Abstract: A shoe for supporting an abrasive tape having an abrasive face and an opposed back face, wherein the shoe comprises a support surface including a frictional engagement material for frictionally engaging the back face of the abrasive tape. The frictional engagement material comprises a plurality of individual frictional engagement areas on a flexible substrate, each frictional engagement area having a plurality of abrasive particles. In an exemplary embodiment, the frictional engagement material comprises diamond abrasive particles retained in a nickel matrix supported on a flexible mesh substrate. The support surface of the shoe may be curvilinear, arcuate, convex, or concave.

Abstract: An expandable wheel for supporting an endless abrasive belt. The present invention relates more particularly to an expandable wheel for supporting an endless abrasive belt, which includes an hub having an axis and a plurality of wheel segments engaged with the hub, where the hub and the plurality of wheel segments are adapted to rotate about the axis, and where the plurality of wheel segments are movable between a first radial position and a second radial position.

Abstract: An expandable wheel for supporting an endless abrasive belt. The present invention relates more particularly to an expandable wheel for supporting an endless abrasive belt, which includes an hub having an axis and a plurality of wheel segments engaged with the hub, where the hub and the plurality of wheel segments are adapted to rotate about the axis, and where the plurality of wheel segments are movable between a first radial position and a second radial position.

Abstract: A backup pad for engaging and supporting abrasive sheets, the backup pad being mounted securely to a drive shaft to prevent relative rotation thereto, and to allow easy mounting and dismounting of the backup pad to the mounting shaft without the use of tools. The backup pad includes a body comprising a front surface and a back surface, releasable engagement means provided on the front surface for releasably engaging an abrasive article, and a mounting boss provided on said rear surface. The mounting boss includes a first end facing away from the body, and an opening in the first end of the boss, the opening being formed by an inner surface generally perpendicular to said body and defining a non-circular cross-section. The opening includes elastic means such as an o-ring for releasably engaging a drive shaft mounted in said opening. Also disclosed is a method of using such a backup pad.

Abstract: A backup pad for engaging and supporting abrasive sheets, the backup pad being mounted securely to a drive shaft to prevent relative rotation thereto, and to allow easy mounting and dismounting of the backup pad to the mounting shaft without the use of tools. The backup pad includes a body comprising a front surface and a back surface, releasable engagement means provided on the front surface for releasably engaging an abrasive article, and a mounting boss provided on said rear surface. The mounting boss includes a first end facing away from the body, and an opening in the first end of the boss, the opening being formed by an inner surface generally perpendicular to said body and defining a non-circular cross-section. The opening includes elastic means such as an o-ring for releasably engaging a drive shaft mounted in said opening. Also disclosed is a method of using such a backup pad.

Abstract: A surface treating article including a quick release fastener. The fastener includes a first end opposite the article, a second end adjacent the article, a tapered portion increasing in cross sectional area in the direction from the first end to the second end, a groove located between the tapered portion and the second end, and a mating portion having a non-circular cross section. Preferably, the mating portion has a hexagonal cross section. Also disclosed is a backup pad for use with the surface treating article. The backup pad includes an opening having a cross sectional area that corresponds to the cross-sectional area of the mating portion of the fastener. The backup pad also includes an o-ring in the opening to engage the groove in the fastener.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for accurately positioning a wide tolerance work piece, wherein the work piece has a first portion with a known reference surface and a second portion whose position relative to the first portion is not exactly known. The apparatus includes a locating fixture for positioning the first portion of the work piece in a known relationship to the locating fixture. A work piece holding fixture having at least one non-synchronous gripping device conforms to the unknown position of the second portion of the work piece and holds the first portion of the work piece in the known position.

Abstract: The contact wheel according to the present invention comprises an annular support portion having external surfaces, and a generally cylindrical peripheral surface. The peripheral surface has spaced edges each adjoining an adjacent external surface, and circumferentially spaced elongate grooves formed therein with land portions disposed between the grooves. The grooves are spaced from the respective adjacent edges of the peripheral surface to provide annular land surfaces at each edge of the peripheral surface. The contact wheel further includes one or more passageways formed therein, which communicate with a groove at a first end of the passageway, and with either an external surface of the annular support portion, or an adjacent groove at a second end of the passageway. The passageways aid in reducing the amount of noise generated by the contact wheel when it is rotated with the abrasive belt entrained thereover.

Abstract: The belt grinding assembly according to the present invention includes (1) a frame (2) a belt grinding mechanism comprising a continuous abrasive belt having a backing with front and rear surfaces, and abrasive granules attached along the front surface; a mechanism for driving the abrasive belt in a first direction along a path relative to the frame; (3) a backup having a support surface for the belt along the path; which support surface is straight in the first direction and has a uniform shape corresponding to the shape of the edge surface in a direction at a right angle to the first direction; (4) a wheel having a periphery, a wheel axis at a right angle to the first direction; a mechanism mounting the wheel on the frame for rotation about the wheel axis; drive mechanism for rotating the periphery of the wheel past a loading station relative to the frame, and then past the support surface at a generally uniform rate of speed and in a first rotational direction; and (5) a plurality of pivoting engagement me

Abstract: A tool holder assembly for use with a workpiece feed mechanism and machining mechanism for forming a new surface on a workpiece is described. The workpiece feed mechanism has slot surfaces extending defining an opening which includes bearing surfaces. The tool holder assembly comprises a removable support including a plate adapted to be received in the slot. The plate has surfaces defining a socket and has shoulder surfaces adapted to engage the bearing surfaces. The tool holder assembly includes a tool receptacle which is adapted to receive the workpiece. At least one detent is provided which includes detent surfaces adapted to engage the socket in the plate. The detents are mounted on the workpiece feed mechanism for movement between a locking position where the detent surfaces of the detent are engaged with the socket, and a release position where the detent surfaces of the detent are spaced from the socket to afford sliding movement of the support within the slot.

Abstract: A belt grinding assembly for grinding a smoothly radiused edge surface on an elongate bar such as a wrench. A bar manipulating mechanism moves the edge surface of the bar at a uniform rate of speed along an arcuate path about an axis at a right angle to a first direction in which an abrasive belt is driven into forceful engagement with the abrasive belt as it is driven along a support surface.