Grinding or polishing arrangement

Abstract

A grinding or polishing machine or device having a grinding or polishing disc for grinding or polishing a work piece for the condition of the work piece placed against the lower surface of the grinding or polishing disc. The grinding or polishing disc has a plurality of slots extending therethrough to allow visual inspection of the work piece during the grinding or polishing operation.

I claim:  
     
         1 . An improved grinding or polishing machine comprising, in combination: 
 a base member;    a housing having walls defining a cavity and having a bottom portion coupled to said base member, and a top portion;    a rotary motion producing means positioned in said cavity of said housing;    an output shaft coupled to said rotary motion producing means for rotation thereby in a predetermined direction;    a top plate coupled to said top portion of said housing in a substantially dust or particulate matter sealing relationship therewith, and said output shaft extending through said top plate to regions external said cavity and having a remote end spaced a predetermined distance from said top plate;    a grinding or polishing disc coupled to said output shaft at said remote end thereof for rotation therewith, and said grinding or polishing disc having an upper surface, a peripheral edge, a lower surface adapted to grind or polish the surface of a work piece, and having walls defining a plurality of slots extending through said grinding or polishing disc from said upper surface to said lower surface and at least first portion of said plurality of slots spaced from said peripheral edge;    a duct or hood coupled to said top portion of said housing and extending a predetermined distance therefrom to regions beyond said grinding or polishing disc, and said duct or hood having first walls defining and opening therethrough to provide access for positioning the work piece to engage said lower surface of said grinding or polishing disc, and second walls defining an aperture through said walls of said duct or hood, and said aperture positioned in dust or particulate matter receiving relationship to said grinding or polishing disc for the condition of a work piece being ground or polished; and,    an exhaust passage connected to said duct or hood at said aperture for receiving dust or particulate matter conducting said dust or particulate matter to remote regions.    
     
     
         2 . The arrangement defined in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said output shaft is oriented to rotate about analis and said axis makes a predetermined angle with the vertical;  
 
     
     
         3 . The arrangement defined in  claim 2  wherein: 
 said predetermined angle is other than parallel to the vertical.  
 
     
     
         4 . The arrangement defined in  claim 1  and further comprising: 
 a second portion of said slots having a linear geometrical configuration.  
 
     
     
         5 . The arrangement defined in  claim 1  and further comprising: 
 a second portion of said slots having an arcuate geometrical configuration.  
 
     
     
         6 . The arrangement defined in  claim 1  and further comprising: 
 a second portion of said slots having an oval geometrical configuration.  
 
     
     
         7 . The arrangement defined in  claim 1  and further comprising: 
 a second portion of said slots having a circular geometrical configuration.  
 
     
     
         8 . The arrangement defined in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said first portion of said slots is selected from the class consisting of linear slots, arcuate slots, oval slots and circular slots.  
 
     
     
         9 . The arrangement defined in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said first portion of said plurality of slots has a linear geometrical configuration; and further comprising: 
 a second portion of said plurality of slots having a circular configuration;  
 a third portion of said plurality of slots having an arcuate geometrical configuration; and,  
 a fourth portion of said plurality of slots having an oval configuration.  
 
 
     
     
         10 . The arrangement defined in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said first portion of said plurality of slots has a circular geometrical configuration.  
 
     
     
         11 . The arrangement defined in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said first portion of said plurality of slots has an arcuate geometrical configuration.  
 
     
     
         12 . The arrangement defined in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said first portion of said plurality of slots has an oval geometrical configuration.  
 
     
     
         13 . The arrangement defined in  claim 9  wherein: 
 at least one of said slots in one of said third and said fourth portions of said plurality of slots extends from said peripheral edge.  
 
     
     
         14 . The arrangement defined in  claim 9  and further comprising: 
 a fifth portion of said plurality of slots are linear in geometrical configuration and extend from said peripheral edge.  
 
     
     
         15 . An improved grinding or polishing machine comprising, in combination: 
 a base member;    a housing having walls defining a cavity and having a bottom portion coupled to said base member, and a top portion;    a rotary motion producing means positioned in said cavity of said housing;    an output shaft coupled to said rotary motion producing means for rotation thereby in a predetermined direction;    a top plate coupled to said top portion of said housing in a substantially dust or particulate matter sealing relationship therewith, and said output shaft extending through said top plate to regions external said cavity and having a remote end spaced a predetermined distance from said top plate;    a grinding or polishing disc having a central aperture for coupled to said output shaft at said remote end thereof for rotation therewith, and said grinding or polishing disc having an upper surface, a substantially circular peripheral edge, a lower surface adapted to grind or polish the surface of a work piece, and having walls defining a plurality of slots extending through said grinding or polishing disc from said upper surface to said lower surface and at least first portion of said plurality of slots having a substantially arcuate geometrical configuration and at least some of said first portion of slots extending from said peripheral edge towards said central aperture;    a duct or hood coupled to said top portion of said housing and extending a predetermined distance therefrom to regions beyond said grinding or polishing disc, and said duct or hood having first walls defining and opening therethrough to provide access for positioning the work piece to engage said lower surface of said grinding or polishing disc, and second walls defining an aperture through said walls of said duct or hood, and said aperture positioned in dust or particulate matter receiving relationship to said grinding or polishing disc for the condition of a work piece being ground or polished; and,    an exhaust passage connected to said duct or hood at said aperture for receiving dust or particulate matter conducting said dust or particulate matter to remote regions.    
     
     
         16 . An improved grinding or polishing disc of the type adapted to have a grinding or polishing material on a lower surface thereof comprising, in combination: 
 a body member having first walls defining a central aperture therethrough for coupling to a rotatable shaft for rotation therewith, and said body member having an upper surface, a substantially circular peripheral edge, a lower surface adapted to grind or polish the surface of a work piece, and having second walls defining a plurality of slots extending through said grinding or polishing disc from said upper surface to said lower surface and at least first portion of said plurality of slots having a substantially arcuate geometrical configuration and at least some of said first portion of slots extending from said peripheral edge towards said central aperture.    
     
     
         17 . The arrangement defined in  claim 16  and further comprising: 
 a second portion of said plurality of slots having a linear geometrical configuration.  
 
     
     
         18 . The arrangement defined in  claim 16  and further comprising: 
 a second portion of said plurality of slots having an oval geometrical configuration.  
 
     
     
         19 . The arrangement defined in  claim 16  and further comprising: 
 a second portion of said plurality of slots having a circular geometrical configuration.  
 
     
     
         20 . An improved grinding or polishing disc of the type adapted to have a grinding or polishing material on a lower surface thereof comprising, in combination: 
 a body member having first walls defining a central aperture therethrough for coupling to a rotatable shaft for rotation therewith, and said body member having an upper surface, a substantially circular peripheral edge, a lower surface adapted to grind or polish the surface of a work piece, and having second walls defining a plurality of slots extending through said grinding or polishing disc from said upper surface to said lower surface and at least a first portion of said plurality of slots having a substantially linear geometrical configuration and a first group of said first portion of said plurality of slots extending from said peripheral edge towards said central aperture and a second group of said first portion of said plurality of slots spaced from said peripheral edge.    
     
     
         21 . The arrangement defined in  claim 20  and further comprising: 
 a second portion of said plurality of slots having n arcuate geometrical configuration  
 
     
     
         22 . The arrangement defined in  claim 20  and further comprising: 
 a second portion of said plurality of slots having an oval geometrical configuration  
 
     
     
         23 . The arrangement defined in  claim 20  and further comprising: 
 a second portion of said plurality of slots having a circular geometrical configuration