Abstract: A lens axis alignment device is provided for use in a lens-surfacing machine. The device has a lens carrier for a blocked lens and means for locking the blocked lens on the carrier. The lens axis alignment means is provided to align the blocked lens axis with respect to the carrier. The invention enables optical retail stores to provide 1-hour service for multifocal lenses using only one machine at the retail point.

Abstract: A saw blade clamp unit for holding saw blade in a manner to permit machining of side faces of hard material tips provided upon the teeth of the saw blades. The saw blade clamp unit clamps a saw blade tooth adjacent to a saw blade tooth tip being machined, holding the saw blade. The clamping mechanism of the clamp unit is arranged to form a lateral reference position for the tooth to be machined, with the tooth being set to the required grinding position during the clamping operation.

Abstract: The milling machine disclosed herein offers significant advantages over prior milling machines, particularly in the field of milling composite panels. The structure of the milling machine, having a C-shaped frame with a clamping mechanism that cooperates with roller transfer balls, provides an accurate and stable reference during the milling operation. A vacuum system substantially eliminates the dust produced during the milling operation, so that the machine is cleaner and grinds more accurately. An electrical system, having a retractable bit control and emergency stopping modes, facilitates even more accurate grinding without undesirable results.

Abstract: A device for removing hair from the human body is in the form of an abrasive disc and an ergonomically designed handle for applying the disc to the skin with a rotary, orbital or sweeping motion to remove hair by abrasion. The top of the disc retains a supply of liquid which is supplied to the abrasive skin interface through an aperture in the disc. The undersurface of the disc is uniquely contoured to facilitate use on awkwardly shaped areas of the body such as around elbows and ankles.

Abstract: A machine 80 for polishing a surface of a glass plate 20, comprising a polishing belt 1 provided with a polishing layer in an outside surface thereof, a traveling unit 2for traveling the polishing belt 1, a flatly supporting unit 21 for flatly supporting the polishing belt 1 in a polishing area for the glass plate 20, and a holding and pressing unit 31 for holding the glass plate 20 to be polished and for pressing the held glass plate against the outside surface of the polishing belt 1 flatly supported by the flatly supporting unit 21, and further comprising a swinging unit 61 for relatively swinging the glass plate 20 relative to the polishing belt 1 in a direction parallel to a plane in which the polishing belt 1 is supported by the flatly supporting unit 21, and in a direction traversing to a traveling direction of the polishing belt 1, the glass plate being held by the holding and pressing unite 31.

Abstract: A rough grinding wheel has a plurality of annular grooves with widths at the surfaces of the grooves that are less than the widths thereof at the bottoms of the grooves. This feature provides a space for fluid during the grinding process. A finishing wheel may be mounted on a common shaft with the rough grinding wheel. The rough grinding wheel is intended for use in a method for grinding the outer contour of a cam wherein the cam is rough-ground with the roughing wheel; after a first radial infeed, the rough grinding wheel is withdrawn and axially displaced for a second infeed; this process is repeated until the cam is rough-ground.

Abstract: An improved method for generating a toric surface on a molding tool for forming contact lens molds comprises: providing a tool which comprises an elongated body and a molding portion at one end of the tool, wherein the molding portion comprises a surface which is substantially spherical; applying a force to the elongated body so as to distort the spherical surface of the molding portion; machining a substantially spherical curve in the distorted surface while maintaining the applied force; and releasing the applied force, wherein the spherically cut surface assumes a toric shape upon release of the applied force.

Abstract: A wafer polishing fixture is disclosed containing a first liquid film confined by a non-porous but flexible enclosure for distributing evenly the applied polishing forces across the surface of a wafer supported by the confined liquid. The fixture comprises a flexible, non-porous template with a pocket for receiving a wafer to be polished. A washer is placed between a carrier and the template pocket. A film of water fills the bottom of the pocket and is confined with the aid of the washer and by an overlying porous pad extending across the pocket and having a non-porous sheath facing the liquid. A second liquid film saturates and covers the upper surface of the pad. The wafer to be polished floats upon the second liquid film within the pocket.

Abstract: A coating removal machine or carriage (22) for a pipe (10) has an enclosed housing (44, 46, 48, 50) extending about front and rear tool carriers (74, 76) which rotate in opposite directions about the pipe (10) and have coating removal tools (116, 118, 120) for removing the coating material from the pipe (10). The removed coating material (12) is collected in removable bags (66) beneath the machine (22) for disposal at a separate remote disposal site. A dust collector (28) has a vacuum line (32) extending to the enclosed housing (44, 46, 48, 50) to remove minute coating particles which are suspended in air or air borne. One embodiment (FIGS. 10 and 11) is provided for a fixed installation. Another embodiment (FIGS. 13-15) includes water under pressure discharged from nozzles (63B) to remove the coated material (12) from the pipe (10).

Abstract: A blast nozzle is provided for cleaning a surface with a blast media which is softer and more friable than sand such as sodium bicarbonate and which comprises an inlet section which contains a passageway which converges substantially along only one planar axis to a rectangular venturi orifice and a fan-shaped outlet section which contains a passageway which diverges along substantially only one planar axis perpendicular to the planar axis of convergence of the converging passageway, the inlet passageway being greater than twice the diameter of the inlet of the nozzle so as to provide streamlined flow and reduce turbulent flow of the friable blast media in the blast nozzle. The passageways in the blast nozzle are formed by opposed modular structures which are releasably secured to the nozzle and can be changed to change the length and angle of convergence and expansion ratio of the nozzle.

