Vane retention apparatus for abrasive blasting machine

Claim 2

A throwing vane for a particular throwing device, said vane comprising: a vane blade: a base secured to the vane blade, said base having an inner end and outer end spaced along an axial direction and situated such that the vane blade extends between the two ends, said base defining a recess at the outer end thereof, said recess comprising: a first groove extending generally in the axial direction and bounded at an inner edge by a first surface which extends from a shoulder toward the inner end and is oriented to diverge from the vane blade in the direction of the inner end, and by a second surface which extends from the shoulder to the outer end; and a second groove, intersecting the first groove and oriented obliquely with respect to the axial direction, said second groove bounded at one edge by a third surface having an outer edge positioned to one side of the vane blade and an inner edge intersecting the second surface near the shoulder.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 1 wherein the first surface is rectangular in shape.

Claim 4

The invention of claim 1 wherein the vane blade defines a base edge and the second surface extends parallel to the base edge of the vane blade.

Claim 5

The invention of claim 1 wherein each of the first, second and third surfaces is planar, the angle between the second and third surfaces is about 30° and the angle between the first and second surfaces is about 150°.

Claim 6

A throwing vane for a particle throwing device, said device comprising a rotatable plate and at least one retaining pin, said vane comprising: a vane blade having a first edge; an elongated base secured to the first edge of the vane blade, said base adapted to be secured to the plate and defining an opposed surface, opposite the vane blade, said opposed surface having a first end and a second end separated in an axial direction; said base defining a recess in the first end of the opposed surface shaped to receive the retaining pin, said recess comprising a plurality of intersecting grooves comprising: a first groove bounded on two sides by a base surface and a ramp surface, said base surface oriented substantially parallel to the first edge of the vane blade and said ramp surface inclined with respect to the base surface such that the ramp surface diverges from the vane blade with increasing distance from the first end, said first recess positioned and shaped to retain the retaining pin to secure the base to the plate; and a second groove oriented obliquely with respect to the axial direction and bounded on one side by an insertion surface oriented to intersect the base surface, said second groove positioned and shaped to permit the retaining pin to be removed from the first groove via the second groove while the base is mounted to the plate.

Claim 7

A throwing vane for a particle throwing device, said device comprising a rotatable plate and at least one retaining pin, said vane comprising: a vane blade having a first edge; an elongated base secured to the first edge of the vane blade, said base adapted to be secured to the plate and defining an opposed surface, opposite the vane blade, said opposed surface having a first end and a second end separated in an axial direction; said base defining a recess in the first end of the opposed surface shaped to receive the retaining pin, said recess comprising a plurality of intersecting grooves comprising: a first groove bounded on two sides by a base surface and a ramp surface, said base surface oriented substantially parallel to the first edge of the vane blade and said ramp surface inclined with respect to the base surface such that the ramp surface diverges from the vane blade with increasing distance from the first end, said first recess positioned and shaped to retain the retaining pin to secure the base to the plate; and a second groove oriented obliquely with respect to the axial direction and bounded on one side by an insertion surface oriented to intersect the base surface, said second groove positioned and shaped to permit the retaining pin to be removed from the first groove via the second groove while the base is mounted to the plate.

Claim 8

The invention of claim 5 wherein the ramp surface is rectangular.

Claim 9

The invention of claim 5 wherein the second groove intersects the first groove at an angle of about 45°, as measured in a plane parallel to the base surface.

Claim 10

The invention of claim 5 wherein the base surface, the ramp surface and the insertion surface define respective planes wherein the angle between the base surface and the ramp surface is about 150° and the angle between the base surface and the insertion surface is about 30°.

Claim 11

A throwing vane for a particle throwing device, said device comprising at least one retaining pin, a rotatable plate defining at least one elongated slot and at least one well, the well situated near the outer edge of the slot and shaped to receive the retaining pin, said vane comprising: a vane blade having an edge; an elongated base mounted to the vane blade edge and shaped to engage the elongated slot, such that the base is slideable in the slot, said base defining an opposed face, opposite the vane blade, said opposed face defining an inner end and an outer end spaced along an axial direction, said base defining a recess at the outer end of the opposed face, said recess having a complex shape comprising: a pin retaining groove aligned with the well when the base is positioned in the slot to capture the pin between the base and the plate to prevent the base from moving outwardly in the slot beyond a predetermined point, said retaining groove bounded on a first side by a ramp surface inclined with respect to the vane blade edge to contact a side of the pin when the base is positioned in the slot and on a second side by a base surface positioned to contact an end of the pin when the base is positioned in the slot; and an insertion groove aligned to intersect the retaining groove, said insertion groove bounded on one side by an oblique surface which intersects the base surface near the region of contact between the base surface and the pin, said insertion groove shaped to permit the pin to be withdrawn from the well and inserted into the well while the base is positioned in the slot with the retaining groove over the well.

Claim 12

A throwing vane for a particle throwing device, said device comprising at least one retaining pin, a rotatable plate defining at least one elongated slot and at least one well, the well situated near the outer edge of the slot and shaped to receive the retaining pin, said vane comprising: a vane blade having an edge; an elongated base mounted to the vane blade edge and shaped to engage the elongated slot, such that the base is slideable in the slot, said base defining an opposed face, opposite the vane blade, said opposed face defining an inner end and an outer end spaced along an axial direction, said base defining a recess at the outer end of the opposed face, said recess having a complex shape comprising: a pin retaining groove aligned with the well when the base is positioned in the slot to capture the pin between the base and the plate to prevent the base from moving outwardly in the slot beyond a predetermined point, said retaining groove bounded on a first side by a ramp surface inclined with respect to the vane blade edge to contact a side of the pin when the base is positioned in the slot and on a second side by a base surface positioned to contact an end of the pin when the base is positioned in the slot; and an insertion groove aligned to intersect the retaining groove, said insertion groove bounded on one side by an oblique surface which intersects the base surface near the region of contact between the base surface and the pin, said insertion groove shaped to permit the pin to be withdrawn from the well and inserted into the well while the base is positioned in the slot with the retaining groove over the well.

Claim 13

The invention of claim 9 wherein the ramp surface is rectangular.

Claim 14

The invention of claim 9 wherein the base surface is oriented parallel to the vane blade edge.

Claim 15

The invention of claim 9 wherein the insertion groove intersects the retaining groove at an angle of about 45°, as measured in a plane parallel to the vane blade edge.

Claim 16

The invention of claim 9 wherein each of the ramp surface, base surface and oblique surface defines a respective plane, wherein the angle between the ramp surface and the base surface is about 150° and the angle between the base surface and the oblique surface is about 30°.