Abstract:
An apparatus for cleaning the buffing face of a power driven buffing pad while mounted on a buffing machine includes separate cleaning devices adapting the apparatus to clean both rotary driven pads and orbitally driven pads. The cleaning deck, enclosed within a container for the cleaning solution, carries the optional removable pad cleaning devices and is vertically adjustable with a simple adjustment arrangement on the inside container wall to accommodate pads of varying thickness.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning buffing pads of the type mounted on and driven by a powered buffing machine and, more particularly, to a cleaning apparatus for pads used on either a rotary or orbitally driven buffing machine.  
         [0002]     The apparatus described and claimed herein constitutes an improvement on the apparatus shown in my prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,786,333; 4,983,221; 5,471,726 and 5,682,638, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein. Each of the apparatus disclosed in the foregoing patents included a container that comprised a reservoir for a cleaning solution, a deck that included cleaning wheels and against which a buffing pad mounted on a rotary powered buffing machine was placed. Operation of the rotary buffing machine caused the cleaning wheels to turn to help loosen wax, polish, dirt and the like embedded in the face of the buffing pad. Means were also provided for delivering cleaning solution to the pad in engagement with the deck, including an electrically driven pump, a pump driven by the rotating buffing pad, and a water wheel also driven by the rotating buffing pad.  
         [0003]     All of the foregoing apparatus provide very effective means for cleaning rotary power driven buffing pads. However, orbitally driven buffing pads have also come into common use and, because of the manner in which orbital motion is delivered to the face of the buffing pad, it has been found that prior art rotary buffing pad cleaning devices do not clean orbital buffing pads very well. Orbitally mounted buffing pads are not driven to rotate, but rather rotate intermittently and indiscriminately as a result of the orbital motion imparted to them. In particular, there is no rotary motion in an orbitally mounted pad to effectively drive the small cleaning wheels characteristic of the apparatus described in the above identified patents.  
         [0004]     In addition, my U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,638 discloses a height adjustment mechanism for the cleaning deck of a pad cleaning apparatus so that pads of varying thickness may be cleaned in the apparatus while permitting a pivotal cover to be closed to retain cleaning solution within the container during the cleaning operation. The height adjustment mechanism, however, required individual adjustment of each of three deck-supporting legs. This adjustment was time consuming and somewhat awkward for the operator.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     In accordance with the present invention, a pad cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning deck whose vertical position within the container may be easily adjusted to accommodate pads of different thickness. In addition, the deck includes pad cleaning devices effective to clean either a rotary driven buffing pad or an orbitally driven buffing pad, the cleaning device or the latter being demountable from the deck when not needed. The apparatus also includes a unitary cleaning solution pumping device mounted in a vertical tubular recess in the wall of the reservoir.  
         [0006]     The apparatus of the present invention is especially adapted for cleaning the buffing face of a power driven buffing pad while the pad is mounted on the power buffing machine. The apparatus comprises a reservoir for a liquid cleaning solution, the reservoir having an outer wall with a peripheral upper edge that defines an open upper end. A generally horizontal deck is supported within the reservoir for vertical adjustment on supports that are formed integrally with the inside wall of the reservoir. Pad cleaning devices are supported on the deck for engaging and cleaning the buffing face of a pad when the pad is positioned within the open upper end of the reservoir.  
         [0007]     The reservoir is generally circular in horizontal cross section and the deck supports preferably comprise vertically and circumferentially spaced shoulders, and the deck includes a peripheral outer edge having radially extending lugs that are sized to engage and rest upon selected shoulders. The selected support shoulders may comprise a plurality of groups of vertical support ribs, each group defining a plurality of coplanar horizontal shoulders. The support ribs of each group are equally spaced circumferentially around the inside wall of the reservoir. In a preferred embodiment, the support ribs are bounded by vertical guide ribs that are spaced horizontally apart by a distance slightly larger than the circumferential width of the lugs on the deck. In the preferred embodiment, the inside wall of the reservoir includes a peripheral horizontal ledge below the support ribs that defines a lowermost deck support surface. The support ribs may have lower ends that terminate at the horizontal ledge.  
         [0008]     The pad cleaning devices on the deck comprise a plurality of cleaning wheels rotatably attached to the deck and positioned to contact the buffing face of the pad. Preferably, the pad cleaning devices include at least one cleaning brush having bristles positioned to contact the buffing face of the pad. The cleaning brush is preferably carried on a demountable insert. The cleaning wheels comprise coaxially mounted wheel sets that are carried on a cleaning wheel insert, and the deck is provided with a cleaning wheel recess for receipt of the cleaning wheel insert. Preferably, the apparatus includes a pair of cleaning wheel inserts, each of which carries a set of axially spaced cleaning wheels on common rotational axis extending generally radially with respect to the buffing face of the pad, the wheels of one set being offset radially on the rotational axis with respect to the wheels of the other set.  
