Abstract: A machine tool comprises a working area, closed by walls and a roof covering, in which a device for receiving a work piece is arranged, and a headstock with a main spindle is arranged, into which tools for machining the work piece can be clamped. Device and headstock are movable relatively to each other. In a front wall an opening lockable by a door leads into the working area. At least one part of the roof covering is movable between two positions in such a way that it locks the working area to the top in a first position and releases same to the top for loading in a second position.

Abstract: Abrading and cutting devices such as saws include waste containment systems and methods to improve removal of slurry or other contaminants from a work area during operations, and separation of slurry from a carrying medium such as air. A vacuum bar includes high and low vacuum openings to help focus flow and to conserve vacuum pressure. One opening faces the saw blade. A slurry containment and separation container includes walls and configurations for the inlets and outlets that enhance cleaner separation of the air and the slurry. Coolant is applied to the saw blade to make operation and cleanup more efficient. The vacuum generator can operate off of the power generated by the machine.

Abstract: A machine tool with a working area cover provided with at least one door for allowing access to the working area of the machine tool. For providing an enhanced and simplified access to the working area without interfering protrusions or edges the door is a round door turnable about a vertical axis.

Abstract: The present invention, a tool safety shield, comprises a clip with at least one shield. The clip further comprises vent ribs. The shield extension further comprises a vacuum port. Both one piece and two piece embodiments are disclosed. The tool safety shield is attachable to a tool or to an adapter from the tool to the tool safety shield.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing sheets of polymeric surfacing, the sheets produced thereby, and the apparatus used to produce the sheets. The method includes providing a solid polymeric slab, and slicing the slab into sheets of surfacing. The sheets may include polymeric particles contained in a polymeric matrix. The particles may have a maximum linear dimension that is greater than the final thickness of the sheets, thereby resulting in an aesthetically pleasing “chunky” appearance. The apparatus used to slice the sheets produces a relatively smooth, uniform surface, and is capable of dramatically limiting the amount of variation in thickness within a finished sheet.

Abstract: A machine tool comprises a spindle stock and a worktable provided in front of the spindle stock to support workpieces thereon and capable of up-down movement and swivelling movement about a vertically extending center axis. Also employed in the machine tool is a splash guard arrangement which spatially divides the worktable into a machining region disposed in proximity to the spindle stock and a mounting region positioned distal to the spindle stock. The splash guard arrangement includes a rotary guard rigidly attached to the worktable for movement as a unit with the worktable, a stationary guard provided above the rotary guard and a sealing slider elevationally movably held by the stationary guard. The sealing slider remains in pivotal engagement with the rotary guard so that the slider can be subjected to up-down movement together with the rotary guard, while allowing the swivelling movement of the worktable and the rotary guard independently of the slider.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus 70 is used for polishing a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer to a flat mirror finish by a combination of chemical polishing and mechanical polishing. The polishing apparatus includes a turntable 73 with a polishing 74 cloth mounted on an upper surface thereof, a top ring 75 for supporting the workpiece to be polished and pressing the workpiece against the polishing cloth, and a dressing tool 79 for dressing the polishing cloth on the turntable. The polishing apparatus further includes a cover 10 which covers an upper surface of the turntable for preventing liquid on the turntable from being scattered, and inserting holes 17 and 21 formed in an upper wall of the cover for inserting the top ring and the dressing tool therethrough.

Abstract: A lawn mower blade sharpening apparatus has a standard bench grinder having a grinding wheel thereon attached to a workbench. A lawn mower blade support frame is attached to the workbench adjacent the bench grinder and has a blade support surface hinged to the frame and a cutout area therein having the bench grinder grinding wheel extending through the cutout so that the blade support surface can be rotated on the hinge adjacent the grinding wheel to vary the angle of the blade support surface to the grinding wheel. A threaded adjustment bolt is threaded through the frame and abuts the blade support surface and has a gripping handle on one end thereof and an abutment cap on the other end thereof. Threading the threaded adjustment bolt in and out adjusts the angle of the hinge blade support surface to change the angle of the support relative to the grinding wheel for sharpening blades at different angles on the grinding wheel while supported on the blade support surface.

