Floor grinding apparatus

Abstract

A grinding apparatus for grinding a surface includes a plurality of satellites, a carrier for supporting the plurality of satellites, a plurality of primary gears rotatably mounted within the carrier and disposed about a motor output, a static gear which is fixed with respect to the motor and co-axial with the motor output, and a plurality of secondary gears which each rotate with one of the primary gears. The primary gears rotate the satellites with respect to the carrier and the secondary gears rotate the carrier around the static gear.

1 . A grinding apparatus for grinding a surface, the grinding apparatus operable to be powered by a motor comprising a rotatable motor output, the grinding apparatus comprising:
 a) a plurality of satellites for engaging the surface;   b) a carrier for supporting the plurality of satellites, each of the plurality of satellites being disposed around the motor output and rotatably mounted to the carrier, the carrier being rotatably mounted to the motor;   c) a plurality of primary gears rotatably mounted within the carrier, the primary gears disposed about the motor output and drivable thereby, the primary gears engaging the satellites and thereby enabling the rotation of the satellites with respect to the carrier;   d) a static gear which is fixed with respect to the motor, the static gear being co-axial with the motor output; and   e) a plurality of secondary gears, each secondary gear being co-axial with a corresponding one of the primary gears and rotatable therewith with respect to the carrier, the secondary gears engaging the static gear and thereby enabling the rotation of the carrier with respect to the motor.   
     
     
         2 . The grinding apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of primary gears comprises:
 a) a set of inner gears, each inner gear engaging the motor output and operable to be driven thereby; and   b) a set of outer gears, each outer gear engaging a respective one of the inner gears and drivable thereby, each outer gear being co-axial with a corresponding one of the satellites.   
     
     
         3 . The grinding apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the static gear is a crown gear. 
     
     
         4 . The grinding apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein each secondary gear is mounted to a respective one of the outer gears by an outer axle, each secondary gear and respective outer gear thereby being operable to rotate together with respect to the carrier. 
     
     
         5 . The grinding apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein each satellite is mounted to its respective outer gear by a respective outer axle. 
     
     
         6 . The grinding apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the carrier comprises a lower plate, an upper plate and an enclosing wall. 
     
     
         7 . The grinding apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein each outer axle extends through the upper plate such that each secondary gear is mounted outside the carrier. 
     
     
         8 . The grinding apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein each outer axle extends through the lower plate such that each satellite is mounted outside the carrier opposite the secondary gears. 
     
     
         9 . The grinding apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an outer casing, the outer casing being fixed to the motor and operable to enclose the top plate and the enclosing wall. 
     
     
         10 . The grinding apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the static gear is fixed to the outer casing. 
     
     
         11 . The grinding apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of primary gears, the static gear and the plurality of secondary gears are helical gears. 
     
     
         12 . The grinding apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein each secondary gear is mounted to a respective one of the inner gears by an inner axle, each secondary gear and respective inner gear thereby being operable to rotate with respect to the carrier. 
     
     
         13 . The grinding apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an edging attachment, the edging attachment comprising an edging disk and a bevel gearing assembly mounted to the carrier and operable to drive the rotation of the edging attachment.