Grinding or polishing apparatus and method for operating it

Abstract

A grinding or polishing apparatus and method for grinding or polishing at least one workpiece, in particular having a ferromagnetic property, by way of barrel finishing, having at least one pot-like treatment container, mounted so as to be able to oscillate, for receiving one or more workpieces and grinding or polishing elements, also having at least one workpiece anchoring device for disposing one or more workpieces within the treatment container and for connecting the workpieces to the treatment container in a releasably secured manner, and also having at least one oscillation exciter, by means of which the treatment container can be oscillated, and in that the workpiece anchoring device comprises at least one switchable clamping plate, in particular at least one clamping plate having one or more permanent electromagnets, which is adapted such that a magnetic field emanating outwardly from a clamping surface of the clamping plate can be selectively activated or deactivated.

1 . A grinding or polishing apparatus, in particular a circular vibrator, for grinding or polishing at least one workpiece, in particular a workpiece having a ferromagnetic property, by way of barrel finishing, having at least one pot-like treatment container, mounted so as to be able to oscillate, for receiving one or more workpieces and grinding or polishing elements, also having at least one workpiece anchoring device for disposing one or more workpieces within the treatment container and for connecting The workpiece or workpieces to the treatment container in a releasably secured manner, and also having at least one oscillation exciter, by means of which at least one oscillation component can be imparted to the treatment container, wherein the workpiece anchoring device comprises at least one switchable clamping plate, in particular at least one clamping plate having one or more permanent electromagnets, which is adapted such that a magnetic field emanating outwardly from a clamping surface of the clamping plate can be selectively activated or deactivated. 
     
     
         2 . The grinding or polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the clamping plate comprises two or more magnetizing devices neighboring one another in a plane defined by the clamping surface, each of which devices has at least one permanent electromagnet which has a permanent magnet that can be changed in polarity and a coil surrounding the permanent magnet, the coil being connected to a source of direct current or direct voltage with the direction of the current or voltage being switchable. 
     
     
         3 . The grinding or polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each magnetizing device has a magnetizing element which is facing the clamping surface and in particular comprises mild steel or a comparable material, behind which the permanent electromagnet is disposed, preferably adjacently. 
     
     
         4 . The grinding or polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a plane parallel to the clamping surface, some or all of the magnetizing devices or magnetizing elements are disposed in such a way that they are distributed in a matrix-like or linear manner and in particular have a square or rectangular cross-section, and in that permanent magnets are disposed at the side edges, in particular at all the side edges, of the magnetizing elements, so that the magnetic pole axes of said permanent magnets run parallel to the clamping surface, whereby, for each magnetizing element, the pole axes of all the permanent magnets neighboring a specific magnetizing element point with the same polarity toward this magnetizing element. 
     
     
         5 . The grinding or polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the clamping plate is attached to the treatment container, the clamping surface thereof extending transversely, in particular perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly, to a geometrical axis of the treatment container, in particular transversely to a perpendicular longitudinal center axis of the treatment container. 
     
     
         6 . The grinding or polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the magnetizing devices or the free magnet pole faces thereof are regularly spaced apart from one another laterally, on a cross-sectional circumference of the treatment container, in particular along a circular line, a uniform spacing of the magnet pole faces from one another being provided either along the entire cross-sectional circumference or along curved or straight line segments only at two or more portions of the cross-sectional circumference. 
     
     
         7 . The grinding or polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one clamping plate is disposed on the outer side of the treatment container and/or on a portion of the treatment container that is an upper portion with respect to the height of the container, in particular in the upper half of said container. 
     
     
         8 . The grinding or polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the workpiece anchoring device comprises a workpiece holder, which has a ferromagnetic base for the releasable secure clamping by means of the clamping plate and a number of holding devices, secured to the base, for one or more workpieces, a peripheral contour of the base in particular being adapted to a peripheral contour of the one or more clamping plates secured to the treatment container. 
     
     
         9 . The grinding or polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the main direction of extent of the holding devices, in particular formed in the manner of rods, runs transversely to a plane defined by the base of the workpiece holder. 
     
     
         10 . The grinding or polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the base is configured in the manner of a plate and in that one or more grip elements for a lifting means, such as for example for a crane or the like, are attached to the base, in particular on the side thereof opposite from the holding devices, the grip elements being elastically deformable, in particular at least transversely to the plane defined by the base. 
     
     
         11 . The grinding or polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the clamping plate is formed at least in a substantially circular shape and secured on the bottom of the treatment container. 
     
     
         12 . The grinding or polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the workpiece anchoring device has an underlay plate, which has ferromagnetic properties or does not have ferromagnetic properties, the peripheral contour of the underlay plate being adapted to the peripheral contour of the clamping plate or the clamping plates. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A method for grinding or polishing at least one workpiece, comprising the steps of:
 providing a grinding or polishing apparatus that includes a treatment container, at least one oscillation exciter, and a workpiece anchoring device with a workpiece holder and at least one switchable clamping plate having one or more permanent electromagnets, which is adapted such that a magnetic field emanating outwardly from a clamping surface of a clamping plate can be selectively activated or deactivated;   filling the treatment container with grinding or polishing elements;   securing one or more workpieces to the workpiece holder;   oscillating the treatment container and grinding or polishing elements;   partially or completely submerging the workpiece or workpieces in the grinding or polishing elements through an opening in the treatment container by means of the workpiece holder while the treatment container is oscillating;   after partially or completely submerging the workpiece or workpieces, clamping magnetically the workpiece holder on the clamping plate which is disposed outside the treatment container and/or on a portion of the treatment container that is an upper portion with respect to the height of the container.