Guard system

Claim 2

In a grinding machine: a. a base; b. a wheel slide mounting a grinding wheel and a hood therefor, with the hood, which encloses the grinding wheel, being capable of limited rotational movement with respect to the wheel slide and adapted to constrain wheel fragments upon breakage of the grinding wheel; c. ways on the base supporting the wheel slide for translational movement relative to the work to be ground; d. a rigid closed cell deformable means juxtaposed with the inside surface of the hood for both dissipating at least part of the energy of the impact of the broken wheel fragments against the deformable means by permanent deformation thereof and for retaining and restraining a substantial number of the wheel fragments within the hood; and e. a deformable compression pad disposed in the machine base operatively connected to the hood for absorbing, by permanent deformation thereof, at least part of the energy of the impact of the broken wheel fragments upon limited rotational movement of the hood.

Claim 3

In a grinding machine: a. a base; b. a wheelhead for mounting a grinding wheel and a guard thereon, with the guard, which encloses the grinding wheel, being capable of limited rotational movement with respect thereto and adapted to constrain wheel fragments upon breakage of the grinding wheel; c. ways on the base supporting the wheelhead for translational movement relative to the work to be ground; d. a first rigid closed cell deformable means juxtaposed with the inside surface of the guard for both dissipating at least part of the energy of the impact of the broken wheel fragments against the deformable means by permanent deformation thereof and for retaining and restraining a substantial number of the wheel fragments within the guard; and e. a second rigid closed cell deformable means interposed between the machine base and the guard for absorbing at least part of the energy of the impact of the broken wheel fragments by permanent deformation thereof upon limited rotational movement of the guard.

Claim 4

In a grinding machine: a. a base; b. a wheelhead for mounting a grinding wheel and a guard thereon, with the guard, which encloses the grinding wheel, being capable of limited rotational movement with respect thereto and adapted to constrain wheel fragments upon breakage of the grinding wheel; c. ways on the base supporting the wheelhead for translational movement relative to the work to be ground; d. a first rigid closed cell deformable means juxtaposed with the inside surface of the guard for both dissipating at least part of the energy of the impact of the broken wheel fragments against the deformable means by permanent deformation thereof and for retaining and restraining a substantial number of the wheel fragments within the guard; and e. a second rigid closed cell deformable means interposed between the machine base and the guard for absorbing at least part of the energy of the impact of the broken wheel fragments by permanent deformation thereof upon limited rotational movement of the guard.

Claim 5

In a grinding machine: a. a base; b. a wheelhead for rotatably mounting a grinding wheel and for fixedly but yieldingly mounting a grinding wheel guard, with the guard, which substantially encloses the grinding wheel to constrain wheel fragments released if the grinding wheel breaks, being capable of limited rotational movement with respect to said wheelhead for dissipating at least part of the energy of the impact; c. ways on the base supporting the wheelhead for translational movement relative to the work to be ground; d. a first rigid closed cell deformable means slidingly secured to the inside surface of the wheel guard for both dissipating at least part of the energy of the impact of the broken wheel fragments against the deformable means by permanent deformation thereof and for retaining and restraining a substantial number of the wheel fragments within the wheel guard; and e. a second rigid closed cell deformable means interposed between the machine base and the wheel guard for absorbing at least part of the energy of the impact of the broken wheel fragments by permanent deformation thereof upon controlled limited rotational movement of the wheel guard.

Claim 6

In a grinding machine: a. a base; b. a wheelhead for rotatably mounting a grinding wheel and for fixedly but yieldingly mounting a grinding wheel guard, with the guard, which substantially encloses the grinding wheel to constrain wheel fragments released if the grinding wheel breaks, being capable of limited rotational movement with respect to said wheelhead for dissipating at least part of the energy of the impact; c. ways on the base supporting the wheelhead for translational movement relative to the work to be ground; d. a first rigid closed cell deformable means slidingly secured to the inside surface of the wheel guard for both dissipating at least part of the energy of the impact of the broken wheel fragments against the deformable means by permanent deformation thereof and for retaining and restraining a substantial number of the wheel fragments within the wheel guard; and e. a second rigid closed cell deformable means interposed between the machine base and the wheel guard for absorbing at least part of the energy of the impact of the broken wheel fragments by permanent deformation thereof upon controlled limited rotational movement of the wheel guard.

