Apparatus for treating a surface

Claim 2

In apparatus for treating a surface on a workpiece movable from a load station onto a rotatable turntable and removable therefrom to an unload station, including support means rotatably mounted on the turntable for carrying at least one workpiece, the improvement comprising; disc means engageable with the workpiece to cause said surface treatment thereof, the disc means having a stem portion; a support assembly provided on and movable with said turntable, being adapted to floatingly support said disc means by arranging the stem portion of the disc means to be pivotable in said support assembly.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said disc means comprises a lapping disc that has a substantially flat working surface, the stem portion of the disc means being pivotally connected by one end thereof to the lapping disc, and also being provided with shoulder means at another end thereof, floatingly engageable by said support assembly on the turntable.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said support assembly causes reciprocal movement of the disc means in a direction radially of the turntable.

Claim 5

Apparatus for treating a surface on a workpiece movable from a load station onto a rotatable turntable and removable therefrom to an unload station, including support means rotatably mounted on the turntable for carrying at least one workpiece, the improvement comprising: disc means; a plurality of support assemblies on the turntable, operable to support the disc means for engaging the workpiece and effecting said surface treatment thereof; a plurality of treatment zones in said apparatus; means for periodically and automatically placing fresh workpieces onto said support means, and means for correspondingly removing treated workpieces from the support means automatically; and a conveyor and transfer system operable for recirculating said disc means from each of the support assemblies at a disc-releasing position in each treatment zone back to another of the support assemblies at a disc pick-up position in said treatment zone on the turntable.

Claim 6

Apparatus for treating a surface on a workpiece movable from a load station onto a rotatable turntable and removable therefrom to an unload station, including support means rotatably mounted on the turntable for carrying at least one workpiece, the improvement comprising: disc means; a plurality of support assemblies on the turntable, operable to support the disc means for engaging the workpiece and effecting said surface treatment thereof; a plurality of treatment zones in said apparatus; means for periodically and automatically placing fresh workpieces onto said support means, and means for correspondingly removing treated workpieces from the support means automatically; and a conveyor and transfer system operable for recirculating said disc means from each of the support assemblies at a disc-releasing position in each treatment zone back to another of the support assemblies at a disc pick-up position in said treatment zone on the turntable.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said conveyor and transfer system comprises the combination of disc transfer means and recirculating conveyor means positioned adjacent the turntable, said conveyor means including a conveyor chain on which there is carried a plurality of disc-engaging cradles; said disc transfer means having disc-supporting fingers thereon operable for transferring said disc means from the disc-supporting cradles to the support assemblies, and vice versa; said disc-supporting cradles being adapted for receiving and releasably supporting said disc means.

Claim 8

In apparatus for treating a surface on a workpiece movable from a load station onto a rotatable turntable and removable therefrom to an unload station, the improvement comprising the combination of a base assembly for rotatably supporting the turntable; support means in the form of a plurality of chuck assemblies rotatably mounted on the turntable for carrying a plurality of workpieces, the workpieces carried by a chuck assembly having surfaces to be treated disposed in a common plane; a plurality of treatment zones; drive means in the base assembly for selectively causing independent rotation of the chuck assemblies in each of the treatment zones; a support assembly on the turntable and movable therewith, having a disc-supporting head and a tubular body section, the body section housing a push rod Connected to said dis-supporting head and adapted to the reciprocally movable to cause a corresponding reciprocal movement of the disc-supporting head; disc means engageable with the workpiece surfaces and causing said finishing treatment thereof; the disc means being adapted to be floatingly supported by said disc-supporting head in contact with the surfaces of the workpieces supported on each chuck assembly; actuating means causing reciprocal movement of the push rod and disc-supporting head, such reciprocal movement combining with rotational movement of each chuck assembly to cause compound rotation of the disc means relative to the workpiece surface being treated by engagement therewith, thereby uniformly distributing wear of the disc means and workpiece surface to obtain maximum flatness of said surface; and driving means in the base assembly actuatable in a timed sequence for indexing the turntable and advancing the workpieces through the treatment zones provided between the load and unload stations.

Claim 9

In apparatus for treating a surface on a workpiece movable from a load station onto a rotatable turntable and removable therefrom to an unload station, the improvement comprising the combination of a base assembly for rotatably supporting the turntable; support means in the form of a plurality of chuck assemblies rotatably mounted on the turntable for carrying a plurality of workpieces, the workpieces carried by a chuck assembly having surfaces to be treated disposed in a common plane; a plurality of treatment zones; drive means in the base assembly for selectively causing independent rotation of the chuck assemblies in each of the treatment zones; a support assembly on the turntable and movable therewith, having a disc-supporting head and a tubular body section, the body section housing a push rod Connected to said dis-supporting head and adapted to the reciprocally movable to cause a corresponding reciprocal movement of the disc-supporting head; disc means engageable with the workpiece surfaces and causing said finishing treatment thereof; the disc means being adapted to be floatingly supported by said disc-supporting head in contact with the surfaces of the workpieces supported on each chuck assembly; actuating means causing reciprocal movement of the push rod and disc-supporting head, such reciprocal movement combining with rotational movement of each chuck assembly to cause compound rotation of the disc means relative to the workpiece surface being treated by engagement therewith, thereby uniformly distributing wear of the disc means and workpiece surface to obtain maximum flatness of said surface; and driving means in the base assembly actuatable in a timed sequence for indexing the turntable and advancing the workpieces through the treatment zones provided between the load and unload stations.

Claim 10

In apparatus for treating a surface on a workpiece movable from a load station onto a rotatable turntable, and removable therefrom from an unload station, including support means mounted on the turntable for carrying at least one workpiece; the improvement comprising: a plurality of treatment zones through which the workpiece is advanced by rotation of the turntable; disc means arranged in each treatment zone for engaging the workpiece to cause said surface treatment thereof; a plurality of support assemblies mounted on the turntable and movable therewith, each support assembly being operable to support the disc means in engagement with said surface to be treated, each of said support assemblies being constructed to provide reciprocal movement to disc means supported thereon, redially of the turntable during passage of the workpiece through one of the treatment zones; the arrangement of said treatment zones and support assemblies which carry disc means being such that lapping, burnishing or other such treatments can take place in one of said zones independently of any such treatment taking place in another zone.

Claim 11

In apparatus for treating a surface on a workpiece movable from a load station onto a rotatable turntable, and removable therefrom from an unload station, including support means mounted on the turntable for carrying at least one workpiece; the improvement comprising: a plurality of treatment zones through which the workpiece is advanced by rotation of the turntable; disc means arranged in each treatment zone for engaging the workpiece to cause said surface treatment thereof; a plurality of support assemblies mounted on the turntable and movable therewith, each support assembly being operable to support the disc means in engagement with said surface to be treated, each of said support assemblies being constructed to provide reciprocal movement to disc means supported thereon, redially of the turntable during passage of the workpiece through one of the treatment zones; the arrangement of said treatment zones and support assemblies which carry disc means being such that lapping, burnishing or other such treatments can take place in one of said zones independently of any such treatment taking place in another zone.

Claim 12

The apparatus defined in claim 7, wherein each support assembly comprises a head section for pivotally supporting the disc means, and a body section including shaft means movably mounted therein and connected to said body section; and wherein cam means are provided on said turntable to generate period reciprocation of the shaft means and said head section.