Abstract: A buffing and polishing member has an uncompressed monolithic body of foam material having slits from an outside surface toward and less than a distance to a rotational axis of the body. The slits, on circumferential spaced planes, extend generally radially from the outside surface toward and less than a distance to the rotational axis to define a plurality of foam fingers and an unslit center portion. A fastening mechanism holds the center portion of the slit foam body in a compressed state along the rotational axis such that the uncompressed outer ends of the foam finger define a spherocylinder.

Abstract: An adjustable stroke mechanism for a random orbital machine including a housing having a wall enclosing a cavity, an adjuster ring surrounding the housing and having a first set of gear teeth along a first portion of an inner surface, and a second set of gear teeth along a second portion of the inner surface, a counterweight having gear teeth on an exterior surface disposed within the housing, and a bearing carriage having gear teeth disposed within the housing. At least one counterweight gear that meshes with the gear teeth of the counterweight and the first set of gear teeth of the adjuster ring, and at least one bearing carriage gear that meshes with the gear teeth of the bearing carriage and the second set of gear teeth of the adjuster ring, so that movement of the adjuster ring causes movement of both the counterweight and the bearing carriage.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus for a power driven buffing pad includes a wash plate mounted in a cleaning solution reservoir that provides agitating and cleaning contact with the pad mounted on an operating driver. The wash plate can be reciprocated vertically by the operator against a biasing arrangement to operate a pump to deliver cleaning solution from the reservoir to the face of the pad in contact with the wash plate.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus for a power driven buffing pad includes a wash plate mounted in a cleaning solution reservoir that provides agitating and cleaning contact with the pad mounted on an operating driver. The wash plate can be reciprocated vertically by the operator against a biasing arrangement to operate a pump to deliver cleaning solution from the reservoir to the face of the pad in contact with the wash plate.

Abstract: A sanding and finishing tool is constructed from a number of interlocking sanding members configured such that the sanding and finishing tool is equipped for sanding and/or finishing jobs of varying sizes and degrees, and is further able to easily sand and/or finish in and around various sized edges, crevices and corners. The tool includes a first sanding member having a handle which can be provided with auxiliary sanding members having auxiliary sanding surfaces. The first sanding member includes a sanding surface covered by a sanding material, wherein the sanding material is removably attached to the sanding surface. The tool further includes any number of additional sanding members, such that each additional sanding member dovetails on to the last sanding member, and also includes a sanding surface and material.

Abstract: A rotary buffing and finishing system includes a polymeric foam cushioning layer that has a graded compression load deflection which is interposed between a backing plate and a relatively thin performance layer that is removably attached to the foam cushioning layer. The backing plate is flexible but has a compression load deflection greater than the cushioning layer, and the cushioning layer includes two foam layers of graded compression load deflection that decreases from a rear face to a front face. The system provides improved performance over thicker and more expensive performance layers while reducing operator fatigue.

Abstract: A surface finishing ball of compressible material, adapted to be driven on a rotational axis is made from a layered body of compressible material that is formed in multiple disk-like layers that are separated in planes generally perpendicular to the rotational axis. Layers are also slit on circumferentially spaced planes that extend generally radially from an outside surface to define a plurality of foam fingers. A clamping system is used to compress and hold a center portion of the layered body in a direction along the axis of rotation such that the uncompressed outer ends of the fingers define a generally spherical ball.

Abstract: A surface finishing ball of compressible material, adapted to be driven on a rotational axis is made from a layered body of compressible material that is formed in multiple disk-like layers that are separated in planes generally perpendicular to the rotational axis. Layers are also slit on circumferentially spaced planes that extend generally radially from an outside surface to define a plurality of foam fingers. A clamping system is used to compress and hold a center portion of the layered body in a direction along the axis of rotation such that the uncompressed outer ends of the fingers define a generally spherical ball.

Abstract: A sanding and finishing tool is constructed from a number of interlocking sanding members configured such that the sanding and finishing tool is equipped for sanding and/or finishing jobs of varying sizes and degrees, and is further able to easily sand and/or finish in and around various sized edges, crevices and corners. The tool includes a first sanding member having a handle which can be provided with auxiliary sanding members having auxiliary sanding surfaces. The first sanding member includes a sanding surface covered by a sanding material, wherein the sanding material is removably attached to the sanding surface. The tool further includes any number of additional sanding members, such that each additional sanding member dovetails on to the last sanding member, and also includes a sanding surface and material.

Abstract: A polymeric foam buffing pad is made from a foam preform that has a convex outer working surface slit and compressed. Preferably, the working face is slit to form a pattern of foam fingers. The slit convex preform is flattened to place the outer working surface in compression and the flattened pad is attached, in use, to a flat backing surface to maintain the compressed surface state. The invention can also be applied to an unslit preform.

Abstract: A surface finishing ball of compressible material, adapted to be driven on a rotational axis is made from a layered body of compressible material that is formed in multiple disk-like layers that are separated in planes generally perpendicular to the rotational axis. Layers are also slit on circumferentially spaced planes that extend generally radially from an outside surface to define a plurality of foam fingers. A clamping system is used to compress and hold a center portion of the layered body in a direction along the axis of rotation such that the uncompressed outer ends of the fingers define a generally spherical ball.

Abstract: A rotary buffing and finishing system includes a polymeric foam cushioning layer that has a graded compression load deflection which is interposed between a backing plate and a relatively thin performance layer that is removably attached to the foam cushioning layer. The backing plate is flexible but has a compression load deflection greater than the cushioning layer, and the cushioning layer includes two foam layers of graded compression load deflection that decreases from a rear face to a front face. The system provides improved performance over thicker and more expensive performance layers while reducing operator fatigue.

Abstract: A buffing ball is made from two layers of tufted wool or synthetics cut to identical FIG. 8 shape and secured to the outer surface of a spherical member, preferably by stitching.

Abstract: A buffing and polishing ball made of a compressible polymeric foam material is formed by slitting a body of foam material in a substantially uncompressed state (1) from an outside surface of the body in a direction generally perpendicular to the rotational axis and (2) on circumferentially spaced planes that extend generally radially from the outside surface of the body to define a plurality of foam fingers. A fastening system is used to compress and hold a center portion of the foam body in a direction along the rotational axis such that the uncompressed outer ends of the finger assume a generally spherical ball.

Abstract: A polymeric foam finishing pad is made by attaching an array of foam fingers to a suitable support substrate. The foam fingers are attached to the substrate in a continuous strip of interconnected fingers or may be individually inserted into a support substrate and attached to the substrate by an adhesive layer. Each of the foam members is preferably formed in and cut from an advancing foam strip and folded and inserted into a preformed opening contained in the support substrate, such that each foam member forms a pair of fingers that extend from the front face of the support substrate. The outer tip of each foam finger may include a pair of slits extending into the foam member from the outer tip to divide each outer tip into a plurality of contact tips, thereby increasing the amount of surface contact between the finishing pad and the surface being finished. The tips of the fingers may also be provided with abrasive particles to provide a more aggressive pad finishing surface.