Throwing blade connection assembly for abrasive throwing wheel

Abstract

An abrasive throwing wheel assembly includes a runnerhead disposed within a housing and arranged to be rotatably driven about a center rotational axis. The runnerhead includes a plurality of radially extending dovetail shaped channels. In one embodiment, the channels each have a slot extending at an angle relative to a radially extending longitudinal axis of the channel. A throwing blade includes a throwing portion and a dovetail shaped base portion configured to be removably received within one of the plurality of dovetail shaped channels. In one embodiment, the base portion includes a slanted surface configured to extend at a same angle as the slot relative to the radially extending longitudinal axis of the channel when inserted within the channel. A U-shaped locking pin is configured to be received in the slot to prevent radially outward movement of the throwing blade. In another embodiment, the runnerhead channels include an L-shaped slot in a back surface thereof and the base portion of the throwing blade includes a slanted surface and a locking face, the locking face being arranged perpendicular to the slanted surface and substantially parallel to a radially extending longitudinal axis defined by the throwing portion. A substantially L-shaped locking pin is configured to be received in the slot to secure the base portion of the throwing blade within the channel.

1 . An abrasive throwing wheel assembly, comprising:
 a housing;   a runnerhead disposed within the housing and arranged to be rotatably driven by a drive shaft about a center rotational axis, wherein the runnerhead comprises a plurality of radially extending dovetail shaped channels arranged on a face of the runnerhead, each channel including a slot extending at an angle relative to a radially extending longitudinal axis of the channel;   a throwing blade including a throwing portion and a dovetail shaped base portion configured to be removably received within one of the plurality of dovetail shaped channels, wherein the base portion includes a slanted surface configured to extend at a same angle as the slot relative to the radially extending longitudinal axis of the channel when inserted within the channel; and   a U-shaped locking pin sized and configured to be removably received in the slot to secure the base portion of the throwing blade within the channel, wherein when the base portion of the throwing blade is received within the channel of the runnerhead and the locking pin is received in the slot, the locking pin contacts the slanted surface to prevent radially outward movement of the throwing blade.   
   
   
       2 . The abrasive throwing wheel assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising an access door hingedly attached to the housing so as to be moveable between an open position whereby the throwing blade can be attached to or removed from the runnerhead and a closed position whereby the abrasive throwing wheel assembly can operate. 
   
   
       3 . The abrasive throwing wheel assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the channels include at least one peripheral recess at a radially outermost portion of the channel to facilitate receiving the base portion of the throwing blade during assembly. 
   
   
       4 . The abrasive throwing wheel assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the number of channels on the runnerhead is eight. 
   
   
       5 . The abrasive throwing wheel assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the angle at which the slot extends relative to radially extending longitudinal axis of the channel is approximately 30 degrees. 
   
   
       6 . The abrasive throwing wheel assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the substantially planar throwing portion of the throwing blade defines a length between a bottom and a top, and wherein the length defines a rotational diameter of between about 14 and 17 inches when the throwing blade is attached to the runnerhead. 
   
   
       7 . The abrasive throwing wheel assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the substantially planar throwing portion of the throwing blade defines a width of between about 2 and 4 inches. 
   
   
       8 . The abrasive throwing wheel assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein no portion of the abrasive throwing wheel assembly includes a magnet or is magnetized. 
   
   
       9 . The abrasive throwing wheel assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the throwing portion of the throwing blade is substantially planar. 
   
   
       10 . A throwing blade for an abrasive throwing wheel assembly having a housing and a runnerhead disposed within the housing, the runnerhead arranged to be rotatably driven by a drive shaft about a center rotational axis and including a plurality of radially extending dovetail shaped channels arranged on a face of the runnerhead, each channel including a slot extending at an angle relative to a radially extending longitudinal axis of the channel, the throwing blade comprising:
 a substantially planar throwing portion; and   a dovetail shaped base portion configured to be removably received within one of the plurality of dovetail shaped channels of the runnerhead, wherein the base portion includes a slanted surface configured to extend at a same angle as the slot relative to the radially extending longitudinal axis of the channel when inserted within the channel, and wherein the slanted surface is configured to engage a U-shaped locking pin removably received in the slot whereby the base portion of the throwing blade is secured within the channel.   
   
