Lapping block for curved surfaces

Claim 1

Apparatus for use in preparing a surface of a work piece comprising: a support member having a size suitable for being controlled and operated manually, said support member including an upper surface having means suitable for grasping said support member by said operator and a lower surface substantially parallel to said upper surface; a multiplicity of dowels having first and second ends, said first ends of each of said dowels being fixedly attached substantially perpendicular to said lower surface of said support member in a selected pattern; a multiplicity of pads, each having a first and second surface, the first surface of each of said pads secured to said second end of each of said dowels, the length of said dowels and the thickness of said pads between said first and second surfaces being selected to have a combined length such that said second surfaces of said pads define a selected surface; and a sheet of working material having a working side and a back side secured to said support member and positioned to cover said second surfaces of said pads such that when said back side is in contact with said second surafces of each of said pads, resilience is provided between said sheet of working material and said dowels, and said working side of said sheet also defines said selected surface, said selected surface defined by said working side of said sheet of working material suitable for contacting and preparing said workpiece.