Abstract:
The present invention relates to a new and improved manual wet sanding block having means for supplying liquid from an external source through the wet sanding block onto a surface being sanded, a means for wipe drying a newly sanded surface, a flexible hose connected to an adaptor located on the wet sanding block, a sliding sucker fixed on the hose near the body in order to avoid that the flexible hose touch the floor, and a means for hanging up the wet sanding block in order the avoid the rust. The flow of water is first controlled by a regulator located in a water intake but may instantly be started and stopped by the finger of the operator. The water is delivered onto the sanding surface by perforations located under the wet sanding block.

Description:
BACKGROUND--FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates to the field of manually operated abrasive tools, in particular, the sanding finishing of car and truck bodies. 
     The present invention relates to a new and improved manual wet sanding block having means for supplying liquid from an external source through the wet sanding block onto a surface being sanded, a means for wipe drying a newly sanded surface, a flexible hose connected to an adaptor located on the wet sanding block, a sliding sucker fixed on the hose near the body in order to avoid that the flexible hose touch the floor, and a means for hanging up the wet sanding block in order the avoid the rust. The flow of water is automatically controlled by a regulator located in a water intake. The water is delivered onto the sanding surface by perforations located under the wet sanding block. 
     BACKGROUND--DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART 
     A prior art patent search was conducted and a list of patents which appeared to us to be most pertinent to the invention follows: 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,022,190 Hutchins, Jun. 11, 1991, shows a mechanical wet sanding tool comprising a hose with liquid flowing from an external source through the wet sanding tool onto a surface being sanded, and by openings in the abrasive surface. The invention of Hutchins comprises a channel network in order to distribute the water in the body of the wet sanding tool, whereas my invention does not include this channel network which is not necessary and augments fabrication and tooling costs. Furthermore, the abrasive surface of Hutchins (FIG. 6) comprises holes for the flowing of water, this implies that somebody has to pierce some holes for delivering water onto the abrasive surface or buy a special sandpaper which may not be easy to find. U.S. Pat. No. 4,320,601 Haney, Mar. 23, 1982, shows a wet sander which comprises an outlet for continuous spraying of water towards the front of the wet sander. This wet sander comprises a valve to control the flow of water. A peculiarity of this invention is to distribute the water by a spray in front of the wet sander. This peculiarity seems to limit the use of the wet sander to horizontal surfaces and sometimes to vertical surfaces when the spray of water is upwardly oriented. U.S. Pat. No. 4,054,626 Sjostrand, Oct. 18, 1977, describes a method for forming bodies of foamed plastisol resin having few steps: heating a fluid plastisol to form a solidified body, grinding the solidified body to form an aggregate, depositing the aggregate into a mold cavity for a closed mold and heating the aggregates within the mold cavity. With a plastic block, the object of this patent, Sjostrand has imagined a water conduit embedded in this block and describes it under the name of EEZER DUSTLESS, but without precise components for making a usable tool in industry. CAN 2051514 Yarbrough, Mar. 17, 1993, shows water-filtered vacuum wall sander to recuperate dust through a porous abrasive surface and a water filter. FR 2533853 Caillot, Oct. 4, 1982, describes a vibrative mechanical sander with an abrasive surface comprising two half soles related to a half shell and comprising flexible columns placed in a direction parallel to that of a sanding plane, without water conduit. IT 544556 Stoll, 1956, shows a vibrative and rotative mechanical sander, with clamps for retaining sandpaper (FIG. 1). U.S. Pat. No. 4,922,665 Wanatowicz, May 8, 1990, shows a manual wet sander comprising a flexible hose. The water is forwarded onto a sanding surface through the wet sander by a hose. A canal network regulates the flow of water to a plurality of liquid outlets along both sides of the wet sander in order not to impregnate the sandpaper with water. This wet sander comprises means for controling the flow by an external pressurized source adjustable by a tap and by means for strangling which are simply distributing water in a system of a small channel where the ratio channel length vs channel diameter is high. But this wet sander does not have means located on the block for controlling the flow. This invention can be used on vertical surfaces with edge strips disposed along both sides, but cannot be used on convex surfaces because the water is directed towards the sides: the invention uses a standard (9×11 inches) sandpaper which may not, without difficulty, espouse the form of a convex surface. 
     The conventional method consits in soaking a sponge in a water bucket, to squeeze the sponge onto a body in order to extract the water, to moisten a sandpaper which is fixed on a manual sanding block, with water flowing away from the sponge at the moment of a sanding operation. The results of this conventional method are somebody has to bend over to soak his sponge in the water bucket, with possible pain at the back; moreover the user has to often have his hands in viciated water with risks of skin infection. 
