FACES OF HOLLOW BODIES

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus for polishing and cleaning the internal surfaces of hollow bodies, in particular of mechanical components and the like.

The field of the invention is that of the equipment used to carry out polishing, cleaning, and other treatments on the internal surfaces of hollow mechanical bodies, made of metallic, plastic, ceramic, and other materials.

The solutions currently used to carry out these treatments involve filling the cavities of the hollow bodies to be polished with granules of abrasive and non-abrasive materials, conveyed by means of a liquid. The hollow body thus prepared is then set into vibration, in order to provide the energy and movement that are necessary for the granules to perform polishing and cleaning of the internal surfaces of the hollow body.

According to the method described in particular in publications EP 3 998 138 A1 and EP 3 663 040 B1 , the vibration of the hollow bodies to be polished is achieved by means of a vibrating table, in turn placed below a rotating table supporting the same hollow bodies, whose function is to move them to and from a loading and unloading station.

The prior art solution now described, however, has the disadvantage that the vibrations, generated by the vibrating table, are transmitted not only to the hollow bodies to be treated, but also to the rotating table supporting them and to the respective movement system.

As a consequence, the energy required to generate the vibrations on the bodies to be polished must necessarily also involve or affect the rotating table supporting them.

This entails considerable drawbacks and disadvantages in terms of the greater energy consumption that is required to set the hollow bodies into vibration. Furthermore, the vibrations transmitted to the rotating table generate wear, capable of compromising the proper functioning of its rotation system, with the need for more frequent maintenance.

Publication US 2012/0100782 A1 relates to an apparatus and a process for polishing internal cavities of mechanical components.

Publication EP 1 066 132 B1 relates to an apparatus and a process for polishing the internal surfaces of hollow bodies, by means of vibrating systems.

Publication US 2014/0235146 A1 relates to an apparatus for treating the surface of products, providing vibrating elements and magnetic means for holding the products to be treated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main object of the present invention is to provide a new apparatus for polishing and cleaning the internal surfaces of hollow bodies, in particular of mechanical components, which, unlike similar apparatuses of the prior art, does not have the disadvantages that have been described above.

These and other objects are achieved with the apparatus of claim 1 . Preferred embodiments of the invention result from the remaining claims.

In comparison with the apparatuses of the prior art, that of the present invention offers the advantage that the vibrations are transmitted directly to the hollow bodies to be polished, namely, without having to pass through the rotating table which, according to the invention, is in fact placed below the vibrating table.

In this way, the energy demand needed to generate vibrations on the hollow bodies is significantly reduced, wear on the movement mechanism of the rotating table is practically eliminated and maintenance interventions on the latter are therefore considerably reduced. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects, advantages and characteristics result from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the invention illustrated, by way of non-limiting example, in the figures of the attached drawings, wherein:

- Figure 1 is a schematic view of a prior art apparatus for polishing hollow bodies;

- Figure 2 shows an overall view of the apparatus of the invention;

- Figures 3 and 4 illustrate a diagram of the apparatus of Figure 2 in perspective and lateral view, respectively;

- Figure 5 illustrates the apparatus of Figure 2 in longitudinal section;

- Figure 6 illustrates the detail of the vibrating and rotating table system of the apparatus in Figure 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The prior art apparatus illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a support base 1 , above which suspensions 2 are mounted, for example springs, rubber suspensions, air suspensions and the like, which serve to support a table 3, which is set into vibration by means of a dedicated motor (not shown).

In the prior art embodiment that has now been described, the vibrations generated by the vibrating table 3 are transmitted to the hollow bodies 6 by means of the rotating table 5 and the respective rotating mechanisms 4.

This arrangement, however, has the drawback of requiring high quantities of energy in order to impart the desired intensity of vibrations to the hollow bodies 6, as the vibrations must first pass through the rotating table and the respective drive mechanism.

Another drawback is represented by the premature wear that these vibrations cause on the rotating means 4 driving the rotating table 5, with the consequent need for long and numerous maintenance operations.

In order to overcome the described drawbacks of the prior art, the appa- ratus of the invention illustrated in Figures 2 to 5 is provided, which comprises a base 9, above which a rotating table 11 is mounted and set into rotation by means of a motor drive 10.

Suspensions 12 are provided above the rotating table 11 , for example of the spring type, made of metal, rubber, pneumatic and the like, which in turn support a vibrating table 13 set into vibration by means of a motor 14.

Finally, the bodies 16 having respective inner cavities 17 are fixed above the vibrating table 13 by means of locking brackets 15.

Above the vibrating table 3 rotating means 4 driving a rotating table 5 are arranged, for the rotating support of a plurality of bodies 6, each having an inner cavity 7 filled with a material 8 in granules, of abrasive type or not, dispersed in a circulation of liquid, oil, or other material, useful for facilitating the process of polishing and cleaning the internal surface of said cavity.

In this way the polishing of said internal surface of the hollow bodies is achieved either by abrasion phenomena, or by crushing, due to the weight of the granules 8.

Figure 2 illustrates the apparatus of the invention from the side of the station 18 for loading and unloading the hollow bodies 16 to and from the vibrating table 13, by means of the movement of the rotating table 11.

According to the invention, the rotation motion of the table 11 occurs around the axis X (Figure 4) and is also transmitted to the vibrating table 13 and suspension 12 system which supports the hollow bodies 16.

In the embodiment that has now been described, the vibrations generated by the vibrating table 13 are transmitted directly to the hollow bodies 16 that it supports, leaving the rotating table 11 completely isolated from these vibrations, thanks to its arrangement below the vibrating table 13 and the interposition of the suspensions 12 between the same tables 11 and 13.

In this way, the energy supplied by the motor 14 is that strictly necessary to generate the vibrations on the hollow bodies 16 by means of the vibrating table 13 alone and no longer also through the rotating table 11 .

Thanks to this arrangement, the apparatus of the invention allows to drastically reduce the energy requirement to generate vibrations on the bodies to be polished and cleaned, thus reducing wear on the mechanism 10 setting into rotation the rotating table 11 .