Claims
- 1. A surfacing machine for treating workpieces, comprising:
- a frame;
- conveyor means having a surface for supporting and advancing said workpieces;
- at least one workpiece finishing means having a surface opposed to the surface of said conveyor means and being coupled to said frame;
- at least one working station being defined by the opposed surfaces of said at least one workpiece finishing means and said conveyor means;
- said workpieces having a first and second surface, said first surface of said workpieces being in contact with and opposed to said surface of at least one workpiece finishing means, said second surface of said workpieces being in contact with and opposed to said surface of said conveyor means;
- said at least one workpiece finishing means treating and finishing said first surface of said workpieces advanced therepast, and including means for contacting said first surface of said workpiece;
- pressure shoe means pivotally coupled to said frame proximate each said working station for applying downward pressure to said workpieces as they pass upon said conveyor means through said working station;
- adjustable stop limit means and a retracting spring means coupled to said frame for limiting a rocking movement of said pressure shoe means relative to said workpiece;
- first control means coupled to said stop limit means for selectively altering a position of said adjustable stop limit means such that said pressure shoe means can be selectively setup to accommodate a particular said workpiece;
- second control means including:
- (i) a data storage memory having means for receiving and retaining data representing workpiece dimensions, workpiece configuration, workpiece properties, and acceptable operating parameters experienced by said workpiece finishing means while workpieces having such dimensions, configurations and properties are being treated within said at least one work station; and
- (ii) means for simultaneously selectively and adjustably controlling the operating parameters of a motion and a vertical position of said workpiece finishing means so as to enable the workpiece finishing means contacting the workpiece to perform within acceptable operating parameters, to adjust during the treatment of workpieces to at least one of the workpieces dimensions, configurations and properties as received and retained by the data storage memory, and to assure constant forward motion of the workpiece through each working station of said surfacing machine following initial contact of each workpiece with said pressure shoe.
- 2. The machine as specified in claim 1 wherein said adjustable stop limit means further includes locking means for selectively locking said adjustable stop limit means in place after adjustment by said control means.
- 3. The machine as specified in claim 2 wherein said pressure shoe means comprises a pressure shoe having an upper end with a notch defined therein, and said locking means is coupled to said main frame and comprises a protrusion which can be selectively inserted into said notch to limit the pivoting of said pressure shoe.
- 4. The machine as specified in claim 1 wherein said first and second control means are operatively coupled to, but positioned remote from, said adjustable stop limit means for remotely controlling operation thereof.
- 5. The machine as specified in claim 1 wherein said pressure shoe means comprises a pressure shoe, and said adjustable stop limit means comprises a piston means having a selectively extendable piston member which restricts the pivoting of said pressure shoe.
- 6. The machine as specified in claim 5 wherein said piston means further comprises a clamping means for selectively locking said piston member in place after adjustment.
- 7. The machine as specified in claim 1 wherein said pressure shoe means comprises a pressure shoe having an upper end, and said adjustable stop limit means comprises cam means disposed through said upper end for selectively restricting the pivoting of said pressure shoe.
- 8. The machine as specified in claim 7 wherein said pressure shoe upper end has an opening defined therethrough, and said cam means has a rotatable cam member coupled to said frame and within said opening, whereby rotation of said cam member adjusts a downward pivot limit of said pressure shoe.
- 9. The surfacing machine as specified in claim 1 wherein said at least one workpiece finishing means comprises:
- guide means for receiving and guiding an endless abrasive belt with an abrasive coated outer surface about a predetermined path while trained about a plurality of cylindrical drums having axes of predetermined length and with said cylindrical drums being arranged along spaced apart parallel disposed axes; and
- drive means for drivably rotating at least one said cylindrical drums.
- 10. The surfacing machine as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that said at least one workpiece finishing means comprises a drum head.
- 11. The surfacing machine as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that said at least one workpiece finishing means comprises a plurality of serially arranged work stations.
- 12. The surfacing machine as defined in claim 11 wherein said at least one workpiece finishing means comprises three workpiece finishing means further comprising three serially arranged work stations, with each successive work station employing a finer abrasive grit than its preceding work station.
- 13. The surfacing machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said data storage memory includes identity of characteristics of wood stock, workpiece thickness at output relative to thickness at input, and properties of abrasive mineral.