Abstract: A grinding wheel shield for a semiconductor wafer edge grinding machine formed with a flat upper surface having a central aperture therein for accommodating the grinding wheel shaft and motor of the grinding machine on which the shield is installed, an open keyway slot leading from the central aperture to an adjacent edge of the shield, a depending flange extending from at least a portion of the periphery of the upper surface, and at least one positioning member projecting from the depending flange, the shield being a unitary member machined from a single block of resilient polymeric material, and a sheet of resilient material disposed on top of the flat upper surface with an opening aligned with the central aperture of the shield and a slit extending from the opening over the keyway slot to the edge of the shield such that the sheet forms at least one flexible flap over the keyway slot.

Abstract: Disclosed is a blade cover in a cutting apparatus comprising a chuck table for holding a workpiece to be cut and cutting means for cutting the workpiece, which comprises a spindle having a rotary blade detachably attached thereto and a spindle housing for rotatably holding the spindle. The blade cover is fixed to the spindle housing on its front side, and it comprises: a rear nozzle assembly for flushing water to the rotary blade on its rear side; a front nozzle assembly for flushing water to the rotary blade on its front side; and blade detecting means for detecting the condition of the rotary blade. The front nozzle assembly is adapted to be put selectively in operative or inoperative position, and the blade detecting means is adapted to be put selectively in operative or inoperative position in unison with the front nozzle assembly. With this arrangement the rotary blade can be changed readily.

Abstract: A deflector device is provided for a liquid-jet cutter wherein the cutting element is mounted upon an assembly which moves the cutting element between cutting and idle positions. A deflector disk is located on the lower end of this support assembly as maintained in a stationary position immediately below the idle position. During operation, the cutting element is moved to a cutting position immediately adjacent the product support surface which provides products to be cut to the cutter. When it is desirable to halt cutting, the cutting element is moved to a position remote from the product support surface and above the deflector disk. The assembly utilized to control movement of the cutting element positions the cutter at a remote distance from the deflector disk when in an idle state to minimize wear upon the components.

Abstract: A protective enclosure for a machine tool is constructed so as to be a free standing assembly completely independent from the machine tool. The protective enclosure is provided on rollers so that unimpeded access may be had to the machine tool by rolling away the protective enclosure. The protective enclosure is further provided with a safety locking system for interrupting operation of the machine tool if the protective cover is removed during operation or preventing starting of the machine tool if the protective cover is not fully in place.

Abstract: A plastic shield for a tile saw includes two vertical side panels, a back panel and a top panel, which in one embodiment are dismantlable separate panels. The components are quickly assembled together via slotted edges or connecting extrusions and when dismantled stack flatly within the water tray which is included as part of the tile saw apparatus. The tile saw shield is configured to allow normal use of the tile saw, without encumbering the user. It contains water from spraying out of the tray, to the extent that the tile saw can be used in an interior setting. In a second embodiment the shield is made of a flexible canopy with three sides and a top, supported by a bent rod frame which itself is secured in releasable fashion to fixed structure of the tile saw apparatus.

Abstract: Two opposing and parallel resilient wipers contact and wipe a top surface of a panel rotating about an axis perpendicular to the length of the wipers. The panel separates exchanger platforms of a rotatable turntable for exchanging workpieces between a loading station and a machining station. Each wiper is split near the center to follow the top surface of the panel as it rotates, and the splits are offset from each other along the lengthwise direction such that debris or fluid entering one of the slits will be stopped by an opposing face of the remaining wiper.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein an adapter system for use with a hand-held electrically-driven grinding tool, which rotatably drives a grinding wheel for removing grout or mortar from a work site. The adapter system is constructed to controllably deliver a liquid, usually water to the grinding wheel. The adapter system includes a valve assembly mounted to the tool body, which assembly includes: (1) a housing which defines an inlet and an outlet and (2) a shut off valve member positioned within the housing and between the inlet and outlet and operable from external of the housing to selectively provide and interrupt communication between the inlet and the outlet. There is also provided a supply conduit leading from a source and connected to the inlet for delivering liquid from the source to the valve housing inlet. A flexible delivery conduit is provided and connected to the valve housing and positionable adjacent to periphery of the grinding element.

