Burr removal apparatus

Abstract

Apparatus for removing a burr from an aperture in a workpiece, using a rotating deburring tool having a flexible or partly flexible shaft, an abrasive mechanism that rotates on the shaft and a collar that protects the workpiece from abrasion when the abrasive mechanism is being positioned for deburring. Optionally, the shaft and abrasive mechanism move laterally as they rotate. Optionally, a shaft holder includes a protective surrounding sleeve to catch or deflect any fragment of the shaft holder that might fly off. Optionally, the shaft and the workpiece rotate independently of each other. Two or more different abrasive mechanisms can be simultaneously attached to the shaft. The cross-sectional shape of the abrasive mechanism may be curvilinear and/or polygonal, depending upon shape of the workpiece surface. Optionally, a shaft restrictor receives the shaft and limits lateral motion of the rotating shaft. The shaft optionally includes a rotatable mass that provides additional rotational inertia after the shaft is initially spun up.

1 . Apparatus for removing a burr from an aperture in a workpiece, the apparatus comprising: 
 a flexible shaft that can be rotated about a shaft axis, having a shaft first end, at a selected angular velocity;    an approximately cylindrically symmetric abrasive mechanism, connected to a location near a first end of the shaft and including an abrasive material that can abrade a selected section of a workpiece that is contacted by the mechanism;    a collar of a selected material that will not substantially abrade the workpiece when the workpiece is contacted by the collar, the collar being connected to the abrasive mechanism; and    whereby, when the abrasive mechanism, the collar and at least a portion of the shaft are inserted into an aperture in the workpiece and the shaft is rotated, at least one workpiece burr in the aperture can be removed by contact of the abrasive mechanism with the at least one burr.    
   
   
       2 - 43 . (canceled)