BACKGROUND
1. Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to grinding apparatuses and particularly to a grinding apparatus with adjustable weighting.
2. Description of Related Art
Grinding apparatuses are used for grinding planar workpieces, such as lenses. During grinding processes, weights are usually loaded on holders holding the workpieces, for increasing a grinding force. However, when different grinding forces are needed, weights must be manually changed, which requires labor intensity and is time consuming
Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Many aspects of the disclosure can be better understood with reference to the drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the views.
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a grinding apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the grinding apparatus of FIG. 1 viewed from a first angle.
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of some components of the grinding apparatus of FIG. 2 viewed from a second angle.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged, isometric view of a fastening member of the grinding apparatus of FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged, isometric view of a support assembly of the grinding apparatus of FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a grinding apparatus 300 employing a lifting mechanism 100 for hanging weights 60 used by the grinding apparatus 300. The grinding apparatus 300 may be used for grinding planar workpieces, such as lenses. The grinding apparatus 300 includes a table 10, a controller (not shown), a grinding disk 20, a support assembly 30, and the lifting mechanism 100. The lifting mechanism 100 includes a drive cylinder 40 and a hooking assembly 50. The controller controls the grinding apparatus 300 and the lifting mechanism 100.
Referring to FIG. 2, the drive cylinder 40 has a cylinder rod 41. Referring to FIG. 4, the hooking assembly 50 has a board member 51, a connecting member 53, and three fastening members 55. The board member 51 may have a shape of an equilateral triangle and has three mounting holes 511 and a first retaining ring 512. Each of the three mounting holes 511 is defined in a corner portion of the board member 51 and is a through hole. The first retaining ring 512 is attached to a substantially middle portion of a surface of the board member 51. The connecting member 53 has a connector 531, a connecting chain 532, the connecting chain 532 permitting a swinging movement in one plane, and a first latching member 533. The first latching member 533 is substantially annular and formed by two arc blocks (not labeled) oppositely assembled, which together form a circle. One end of the connecting chain 532 is connected to a connector end of the connector 531. An opposite end of the connecting chain 532 is connected to the first latching member 533. The first latching member 533 is interlinked with the first retaining ring 512. The two arc blocks of the first latching member 533 may be joined by screws. An opposite connector end of the connector 531 is fixed to the cylinder rod 41 by a bolt, for example. As such, the hooking assembly 50 may be raised and lowered by the cylinder rod 41.
Each fastening member 55 includes a shaft 551, a linkage 552, and a second latching member 553. Each second latching member 553 includes two arc blocks 554. Each arc block 554 has two opposite fastening ends 555. The two arc blocks 554 of each second latching member 553 are oppositely positioned and detachably assembled by the fastening ends 555 being fixed together by screws 556, thus to form an annulus. One end of the linkage 552 is attached to an end of the shaft 551. An opposite end of the linkage 552 is attached to the second latching member 553. Each shaft 551 extends through one of the mounting holes 511, and is rotatably attached on the board member 51 by a sleeve 557 mounted to an opposite shaft end of the shaft 551 furthest from the linkage 552. The three second latching members 553 are located at the same side of the board member 51 and opposite to the first retaining ring 512, thereby maintaining the board member 51 in a horizontally balanced state.
Referring to FIGS. 1-4, a base pressure block 56 is attached to each second latching member 553. Each base pressure block 56 is disc-like and has a second retaining ring 561 attached to a substantially middle portion of a surface thereof. The second retaining rings 561 are detachably interlinked with the second latching members 553. Each base pressure block 56 has a bolt 562 secured to an opposite surface thereof, for securing the weights 60.
Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the table 10 includes a panel 11, a bracket 13, and a motor 15 installed inside the table 10. The panel 11 defines a receiving hole 12. The bracket 13 includes a support pillar 131 perpendicularly attached to the panel 11 and a fixing board 132 extending perpendicularly from an upper end of the support pillar 131. The drive cylinder 40 is attached to an end of the fixing board 132 furthest from the support pillar 131, and is aligned with the center of the receiving hole 12.