Claim 7

In a grinding machine: a. a base; b. a wheelhead for rotatably mounting a grinding wheel and for shear-mounting a grinding wheel guard, with said guard, which substantially encloses said grinding wheel to constrain wheel fragments if the grinding wheel breaks, being capable of limited rotational movement with respect to said wheelhead upon breakage of said grinding wheel, said limited rotational movement dissipating at least part of the energy of the impact of the broken wheel fragments; c. ways on the base supporting the wheelhead for translational movement relative to the work; d. a first rigid closed cell deformable means slidably secured to the inside surface of the wheel guard for both dissipating at least part of the energy of the impact of the broken wheel fragments against the deformable means by permanent deformation thereof and for retaining and restraining a substantial number of the wheel fragments within the wheel guard; and e. a second rigid closed cell deformable means interposed between the machine base and the wheel guard for absorbing at least part of the energy of the impact of the broken wheel fragments by permanent deformation thereof upon limited rotational movement of the wheel guard.

Claim 8

In a grinding machine: a. a base; b. a wheelhead for rotatably mounting a grinding wheel and for shear-mounting a grinding wheel guard, with said guard, which substantially encloses said grinding wheel to constrain wheel fragments if the grinding wheel breaks, being capable of limited rotational movement with respect to said wheelhead upon breakage of said grinding wheel, said limited rotational movement dissipating at least part of the energy of the impact of the broken wheel fragments; c. ways on the base supporting the wheelhead for translational movement relative to the work; d. a first rigid closed cell deformable means slidably secured to the inside surface of the wheel guard for both dissipating at least part of the energy of the impact of the broken wheel fragments against the deformable means by permanent deformation thereof and for retaining and restraining a substantial number of the wheel fragments within the wheel guard; and e. a second rigid closed cell deformable means interposed between the machine base and the wheel guard for absorbing at least part of the energy of the impact of the broken wheel fragments by permanent deformation thereof upon limited rotational movement of the wheel guard.

Claim 9

In a grinding machine: a. a base; b. a wheelhead for rotatably mounting a grinding wheel and for pivotally mounting a grinding wheel guard, said wheel guard substantially enclosing said grinding wheel for constraining wheel fragments if said grinding wheel breaks; c. ways on the base supporting the wheel slide for translational movement relative to the work; d. rigid closed cell deformable means secured to the inside surface of the wheel guard; e. a deformable compression pad disposed in the machine base and operatively connected to the wheel guard whereby the pivoting of the wheel guard in conjunction with said deformable compression pad and said rigid closed cell deformable means substantially dissipates the energy of the impact of the broken wheel fragments and said rigid closed cell deformable means retains and restrains a substantial number of the wheel fragments within said wheel guard.

Claim 10

In a grinding machine: a. a base; b. a wheelhead for rotatably mounting a grinding wheel and for pivotally mounting a grinding wheel guard, said wheel guard substantially enclosing said grinding wheel for constraining wheel fragments if said grinding wheel breaks; c. ways on the base supporting the wheel slide for translational movement relative to the work; d. rigid closed cell deformable means secured to the inside surface of the wheel guard; e. a deformable compression pad disposed in the machine base and operatively connected to the wheel guard whereby the pivoting of the wheel guard in conjunction with said deformable compression pad and said rigid closed cell deformable means substantially dissipates the energy of the impact of the broken wheel fragments and said rigid closed cell deformable means retains and restrains a substantial number of the wheel fragments within said wheel guard.

Claim 11

An expendable energy dissipator for grinding-wheel-type grinding machines comprising closed cell deformable means shaped to be disposed between and secured to one of opposed spaced relatively more rigid but movable elements of the grinding machine without restricting the relative movement of the spaced grinding machine elements under normal operating conditions, so that relative movement of one grinding machine element in the event of grinding wheel failure is cushioned by permanent deformation of said closed cell deformable means.