Abstract: A device for the reprofiling of a rail on a railway track comprises a rigid frame (10) connected to the framing of a railroad vehicle by a lifting arrangement which permits a light running of the railroad vehicle, and at least one grinding unit (11,12). Each grinding unit (11,12) is mounted on a support (13) in such a way that it can displace itself linearly to move the grinding wheel towards and away from the surface of the rail to be grinded. The grinding wheel's axis is located in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rail (1,2) but does not intersect it so that the contact line of the grinding wheel with the surface of the rail (1,2) will be located in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rail. The support (13) is mounted to the frame (10) by cranks (16) which together with the frame and the support form a deformable parallelogram which permits the support to move itself transversally with respect to the frame (10).

Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning a surface comprises a truck with a hydraulic system and a trailer with a blast assembly, dust collector and electric power generator. The apparatus is configurable into an operating mode and a transport mode. In the operating mode, the apparatus is driven by means of the hydraulic system, the blast assembly is lowered to the surface by a hydraulic cylinder and the blast assembly extends beyond the width of the trailer to clean a wide area. Abrasive material is propelled against the surface by a plurality of motor-driven centrifugal blast wheels and is returned for reuse by a return auger and an elevator. Air flow created by the dust collector facilitates return of spent abrasive material for reuse. In another preferred embodiment, a recapture assembly is attached to the blast assembly to capture abrasive material escaping between the blast assembly and the surface to be cleaned.

Abstract: A method is described for altering the surface of a virgin plastic moulding by impingement of plastic particles to render the surface suitable for the application of a coating. The coating will adhere and resist peeling better than with previous chemical surface preparation techniques. The method of the present invention calls for the use of graded granular plastic media material having a Barcol hardness between 20 and 80, propelled by compressed air or liquids or by mechanical means. The plastic media is totally recyclable such that by-products can be used in recycled markets.

Abstract: A method for grinding the outer contour of a cam wherein the cam is rough-ground with a roughing wheel having circumferential grooves in its surface. After a first radial infeed, the grinding wheel is withdrawn and axially displaced for a second infeed. This process is repeated until the cam is rough-ground. A rough grinding wheel for use in this method has a plurality of annular grooves with widths at the surface of the grooves that are less than the widths thereof at the bottoms of the grooves. This feature provides a space for fluid during the grinding process. A finishing wheel may be mounted on a common shaft with the rough grinding wheel.

Abstract: A polishing spindle is provided for use in a polishing device which includes a hollow spline shaft, and a polishing tool having a polishing member which defines a first bag-like elastic member and is attached in an airtight manner to a forward end of the hollow spline shaft. A device supplies a compressive fluid to the other end of the hollow spline shaft through a rotary joint, another device rotatably supports a nut which engages the hollow spline shaft, and a further device rotates the hollow spline shaft. A still further device is provided for displacing the hollow spline shaft in an axial direction. A second elastic member is provided along the axial direction of the hollow spline shaft so as to depress the polishing member against a workpiece under a constant pressure.

Abstract: The invention discloses a method of drag finishing a housing for use in conjunction with a drag finishing machine having a center spindle adapted to revolve around the vertical axis, a tub containing drag finishing media with the outer extent of the tub positioned radially outward of and below the spindle, a work station depending from the spindle with the work station being movable between a raised load position and a lowered dragging position and adapted to releasably receive a housing to be drag finished, the housing having a longitudinal center plane.

Abstract: A grinding wheel assembly comprises a grinding wheel, a flange for directing flow of coolant/lubricant against the grinding surface of the grinding wheel, and, in a preferred embodiment, a threaded shaft and nut for securing the flange adjacent the grinding wheel. The flange includes a circumferential trough formed at the periphery thereof for holding a fluid therein by centripetal force during rotation of the assembly and a plurality of apertures for admitting a flow of fluid therethrough to the circumferential trough. Fluid overflows a weir on a wall of the circumferential trough and enters slots formed in the peripheral surface of the grinding wheel.

Abstract: A method for indexing a crankshaft rod to a preselected location includes the steps of rotating the drive shaft to a null position, maintaining the drive shaft at the null position, moving the indexing motor to a drive position, releasing the chuck for rotation about the spindle, rotating the chuck about the spindle, maintaining the chuck from rotation, moving the drive shaft from the drive position, and freeing the drive shaft for rotation.

Abstract: An apparatus for micro-finishing a brake drum braking surface. The invention uses a center of rotation gaged from the unfinished braking surface to properly position the brake drum on the apparatus and position a shoe for engagement with the braking surface A film, having an abrasive surface, is routed over the shoe so that the abrasive surface will contact the braking surface. The brake drum is rotated and the film is urged into contact with the braking surface while the film and the shoe are axially oscillated along the rotational axis of the brake drum. In mounting the brake drum on the micro-finishing apparatus, a mechanism is provided for simulating the mounting forces normally incurred by the brake drum during use.

Abstract: Non-directional buffing wheel includes plural pairs of buff fingers mounted in circumferentially spaced relation around an annular support. Each of the buff fingers is made of plural plies of folded fabric having completely closed oppositely facing side edges, whereby the buffing wheel may be rotated in either direction for buffing a workpiece. In use, one or more of these buffing wheels may be rotated against a workpiece in either direction, and then rotated against the workpiece in the opposite direction. Also, the workpiece may be rotated in the opposite direction of the buffing wheel or in the same direction as desired.