Adjustable abrading tool, abrasive star and abrading kit

Abstract

An abrading tool, abrasive star and abrading kit, in which the abrading kit includes the abrasive star and the abrading tool. The abrading tool includes a threaded drive rod, a means for retaining an abrasive material about the threaded drive rod, an expandable support disposed about the threaded drive rod and dimensioned to brace the abrasive material, and a means for expanding the expandable support to adjust the diameter of the outer surface of the abrasive material. The abrasive star is a sheet having an outer edge and an opening to allow it to be retained upon the drive rod. A plurality of gaps is provided through the sheet allowing it to be folded into a roughly conical shape having a continuous outer surface.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An abrading tool comprising: 
 a threaded drive rod;    a means for retaining an abrasive material about said threaded drive rod;    an expandable support disposed about said threaded drive rod and proximate to the abrasive material, said support structure being dimensioned to brace said abrasive material; and    a means for expanding said expandable support, said means being disposed about said threaded drive rod.    
     
     
         2 . The abrading tool of  claim 1  wherein said means for retaining an abrasive material comprises: 
 a lock cap, having an opening disposed about said threaded rod, said lock cap having an inside surface dimensioned to mate with and proximate to an outside surface of said abrasive material; and  
 a compressible locking member disposed about said threaded rod, proximate to an inside surface of said abrasive material.  
 
     
     
         3 . The abrading tool of  claim 2  wherein said opening in said lock cap is threaded to mate with said drive rod.  
     
     
         4 . The abrading tool of  claim 2  further comprising a lock knob having a threaded opening to mate with the threaded rod and an engagement surface dimensioned to engage a mating surface of said lock cap.  
     
     
         5 . The abrading tool of  claim 1  wherein said expandable support is an elastic drum dimensioned to form a substantially hollow cylinder.  
     
     
         6 . The abrading tool of  claim 5  wherein said means for expanding said expandable support comprises an inner spacer and an outer spacer, each disposed about either end of said elastic drum, wherein each of said inner spacer and outer spacer is dimensioned to contact said elastic drum such that axial movement of said outer spacer toward said inner spacer causes said elastic drum to expand.  
     
     
         7 . The abrading tool of  claim 6  wherein said inner spacer is threaded.  
     
     
         8 . The abrading tool of  claim 1  further comprising an adjusting knob, threaded to mate with and situated about said drive rod, and in communication with said outer spacer such that radial rotation of said adjusting knob axially moves said outer spacer.  
     
     
         9 . The abrading tool of  claim 1  wherein said expandable support is a substantially resilient cylinder having a first end, a second end and a side wall having a plurality of axial cuts therethrough such that said side wall may be forced outward.  
     
     
         10 . The abrading tool of  claim 9  wherein said first end of said expandable support is threaded to mate with said drive rod, and wherein said second end is open therethrough such that said side wall may be forced outward to form a substantially conical surface.  
     
     
         11 . The abrading tool of  claim 9  wherein said means for expanding comprises an outer spacer dimensioned to engage said open end of said expandable support such that moving said outer spacer toward said closed end of said expandable support engages causes a diameter of said open end to increase.  
     
     
         12 . The abrading tool of  claim 11  wherein said outer spacer is substantially conically shaped and dimensioned to mate with said expandable support.  
     
     
         13 . The abrading tool of  claim 11  wherein said means for expanding said expandable support further comprises an adjusting knob threaded to mate with, and situated about, said drive rod, wherein said adjusting knob is in communication with said outer spacer such that a radial rotation of said adjusting knob moves said outer spacer axially along said drive rod.  
     
     
         14 . The abrading tool of  claim 13  further comprise means for setting a diameter of said expandable support to a desired diameter.  
     
     
         15 . The abrading tool of  claim 14  wherein said adjusting knob comprises and inner bore, wherein said means for setting said diameter of said expandable support comprises a sleeve attached to said threaded drive rod, said sleeve having an outer surface dimensioned to fit within said inner bore of said adjusting knob and comprising a plurality of marks disposed incrementally along said outer surface in positions corresponding to a plurality of diameters of said expandable support.  
     
     
         16 . The abrading tool of  claim 1  further comprising quick-connect means attached to said threaded rod for allowing said abrading tool to be quickly connected to, and disconnected from, a source of rotation.  
     
     
         17 . An abrasive star for attachment to a drive rod of a rotating tool, said abrasive star being manufactured from a substantially flexible material having a plurality of abrasive particles disposed upon one surface thereof, and comprising: 
 a central hub having an opening disposed therethrough, said opening being dimensioned to accept said drive rod;    a plurality of flaps extending from said central hub, each of said plurality of flaps including a left side, a right side and an end;    wherein a slit is disposed through said one side of each flap proximate to said central hub and extends substantially tangentially to said hub toward another side of each flap;    wherein said plurality of flaps are defined by a plurality of gaps; and    wherein said gaps and said slits are each dimensioned to allow the flaps to be folded upward from said hub such that said right side of each flap overlaps said left side of an adjacent flap, and such that a single abrasive star forms a substantially continuous outer surface having one of a cylindrical and a conical shape.    
     
     
         18 . The abrasive star as claimed in  claim 17  wherein each of said plurality of gaps is substantially triangularly shaped and decreases in width from said ends of adjacent flaps towards a junction formed by each flap and said central hub.  
     
     
         19 . A kit of parts for forming an abrading system, said kit of parts comprising: 
 an abrasive star manufactured from a substantially flexible material having a plurality of abrasive particles disposed upon one surface thereof, said abrasive star comprising: 
 a central hub having an opening disposed therethrough, said opening being dimensioned to accept said drive rod;  
 a plurality of flaps extending from said central hub, each of said plurality of flaps including a left side, a right side and an end;  
 wherein a slit is disposed through one side of each flap proximate to said central hub and extends substantially tangentially to said hub toward another side of each flap;  
 wherein said plurality of flaps are defined by a plurality of gaps; and  
 wherein said gaps and said slits are each dimensioned to allow said flaps to be folded upward from said hub such that said right side of each flap overlaps said left side of an adjacent flap, and such that said flaps of a single abrasive star form a substantially continuous outer surface having one of a cylindrical and a conical shape; and  
   at least one abrading tool comprising: 
 a threaded drive rod,  
 a means for retaining said abrasive star about said threaded drive rod;  
 an expandable support disposed about said threaded drive rod and proximate to said abrasive star, said support structure being dimensioned to brace said abrasive star; and  
 a means for expanding said expandable support, said means being disposed about said threaded drive rod.