Claim 12

An expendable energy dissipator for grinding-wheel-type grinding machines comprising closed cell deformable means shaped to be disposed between and secured to one of opposed spaced relatively more rigid but movable elements of the grinding machine without restricting the relative movement of the spaced grinding machine elements under normal operating conditions, so that relative movement of one grinding machine element in the event of grinding wheel failure is cushioned by permanent deformation of said closed cell deformable means.

Claim 13

An expendable energy dissipator for a grinding machine having a base with ways and a movable wheelhead thereon for mounting a rotatable grinding wheel and a pivotable grinding wheel guard comprising rigid closed cell deformable means interposed between the machine base and the wheel guard for dissipating by permanent deformation of said rigid closed cell deformable means at least part of the energy released by grinding wheel breakage which causes limited pivoting of said wheel guard.

Claim 14

An expendable energy dissipator for a grinding machine having a base with ways and a movable wheelhead thereon for mounting a rotatable grinding wheel and a pivotable grinding wheel guard comprising rigid closed cell deformable means interposed between the machine base and the wheel guard for dissipating by permanent deformation of said rigid closed cell deformable means at least part of the energy released by grinding wheel breakage which causes limited pivoting of said wheel guard.

Claim 15

An expendable energy dissipator for a grinding machine having a base with ways and a wheelhead thereon for mounting a rotatable grinding wheel and a grinding wheel guard comprising rigid closed cell deformable means slidably secured to the inside surface of the wheel guard for both dissipating by permanent deformation of said rigid closed cell deformable means at least part of the energy released by grinding wheel breakage and for retaining and restraining a substantial number of wheel fragments within the wheel guard.

Claim 16

An expendable energy dissipator for a grinding machine having a base with ways and a wheelhead thereon for mounting a rotatable grinding wheel and a grinding wheel guard comprising rigid closed cell deformable means slidably secured to the inside surface of the wheel guard for both dissipating by permanent deformation of said rigid closed cell deformable means at least part of the energy released by grinding wheel breakage and for retaining and restraining a substantial number of wheel fragments within the wheel guard.

Claim 17

Expendable energy dissipaters for a grinding machine having a base with ways and a wheelhead thereon for mounting a rotatable grinding wheel and a pivotable grinding wheel guard comprising: a. first rigid closed cell deformable means slidably secured to the inside surface of the wheel guard for both dissipating by permanent deformation of said rigid closed cell deformable means at least part of the energy released by grinding wheel breakage and for retaining and restraining a substantial number of wheel fragments within the wheel guard; and b. second rigid closed cell deformable means interposed between the machine base and the wheel guard for dissipating by permanent deformation of said second rigid closed cell deformable means at least part of the energy released by grinding wheel breakage which causes limited pivoting of said wheel guard.

Claim 18

Expendable energy dissipaters for a grinding machine having a base with ways and a wheelhead thereon for mounting a rotatable grinding wheel and a pivotable grinding wheel guard comprising: a. first rigid closed cell deformable means slidably secured to the inside surface of the wheel guard for both dissipating by permanent deformation of said rigid closed cell deformable means at least part of the energy released by grinding wheel breakage and for retaining and restraining a substantial number of wheel fragments within the wheel guard; and b. second rigid closed cell deformable means interposed between the machine base and the wheel guard for dissipating by permanent deformation of said second rigid closed cell deformable means at least part of the energy released by grinding wheel breakage which causes limited pivoting of said wheel guard.

Claim 19

The expendable energy dissipator of claim 9 wherein said first and second rigid closed cell deformable means are energy absorbing plastic.

Claim 20

The expendable energy dissipator of claim 9 wherein said first and second rigid closed cell deformable means are polyurethane foam.

Claim 21

The expendable energy dissipator of claim 9 wherein said first and second rigid closed cell deformable means are composite structures having solid walls containing a gas.