The grinding disk 20 includes a grinding surface 21. The grinding surface 21 may be configured of soft material, such as cow leather. The grinding disk 20 is connected to the motor 15 through a drive shaft 22, which is attached to a surface of the grinding disk 20 opposite to the grinding surface 21. When the motor 15 runs, the drive shaft 22 rotates, which rotates the grinding disk 20. The grinding disk 20 is received in the receiving hole 12.
Referring to FIG. 5, the support assembly 30 includes three support plates 31 and three ledges 33 holding the support plates 31. Each support plate 31 is disk-shaped. Each support plate 31 defines a recess 311 (see FIG. 3) in a surface facing the grinding disk 20, for receiving a workpiece to be ground, and has a protrusion 312 protruding from a substantially middle portion of an opposite surface. Each ledge 33 includes a fixing post 331, a retaining board 332, and two leather wheels 333. The fixing posts 331 of the three ledges 33 are fixed to the panel 11 and are evenly positioned along a periphery of the receiving hole 12. Each retaining board 332 has an end attached to one of the fixing posts 331 and is located upon the receiving hole 12. A distal end of each retaining board 332 furthest from the corresponding fixing post 331 has an arcuate notch 334. The two leather wheels 333 of each ledge 33 are mounted to a surface of one of the retaining boards 332 facing the receiving hole 12, and are located at two ends of the arcuate notch 334 thereof. One of the two leather wheels 333 of each ledge 33 faces the arcuate notch 334 of an adjacent ledge 33. Each support plate 31 is mounted in one of the arcuate notches 334, with a periphery in contact with the two leather wheels 333 located at two ends of the arcuate notche 334 and in close proximity to the leather wheel 333 of another ledge 33 facing the arcuate notch 334 (see FIG. 2). Thus, three leather wheels 333 act as a brake on the support plates 31 to give a resisting force to the support plates 31.
The weights 60 press down on the support plates 31, thus increasing a grinding force to the workpieces. Each weight block 60 defines a threaded hole 61 in a substantially middle portion of a surface thereof, for threadedly securing one of the bolts 562 of the base pressure blocks 56. An opposite surface of the weight block 60 defines a locking recess 62. The weight of the weights 60 and the base pressure blocks 56 may be changed as required.
In assembly, the grinding disk 20 is received in the receiving hole 12 of the panel 11. The support plates 31 are held on the ledges 33, with the recesses 311 thereof facing the grinding disk 20. The drive cylinder 40 is secured on the bracket 13. The hooking assembly 50 is attached to the cylinder rod 41 through the connector 531. The base pressure blocks 56 are attached to the second latching member 553 by the second retaining rings 561 interlinked with the second latching members 553. The three base pressure blocks 56 of the hooking assembly 50 are aligned with the three support plates 31.
In use, referring to FIG. 1, the support plates 31 are turned over. Workpieces are secured in the recesses 311 with surfaces requiring grind protruding above the recesses 311. The support plates 31 are then put back on the ledges 33, with the workpieces in contact with the grinding surface 21 of the grinding disk 20. Desired weights 60 are attached to the base pressure blocks 56 by the bolts 562 threadedly secured into the threaded holes 61. The drive cylinder 40 is turned on by the controller. The cylinder rod 41 is driven to move towards the panel 11, until the weight of the weights 60 is taken by the support plates 31. The protrusions 312 on the support plates 31 are engaged with locking recesses 62 of the weights 60, preventing the weights 60 from moving relative to the support plates 31. The motor 15 drives the drive shaft 22 to rotate, and further brings the grinding disk 20 to rotate relative to the support plates 31, thereby grinding the workpieces. Furthermore, the relative friction existing between the grinding disk 20 and the workpiece causes the support plate 31 to rotate on its axis, and further brings the weights 60 and the fastening members 55 to rotate.
It is to be understood, however, that even through numerous characteristics and advantages of the present disclosure have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of assembly and function, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
Patent Application
20140057536
