Apparatus and article for polishing gemstones

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus for working gemstones. The apparatus comprises an abrading article and a rotatable support with a guiding feature for holding and rotating the article. The abrading article has a mounting bore substantially larger than the guiding feature. A balancing arrangement facilitates balancing of the article, and an abrading article removal tool is operative to remove the abrading article from the rotatable support.

1 . An apparatus for working gemstones, comprising: 
 a) an abrading article having a mounting bore therein;    b) a rotatable support having a guiding feature, wherein said support holds and rotates said article, wherein the diameter of the mounting bore is substantially larger than said guiding feature;    c) a balancing arrangement for balancing said article upon said support; and    d) an abrading article removal tool for removing said abrading article from said rotatable support.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said article is held against a force selected from the group consisting of magnetic forces, electromagnetic forces, and atmospheric pressure forces.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said balancing arrangement is removably mounted on said apparatus.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said balancing arrangement is fixedly mounted on said apparatus.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said balancing arrangement provides said article with sliding movement on a surface of said rotatable support.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said balancing of the article and support is achieved without the addition of balancing masses.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said abrading article removal tool removes said article from said support.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said abrading article has a diamond coated working surface.  
   
   
       9 . A disk like abrading article having a mounting bore, wherein the article comprises two flat parallel surfaces, wherein one of said surfaces is diamond powder coated, wherein the diameter of said bore is substantially larger than the diameter of a corresponding guiding feature.  
   
   
       10 . The article  claim 9 , wherein said article diameter is larger than the diameter of the surface on which it rests.  
   
   
       11 . The article  claim 9 , wherein said diamond powder is a single grade powder.  
   
   
       12 . The article  claim 9 , wherein said diamond powder is of different grades.  
   
   
       13 . A method of balancing a working member having a rotatable support and an abrading article, comprising repositioning the article on the rotatable support without using additional balancing masses for balancing the working member.  
   
   
       14 . An apparatus for working gemstones, comprising: 
 a) an abrading article;    b) a rotatable support possessing retention forces;    c) a balancing arrangement for balancing said article; and    d) an abrading article removal tool for removing said article from said rotatable support.    
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein said abrading article has no mounting bore.  
   
   
       16 . A method of mounting and exchanging abrading article on a rotatable support of a gemstone working apparatus, comprising 
 a) mounting the abrading article on the support;    b) balancing the article by sliding it in a proper position on the support;    c) polishing at least one facet on said article; and    d) exchanging said article.    
   
   
       17 . A tool for removing an abrading article held on a support by permanent magnetic forces, wherein said tool pulls said article from said support.  
   
   
       18 . An apparatus for working gemstones, comprising: 
 a) an abrading article;    b) a rotatable support having a guiding feature for guiding said article, wherein the abrading article has a mounting bore substantially larger than said guiding feature.    
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein said article is held by forces that are magnetic, electromagnetic or by atmospheric pressure.  
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , comprising a balancing arrangement for balancing said article.  
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising an abrading article removal tool for removing said abrading article from said rotatable support.  
   
   
       22 . A disk like abrading article, comprising two flat parallel surfaces, wherein one of said surfaces is coated with diamond powder, wherein the diameter of said article is larger than the diameter of a surface on which it rests.  
   
   
       23 . The article of  claim 22 , wherein said diamond powder is a single grade powder.  
   
   
       24 . The article of  claim 22 , wherein said diamond powder is of different grades.  
   
   
       25 . A rotatable support for holding an abrading article, wherein said support has a flat surface for resting said article thereupon, wherein said support has a diameter smaller than said article.