Abstract: A finishing apparatus and method for surface finishing workpieces. A tub is rotatable about vertical axis and operable to hold and rotate abrasive media completely submerged in water or other liquid. One or more manipulators, each supporting a spindle operable for supporting and rotating a workpiece about a spindle axis of the spindle with the workpiece at least partially submerged in the abrasive media and operable for holding spindle axis normal to and spaced apart from the vertical axis with the spindle horizontal in the tub during the surface finishing process while the tub is rotating. Manipulators are independently operable to present one of the workpieces for loading and unloading on and off spindle while tub is rotating and continuing to process the other workpieces submerged in the media and water. A rake includes a plate and means for lifting the plate up and down vertically through the abrasive media.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for processing a metallic gear comprising providing a gear, directing a first peening media at the metallic gear thereby exposing a plurality of surfaces on the metallic gear to the first peening media whereby the strength and wear properties of the teeth roots of the gear are enhanced, directing a second peening media at the metallic gear thereby exposing a plurality of surfaces on the metallic gear to the second peening media whereby the KSI of the surface of the gear is enhanced, providing a container, placing a fine finishing medium in the container, placing the gear with the fine finishing medium in the container, coupling vibrations to the container to vibrate the fine finishing medium with the wetted gear, removing the gear from the container, washing the gear and rinsing the gear with rust inhibitor.

Abstract: A loader arrangement 7 of a shot-blasting machine includes a bucket loader 29 having a tip opening that can be opened and closed by means of a lid 35. The loader arrangement 7 also includes a swivel arm 32, which is vertically and pivotally attached to a frame 4 via a linkage 31, for vertically swiveling the bucket loader 29, and a chain block 34 for swiveling the arm 32. Once the bucket loader 29 has reached the upper position above a rotary drum 5 by means of the swivel arm 32, a guide means 30, which is attached to the arm 32, allows the bucket loader 29 to approach the drum 5 through its top opening by driving a hydraulic cylinder 33, while the tip of the bucket loader 29 is opposed to the bottom wall of the drum 5. Once the tip of the bucket loader 29 is close to the bottom wall or the inner peripheral wall of the drum 5, the lid 35 is opened to drop the work pieces in the bucket loader 29 into the drum 5.

Abstract: A loader arrangement 7 of a shot-blasting machine includes a bucket loader 29 having a tip opening that can be opened and closed by means of a lid 35. The loader arrangement 7 also includes a swivel arm 32, which is vertically and pivotally attached to a frame 4 via a linkage 31, for vertically swiveling the bucket loader 29, and a chain block 34 for swiveling the arm 32. Once the bucket loader 29 has reached the upper position above a rotary drum 5 by means of the swivel arm 32, a guide means 30, which is attached to the arm 32, allows the bucket loader 29 to approach the drum 5 through its top opening by driving a hydraulic cylinder 33, while the tip of the bucket loader 29 is opposed to the bottom wall of the drum 5. Once the tip of the bucket loader 29 is close to the bottom wall or the inner peripheral wall of the drum 5, the lid 35 is opened to drop the work pieces in the bucket loader 29 into the drum 5.

Abstract: The upper opening which opens the blast-processing chamber can be opened after the door moves slidely to the up and down directions, the door does not project outwardly from the case when the door is opened, it can be installed to the small space. Also it can be prevented to collide against the door.

Abstract: With the blasting apparatus in which the injection nozzle is disposed to inject the blast material against the work pieces from the outside of the tubular barrel formed of the mesh net for accommodation of the work pieces and rotatable about the center axis, the work pieces can be stirred homogenously and efficiently without excessive occurrence of the collision of the work pieces against one another and without occurrence of the collision of the work pieces against one another and with a strong shock force. Therefore, the treating efficiency is enhanced and, it is possible to inhibit the occurrence of the cracking and breaking of the work pieces. Further, with the blasting apparatus in which the tubular barrel is supported circumferentially outside the center axis of the support member rotatable about the center axis, it is possible to more inhibit the occurrence of the cracking and breaking of the work pieces.

