collect dust generated incident to operation of the sander. Also disclosed is an alternative dust collecting arrangement, wherein the shroud is connected by a sander mounted duct to a source of vacuum.

Abstract: The shield of this invention has a skirt that is tilted or slanted forward which, together with longer bristles, provides a substantial improvement in these type devices. Also provided in the shield of this invention is an adjustable, slanted clamp that can be adapted for connection to various size sanders. A baffle is also included within the shield to form a tunnel effect which enhances suctioning or vacuuming off of debris resulting from the sanding operation.

Abstract: A flexible sanding/deburring head adapted for driven rotation by a power tool is formed from a plurality of juxtaposed thin sheets of flexible abrasive material individually die cut to define a connecting portion having a mounting opening disposed centrally thereof and at least three projections connected to the connecting portion to extend generally radially of the mounting opening, wherein the projections are uniformly spaced annularly of the mounting opening and bound uniformly sized cut-out areas opening radially of the mounting opening and each projection is divided into parallel fingers having relatively inner ends connected to the connecting portion and relatively outer ends arranged to lie generally along arcs of a circle whose center is coincident with the center of the mounting opening. The projections are skip-cut to define the fingers.

Abstract: There is disclosed in connection with a random orbital sander the utilization of improved arrangements for resiliently supporting an air motor, controlling the flow of pressurized air to the motor, and utilizing air exhausted from the motor to withdraw dust from a shroud arranged to collect dust generated incident to operation of the sander. Also disclosed is an alternative dust collecting arrangement, wherein the shroud is connected by a sander mounted duct to a source of vacuum.

Abstract: A flexible sanding/deburring head adapted for driven rotation by a power tool is formed from a plurality of juxtaposed thin sheets of flexible abrasive material individually die cut to define a connecting portion having a mounting opening disposed centrally thereof and at least three projections connected to the connecting portion to extend generally radially of the mounting opening, wherein the projections are uniformly spaced annularly of the mounting opening and bound uniformly sized cut-out areas opening radially of the mounting opening and each projection is divided into parallel fingers having relatively inner ends connected to the connecting portion and relatively outer ends arranged to lie generally along arcs of a circle whose center is coincident with the center of the mounting opening.

Abstract: An assembly for connecting a sanding pad or the like to a driver having an axis of rotation, wherein the sanding pad is adapted to undergo free rotational movement about a second axis disposed parallel to the axis of rotation, as such sanding pad is caused to orbit about such axis of rotation. The assembly features a bearing assembly for supporting the sanding pad for rotation about the second axis, wherein an improved seal is provided to prevent ingress of abrasive materials into the bearing assembly during operation of the sanding pad, so as to prolong the useful life of the bearing assembly.