[I] Technical Field

[2] The present invention relates to a machining equipment, and more particularly to a grinding, scrubbing and polishing machine.

[3] Background of the invention

[4] A conventional scrubbing machines use a tumbling barrel fixed to a drive shaft of a drive unit to grind, scrub and polish the products. The back portion of the tumbling barrel has a flange that is connected by screws and nuts to the drive unit. The front portion of the tumbling barrel has a round opening for filling in the products and additives like silicates and water. The tumbling barrel is moved to an upper position and rotates around its center point. In this way abrasion occurs at limited surface area on the back side inside the tumbling barrel. If the tumbling barrel starts to leak product, the tumbling barrel has to be disassembled and replaced by a new one. The filling of product has to be done by use of intermediate storage containers, which are lifted up by crane or forklift above the opening of the tumbling barrel. Additives are filled in by hand or/and use of pipes hold into the opening.

[5] Hence, an improved machine is needed to solve the above problems.

[6] Summary of invention

[7] An object of the invention is to provide a Grinding, Scrubbing and Polishing machine with greater production efficiency.

[8] In order to attain the object above mentioned, the present invention is set forth as follows. The machine for grinding, scrubbing or polishing products includes a base mounted on the ground; a frame pivotally attachable to the base; a drum rotatably receiving the frame, the drum comprising an opening in the middle portion thereof, a tumbling barrel mounted in the drum via the opening for accommodating the products, the tumbling barrel rotating together with the drum; a first driving device to drive the frame to pivot; and a second driving device to drive the drum to rotate.

[9] The machine further includes a plurality of rolling bearings, wherein the rolling bearing is mounted on the frame to support the drum.

[10] The drum includes a cover for covering the opening.

[I I] The machine further includes a safety lever pivotally attached to the drum to control the opening closing of the cover.

[12] The first driving device includes a rocker and a cylinder, the cylinder for drive the rocker to move. [13] The one end of the rocker is rotatably connected with the cylinder, and the other end of the rocker is fixed to the frame. [14] The frame comprises a top plate, a pair of side walls, and a bottom plate, the side walls connecting the top plate and the bottom plate.

[15] Each of the side walls comprises a round shaft and a supporting plate.

[16] The drum is hollow and comprises a front cover and a backside cover each having a polygon shape.

[17] In the present invention, the security of the production process is guaranteed by the safety lever because it controls the cover of the drum. The drum can rotate stability because of the roller bearing, and the products in the tumbling barrel can be machined uniformly to reduce the shoddy products. In addition, because filling/empty out of the tumbling barrel can be done at the previous/ next process, it does not block the machine for filling and empty out, so that the system reduces the standstill time for replacement of the tumbling barrel.

[18] Brief description of drawings

[19] The present invention will be described in detail by reference to the drawings and the preferred embodiments.

[20] Referring to FIGS.1 and 2 , the features of this invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, together with its objects and the advantages thereof, may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals identify like elements in the figures and in which:

[21] FIG. 1 is a front view of a grinding, scrubbing and polishing machine of the present invention;

[22] FIG. 2 is a right view of the grinding, scrubbing and polishing machine of the present invention.

[23] Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

[24] This invention provides a machine for grinding, scrubbing or polishing products 100, which comprises a base 20, a frame 30, a drum 40, a tumbling barrel, a pair of first driving devices 60, a second driving device 70, a plurality of rolling bearings 80, and a safety lever 90. In the embodiment, the machine 100 is used for grinding, scrubbing, or polishing needles.

[25] The base 20 is a frame made of steel. The base 20 is mounted on the ground by fasteners to support the frame 30. In the embodiment, the mountings are screws, bolts, anchor bolds or other normal means in the art.

[26] The frame 30 is pivotally attached on the base 20. The frame 30 comprises a top plate32, a pair of side walls 34, and a bottom plate 36. The side walls 34 connect the top plate 32 and the bottom plate 36.

[27] Each of the side walls 34 comprises a pair of round shafts 340 and a supporting plate

342. The four round shafts 340 are located in the four-corners of the frame 30 to connect the top plate 32 and the bottom plate 36. Each of the two support plates 342 is located in the middle of the side walls 34, respectively to further connect the top plate 32 and the bottom plate 36. The frame 30 further comprises a pair of shafts 38. One end of each shaft 38 is fixed to the middle portion of the support plate 342, and the other end is received in the bushing 22 mounted on the base 20, thereby the frame 30 pivoting relative to the base 20.