Abstract: Improved cleanability and contamination prevention are provided in a wet milling apparatus for the production of pharmaceutical grade milled products. The advantages are provided by a milling agitator that is characterized by a smooth, seamless agitating surface, without crevices or seams which might accumulate contamination and which might prevent removal of contamination during cleaning. The use of polymeric milling media reduces wear on the agitator and permits the agitator to be constructed with permanent, smooth welded joints. Seamless joints are also provided on the interior of the milling chamber and sanitary, threadless fasteners are provided for the media separation screen and other milling chamber fittings.

Abstract: The mill comprises a cylindrical shell ring (10) revolving about its longitudinal axis and containing a grinding charge comprising grinding bodies made of metal alloy. At least one grinding body (30) identical to those that make up the grinding charge is fixed to an elastomer or rubber pedestal (28), itself fixed to the interior surface of the shell ring. This grinding body (30) is exposed to the conditions inside the mill and is associated with a reference electrode (36) from which it is electrically insulated. This reference electrode (36) is protected from the impact knocks of the charge in the mill but is in electrical contact with the pulp in the mill, the said grinding body (30) and the said electrode (36) being electrically connected to measurement apparatus (18) fixed inside the shell ring of the mill.

Abstract: A ceramic electronic part producing method, in which when a ceramic electronic part having an internal electrode in a ceramic sintered body and having an external electrode connected to the internal electrode at an outside surface thereof is to be produced, a ceramic sintered body is obtained, and then subjected to dry-type barrel polishing, which does not use water, using a centrifugal barrel device in order to expose the internal electrode from an outside surface of the ceramic sintered body. The method is one in which the problem of deterioration of electrical properties, such as insulation resistance property, caused by entrance of moisture during polishing, seldom occurs and in which a large number of highly reliable ceramic electronic parts can be produced.

Abstract: Improved cleanability and contamination prevention are provided in a wet milling apparatus for the production of pharmaceutical grade milled products. The advantages are provided by a milling agitator that is characterized by a smooth, seamless agitating surface, without crevices or seams which might accumulate contamination and which might prevent removal of contamination during cleaning. The use of polymeric milling media reduces wear on the agitator and permits the agitator to be constructed with permanent, smooth welded joints. Seamless joints are also provided on the interior of the milling chamber and sanitary, threadless fasteners are provided for the media separation screen and other milling chamber fittings.

Abstract: An abrasive cleaning device and method are provided in which a rotating, oscillating drum tumbles articles being cleaned while they are subjected to oscillating blast streams of abrasive particles. Variable closure of alternating portions of an upper opening in the drum through which the blast streams are directed is accomplished by means of a flexible belt that moves in concert with the drum and blast head oscillations.

Abstract: A wet type buffing method is practiced such that a final buffing step is conducted in a buffing liquid having alkality and the remaining buffing steps are conducted in other buffing liquid having acidity. A work buffing apparatus is constructed such that a disconnection preventive member is disposed at the foremost end of a shaft for a work, the outside of a buffing wheel comes in contact with the disconnection preventive member, a tightening nut is threadably engaged with the buffing wheel, and the buffing wheel is tightly fixed to the shaft by displacing the tightening nut along the shaft. In addition, a surface treatment conducting method is practiced such that each surface treatment is conducted after a work is subjected to barrel buffing before or after the surface treatment. Additionally, a work supporting apparatus includes a buffing medium receiving container having a buffing medium received therein and a work supporting arm.

Abstract: A finishing assembly for vibratory finishing of workpieces in loose finishing media includes at least one generally annular finishing chamber which is driven by a drive assembly and supported by a support housing. The drive assembly consists of a crank shaft and a drive shaft which are rigidly connected to each other through a wedge-shaped gasket and oriented such that the rotary axis of the crank shaft and the rotary axis of the drive shaft intersect with one another at a predetermined angle. The crank shaft rotates within a first bearing hub which is rigidly mounted within the chamber and the drive shaft rotates within a second bearing hub which is rigidly secured to the assembly housing and which is actuated by an electric motor. The spatial vibration of the finishing assembly can be adjusted using a wedge-shaped gasket and/or by providing for horizontal displacement of the first bearing hub from the second bearing hub.

Abstract: A shot blast machine for cleaning workpieces that includes two tumbler sections and at least one blast wheel for impelling abrasive particles. Both tumbler sections have a surface with an ingress and an egress for supporting and tumbling the workpieces under the path of abrasive particles. Though horizontally adjacent, the two surfaces are vertically displaced relative to each other. The vertical displacement of the surfaces forms a step to induce an additional tumble of the workpieces as they tumble from the egress of the first tumbler section to the ingress of the second tumbler section, thereby encouraging the shot blasting of every surface on the workpieces in a timely manner. The degree of tilt of the surfaces is selectively adjustable, thereby allowing substantial control over the duration of the cleaning cycle.