     While study of the prior art shows several inventions proposing solutions to the problem of supplying water, none has the means or capabilities of providing multiple controls at the finger tip of the user. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The main objective of the invention is to provide better working conditions for a bodyshop worker while involved in car and truck finishing sanding and to remedy the inconvenients of the conventional method and other inconvenients of the patents mentioned above. 
     A more particular objective is to provide a combination comprising a wet sanding block, a sandpaper, a means for controling the flow of water at the source, a means of buffer reservoir for distributing water onto a sanding surface in order to avoid sandpaper stuffing, a means for fixing a sandpaper, a means for hooking a wet sanding block for dripping, a means for supplying water into a wet sanding block, a means for slidingly attaching a flexible hose while sanding for avoiding dragging of the hose along a floor and for keeping the means for delivering water within the reach of a user and, finally a means for wipe drying which permits to immediately verify the state of the work. 
    
    
     DRAWINGS 
     The above mentioned and other advantages of the invention will be better understood in reference to the drawings. 
     In the drawings, closely related figures have the same number, as the ones appearing in the description of the invention. 
     FIG. 1 a perspective view of the wet sanding block designed for a left-handed user, the observer being at the bask and on the right. 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the block of FIG. 1. 
     FIG. 3 is an elevation left side view thereof. 
     FIG. 4 is an end view thereof. 
     FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view with partial cut. 
     FIG. 6A and 6B are perspective views of a detail in the region of arrow 6 of FIG.1. 
     FIG. 7 is a view illustrating a way to use the wet sanding block. 
     FIG. 8 is a view illustrating another way to use the wet sanding block. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 where one can see: 
     a wet sanding block 20, which has a generally parallelepiped form, adapted for finishing sanding of car and truck bodies. The wet sanding block 20 comprises a hollow rigid base 22 which serves to manipulate and to distribute water in the wet sanding block 20, a flexible hose 24 connected to the rigid base 22 which brings water into the rigid base 22, a resilient surface 26 located under the rigid base 22 and serving to support a sandpaper 28 and to release the water accumulated in the rigid base 22, a first spring clamp 30 and a second spring clamp 32 located respectively on each extremity of the rigid base 22 and serving to fix the sandpaper 28 and a rubber flexible wiper 34 located on a left side 36 of the rigid base 22 for a left-handed user, and on a right side 38 for a right-handed person and serving to wipe dry the body. 
     The rigid base 22, which has a generally parallelepiped form is designed for the ergonomic comfort of the hand of a user. The rigid base 22 comprises a top 40, a flat bottom 42, the right side 38, the left side 36, a hollow interior 43, the first spring clamp 30 fixed on a back extremity 44 (FIG. 3) and the second spring clamp 32 fixed on a front extremity 45. The top 40 has a generally rectangular shape and two long superior sides 46 and two short superior sides 48. The left side 36 and the right side 38 show concavities 50 for grasping the wet sanding block 20. The flat bottom 42 has a generally rectangular shape, two long inferior sides 51 and two short inferior sides 52. 
     The flexible hose 24 comprises a first end 53 connected on a front left corner 54 of the top 40 which corresponds to the index position of a left-handed user. A second end 56 of a flexible hose 24 has a water intake 58 adaptable onto a tap. The water intake 58 comprises a circular-shaped regulator 60 with a central orifice 62 of about 0,5 mm. The flexible hose 24 comprises a sucker 64 composed of a rubber dome 66 and a holed cylinder 68. The holed cylinder 68 allows the displacement of the sucker 64 along the flexible hose 24 in order to obtain the appropriate length of flexible hose 24 required for the work. 
     The resilient surface 26 is stuck onto the flat bottom 42 of the rigid base 22. The resilient surface 26 has a generally rectangular shape of the same dimensions as long inferior sides 51 and short inferior sides 52 of the flat bottom 42. 
     The first spring clamp 30 (FIG. 3) is fixed to the back extremity 44 and comprises in its centre an L-shaped lever arm 70 (FIG. 1). The L-shaped lever arm 70 include a hook 72 at an extremity and a pivoting hole 74 at the other extremity. The L-shaped lever arm 70 is used in a first position at 90° to the first spring clamp 30 in order to accomplish two functions. A first function of the L-shaped lever arm 70 is to open the first spring clamp 30 in order to install an extremity of the sandpaper 28. A second function of the L-shaped lever arm 70 is to hang up the wet sanding block 20 in order to favour the dripping of the water when the wet sanding block 20 is not being used. This second function of the L-shaped lever arm 70 permits the extension of the life of the wet sanding block 20 because it cannot rust, and permits not storing the wet sanding block 20 in a tool box, in order to prolong the life of the tool too. The L-shaped lever arm 70 has a second position parallel to the first spring clamp 30 in order to clear the visual field and to allow for easy manipulation of the wet sanding block 20. The second spring clamp 32 is fixed to the front extremity 45 (FIG. 3). 
