Elastic honing material

Abstract

An abrasive elastic material composed of an abrasive fixedly bonded to an elastic substrate and the process for producing this material and conforming it into the various shapes needed for its use with power tools and the like. The material can be used on any of a wide variety of mechanical abrading devices, and has the advantages of conforming to irregular surfaces, resisting ripping and tearing, reducing vibration, allowing more subtlety in the application of pressure with the abrading surface and prolonged useful life. It differs from the material making up traditional abrading elements, such as honing belts, in its elasticity

We claim:  
     
         1 . An elastic abrasive material for use in honing operations, said material comprising an abrasive surface affixed to an elastic substrate.  
     
     
         2 . Elastic abrasive material as claimed in    claim 1    wherein said abrasive surface is comprised of sand particles similar in size and distribution to that found in standard sandpaper.  
     
     
         3 . A honing belt created from the elastic abrasive material claimed in    claim 2    wherein said belt comprises a continuous loop of said material, said loop having a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of a powered honing device.  
     
     
         4 . A honing disc created from the elastic abrasive material claimed in    claim 3    wherein said disk has a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of a powered grinding wheel with which said disk is intended to be used.  
     
     
         5 . A honing belt as described in    claim 3   , wherein said powered honing device is a standard home drill and said honing belt is sized so as to fit over a chuck of said drill.  
     
     
         6 . A method for producing elastic abrasive material suitable for cutting into various sizes and shapes to be used with a variety of power tools for the purpose of honing surfaces, said method comprising the steps of 
 selecting a sheet of sandpaper having an abrasive side and a paper side,    affixing said sandpaper to an elastic backing section such that said abrasive side is exposed and said paper side is adjacent to said elastic backing,    treating said elastic backing section bearing said sandpaper so as to effect an improved bonding between said sandpaper and said elastic backing section,    cutting said elastic backing section bearing said sandpaper into shapes suitable for use with said variety of power tools.    
     
     
         7 . The method for producing elastic abrasive material as described in    claim 6    wherein said step of treating comprises exposing said section bearing said sandpaper to increased temperature and elevated pressure for a period of time.  
     
     
         8 . The method of    claim 7    wherein said period of time is substantially equal to 1.5 hours and said elevated pressure is substantially equal to 65-70 psig.  
     
     
         9 . The method of    claim 8    wherein said increased temperature is substantially equal to 285° F.  
     
     
         10 . The method of    claim 9    wherein said elastic backing section is rectangular in shape having a width and a length and wherein the method comprises the additional step of wrapping said elastic backing section on a mandrel of circumference substantially equal to said length and of breadth substantially equal to said width prior to said affixing of said sandpaper to said elastic backing section, and wherein said wrapping results in said mandrel being substantially covered by said elastic backing section with a first edge of said elastic backing section abutting a second edge of said elastic backing section at a line of joinder on said mandrel.  
     
     
         11 . The method of    claim 10    comprising the additional step of cutting said sandpaper into a plurality of strips, each of said strips being substantially equal in length to said breadth, prior to said affixing of said sandpaper to said elastic backing section.  
     
     
         12 . The method of    claim 11    comprising the additional step of wrapping said sandpaper with a MYLAR sheeting and a nylon sheeting prior to said step of treating, wherein said MYLAR sheeting and said nylon sheeting are then removed following said step of treating.  
     
     
         13 . The method of    claim 12    comprising the additional step of pressurizing an interface between said elastic backing section and said mandrel following said step of treating, so as to break any adhesion existing between said elastic backing section and said mandrel following said step of treating.  
     
     
         14 . The method of    claim 13    comprising the additional step of slipping said elastic back section off of said mandrel following said pressurization.  
     
     
         15 . The method of    claim 14    wherein following said step of slipping said elastic back section off of said mandrel, said elastic backing section, now adhering to said sandpaper, is sliced so as to form a plurality of honing belts with inner circumferences substantially equal to said circumference of said mandrel.  
     
     
         16 . The method of    claim 15    wherein said affixing of said strips to said elastic backing section is done in such manner that each of said strips overlaps a first adjacent strip and is overlapped by a second adjacent strip.  
     
     
         17 . The method of    claim 15    wherein said step of affixing said sandpaper to said elastic backing is carried out so that said paper side is exposed and said abrasive side is adjacent to said elastic backing section.  
     
     
         18 . The method of    claim 16    wherein following said step of treating, said paper side is peeled away, leaving sand adhering to said elastic backing section.  
     
     
         19 . The method of    claim 18    where said sandpaper has weight-x.  
     
     
         20 . A method for producing an elastic honing belt for use with power tools, said method comprising the steps of 
 (a) Selecting a mandrel having a mandrel breadth and a mandrel circumference;    (b) Selecting an extended sheet of elastic material having an elastic length equal to said mandrel circumference and an elastic width equal to said mandrel breadth;    (c) Applying a release agent to a surface of said mandrel;    (d) Wrapping said elastic material around said mandrel and joining ends of said elastic material together in a seam by means of a chemical bonding agent and stitching tool;    (e) Selecting a sheet of abrasive material with an abrasive width substantially equal to said elastic width and an abrasive length substantially equal to said elastic length, wherein said sheet of abrasive material has a paper backing side and an abrasive side;    (f) Cleaning said paper backing side;    (g) Applying a chemical bonding agent to said paper backing side;    (h) Cutting said sheet of abrasive material into a plurality of strips of uniform width;    (I) Applying a layer of chemical tactifying agent to said elastic material wrapped on said mandrel;    (j) Applying said strips longitudinally along said elastic material wrapped on said mandrel;    (k) Tightly wrapping said abrasive material with MYLAR sheeting and with nylon sheeting;    (l) Placing said mandrel containing said strips into an enclosure, wherein said enclosure is then pressurized and heated to an elevated temperature for a predetermined time interval, after which said interval, said mandrel is removed from said enclosure;    (m) Removing said MYLAR and nylon from said strips;    (n) Loosening treated elastic material from said mandrel by injecting compressed air between said elastic material and said mandrel;    (o) Removing treated said elastic material from said mandrel as a sleeve and cutting said sleeve into honing belts of desired width.