- 14. A method of setting up an apparatus having:
- (a) a frame;
- (b) at least one workpiece finishing means having a surface, said workpiece finishing means coupled to said frame for finishing said workpieces advanced therepast;
- (c) conveyor means being defined by a conveyor belt, said conveyor belt having a surface for supporting workpieces, said workpieces having surfaces in contact with and opposed to said workpiece finishing means and said conveyor belt, said surface of said conveyor belt being opposed to said surface of said at least one workpiece finishing means defining a working station;
- (d) pressure shoe means pivotally coupled to said frame proximate said working station for applying downward pressure to said workpieces as they pass upon said conveyor means through said working station;
- (e) adjustable shoe stop limit means and a retracting spring means coupled to said frame for limiting a rocking movement of said pressure show means relative to said workpiece; and
- (f) control means coupled to said stop limit means for selectively altering a position of said adjustable stop limit means such that said pressure shoe means can be selectively setup to accommodate and adjust during the treatment of a particular said workpiece through controlling parameters dependent upon workpiece dimensions, workpiece configuration, and workpiece properties;
- comprising the steps of:
- i) inserting a workpiece into said working station and below said pressure shoe means
- ii) lowering said pressure shoe means to a first position onto said workpiece to a predetermined pressure and
- iii) adjusting a position of said stop limit means using said control means dependent upon said dimension, configuration and properties of said workpiece such that said stop limit means restricts pivoting of said pressure shoe means from said first position wherein the position of said stop limit means, as selected, provides for continuous motion of said workpiece through said surfacing machine.
- 15. The method as specified in claim 14 further comprising the step of locking said stop limit means in place after adjustment thereof.
- 16. A method of treating workpieces, comprising:
- placing said workpieces upon a conveyor means;
- pivoting against said workpieces at least one pressure shoe means, said at least one pressure shoe means having an adjustable stop limit means and a retracting spring means limiting a rocking movement of said pressure shoe means relative to said workpieces, said adjustable stop limit means being controlled by a first and second control means;
- selectively altering a position of said adjustable stop limit means such that said pressure shoe means can be selectively setup to accommodate a particular said workpiece by said first control means;
- treating and finishing said workpieces utilizing at least one workpiece finishing means;
- receiving and retaining data representing workpiece properties such as but not limited to dimensions, configurations and properties by said second control means comprising a data storage memory while workpieces are being treated and finished by said at least one workpiece finishing means; and
- adjusting in-situ said adjustable stop limit means while workpieces are being treated and finished by said at least one workpiece finishing means.
- 17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of selectively locking said adjustable stop limit means in place after adjustment by said first control means.
- 18. The method as defined in claim 16 wherein at least one workpiece finishing means comprises an endless abrasive belt trained about a plurality of cylindrical drums and drive means for drivably rotating at least one said cylindrical drum.
- 19. A surfacing machine for treating workpieces, comprising:
- a frame;
- a conveyor means having a surface, said surface supporting and advancing said workpieces through said surfacing machine;
- at least one workpiece finishing means having a surface opposed to said surface of said conveyor means and being coupled to said frame such that said workpieces are in contact with and pass between said opposed surfaces whereby said at least one workpiece finishing means treat and finish said workpieces;
- at least one pressure shoe means pivotally coupled to said frame and applying pressure to said workpieces against said conveyor means;
- adjustable stop limit means and a retracting spring means coupled to said frame for limiting a rocking movement of said at least one pressure shoe means relative to said workpieces;
- said adjustable stop limit means being controlled by a control means comprising a first and second control means;
- said first control means comprising a data storage memory receiving and retaining data representing workpiece properties such as but not limited to dimensions, configurations and properties while workpieces are entering and being treated and finished by said at least one workpiece finishing means; and
- said first control means controlling said second control means whereby said second control means adjusts in-situ said adjustable stop limit means while the workpieces are entering and being treated and finished such that the adjustable stop limit means being able to handle variances in said workpiece properties.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
The present application constitutes a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/248,325, filed May 24, 1994, now abandoned, and entitled "AUTOMATICALLY SECURABLE TRAVEL LIMITING STOPS FOR PRESSURE SHOES USED IN AN ABRASIVE FINISHING MACHINE" now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (12)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
8103445 |
Feb 1983 |
NLX |
PCTUS80 01678 |
Jan 1982 |
WOX |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
248325 |
May 1994 |
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