         [0009]     The pad cleaning apparatus also includes a pump device that has a liquid inlet near the bottom of the container and a liquid distribution nozzle adjacent the underside of the deck. An opening in the deck is aligned with the liquid distribution nozzle to permit liquid cleaning solution pumped from the level below the deck to impinge on the buffing face of the pad. The pump device preferably comprises a unitary assembly of a tubular pump housing containing the liquid inlet, and impeller, an outlet to the distribution nozzle, a motor, a battery and a switch. The reservoir includes a tubular recess in and extending vertically along the reservoir outer wall, the recess sized to receive the pump housing therein. The apparatus preferably includes a removable cover plate that is supported on the upper edge of the reservoir. The cover plate has an integral pump housing cover that is aligned with the tubular recess and covers the upper end of the pump housing when the cover plate is in place. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     The drawings illustrate the best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the invention.  
         [0011]     In the drawings:  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of the apparatus of the present invention with a portion cutaway to show interior details.  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a vertical section through the assembled apparatus of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0014]     A pad cleaning apparatus  10  of the present invention is shown in the exploded view of  FIG. 1  where its major component parts may be seen. The apparatus  10  is housed in and includes a large container  11  which serves as a reservoir for a liquid cleaning solution and also supports the remainder of the pad cleaning apparatus. The container  11  is generally cylindrical in shape with the outer wall  12  having a slight taper or draft for molding purposes, as is well known in the art. The outer wall  12  of the container  11  includes an integral tubular recess  13  that runs the full length of the outer wall  12  and opens to the interior of the container. Tubular recess houses a pump device  14  which delivers the liquid cleaning solution from the lower part of the container  11  to a discharge nozzle  15 . The discharge nozzle is positioned below a cleaning deck  16  which is supported on the inside wall  17  of the container  11  for adjustable vertical positioning on supports  18  on the inside wall  17 , which supports are integrally molded with the container  11 . The container  11  is closed by a cover plate assembly  20  that rests on the upper rim  21  of the container  11 . The space between the top of the deck  16  and the cover plate assembly  20  is adapted to receive a buffing pad mounted on a power driven buffing machine such that powered contact of the buffing pad with cleaning devices on the surface of the deck  16  helps loosen and remove buffing and similar compounds and dirt from the working face of the pad, assisted by a spray of cleaning liquid from the discharge nozzle  15  through openings in the deck. The cover plate assembly  20  includes a main outer rim  22  that defines a large truncated circular opening  23  large enough to receive a conventional buffing pad mounted on a backing plate and attached to and driven by a buffing machine. The widened portion  24  of the outer rim  22  has pivotally mounted thereon the ends of a pair of semi-circular cover members  25  which can be pivoted from an open position permitting insertion of a buffing pad and attached backing plate through the semi-circular opening  23  and a closed position surrounding the drive shaft of the buffing machine and enclosing the buffing pad and backing plate within the container  11 . The foregoing construction is generally known in the art and the unique features of the pad cleaning apparatus of the present invention will be described below.  
         [0015]     As indicated above, the cleaning deck  16  is adjustably mounted inside the container  11  using a simple, but very effective, arrangement of supports  18  on the inside wall  17  of the container. In the preferred embodiment shown, the container  11  has a stepped wall that defines, on the inside wall  17 , an annular horizontal ledge  26 . The cleaning deck  16  comprises a generally horizontal disk having a circular peripheral outer edge  27  from which a number of circumferentially spaced radially extending lugs  28  extend. The lugs  28  engage the horizontal ledge  26  on the inside wall of the container to support the cleaning deck  16  in its lowermost position within the container. As best seen in  FIG. 1 , extending vertically upwardly from the horizontal ledge  26  are a plurality of circumferentially spaced groups of vertical support ribs  30  positioned between vertically extending guide ribs  31 . The groups of support and guide ribs are spaced circumferentially around the inside wall  17  of the container to align with one of the lugs  28  on the edge of the deck  16 . In the embodiment shown, the deck has four lugs  28 , spaced at 90 degree intervals around the circumference of the container, and four groups of support and guide ribs  30 ,  31  similarly spaced. For the lowermost position of the cleaning deck  16 , in which the lugs  28  rest directly on the annular horizontal ledge  26 , the lugs are confined between a first pair of guide ribs  32  which engage the sides of the lugs  28  to prevent rotary movement of the deck plate inside the container. A first pair of vertical support ribs  33  is positioned between one of the vertical guide ribs  32  and a longer vertical guide rib  34 . The tops of the first pair of support ribs  33  are flat and horizontal to engage and support one of the lugs  28  on the deck as the lugs are permitted to slide between the guide rib  32  and longer guide rib  34 . Similarly, an adjacent second pair of support ribs  35  is positioned between longer vertical guide rib  34  and an outer guide rib  36  of the same length. The second pair of support ribs  35  also has flat upper support surfaces  37 . Thus, by raising or lowering the deck plate and turning it on its vertical axis, the plate may be moved to be supported within the container in any one of three vertical positions defined by the horizontal ledge  26 , the first pair of support ribs  33  and the second pair of support ribs  35 . In each of these positions, the enclosing guide ribs retain the deck against rotation in the container.  
