Abstract: The present invention relates to an abrading or polishing tool with an improved motor chamber, and more particularly to a tool with a motor chamber having a sleeve or liner lining the inside surface of the motor chamber. In one embodiment, an abrading or polishing tool includes a body defining an internal motor chamber with an inner surface, a liner lining the inner surface of the motor chamber, a rotor contained within the motor chamber for rotation against the liner, and an abrading or polishing head coupled to the rotor for rotation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an abrading or polishing tool with an improved motor chamber, and more particularly to a tool with a motor chamber having a sleeve or liner lining the inside surface of the motor chamber. In one embodiment, an abrading or polishing tool includes a body defining an internal motor chamber with an inner surface, a liner lining the inner surface of the motor chamber, a rotor contained within the motor chamber for rotation against the liner, and an abrading or polishing head coupled to the rotor for rotation.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to an improved rotor for a pneumatic abrading or polishing tool, such as an orbital abrading or polishing tool, and more particularly to such a rotor having a wear-resistant vane slot. A power abrading or polishing tool, such as a pneumatic orbital abrading or polishing tool, includes a motor having a rotor that transmits a rotational force to a carrier part having an abrading or polishing head attached thereto. The rotor is contained in a motor housing which includes an inlet passage and one or more exhaust passages. Compressed air or other suitable gas enters the motor housing through the inlet passage and causes the rotor to rotate within the motor housing. As the rotor rotates, vanes slide in and out of slots in the rotor, creating sealed chambers or compartments between adjacent vanes. As the compressed gas expands within these compartments, it pushes on the vanes, causing the rotor to rotate and the vanes to slide in and out of their vane slots.

Abstract: A power driven abrading or polishing tool is provided that includes a motor having a rotor; a carrier part having a shaft and a key extending from the shaft; and an abrading or polishing head attached to the carrier part. The rotor includes an outer body of a first material and a core of a second material having a resistance to wear greater than the first material. The core includes an inner passage with a keyway which receives the key on the shaft of the carrier part such that a rotation of the rotor is transmitted to the carrier part and the head.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to an improved rotor for a pneumatic abrading or polishing tool, such as an orbital abrading or polishing tool, and more particularly to such a rotor having a wear-resistant vane slot. A power abrading or polishing tool, such as a pneumatic orbital abrading or polishing tool, includes a motor having a rotor that transmits a rotational force to a carrier part having an abrading or polishing head attached thereto. The rotor is contained in a motor housing which includes an inlet passage and one or more exhaust passages. Compressed air or other suitable gas enters the motor housing through the inlet passage and causes the rotor to rotate within the motor housing. As the rotor rotates, vanes slide in and out of slots in the rotor, creating sealed chambers or compartments between adjacent vanes. As the compressed gas expands within these compartments, it pushes on the vanes, causing the rotor to rotate and the vanes to slide in and out of their vane slots.

Abstract: A power driven abrading or polishing tool is provided that includes a motor having a rotor; a carrier part having a shaft and a key extending from the shaft; and an abrading or polishing head attached to the carrier part. The rotor includes an outer body of a first material and a core of a second material having a resistance to wear greater than the first material. The core includes an inner passage with a keyway which receives the key on the shaft of the carrier part such that a rotation of the rotor is transmitted to the carrier part and the head. In one embodiment, the rotor rotates in a housing having an inner surface with a hardness of at least approximately 80 on the Rockwell scale and/or a microfinish of 14 or better.

Abstract: A pneumatic abrading or polishing tool is provided that includes a motor having a rotor, a motor housing, a carrier part having a shaft and a key extending from the shaft, and an abrading or polishing head attached to the carrier part. The motor housing contains a progressive exhaust passage including a preliminary portion that relieves at least some of the air pressure inside the motor before the exhaust passage fully opens.

Abstract: A power driven abrading or polishing tool is provided that includes a motor having a rotor; a carrier part having a shaft and a key extending from the shaft; and an abrading or polishing head attached to the carrier part. The rotor includes an outer body of a first material and a core of a second material having a resistance to wear greater than the first material. The core includes an inner passage with a keyway which receives the key on the shaft of the carrier part such that a rotation of the rotor is transmitted to the carrier part and the head.

Abstract: An orbital abrading or polishing tool is provided that includes a tool body to be held and manipulated by a user. A motor is carried by the tool body and has a motor shaft driven for rotation about a primary axis. The motor shaft has a cylindrical portion at one end. A spindle is received within the cylindrical portion of the motor shaft for rotation about a secondary axis offset from and parallel to the primary axis. The cylindrical portion of the motor shaft has an opening extending inwardly to the spindle and a locking element is extendable through the motor shaft opening to engage the spindle in a locking relationship.

Abstract: An orbital abrading or polishing tool is provided that includes a tool body to be held and manipulated by a user. A motor is carried by the tool body and has a motor shaft driven for rotation about a primary axis. The motor shaft has a cylindrical portion at one end. A spindle is received within the cylindrical portion of the motor shaft for rotation about a secondary axis offset from and parallel to the primary axis. The cylindrical portion of the motor shaft has an opening extending inwardly to the spindle and a locking element is extendable through the motor shaft opening to engage the spindle in a locking relationship.

