Patent ID: 7090605

Claim:
An apparatus for polishing a prosthetic component, comprising: a wheel; a motor operative to rotate said wheel; an idler spaced apart from said wheel, said idler being movable between (i) a first position in relation to said wheel, and (ii) a second position in relation to said wheel; a polishing belt configured to polish said prosthetic component when said prosthetic component is urged into contact with said polishing belt advancing in a path of movement, said polishing belt being entrained about said wheel and said idler; and a biaser operative to urge said idler to said first position, wherein said polishing belt possesses (i) a tensioned state in which polishing belt possesses a first configuration around said wheel and said idler, and (ii) an untensioned state in which said polishing belt possesses a second configuration around said wheel and said idler, wherein said polishing belt is in said tensioned state when said idler is in said first position, wherein said polishing belt is in said untensioned state when said idler is in said second position, wherein, when said polishing belt is in said tensioned state, rotation of said wheel causes rotation of said polishing belt, and wherein, when said polishing belt is in said untensioned state, rotation of said wheel does not cause rotation of said polishing belt.