Air operated tool

Claim 2

An air operated tool comprising a tubular housing having end caps secured thereto; an air motor in said housing comprising a stator assembly clamped between said end caps, and a rotor journaled in said stator assembly and having a shaft portion extending through one end cap for connection of a rotary tool thereto; said housing and motor having inlet and exhaust passages through which air under pressure is supplied to drive said rotor and through which air is exhausted from said motor and housing; said stator assembly being clamped in said housing in radially spaced relation therewithin to form a relatively large volume annular exhaust chamber through which air exhausted from said motor exhaust passaGe flows to said housing exhaust passage thereby to decrease air velocity and reduce noise during operation of the tool; said housing having a radially extending handle by which the tool may be held and manipulated, said handle having an air control valve therein and a manually operable valve actuating means to control admission of air pressure from a supply source through said handle into said housing inlet passage; and adjusting means rendering said handle rotatably adjustable about its longitudinal axis to position said actuating means as desired; said adjusting means comprising a bushing having threads of opposite hands at its ends respectively in threaded engagement in said housing and in said handle; and ring means axially slidably keyed on said bushing adapted to be frictionally engaged between said housing and said handle to lock said handle in desired rotary position.

Claim 3

An air operated tool comprising a tubular housing having end caps secured thereto; an air motor in said housing comprising a stator assembly clamped between said end caps, and a rotor journaled in said stator assembly and having a shaft portion extending through one end cap for connection of a rotary tool thereto; said housing and motor having inlet and exhaust passages through which air under pressure is supplied to drive said rotor and through which air is exhausted from said motor and housing; said stator assembly being clamped in said housing in radially spaced relation therewithin to form a relatively large volume annular exhaust chamber through which air exhausted from said motor exhaust passage flows to said housing exhaust passage thereby to decrease air velocity and reduce noise during operation of the tool; said housing having a first radially extending handle by which the tool may be held and manipulated, said first handle having an air control valve therein to control admission of air pressure from a supply source through said first handle into said housing inlet passage; a second radially extending handle secured to said housing in angularly spaced relation to said first handle; said second handle having a radially inner end portion which conforms to and contacts the outer surface of said housing and which is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of said second handle so that said second handle will extend from said housing at different angles according to which of two 180* rotated positions said second handle is secured to said housing; and screw means threaded into said housing operative to clamp said second handle to said housing in either of said 180* rotated positions.

Claim 4

An air operated tool comprising a tubular housing having end caps secured thereto; an air motor in said housing comprising a stator assembly clamped between said end caps, and a rotor journaled in said stator assembly and having a shaft portion extending through one end cap for connection of a rotary tool thereto; said housing and motor having inlet and exhaust passages through which air under pressure is supplied to drive said rotor and through which air is exhausted from said motor and housing; said stator assembly being clamped in said housing in radially spaced relation therewithin to form a relatively large volume annular exhaust chamber through which air exhausted from said motor exhaust passage flows to said housing exhaust passage thereby to decrease air velocity and reduce noise during operation of the tool; said housing having a first radially extending handle by which the tool may be held and manipulated, said first handle having an air control valve therein to control admission of air pressure from a supply source through said first handle into said housing inlet passage; a second radially extending handle secured to said housing in angularly spaced relation to said first handle; said second handle having a radially inner end portion which conforms to and contacts the outer surface of said housing and which is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of said second handle so that said second handle will extend from said housing at different angles according to which of two 180* rotated positions said second handle is secured to said housing; and screw means threaded into said housing operative to clamp said second handle to said housing in either of said 180* rotated positions.

