Abstract:
Devices and methods for removing burrs from the outer radial surface of generally cylindrical components during rotation. A manual deburring tool is provided having a gripping handle portion and a “working end” head portion. The head portion preferably includes a curved working plate and gripping means for retaining an abrasive sheet thereupon. The outer radial surface of the rotating workpiece is deburred as a user manually grips the handle portion and applies the curved abrasive surface to the workpiece.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The invention relates generally to devices and methods used to remove and/or smooth burrs from the outer surface of rotating components during manufacturing. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Many pipes, tubes and other generally cylindrical components are made by centrifugal casting, which involves rotation of the component by a rotary mill or other machine. The process of manufacture often results in burrs, projections or other irregularities (hereinafter collectively “burrs”) being formed on the outer radial surface of the component. Some burr removal devices are described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,601,812, issued to Honen and U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,994 issued to Brunken et al. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The invention provides new and improved devices and methods for removing burrs from the outer radial surface of generally cylindrical components during rotation. In a preferred embodiment, a manual deburring tool is provided having a gripping handle portion and a “working end” head portion. The head portion preferably includes a curved working plate and gripping means for retaining an abrasive sheet thereupon. The working head presents a distal working surface that is shaped in the manner of an arcuate section of a right circular cylinder. A cushioning pad is preferably secured to the working surface. The abrasive sheet is retained against the cushioning pad and working surface by a gripping mechanism so that a curved abrasive surface can be applied to a rotating workpiece. The outer radial surface of the rotating workpiece is deburred as a user manually grips the handle portion and applies the curved abrasive surface to the workpiece. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a front view of an exemplary deburring tool constructed in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the deburring tool shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a front view of the deburring tool depicted in  FIG. 1  now activated to remove the abrasive sheet therefrom. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  illustrates use of the deburring tool to remove or smooth burrs. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0010]      FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3  depict an exemplary deburring tool  10  that is constructed in accordance with the present invention. The deburring tool  10  includes “working end” head portion  12  and a gripping handle portion  14  that extends therefrom. The head portion  12  includes a curved working plate  16  that is preferably formed from an arcuate section of piping. In a currently preferred embodiment, the working plate  16  is formed of a section of steel pipe having an outer diameter of about 7.5 inches. Also in a currently preferred embodiment, the working plate  16  has a thickness of about 3/16″. As is apparent from  FIG. 1 , the working plate  16  is shaped in the manner of an arcuate section of a right circular cylinder and presents a curved distal working surface  18 . A cushioning pad  20  is preferably affixed to working surface  18  of the working plate  16 . 
         [0011]    The head portion  12  is also preferably provided with a gripping mechanism, generally indicated at  22 , for retaining an abrasive sheet  24  which overlays the cushioning pad  20  and working surface  18 . The abrasive sheet  24  may comprise sandpaper of a suitable abrasive grain. In a currently preferred embodiment, the gripping mechanism includes a gripping plate  26  that is formed as an arcuate section of a right circular cylinder, similar to that of the working plate  16 . 
         [0012]    The gripping handle portion  14  includes a primary longitudinal handle  28 . The distal end of the handle  28  is affixed to the gripping plate  26  by means of welded flange  30 . The handle  28  preferably has a length that is at least 36 inches to permit personnel using the deburring tool  10  to be a safe distance from a deburring operation. 
         [0013]    A hanger  32  is preferably affixed to the proximal end of the handle  28  to permit the deburring tool  10  to be hung from a hook (not shown). The gripping handle portion  14  also includes a plunger  34  that is axially moveable with respect to the handle  28 . One axial end of the plunger  34  is affixed to the working plate  16 . The plunger  34  extends through an opening  36  in the gripping plate  26  and its other axial end is affixed to a flange  38 . A compression spring  40  is disposed around both the handle  28  and plunger  34  and extends between the flanges  30  and  38 . The gripping plate  26  is resiliently biased against the proximal side  42  of the working plate  16  by the compression spring  40 . As a result of the spring bias, the lateral capturing edges  44  of the gripping plate  26  are biased toward the proximal side  42  of the working plate  16  so that the abrasive sheet  24  is captured therebetween, as depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . It is further noted that curved gripping pieces  46  are secured to the gripping plate  26 . 
         [0014]    It will be seen that the gripping plate  26 , spring  40 , plunger  34 , flanges  30 ,  38  and gripping pieces  46  collectively form a releasable gripping mechanism for releasably securing the abrasive sheet  24  to the head portion  12 .  FIG. 3  depicts the gripping mechanism having been opened to release and remove the abrasive sheet  24 . Alternatively, the gripping mechanism can be opened to allow the abrasive sheet  24  to be placed in the overlaying fashion shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  and than closed to secure the sheet  24  to the working plate  16 . As illustrated by the arrows  48 , pressure is applied to the flange  38  to move it and the plunger  34  axially downwardly with respect to the handle  28 . The downward pressure is preferably applied by gripping the gripping pieces  46  with fingers and pressing downwardly upon the flange  38  with the thumbs. This action causes the gripping plate  26  and the working plate  16  to be moved apart from one another such that the lateral edges  44  of the gripping plate  26  are lifted away from the working plate  16 . The abrasive sheet  24  is then released for removal. 
         [0015]      FIG. 4  illustrates use of the deburring tool  10  to remove burrs from a rotating workpiece  50 . In the illustration, the workpiece  50  is a pipe or tube. However, other such components may be used as well. The workpiece  50  presents an outer radial surface  52  and is being rotated about its longitudinal axis as indicated by the arrow  54 . The equipment used for rotating the workpiece  50  is well known, but not depicted in  FIG. 4 . There are burrs or other irregularities upon the surface  52  of the workpiece  50 . A user  56  will manually grip the handle portion  14  of the deburring tool  10  to bring the head portion  12  into contact with the outer surface  52  of the rotating workpiece  50 . Contact between the abrasive sheet  24  and the surface  52  will remove burrs and smooth irregularities on the surface  52  as the workpiece  50  rotates. The curved abrasive surface presented by the abrasive sheet  24  conformed to the pad  20  and working surface  18  of working plate  16  conforms generally to the curvature of the surface  52  of the workpiece  50 , thereby aiding deburring. 
         [0016]    Those of skill in the art will recognize that numerous modifications and changes may be made to the exemplary designs and embodiments described herein and that the invention is limited only by the claims that follow and any equivalents thereof.