Abstract: The orbital sander of the present invention eliminates many of the disadvantages of the prior art sanders by providing a compact, lightweight, and economical sander having a body and shroud formed from an injection-molded synthetic polymeric material. The head is replaced using a built-in plunger which engages notches in the spindle, without the need for tools. The built-in plunger enables the flexible shroud of the prior art to be replaced with a rigid polymeric shroud positioned with a minimal gap between the shroud and the head or shoe. The polymeric shroud is attached to the rest of the polymeric body structure by three screws and two pins. The pins project upwardly from the polymeric shroud and into precise engagement with the polymeric body structure, thus reducing the required drilling and tapping, providing rotational stability, and increasing the strength of the connection between the two parts.

Abstract: A motor driven by air or other fluid, or a pump for pumping air or another fluid, including a rotor having a porous metal body formed of compacted and sintered metal particles and containing polytetrafluoroethylene embedded within the pores of the body. The metal particles are preferably primarily of iron, with a smaller amount of copper at least partially dissolved in the iron. The metal body carries vanes which are received slidably within slots in the body and are movable radially relative thereto and are preferably formed of resinous plastic material.

Abstract: A portable abrading or polishing tool including a tool body carrying an air motor which drives an abrading or polishing head relative to the tool body, with the tool including an aspirator energized by pressurized air for inducing a flow of water to a work surface, and with air being delivered from a source to the motor and the aspirator separately, so that the air passing through the aspirator and to the work surface does not first pass through the motor. A check valve prevents reverse flow of water from the aspirator to the motor when the supply of pressurized air is shut off, to thus prevent damage to the motor by the water. Means are provided for holding the check valve in closed condition even when air is supplied to the motor, to enable lubrication of the tool by air containing entrained lubricant without delivery of the lubricant to the aspirator or work surface.

Abstract: A portable abrading tool including a tool body and a head which is movable relative to the tool body by a motor and is adapted to carry a sheet of sandpaper or other element for abrading or polishing a work surface, with the head containing a first passage or passages for conducting a flow of incoming water through the interior of the head to the work surface, and an additional passage or passages for conducting a suction induced flow of intermixed air, water and abraded particles from the work surface through the interior of the head in isolation from the incoming water and without flow of the intermixed air, water and particles through the first passage or passages.

Abstract: A portable abrading tool including a cylinder body containing a piston which is reciprocable relative to the body under the control of a valve mechanism, a shoe for carrying sandpaper or another abrading element which is reciprocated in a straight line by the piston but oppositely from the reciprocating movement of the piston, a counterweight which is reciprocated essentially in unison with the piston but oppositely from the shoe, and means yieldingly urging the piston and counterweight in a predetermined axial direction and yieldingly urging the shoe in the opposite direction relative to the body to assure that when the operation of the tool is stopped the moving parts of the tool will automatically return to a position in which the valve mechanism is able to deliver fluid to the piston and cylinder structure in a manner recommencing the reciprocating movement.

Abstract: A wet sanding tool including a tool body carrying a motor which drives a head carrying a sheet of sandpaper or other abrading element, with the tool being adapted to deliver water to the work surface during a sanding operation, and preferably also to conduct a suction induced flow of air, water and abraded particles from the work surface. The tool desirably includes a shroud disposed about the power driven sanding head for confining the flow of air, water and abraded particles from the work surface, and having a seal element carried by the periphery of the shroud and engageable with the work surface about the head. Water may be delivered to the work surface through a space within the interior of the shroud and through passages in the driven head. Two seal elements between the shroud and head may isolate the flow of incoming water from the outgoing flow of air, water and abraded particles.

Abstract: A portable abrading or polishing tool including a body containing a cylinder chamber, a piston reciprocable within the cylinder chamber, a shoe which is reciprocated relative to the body by the piston but oppositely from the piston, and at least one counterweight which is located laterally adjacent the piston and is reciprocated oppositely from the piston to reduce vibration of the tool. There may be two at opposite sides of the piston; and a third counter weight such counterweight which is located near the shoe and reciprocated oppositely from the shoe. The tool may include bearing elements interposed between the body of the tool and the shoe and containing openings communicating with passages formed in a pad carried by the shoe to conduct a flow of air or another fluid to or from those passages.

Abstract: A portable abrading or polishing tool including a body containing a cylinder chamber, a piston reciprocable within the cylinder chamber, a shoe which is reciprocated relative to the body by the piston but oppositely from the piston, and at least one counterweight which is located laterally adjacent the piston and is reciprocated oppositely from the piston to reduce vibration of the tool. There may be two such counterweights at opposte sides of the piston, and a third counterweight which is located near the shoe and reciprocated oppositely from the shoe. The tool may include bearing elements interposed between the body of the tool and the shoe and containing openings communicating with passages formed in a pad carried by the shoe to conduct a flow of air or another fluid to or from those passages.

Abstract: A portable abrading or polishing tool including a body structure containing an air motor which drives a head carrying an abrading or polishing element to abrade or polish a work surface. The motor has a housing containing a chamber within which a rotor turns, with an essentially vertical shaft of the motor projecting downwardly through a bottom wall of the housing and operatively connected to the head to drive it. A wear plate is located vertically between the rotor and the bottom wall of the housing and is formed of a material harder than the rotor or housing, and contains an opening through which the shaft projects downwardly in closely fitting but non-contacting relation to minimize downward escape of air from the chamber along the shaft and protect a bearing carried by the bottom wall of the housing against loss of lubricant by the pressure of escaping air.