Claim 5

An air operated tool comprising a tubular housing having end caps secured thereto; an air motor in said housing clamped between said end caps and comprising a stator assembly including end plates with an intervening stator having an eccentrically disposed bore therethrough; each said end plate having a bore in which the outer ring of a ball bearing is closely fitted, and a rotor having shaft portions closely fitted in the inner rings of the respective ball bearings; one of said shaft portions extending axially through the adjacent end cap and being adapted to have mounted thereon a rotary tool; said rotor having an intermediate radially enlarged and radially slotted portion in the slots of which vanes are radially slidably movable in engagement with said eccentrically disposed bore and defining with said bore motor chambers which alternately increase and decrease in volume as said rotor rotates in said stator; said housing and motor having intercommunicating inlet passages through which air under pressure enters the motor chamber which is increasing in volume; said stator having exhaust passages therethrough leading from the motor chamber which is decreasing in volume as the rotor rotates in said stator; said stator being radially spaced from the interior wall of said housing thus to define a relatively large volume annular exhaust chamber through which air exhausted from said Motor must pass before exiting through exhaust passages through the wall of said housing, thus to provide for muffling of air noise; said housing having a radially extending handle by which the tool may be held and manipulated, said handle having an air control valve therein and a manually operable valve actuating means to control admission of air pressure from a supply source through said handle into said housing inlet passage; and adjusting means rendering said handle rotatably adjustable about its longitudinal axis to position said actuating means as desired; said adjusting means comprising a bushing having threads of opposite hands at its ends respectively in threaded engagement in said housing and in said handle; and ring means axially slidably keyed on said bushing adapted to be frictionally engaged between said housing and said handle to lock said handle in desired rotary position.

Claim 6

An air operated tool comprising a tubular housing having end caps secured thereto; an air motor in said housing clamped between said end caps and comprising a stator assembly including end plates with an intervening stator having an eccentrically disposed bore therethrough; each said end plate having a bore in which the outer ring of a ball bearing is closely fitted, and a rotor having shaft portions closely fitted in the inner rings of the respective ball bearings; one of said shaft portions extending axially through the adjacent end cap and being adapted to have mounted thereon a rotary tool; said rotor having an intermediate radially enlarged and radially slotted portion in the slots of which vanes are radially slidably movable in engagement with said eccentrically disposed bore and defining with said bore motor chambers which alternately increase and decrease in volume as said rotor rotates in said stator; said housing and motor having intercommunicating inlet passages through which air under pressure enters the motor chamber which is increasing in volume; said stator having exhaust passages therethrough leading from the motor chamber which is decreasing in volume as the rotor rotates in said stator; said stator being radially spaced from the interior wall of said housing thus to define a relatively large volume annular exhaust chamber through which air exhausted from said Motor must pass before exiting through exhaust passages through the wall of said housing, thus to provide for muffling of air noise; said housing having a radially extending handle by which the tool may be held and manipulated, said handle having an air control valve therein and a manually operable valve actuating means to control admission of air pressure from a supply source through said handle into said housing inlet passage; and adjusting means rendering said handle rotatably adjustable about its longitudinal axis to position said actuating means as desired; said adjusting means comprising a bushing having threads of opposite hands at its ends respectively in threaded engagement in said housing and in said handle; and ring means axially slidably keyed on said bushing adapted to be frictionally engaged between said housing and said handle to lock said handle in desired rotary position.

Claim 7

An air operated tool comprising a tubular housing having end caps secured thereto; an air motor in said housing clamped between said end caps and comprising a stator assembly including end plates with an intervening stator having an eccentrically disposed bore therethrough; each said end plate having a bore in which the outer ring of a ball bearing is closely fitted, and a rotor having shaft portions closely fitted in the inner rings of the respective ball bearings; one of said shaft portions extending axially through the adjacent end cap and being adapted to have mounted thereon a rotary tool; said rotor having an intermediate radially enlarged and radially slotted portion in the slots of which vanes are radially slidably movable in engagement with said eccentrically disposed bore and defining with said bore chambers which alternately increase and decrease in volume as said rotor rotates in said stator; said housing and motor having intercommunicating inlet passages through which air under pressure enters the motor chamber which is increasing in volume; said stator having exhaust passages therethrough leading from the motor chamber which is decreasing in volume as the rotor rotates in said stator; said stator being radially spaced from the interior wall of said housing thus to define a relatively large volume annular exhaust chamber through which air exhausted from said motor must pass before exiting through exhaust passages through the wall of said housing, thus to provide for muffling of air noise; said housing having a first radially extending handle by which the tool may be held and manipulated, said first handle having an air control valve therein to control admission of air pressure from a supply source through said first handle into said housing inlet passage; a second radially extending handle secured to said housing in angularly spaced relation to said first handle; said second handle having a radially inner end portion which conforms to and contacts the outer surface of said housing and which is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of said second handle so that said second handle will extend from said housing at different angles according to which of two 180* rotated positions said second handle is secured to said housing; and screw means threaded into said housing operative to clamp said second handle to said housing in either of said 180* rotated positions.