[28] The drum 40 is accommodated in the frame 30 and rotate in the frame 30, but can not rotate or move relative to the frame 30. The drum 40 is hollow. The drum 40 comprises an opening 42 positioning a middle portion thereof and a front cover 44 for covering the opening 42. In the embodiment, the drum 40 is a short piece of pipe with its backside closed by eight angle shaped cover. The backside cover is welded to the pipe. The front side of the pipe has an eight angle shaped border plate welded to the inside. Between each angle in the backside shape and the front side border plate a supporting bracket is welded.

[29] A tumbling barrel is mounted in the drum 40 through the opening 42, and rotates with the drum 40. The front of the tumbling barrel has a round opening for filling in product and additives like silicates and water. The shape of the tumbling barrel is same as that of the drum 40 in this embodiment.

[30] The first driving devices 60 are mounted on two sides of the base 20, respectively to drive the frame to pivot. The first driving devices 60 can render the frame 30 to pivot 40 degree up and down relative to the base 20. Each of the first driving devices 60 comprises a rocker 62 and a cylinder 64. One end of the rocker 62 is rotatably connected to the cylinder 64, and the other end of rocker 62 is fixed to the shaft 38 of the frame 30. The cylinder 64 drives the rocker 62 to pivot to render the frame 30 together with the tumbling barrel to pivot.

[31] In other embodiments, each of the first driving devices 60 further comprises a plurality of adjustable levers. The adjustable levers are mounted on the rocker 62 to control the pivotal position of the rocker 62, and then control the pivotal angle of the frame 30.

[32] In other embodiments, each of the first driving devices 60 further comprise several sensors, to control the pivotal angle of the frame 30 more accurately.

[33] The second driving device 70 is mounted on the frame 30 to drive the drum 40 to rotate in the frame 30 so that the tumbling barrel in the drum 40 rotates, resulting in that the products in the tumbling barrel can be grinded, scrubbed, and polished. The second driving device 70 is a motor. In the embodiment, the drum 40 can rotate clock or counter clockwise at variable speed between 4-50 rpm.

[34] The roller bearings 80 are used for facilitating the drum 40 rotating, and support the drum 40 to strengthen the stability of the drum 40 during the rotation. In the em- bodiment, there are four rolling bearings 80 arranged symmetrically, and two of them are mounted in the top plate of the frame 30, and the others rolling bearings 80 are mounted in the bottom plate 36 of the frame 30.

[35] The safety lever 90 is pivotally attached to the drum 40 which can be opened, closed or locked to control the open/close of the cover of the drum 40. In other words, the cover 44 of the drum 40 can only be open when the safety lever 90 is open to prevent the cover 44 of the drum 40 from opening 42 accidently. In addition, the safety lever 90 prevents the tumbling barrel from bursting out of the drum 40 accidently to assure the process security.

[36] In assembly, the base 20 is mounted on the ground, and the frame 30 is pivotally attached to the base 20. The first driving devices 60 are fixed to the sides of the base 20 with the rockers 62 fixed to the side walls 34 of the frame 30. The drum 40 is pivotally attached to the frame 30 by the shafts 38 of the side walls 34. The tumbling barrel filled with products is mounted in the drum 40 through the opening 42.

[37] During the loading process, the first driving devices 60 are open to drive the frame

30 to pivot the loading position that the center line of the drum 40 is parellel to the ground. Therefore, the operator can load another tumbling barrel full of products into the drum 40. After the loading process, the second driving device 70 is open to drive the drum 40 to rotate in the frame 30 to grind, scrub, and polish the products in the tumbling barrel. During the operation process, the drum 40 can pivot from 12 degrees or -12 degrees, so that the products in the tumbling barrel can machine well.

[38] The security of the production process is guaranteed by the safety lever 90 because it controls the front cover 44 of the drum 40.

[39] The drum 40 can rotate stability because of the roller bearing 80, and the products in the tumbling barrel can be machined uniformly to reduce the shoddy products.

[40] Because filling/empty out of the tumbling barrel can be done at the previous/ next process, it does not block the machine for filling and empty out, so that the system reduces the standstill time for replacement of the tumbling barrel.