         [0016]     The upper surface of the cleaning deck  16  is provided with two types of pad cleaning devices, one of which is particularly adapted to clean the face of a rotary driven buffing pad and the other of which is more suitable to cleaning the buffing face of an orbitally driven pad. Two sets  38  of cleaning wheels  40  are mounted on the deck  16 . Each set includes a plurality of coaxially mounted wheels  40  carried on a cleaning wheel insert  41 . The inserts  41  are received in a cleaning wheel recess  42  in the deck and held therein by attachment screws (not shown) from the underside of the deck. Cleaning wheel inserts, when installed, are flush with the upper surface of the deck, but the cleaning wheels  40  project above the horizontal surface of the deck, such that they are engaged by the face of the buffing pad and driven by rotation of the pad over the deck. As is known in the prior art, the cleaning wheels  40  have a toothed configuration such that their rotation against the rotatably driven buffing pad helps to loosen caked wax, dirt, and other materials from the face of the pad. As is also known, each set  38  of cleaning wheels is mounted on a common rotational axis with the axis extending generally radially with respect to the deck and the face of the buffing pad. As is also known, the wheels of one set may be offset radially on its rotational axis with respect to the wheels of the other set, thereby assuring cleaning wheel contact with nearly the entire face of the pad as it rotates over the wheels.  
         [0017]     With an orbitally driven pad, the orbital driver imparts an eccentric orbital motion to the pad, but the pad is rotationally free-wheeling. It has been found that an orbitally driven pad does not rotate effectively over the deck and the cleaning wheels  40  and, therefore, is not as easily cleaned in prior art devices designed for rotary driven pads. Therefore, the improved apparatus of the present invention includes a cleaning brush  43  mounted on a cleaning brush insert  44  which, in turn, is demountably seated in a cleaning brush recess  45  in the upper surface of the deck  16 . The brush insert  44  may be attached to the deck from below with screws, similarly to the cleaning wheel inserts  41 . The bristles  46  of the cleaning brush  43  extend upwardly from the surface of the deck and engage the soiled surface of the orbitally driven buffing pad in contact therewith. The driven orbital and free-wheeling rotary action of the pad promotes effective loosening of dirt and caked wax from the pad surface and, along with the liquid cleaning device to be described, promotes very effective cleaning of an orbitally driven pad. The cleaning brush  43  is not particularly suitable for cleaning a rotary driven buffing pad, so the cleaning brush insert  44  is preferably removed when rotary pads are being cleaned. On the other hand, cleaning wheel inserts  41  may be left in place for cleaning either type of pad.  
         [0018]     As indicated in the general description above, a pump device  14  is carried in the tubular recess  13  formed in the wall  12  of the container. The pump device is completely self contained in a tubular pump housing  47  and includes, beginning at the lower end, a liquid inlet  48 , an impellar  50 , an outlet  51 , an electric motor  52 , a battery  53  and a switch  54 . A filter screen  55  is preferably attached to the liquid inlet  48 . The discharge nozzle  15  is attached to the pump outlet  51  and includes a supply pipe  56  which may be conveniently slipped over the outlet  51  and a fan shaped outlet nozzle  57  positioned directly below the underside of the deck  16 . The deck is provided with an arrangement of open inlet slots  58  directly above the outlet nozzle  57 . Thus, with the pump motor operating, liquid cleaning solution is directed upwardly through the inlet slots  58  in the deck to impinge directly on the soiled surface of the buffing pad operating against the cleaning devices on the upper surface of the deck.  
         [0019]     The upper rim  21  of the cover plate assembly  20  includes an integral pump housing cover  60  which covers the upper end of the pump housing  47 , except for a small hole at the top through which the push-button switch  54  projects.  
         [0020]     Certain variations of the above-described preferred embodiment may be utilized. For example, instead of utilizing screws or other threaded fasteners to hold the cleaning wheel inserts  41  and the cleaning brush insert  44  on the deck, an arrangement could be utilized in which drop-in inserts are pushed down into the respective recesses and then radially outwardly under detents in the deck which hold the inserts in place. With respect to the deck supports  18  on the inside wall of the container, pairs of vertical support ribs  33  and  35  could be replaced with a single wide rib. Also, the vertical guide ribs  31  could be eliminated and modified deck lugs  28  could be provided with recesses on the underside to receive the upper ends of the support ribs  30  to provide lateral engagement, as well as vertical support.