Claim 8

An air operated tool comprising a tubular housing having end caps secured thereto; an air motor in said housing clamped between said end caps and comprising a stator assembly including end plates with an intervening stator having an eccentrically disposed bore therethrough; each said end plate having a bore in which the outer ring of a ball bearing is closely fitted, and a rotor having shaft portions closely fitted in the inner rings of the respective ball bearings; one of said shaft portions extending axially through the adjacent end cap and being adapted to have mounted thereon a rotary tool; said rotor having an intermediate radially enlarged and radially slotted portion in the slots of which vanes are radially slidably movable in engagement with said eccentrically disposed bore and defining with said bore chambers which alternately increase and decrease in volume as said rotor rotates in said stator; said housing and motor having intercommunicating inlet passages through which air under pressure enters the motor chamber which is increasing in volume; said stator having exhaust passages therethrough leading from the motor chamber which is decreasing in volume as the rotor rotates in said stator; said stator being radially spaced from the interior wall of said housing thus to define a relatively large volume annular exhaust chamber through which air exhausted from said motor must pass before exiting through exhaust passages through the wall of said housing, thus to provide for muffling of air noise; said housing having a first radially extending handle by which the tool may be held and manipulated, said first handle having an air control valve therein to control admission of air pressure from a supply source through said first handle into said housing inlet passage; a second radially extending handle secured to said housing in angularly spaced relation to said first handle; said second handle having a radially inner end portion which conforms to and contacts the outer surface of said housing and which is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of said second handle so that said second handle will extend from said housing at different angles according to which of two 180* rotated positions said second handle is secured to said housing; and screw means threaded into said housing operative to clamp said second handle to said housing in either of said 180* rotated positions.

Claim 9

An air operated tool comprising an open ended tubular housing having a radially inwardly extending annular web between its ends; end caps secured to the ends of said housing by screw means having threaded engagement with said web; an air motor in said housing comprising a stator assembly piloted in said web and clamped between said end caps to define first and second annular chambers on opposite sides of said web, and a rotor journaled in said stator assembly and having a shaft portion extending through one end cap for connection of a rotary tool thereto; said housing and motor having an inlet passage through which air under pressure is supplied to drive said rotor; said motor having exhAust passages opening into said first chamber; said web having passages therethrough which are circumferentially displaced with respect to said motor exhaust passages for flow of exhaust air circumferentially in said first chamber and through said web passages into said second chamber; said housing having exhaust passages opening into said second chamber in circumferentially spaced relation to said web passages for flow of exhaust air circumferentially in said second chamber; said first and second chambers forming a relatively large volume exhaust chamber through which air exhausted from said motor exhaust passages follows a devious path to said housing exhaust passages thereby to decrease air velocity and to reduce noise during operation of the tool.

Claim 10

An air operated tool comprising an open ended tubular housing having a radially inwardly extending annular web between its ends; end caps secured to the ends of said housing by screw means having threaded engagement with said web; an air motor in said housing comprising a stator assembly piloted in said web and clamped between said end caps to define first and second annular chambers on opposite sides of said web, and a rotor journaled in said stator assembly and having a shaft portion extending through one end cap for connection of a rotary tool thereto; said housing and motor having an inlet passage through which air under pressure is supplied to drive said rotor; said motor having exhAust passages opening into said first chamber; said web having passages therethrough which are circumferentially displaced with respect to said motor exhaust passages for flow of exhaust air circumferentially in said first chamber and through said web passages into said second chamber; said housing having exhaust passages opening into said second chamber in circumferentially spaced relation to said web passages for flow of exhaust air circumferentially in said second chamber; said first and second chambers forming a relatively large volume exhaust chamber through which air exhausted from said motor exhaust passages follows a devious path to said housing exhaust passages thereby to decrease air velocity and to reduce noise during operation of the tool.

Claim 11

The tool of claim 5 wherein said second chamber has an axially extending partition from said web to the other end cap circumferentially beyond said housing exhaust passages to form a pocket for trapping exhaust air.

Claim 12

The tool of claim 5 wherein said second chamber has an axially extending partition from said web toward the other end cap, said partition containing said housing inlet passage; and wherein a motor engaging and sealing plate is clamped by the other end cap to said housing and to the adjacent end of said motor, said plate having radially offset passages therethrough which are intercommunicated with each other by a space between said plate and other end cap and which respectively register with said housing inlet passage and with said motor inlet passage.

