Abrasive belt and device for polishing surfaces provided with such belt

Abstract

An abrasive belt ( 100 ) for surface polishing machines of the type having a flexible ring provided with a substantially inextensible internal layer ( 18 ) onto which an external abrasive layer ( 11 ) is fixed, wherein the external abrasive layer ( 11 ) is made up of a plurality of sectors ( 13 ) adjacent and at mutual contact, separated by transverse cuttings with respect to the longitudinal direction of the belt ( 100 ), the sectors ( 13 ) having a width (A) measured in the longitudinal direction of the belt ( 100 ) smaller than their height (H) measured in the transverse direction with respect to the surface of the belt ( 100 ) and being deformable under the polishing pressure.

1 ) Abrasive belt ( 100 ) for surface polishing machines of the type having a flexible ring provided with a substantially inextensible internal layer ( 18 ) onto which an external abrasive layer ( 11 ) is fixed, made up of a plurality of sectors ( 13 ) adjacent and at mutual contact, separated by transverse cuttings with respect to the longitudinal direction of said belt ( 100 ), characterized in that each of said sectors ( 13 ) has a width (A) measured in the longitudinal direction of said belt ( 100 ) smaller than the height (H) measured in the transverse direction with respect to the surface of said belt ( 100 ) and is deformable under the polishing pressure. 
     
     
         2 ) Abrasive belt ( 100 ) according to  claim 1  characterized in that each of said sectors is made up of a sheet arranged orthogonally to said longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         3 ) Abrasive belt ( 100 ) according to  claim 1  or  2 , characterized in that said sectors ( 13 ) are made of a deformable material consisting of an open pore non-woven fabric and wherein a charge of abrasive material is dispersed. 
     
     
         4 ) Abrasive belt ( 100 ) according to  claim 3  characterized in that said non-woven fabric is made of polymeric fibers linked by a resin. 
     
     
         5 ) Abrasive belt according to  claim 4  characterized in that said polymeric fibers are Nylon™ fibers and said resin is a phenolic resin and wherein said abrasive material is selected from the group comprising aluminum oxide and silicon carbide. 
     
     
         6 ) Abrasive belt ( 100 ) according to one or more of the previous claims, characterized in that said sectors have a width (A) equivalent to a fraction of their height (H), comprised between ½ and 1/10, preferably between ¼ and ⅛. 
     
     
         7 ) Abrasive belt ( 100 ) according to  claim 6  characterized in that said sectors have a width (A) smaller than or equal to 15 mm and a height (H) smaller than or equal to 60 mm. 
     
     
         8 ) Abrasive belt ( 100 ) according to  claim 1  characterized in that said sectors ( 13 ) made of abrasive material have a substantially parallelepiped section projecting radially from the internal layer ( 18 ) of said belt ( 100 ), said sectors ( 13 ) being provided with first lower ends constrained to said internal layer ( 18 ) in mutual side contact and second free ends opposite to said constrained ends. 
     
     
         9 ) Abrasive belt ( 100 ) according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that it comprises sectors of different thickness and type alternating longitudinally on the belt. 
     
     
         10 ) Abrasive belt ( 100 ) according to  claim 1  characterized in that said sectors ( 13 ) are elements made up of a support matrix made of abrasive material or in which abrasive material is dispersed, variously alternating with a cloth or abrasive paper. 
     
     
         11 ) Abrasive belt ( 100 ) according to  claim 1  characterized in that said sectors ( 13 ) are elements made up of cloth sheets or abrasive paper. 
     
     
         12 ) Abrasive belt ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said external abrasive layer ( 11 ) is removably fixable on the internal layer ( 18 ) through the pressure coupling of surface elements arranged respectively underneath said external abrasive layer ( 11 ) and above said internal layer ( 18 ) provided with pressure-wise connecting elements of the “VELCRO™” type. 
     
     
         13 ) Device ( 10 ) for polishing surfaces ( 21 ) comprising an abrasive belt ( 100 ) of the type having a flexible ring provided with a substantially inextensible internal layer ( 18 ) onto which an external abrasive layer ( 11 ) is fixed and returned by at least two rollers ( 17 ,  17 ′) to define a flat intermediate section for polishing said surfaces ( 21 ), at least one roller ( 17 ′) being rotated by a motor, wherein said external abrasive layer ( 11 ) is divided into a plurality of sectors ( 13 ) adjacent and at mutual contact, defined by transverse cuttings with respect to the longitudinal direction of said belt ( 100 ), characterized in that each of said sectors ( 13 ) has a width (A) measured in the longitudinal direction of said belt ( 100 ) smaller than the height (H) measured in the direction transversal to the surface of said belt ( 100 ) and smaller than the radius (R) of said return rollers ( 17 ,  17 ′) and is deformable under the polishing pressure. 
     
     
         14 ) Device ( 10 ) according to  claim 13  characterized in that said sectors ( 13 ) made of abrasive material have a substantially parallelepiped section projecting radially from said internal layer ( 18 ) of said belt ( 100 ), said sectors ( 13 ) being provided with first lower ends constrained to said internal layer ( 18 ) in mutual side contact and with second free ends opposite to said constrained ends. 
     
     
         15 ) Device ( 10 ) according to  claim 14  characterized in that it comprises means for guiding said flat intermediate polishing section for guaranteeing contact of a plurality of said sectors ( 13 ) against the surface ( 21 ) to be polished. 
     
     
         16 ) Device ( 10 ) according to  claim 15  characterized in that said means for guiding said flat intermediate section for polishing said surfaces ( 21 ) comprise a sliding block ( 19 ) operating on the internal surface of said internal layer ( 18 ) of said belt ( 100 ).