Apparatus for surfacing

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A PREDETERMINED FLAT SURFACE ON ARTICLES FORMED OF A HARD MATERIAL IN A SEQUENTIAL SURFACING OPERATION, COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF GRINDING STATIONS INCLUDING RESPECTIVE ROTARY GRINDING WHEELS WITH A FLAT ANNULAR GRINDING FACE HAVING ABRASIVE DIAMOND PARTICLES BONDED THEREIN OF RESPECTIVE PARTICLE SIZE AND CONCENTRATION ADAPTED TO VERLIE AND BE IN SUBSTANTIALLY COPLANAR RELATION TO THE INTENDED FLAT SURFACE OF THE ARTICLES BEING SURFACED, MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE RELATIVE POSITION OF THE ARTICLES BEING SURFACED IN EACH OF SAID GRINDING STATIONS TO EFFECT CONTROLLED SURFACING THEREOF, MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE DOWN-FEED OF SAID ANNULAR GRINDING FACE OF SAID GRINDING WHEELS IN EACH OF SAID STATIONS UPON THE SURFACE OF THE ARTICLES TO PRODUCE RESPECTIVE PREDETERMINED MATERIAL REMOVAL WITHOUT APPLICATION OF UNDUE STRESS TO THE ARTICLES BEING SURFACED, AND MEANS FOR SUPPLYING AT EACH OF SAID STATIONS A COOLANT FOR INTROMISSIVE FLOW INTERMEDIATE SAID RESPECTIVE ANNULAR GRINDING FACE AND THE SURFACE OF THE ARTICLES, THE RESPECTIVE PARTICLE SIZES AND CONCENTRATIONS OF SAID ABRASIVE DIAMOND PARTICLES IN SAID GRINDING WHEELS AT DIFFERENT SUCCESSIVE ONES OF SAID PLURALITY OF GRINDING STATIONS BEING IN PROGRESSIVELY DECREASING RELATION.