     FIG. 2 shows a detail of the second spring clamp 32 which has a lever arm 76 with a pivoting hole 78 in an extremity. 
     The flexible wiper 34 is held on the left side 36 by two spread apart attachments 80. The flexible wiper 34 has a trapezoidal form and has a rigid plastic short base 82, a rubber long base 84 and two sides 86 which relate the short base 82 to the long base 84. The short base 82 has the same length as the left side 36 of the rigid base 22. The long base 84 is larger, by at least 1/8 inch, than the short base 82 in order to avoid that the rigid plastic short base 82 scratch the body. The flexible wiper 34 is adapted to wipe dry while espousing the body rounded shape by means of a rotation back and forth of a hand holding the wet sanding block 20. 
     FIG. 3 shows a detail of the first spring clamp 30 fixed at the back extremity 44 and the second spring clamp 32 fixed at the front extremity 45. 
     FIG. 4 shows a detail of the lever arm.76 pivoting about the pivoting hole 78. The lever arm 76 is used in a first position at 90° to the short superior side 48 as a lever for the opening of the second spring clamp 32, to fix another extremity of the sandpaper 28. The lever arm 76 is also used in a second position parallel to the short superior side 48, to clear the way. 
     FIG. 5 shows a detail of the resilient surface 26 which comprises eight perforations 94 distributed over two lines and four columns wherein the spacing is equidistant, and further comprises V-shaped grooves 96. The perforations 94 correspond to the junction point of the two branches of a V orientated towards the exterior of the resilient surface 26. The flat bottom 42 also displays the eight perforations 94. The rigid base 22 has a hollow interior 43 (FIG. 1) which serves as a water reservoir and eventual distributor through the resilient surface 26. The hollow interior 43 has a capacity of 200 ml and the eight perforations 94 have a diameter of 2 mm each. 
     FIG. 6A shows a detail of a cylindrical adaptor 98 adapted to receive a first end 53 of a rubber flexible hose 24 which brings water into the hollow interior 43 of the rigid base 22. FIG. 6B shows a detail of the first end 53 connected to the adaptor 98. For cutting the water supply, the user crush the first end 53 of the flexible hose 24 with his index to bend in two the flexible hose 24. The flexible hose 24 has a diameter of 3 mm. 
     FIG. 7 shows a way to work with the wet sanding block 20 connected on the flexible hose 24 in order to obtain a continuous flow of water onto the sanding surface. The flexible hose 24 is maintained on the surface of the body by a sucker 64. 
     FIG. 8 shows another way to work with the wet sanding block 20 and the flexible hose 24 without connecting them together, while sanding with a continuous flow of water for cleaning the sanding surface. The flexible hose 24 is maintained on the body by a sucker 64. 
     My invention is used with a standard size of sandpaper (9×11 inches) which is cut in two in the longitudinal direction in order to obtain a narrow abrasive surface. This characteristic has the advantage of better espousing round &#39;90 bodies and permitting a better versatility of user&#39;s movements. Furthermore, my invention does not comprise a channel system for distributing the water through the interior of the wet sanding block towards the exterior sides; a channel system is not necessary and results in supplementary fabrication costs. 
     The present invention has the effect to accomplish the finishing sanding of bodies more rapidly and more efficiency. For example, with my wet sanding block, a user can realize 20% time economy while finishing sanding of a body, because of the operation of wipe drying integrated to the procedure of sanding, by quickly moving the hand from sanding to wipe drying and back to sanding. My invention has an aim to supply an integrated means for wipe drying which consists of a flexible wiper fixed to the wet sanding block. The user can wipe dry the body with a simple movement of the arm, so he can see immediately the state of the finishing sanding before the particles become dry. This flexible wiper is particularly useful when a user is sanding painted bodies, with colours, like black, for which the sanding finishing is more difficult to achieve with conventional means for drying. This integrated means for wipe drying avoids using slow and inefficient means for wipe drying like fabric, paper or compressed air. Furthermore, the flexible wiper permits to reduce the drying time and hence to augment the productivity of the user. 
     Although the above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. 
     Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given. 
     
         ______________________________________LIST OF PARTS     20 wet sanding block     22 hollow rigid base     24 flexible hose     26 resilient surface     28 sandpaper     30 first spring clamp     32 second spring clamp     34 flexible wiper     36 left side     38 right side     40 top     42 flat bottom     43 hollow interior     44 back extremity     45 front extremity     46 long superior side     48 short superior side     50 concavity     51 long inferior side     52 short inferior side     53 first end     54 front left corner     56 second end     58 water intake     60 regulator     62 central orifice     64 sucker     66 dome     68 holed cylinder     70 L-shaped lever arm     72 hook     74 pivoting hole     76 lever arm     78 pivoting hole     80 attachments     82 short base     84 long base     86 side     94 perforation     96 grooves     98 adaptor______________________________________