Circumferential pattern finishing method

Claim 1

A method for imparting a circumferential pattern on a plurality of disc-shaped work pieces using a machine having a framework, and a polishing assembly, the polishing assembly including an annular lower platen perpendicularly connected to a first spindle, an annular upper platen perpendicularly connected to a second spindle, a center driving ring perpendicularly connected to a third spindle, the first, second and third spindles rotating around a spindle axis, a plurality of stationary guide rollers, a plurality of clamping guide rollers, and a plurality of roller stanchions, a stationary guide roller, and a clamping guide roller perpendicularly attached to each roller stanchion, by the steps of; (a) loading a disc-shaped work piece between the upper and lower annular platens and into one of a plurality of disc positions providing for frictional contact of the disc-shaped work piece with the center driving ring, a stationary guide roller, and a clamping guide roller; (b) repeating step (a) until a plurality of said positions are occupied by disc-shaped work pieces; (c) grinding the disc-shaped work pieces by rotating the center driving ring to thereby rotate the disc-shaped work pieces, and simultaneously rotating the upper and lower annular platens at an RPM greater than that of the center driving ring and contacting the disc-shaped work pieces with a grind stone or polishing pad of the rotating upper and lower platens for a period of time sufficient to remove the desired amount of stock from the disc-shaped work pieces; and (d) finishing the disc-shaped work pieces by increasing the rotation of the center driving ring to thereby increase the rotation of the disc-shaped work piece and by reducing rotation of both the upper and lower annular platens to an RPM less than that of the center driving ring for a period of time sufficient to impart a circumferential pattern on the disc-shaped work piece.

Claim 2

A method for imparting a circumferential pattern on a plurality of disc-shaped work pieces using a machine having a framework, and a polishing assembly, the polishing assembly including an annular lower platen perpendicularly connected to a first spindle, an annular upper platen perpendicularly connected to a second spindle, a center driving ring perpendicularly connected to a third spindle, the first, second and third spindles rotating around a spindle axis, a plurality of stationary guide rollers, a plurality of clamping guide rollers, and a plurality of roller stanchions, a stationary guide roller, and a clamping guide roller perpendicularly attached to each roller stanchion, by the steps of; (a) loading a disc-shaped work piece between the upper and lower annular platens and into one of a plurality of disc positions providing for frictional contact of the disc-shaped work piece with the center driving ring, a stationary guide roller, and a clamping guide roller; (b) repeating step (a) until a plurality of said positions are occupied by disc-shaped work pieces; (c) grinding the disc-shaped work pieces by rotating the center driving ring to thereby rotate the disc-shaped work pieces, and simultaneously rotating the upper and lower annular platens at an RPM greater than that of the center driving ring and contacting the disc-shaped work pieces with a grind stone or polishing pad of the rotating upper and lower platens for a period of time sufficient to remove the desired amount of stock from the disc-shaped work pieces; and (d) finishing the disc-shaped work pieces by increasing the rotation of the center driving ring to thereby increase the rotation of the disc-shaped work piece and by reducing rotation of both the upper and lower annular platens to an RPM less than that of the center driving ring for a period of time sufficient to impart a circumferential pattern on the disc-shaped work piece.

Claim 9

A method for imparting a circumferential pattern on the top and bottom dimension of a plurality of disc-shaped work pieces using a machine having a framework, a polishing assembly, a first motor and a second motor, the polishing assembly including an annular lower platen perpendicularly connected to a first spindle and an upper annular platen perpendicularly connected to a second spindle, the first and second spindles rotated by the first motor, with a grind stone or polishing pad of both the upper and lower platens being centered essentially over the disc axis of each of the plurality of disc-shaped work pieces located in a circular pattern such that the disc axes of the disc-shaped work pieces combine to define a first concentric circle, a center driving ring having an outer edge perpendicularly connected to a third spindle, the third spindle rotated by the second motor, the outer edge of the center driving ring defining a second concentric circle, a plurality of stationary guide rollers, a plurality of clamping guide rollers and a plurality of roller stanchions, a stationary guide roller and a clamping guide roller both perpendicularly connected to each roller stanchion, the stationary guide roller capable of rotating around a first axis, the clamping guide roller capable of rotating around a second axis, and the roller stanchion capable of pivoting on the first axis, each roller stanchion located such that the clamping guide roller and stationary guide roller both perpendicularly attached to the roller stanchion contact adjacent disc-shaped work pieces, the stationary guide rollers and clamping guide rollers defining a third concentric circle, the first concentric circle having a greater diameter than the second concentric and the third concentric circle having a greater diameter than the first concentric circle, by the steps of; (a) pivoting the plurality of roller stanchions on the first axis away from the center driving ring to define a plurality of disc positions and allowing for the frictional contact of the disc-shaped work piece with the outer edge of the center driving ring, and with a stationary guide roller; (b) loading a disc-shaped work piece between the upper and lower annular platens and into one of a plurality of said disc positions; (c) repeating step (b) until a plurality of said disc positions are occupied by a disc-shaped work piece; (d) pivoting the plurality of roller stanchions on the first axis towards the center driving ring to bring the clamping guide roller into contact with the plurality of disc-shaped work pieces; (e) grinding the top and bottom dimensions of the plurality of disc-shaped work pieces by applying a platen force to the top and bottom dimension of the disc-shaped work pieces with the grind stone or polishing pad of the upper and the lower annular platens which are located essentially over the disc axis of each of the plurality of disc-shaped work pieces, and rotating the upper and lower annular platens in the same direction at from about 50 to 90 RPM, while simultaneously rotating the center driving ring at from about 20 to about 40 RPM to thereby rotate the plurality disc-shaped work pieces, all for a period of time ranging from about thirty seconds to about three minutes; (f) imparting a circumferential pattern on the plurality of disc-shaped pieces by increasing the rotation of the center driving ring to from about 75 to about 180 RPM to thereby increase the rotation of the plurality of disc-shaped work pieces to from about 800 to about 1200 RPM or more and reducing the rotation of the upper and lower annular platens to from about 5 to about 20 RPM for a period of time ranging from thirty seconds to about one minute; and (g) unloading the plurality of disc-shaped work pieces from the plurality of disc positions they occupy.