   
       11 . An abrasive throwing wheel assembly, comprising:
 a runnerhead disposed within a housing and arranged to be rotatably driven by a drive shaft about a center rotational axis, wherein the runnerhead comprises a plurality of radially extending dovetail shaped channels arranged on a face of the runnerhead, each channel including an L-shaped slot in a back surface thereof including a first portion extending radially and a second portion extending perpendicular to the first portion;   a throwing blade including:
 a throwing portion; and 
 a dovetail shaped base portion configured to be removably received within one of the plurality of dovetail shaped channels, wherein the base portion includes a slanted surface and a locking face, the locking face being arranged perpendicular to the slanted surface and substantially parallel to a radially extending longitudinal axis defined by the throwing portion; and 
   a substantially L-shaped locking pin sized and configured to be received in the slot to secure the base portion of the throwing blade within the channel, wherein the L-shaped locking pin includes a first leg, a second leg, and an angled surface between the first and second legs configured to engage the slanted surface of the base portion, wherein when the base portion of the throwing blade is received in one of the plurality of channels and the second leg of the locking pin is disposed within the second portion of the slot, the angled surface of the locking pin contacts the slanted surface of the base portion to prevent radially outward movement of the throwing blade.   
   
   
       12 . The abrasive throwing wheel assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein when the slanted surface of the base portion engages the angled surface of the locking pin, the locking face of the base portion is positioned to prevent transverse movement of the locking pin into the first radially extending portion of the slot. 
   
   
       13 . The abrasive throwing wheel assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein the number of channels on the runnerhead is eight. 
   
   
       14 . The abrasive throwing wheel assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein the throwing portion of the throwing blade is substantially planar and defines a length between a bottom and a top, and wherein the length defines a rotational diameter of between about 14 and 17 inches when the throwing blade is attached to the runnerhead. 
   
   
       15 . The abrasive throwing wheel assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein the substantially planar throwing portion of the throwing blade defines a width of between about 2 and 4 inches. 
   
   
       16 . The abrasive throwing wheel assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein the L-shaped locking pin includes a hole extending through the first leg to facilitate removal of the locking pin from the slot. 
   
   
       17 . A method of attaching the throwing blade to the runnerhead of the an abrasive throwing wheel assembly of  claim 12 , the method comprising:
 inserting the base portion of the throwing blade into the channel;   moving the throwing blade radially inward towards the center rotational axis;   radially inserting the locking pin into the first portion of the slot, wherein the locking pin is oriented such that the first leg extends substantially radially and the second leg extends substantially parallel to the center rotational axis such that the angled surface is positioned to engage the slanted surface of the base portion of the throwing blade;   moving the locking pin transversely so that the second leg of the locking pin is positioned within the second portion of the slot; and   moving the throwing blade radially outward away from the center rotational axis until the slanted surface of the base portion engages the angled surface of the locking pin.   
   
   
       18 . A throwing blade for an abrasive throwing wheel assembly having a runnerhead disposed within a housing and arranged to be rotatably driven by a drive shaft about a center rotational axis, the runnerhead including a plurality of radially extending dovetail shaped channels arranged on a face of the runnerhead, each channel including an L-shaped slot in a back surface thereof including a first portion extending radially and a second portion extending perpendicular to the first portion, the throwing blade comprising:
 a throwing portion; and   a dovetail shaped base portion configured to be removably received within one of the plurality of dovetail shaped channels of the runnerhead, wherein the base portion includes a slanted surface and a locking face, the locking face being arranged perpendicular to the slanted surface and substantially parallel to a radially extending longitudinal axis defined by the throwing portion, and wherein the slanted surface is configured to engage an angled surface of a substantially L-shaped locking pin when the base portion is received in the channel and a leg of the L-shaped locking pin is removably received in the second portion of the slot to secure the base portion of the throwing blade within the channel.