Claim 13

An air operated tool comprising an open ended tubular housing having a radially inwardly extending annular web between its ends; end caps secured to the ends of said housing by screw means having threaded engagement with said web; an air motor in said housing piloted in said web and clamped between said end caps to define first and second annular chambers on opposite sides of said web; said motor comprising a stator assembly including end plates with an intervening stator having an eccentrically disposed bore therethrough; each said end plate having a bore in which the outer ring of a ball bearing is closely fitted, and a rotor having shaft portions closely fitted in the inner rings of the respective ball bearings; one of said shaft portions extending axially through the adjacent end cap and being adapted to have mounted thereon a rotary tool; said rotor having an intermediate radially enlarged and radially slotted portion in the slots of which vanes are radially slidably movable in engagement with said eccentrically disposed bore and defining with said bore motor chambers which alternately increase and decrease in volume as said rotor rotates in said stator; said housing and motor having intercommunicating inlet passages through which air under pressure enters the motor chamber which is increasing in volume; said stator having exhaust passages therethrough leading from the motor chamber which is decreasing in volume as the rotor rotates in said stator to said first chamber; said web having passages therethrough which are circumferentially displaced from said stator exhaust passages for flow of exhaust air from said first chamber into said second chamber; said housing having exhaust passages therethrough from said second chamber which are circumferentially displaced from said web passages; said first and second chambers defining a relatively large volume tortuous annular exhaust chamber through which air exhausted from said motor must pass before exiting through said housing exhaust passages, thus to provide for muffling of air noise.

Claim 14

An air operated tool comprising an open ended tubular housing having a radially inwardly extending annular web between its ends; end caps secured to the ends of said housing by screw means having threaded engagement with said web; an air motor in said housing piloted in said web and clamped between said end caps to define first and second annular chambers on opposite sides of said web; said motor comprising a stator assembly including end plates with an intervening stator having an eccentrically disposed bore therethrough; each said end plate having a bore in which the outer ring of a ball bearing is closely fitted, and a rotor having shaft portions closely fitted in the inner rings of the respective ball bearings; one of said shaft portions extending axially through the adjacent end cap and being adapted to have mounted thereon a rotary tool; said rotor having an intermediate radially enlarged and radially slotted portion in the slots of which vanes are radially slidably movable in engagement with said eccentrically disposed bore and defining with said bore motor chambers which alternately increase and decrease in volume as said rotor rotates in said stator; said housing and motor having intercommunicating inlet passages through which air under pressure enters the motor chamber which is increasing in volume; said stator having exhaust passages therethrough leading from the motor chamber which is decreasing in volume as the rotor rotates in said stator to said first chamber; said web having passages therethrough which are circumferentially displaced from said stator exhaust passages for flow of exhaust air from said first chamber into said second chamber; said housing having exhaust passages therethrough from said second chamber which are circumferentially displaced from said web passages; said first and second chambers defining a relatively large volume tortuous annular exhaust chamber through which air exhausted from said motor must pass before exiting through said housing exhaust passages, thus to provide for muffling of air noise.

Claim 15

The tool of claim 8 wherein said housing inlet passage includes a lateral inlet opening intersected by an axial passage which extends axially toward one end cap within an axial partition in said second chamber; wherein a motor hold-down and seal plate is clamped between said one end cap and said housing and has an opening which registers with said axial passage; said one end cap defining with said plate a chamber tHrough which air passes to a central opening in said plate which leads to said motor inlet passage which comprises an inlet chamber within a skirt portion of the adjacent end plate which extends axially into engagement with said plate, and an inlet slot through said one end plate which leads into motor chamber.

Claim 16

The tool of claim 9 wherein said one end plate has a starting slot on the axially inner side thereof which opens to admit air to act on the radially inner edges of said vanes to urge them radially outwardly into engagement with said eccentric bore thus to provide increased torque at low speeds; said one end plate having an angularly disposed passage communicating said starting slot with said inlet chamber.

Claim 17

The tool of claim 8 wherein said second chamber has an axial partition circumferentially beyond said housing exhaust passages whereby exhaust air is trapped to serve as a cushion and silencer.