Claim 10

A method for imparting a circumferential pattern on the top and bottom dimension of a plurality of disc-shaped work pieces using a machine having a framework, a polishing assembly, a first motor and a second motor, the polishing assembly including an annular lower platen perpendicularly connected to a first spindle and an upper annular platen perpendicularly connected to a second spindle, the first and second spindles rotated by the first motor, with a grind stone or polishing pad of both the upper and lower platens being centered essentially over the disc axis of each of the plurality of disc-shaped work pieces located in a circular pattern such that the disc axes of the disc-shaped work pieces combine to define a first concentric circle, a center driving ring having an outer edge perpendicularly connected to a third spindle, the third spindle rotated by the second motor, the outer edge of the center driving ring defining a second concentric circle, a plurality of stationary guide rollers, a plurality of clamping guide rollers and a plurality of roller stanchions, a stationary guide roller and a clamping guide roller both perpendicularly connected to each roller stanchion, the stationary guide roller capable of rotating around a first axis, the clamping guide roller capable of rotating around a second axis, and the roller stanchion capable of pivoting on the first axis, each roller stanchion located such that the clamping guide roller and stationary guide roller both perpendicularly attached to the roller stanchion contact adjacent disc-shaped work pieces, the stationary guide rollers and clamping guide rollers defining a third concentric circle, the first concentric circle having a greater diameter than the second concentric and the third concentric circle having a greater diameter than the first concentric circle, by the steps of; (a) pivoting the plurality of roller stanchions on the first axis away from the center driving ring to define a plurality of disc positions and allowing for the frictional contact of the disc-shaped work piece with the outer edge of the center driving ring, and with a stationary guide roller; (b) loading a disc-shaped work piece between the upper and lower annular platens and into one of a plurality of said disc positions; (c) repeating step (b) until a plurality of said disc positions are occupied by a disc-shaped work piece; (d) pivoting the plurality of roller stanchions on the first axis towards the center driving ring to bring the clamping guide roller into contact with the plurality of disc-shaped work pieces; (e) grinding the top and bottom dimensions of the plurality of disc-shaped work pieces by applying a platen force to the top and bottom dimension of the disc-shaped work pieces with the grind stone or polishing pad of the upper and the lower annular platens which are located essentially over the disc axis of each of the plurality of disc-shaped work pieces, and rotating the upper and lower annular platens in the same direction at from about 50 to 90 RPM, while simultaneously rotating the center driving ring at from about 20 to about 40 RPM to thereby rotate the plurality disc-shaped work pieces, all for a period of time ranging from about thirty seconds to about three minutes; (f) imparting a circumferential pattern on the plurality of disc-shaped pieces by increasing the rotation of the center driving ring to from about 75 to about 180 RPM to thereby increase the rotation of the plurality of disc-shaped work pieces to from about 800 to about 1200 RPM or more and reducing the rotation of the upper and lower annular platens to from about 5 to about 20 RPM for a period of time ranging from thirty seconds to about one minute; and (g) unloading the plurality of disc-shaped work pieces from the plurality of disc positions they occupy.

Claim 14

A method for imparting a circumferential pattern on a plurality of disc-shaped workpieces, which method comprises: loading a plurality of disc-shaped workpieces between upper and lower annular grinding or polishing platens while bringing the peripheries of said disc-shaped workpieces into frictional contact with a center driving ring; grinding or polishing the disc-shaped workpieces by rotating the center driving ring to thereby rotate the disc-shaped workpieces, and initially processing said workpieces by simultaneously rotating the upper and lower annular grinding or polishing platens at an RPM greater than that of the center driving ring, for grinding or polishing of the major surfaces of said workpieces by said upper and lower grinding or polishing platens; and thereafter finishing the grinding or polishing of said disc-shaped workpieces by increasing the rotation of the center driving ring, and thus the rotation of the disc-shaped workpieces, relative to the rotation of the upper and lower annular grinding or polishing platens, whereby said upper and lower annular grinding or polishing platens rotate at a rate less than the rotation rate of the center driving ring for a period of time sufficient to impart a circumferential grinding or polishing pattern on the disc-shaped workpiece.

Claim 15

A method for imparting a circumferential pattern on a plurality of disc-shaped workpieces, which method comprises: loading a plurality of disc-shaped workpieces between upper and lower annular grinding or polishing platens while bringing the peripheries of said disc-shaped workpieces into frictional contact with a center driving ring; grinding or polishing the disc-shaped workpieces by rotating the center driving ring to thereby rotate the disc-shaped workpieces, and initially processing said workpieces by simultaneously rotating the upper and lower annular grinding or polishing platens at an RPM greater than that of the center driving ring, for grinding or polishing of the major surfaces of said workpieces by said upper and lower grinding or polishing platens; and thereafter finishing the grinding or polishing of said disc-shaped workpieces by increasing the rotation of the center driving ring, and thus the rotation of the disc-shaped workpieces, relative to the rotation of the upper and lower annular grinding or polishing platens, whereby said upper and lower annular grinding or polishing platens rotate at a rate less than the rotation rate of the center driving ring for a period of time sufficient to impart a circumferential grinding or polishing pattern on the disc-shaped workpiece.