Abstract: The invention provides a guard arrangement including a guard member having an annular base provided with axially spaced apart first and second sets of radially inwardly extending and circumferentially spaced apart projections. The first and second sets of projections are circumferentially aligned and are alignable with axially extending grooves on a tool housing so that the guard member can be slid or snapped on and off the tool housing. To lock the guard member against removal from the tool housing, the tool housing is provided with a pair of annular grooves for receiving the projections on the guard member when the guard member is angularly shifted from a mounting position. To lock the guard member in a desired angular position, the guard member is provided with a finger-operated locking member that is engageable with detents located on the tool housing.

Abstract: A grinding machine includes a casing with a top plate unit, two grinding units installed on the top plate unit, and a driving unit for activating the grinding units. The top plate unit has a dust inlet slot formed therethrough so as to permit dropping of dust from the corresponding grinding unit into the dust inlet slot. The casing has two side chambers communicated with the dust inlet slots, and a middle chamber which is located between the side chambers and which receives a filtering unit therein. A dust-collecting chamber is located in a bottom portion of the casing and is communicated with the side chambers and the middle chamber. An exhaust fan unit is disposed in the middle chamber and is located over the filtering unit to draw dust from the dust-collecting chamber in order to discharge the same from the casing.

Abstract: A plastic shield for a tile saw includes two vertical side panels, a back panel and a top panel, which in one embodiment are dismantlable separate panels. The components are quickly assembled together via slotted edges or connecting extrusions and when dismantled stack flatly within the water tray which is included as part of the tile saw apparatus. The tile saw shield is configured to allow normal use of the tile saw, without encumbering the user. It contains water from spraying out of the tray, to the extent that the tile saw can be used in an interior setting. In a second embodiment the shield is made of a single, integral piece of relatively rigid sheet material, such as "corrugated" plastic material, with fold lines enabling the shield to be erected by folding. Tabs and slots secure the shield together, without fasteners.

Abstract: An improved splash guard designed to prevent wax, cleanser, debris and the like from being spattered from a floor cleaning apparatus, the guard consisting of an elongate strip of flexible, waterproof material with a length greater than a peripheral base of standard floor cleaning apparatus and a width greater than the height of the apparatus so that the strip is capable of encircling the apparatus to form an enclosed wall adapted to the general shape of the peripheral base, extending generally from the floor up to the height of the housing of the apparatus. A bottom, straight edge of the strip is designed for constant, sliding contact with the floor, and thus preferably includes a strip of low friction material which also retards debris adherence. The ends of the strip are secured together with a two-part fastener that secures the ends adjustably and removably.

Abstract: A transparent plastic shield for a tile saw includes four dismantable panels, two vertical side panels, a back panel and a top panel. The components are quickly assembled together via slotted edges or connecting extrusions and when dismantled stack flatly within the water tray which is included as part of the tile saw apparatus. The tile saw shield is configured to allow normal use of the tile saw, without encumbering the user. It contains water from spraying out of the tray, to the extent that the tile saw can be used in an interior setting.

Abstract: A work tank for machine tools for receiving the machining fluid comprising a fixed part and a movable part which retracts to move the tank away from the work area when it is necessary to remove a workpiece.

Abstract: A machine tool (10) comprises a spindle head (11) and a workpiece table (12), in which a first region is provided as a machining side (14) for first workpieces (17) for machining by means of a tool, and in which a second region as a loading side (15) can be loaded with second workpieces (17'), preferably while the first workpieces (17) are being machined. The two regions (14, 15) can be exchanged by means of relative positional change between the spindle head (11) and the workpiece table (12) occurring in the direction of a first coordinate (18) of the workpiece table (12). A spray shielding panel (16), extending in the direction of a second coordinate (19) approximately perpendicular to the first coordinate (18), is provided between the regions (14, 15). The spray shielding panel (16) is configured at least in sections with a variable length in the direction of the second coordinate (19).