Abstract: A cryogenic deflashing apparatus removes residual flash from molded articles. A cryogenic chamber establishes and maintains cryogenic temperatures from an injected cryogenic fluid. A parts basket is removably disposed within the cryogenic chamber for imparting a tumbling action to the molded articles. The basket has an external perforated shell and an open end and a closed end, where the closed end has a conical surface disposed within the perforated shell effective to enhance the tumbling action for the molded articles for exposure to the cryogenic temperature for embrittling the residual flash. A throw wheel directs shot media toward the articles tumbling within the parts basket for impacting and removing the residual flash from the articles that is embrittled by the cryogenic temperature.

Abstract: A cryogen deflashing apparatus for removing residual flash from molded articles includes a receptacle assembly forming a sealed treatment chamber for the molded articles and a throwing wheel assembly for propelling particulate media against the molded articles. The throwing wheel assembly including a vaned impeller, an adjustable scroll housing, and an adjustable directional foil housing. The scroll housing partially encircles the impeller and has a surface shaped in the form of a volute. The impeller cooperates with the scroll housing to operate as a suction blower for evacuating cryogen gas and particulate media from a supply conduit. The directional foil housing forms an outlet of the throwing wheel assembly and directs cryogen gas and particulate media, accelerated by the impeller, directly toward the molded articles.

Abstract: A workpiece cleaning mill that is useful for cleaning castings includes a hollow housing that is established by arranging plural elongated manganese flights side-by-side to establish a cylinder, and attaching the flights to opposed entrance and exit rings. A feed conveyor feeds workpieces into the entrance end, and an exit conveyor conveys the workpieces away from the exit end. Media throwers are disposed at each end to throw high-speed cleansing media, such as shot, into the housing. The housing is rotated as the workpieces move, under the influence of gravity and/or following workpieces being fed into the housing, from the entrance end to the exit end while being bombarded with shot. Steel mesh curtains at each end block the media from passing outside of the mill. Spent media falls through perforations in the flights, and the spent media is conveyed back to a media hopper and thence to the media throwers for reuse. Magnetic valves regulate the amount of media thrown by the throwers.

Abstract: A cryogen shot blast system is provided which includes a sealed cryogenic chamber and a barrel which is supported within the cryogenic chamber and is rotatable about a longitudinal axis. The barrel is pivotally mounted so that the longitudinal axis of the barrel has a variable angle of inclination. The cryogenic chamber includes a drum portion and a generally hemispherically-shaped dome portion which seals an open end of the drum portion. The cryogenic chamber is jointed such that the barrel and a portion of the cryogenic chamber can rotate between a loading position wherein work pieces can be loaded into the barrel and an operating position wherein the barrel is sealed within the cryogenic chamber. A throwing wheel propels particulate media into the barrel to impact work pieces. A nozzle injects the particulate media at different orientations within the throwing wheel to vary the direction of flow of particulate media from the throwing wheel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for decontaminating a substance contaminated with radioactivity, in particular, shot blasting grit contaminating with radioactivity. The method comprises: contaminated substance washing the substance to be decontaminated with chelate liquid; draining the chelate liquid; raising the temperature of the substance to a level not lower than the boiling point of a solvent by means of hot air; supplying the solvent to the substance and rapid by vaporizing the solvent; removing the remaining chelate fluid liquid by the force of the vaporization and draining and drying the substance.

Abstract: A vibratory material handling apparatus is provided for mixing of materials, cleaning, blending and/or shake out of castings or the like. The apparatus comprises a container having a material supporting surface disposed along a generally horizontal longitudinal axis. The container has a material input end and a material discharge end axially spaced therefrom and it is resiliently mounted relative to a mounting surface. The apparatus also includes a vibration generator for producing a force to cause material within the container to be directed in a path of tumbling movement generally in a direction from the material input end toward the material discharge end of the container. With this arrangement, a tumbling assist mechanism is provided for applying a force to the material in addition to the force produced by the vibration generator to facilitate tumbling of the material as it moves along the path of tumbling movement.