Apparatus and method for attaching abrasive pads to a drive plate

Abstract

For use in a concrete floor grinding, polishing or burnishing machines, a combination of a drive plate and abrading pads attached to the drive plate is described. The abrading pads include a planar substrate having one or more posts projecting from a first major surface and a resin layer impregnated with abrasive grit on its second major surface. The drive plate includes areas thereon for receiving the substrate and where the areas each include at least one elongate aperture through which the post extends and when the substrate is shifted laterally, the posts become releasably locked in place.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of attaching floor abrading pads to a drive plate of a floor finishing machine comprising the steps of:
 a) providing a circular plate having a plurality of regularly circumferentially spaced elongate aperture extending through a thickness dimension of the plate proximate a periphery thereof, the elongate aperture including a segment of a first shape and size at one end thereof and contiguous to a segment of a second shape and size, less than the first size, at an opposed end thereof;   b) providing a plurality of floor polishing pads, each comprising a planar substrate having a predetermined shape and with at least one post projecting from a first major surface of the substrate, the at least one post having a flange at a free end thereof, the shape and size of the flange being less than said first segment's shape and size and greater than said second segment's shape and size, and the post being approximately equal in shape and cross-sectional size to that of the second segment's shape and size; and   c) inserting the flange of the at least one post of the floor polishing pad through the segment of the elongate aperture of said first shape and size and laterally displacing the floor polishing pad such that the post fits through the elongated aperture's segment of the second shape and size and the flange underlies the segment of the second shape and size.   
     
     
         2 . In combination;
 a drive plate for a floor finishing machine; and at least one floor abrading pad;   the drive plate comprising a circular disk with first and second major surfaces each including a plurality of regularly circumferentially spaced elongate aperture extending through a thickness dimension of the metal disk proximate the periphery of the drive plate, said elongate apertures each comprising a first segment of a first size at one end of the elongate aperture that is contiguously joined to a second segment of a second size that is less than the first size at an opposed end of the elongate aperture; and   the at least one floor abrading pad comprising a planar substrate having a predetermined shape and with a post projecting from a first major surface of the substrate, the post having a flange at a free end thereof where the size of the flange is less than said first size of the first segment and greater than said second size of the second segment and where the cross-sectional size of the post is such as to create an interference fit with walls defining the second segment when the flange is inserted through the first segment and the abrading pad is laterally displaced such that the flange is made to underlie the second segment.   
     
     
         3 . The combination of  claim 2  wherein the drive plate further includes recessed pockets in the first major surface, the pockets corresponding in shape to the predetermined shape of the planar substrate and in surrounding relation to the elongate apertures. 
     
     
         4 . The combination of  claim 3  wherein the pockets are each eight-sided polygons with radiused intersections. 
     
     
         5 . The combination of  claim 4  wherein the floor abrading pad's planar substrate comprises a six-sided polygon with radiused intersections. 
     
     
         6 . The combination of  claim 5  and further including a resin layer incorporating diamond grit on a second major surface of the floor abrading pad's planar substrate. 
     
     
         7 . The combination of  claim 6  wherein the resin layer is partitioned by intersecting score lines. 
     
     
         8 . The combination of  claim 2  wherein the second major surface of the drive plate includes a recess in the second major surface thereof and surrounding the second segment of each of the elongate apertures, the recess being sized to receive the flange on the free end of the post on floor abrading pads therein. 
     
     
         9 . The combination of  claim 3  wherein each of the plurality of pockets each includes a pair of said elongate apertures with a predetermined spacing therebetween and the floor abrading pad includes a pair of said posts, each with a flange on a free end thereof, said posts being spaced so as to be capable of insertion into the pair of elongate apertures of a given one of said pockets. 
     
     
         10 . The combination of  claim 2  wherein the first and second segments are generally circular, the post has a circular cross-section and the flange is circular. 
     
     
         11 . A resin pad for attachment to a drive plate for a floor abrading machine comprising:
 a) a planar substrate having a predetermined shape, the substrate having first and second major surfaces;   b) at least one post projecting perpendicular to the first major surface;   c) a flange surrounding a free end of the post; and   d) a resin layer impregnated with an abrasive material the resin layer being adhered to the second major surface of the substrate.   
     
     
         12 . The resin pad of  claim 11  wherein the resin layer is partitioned into plural segments by intersecting score lines. 
     
     
         13 . The resin pad of  claim 11  wherein the planar substrate is generally polygonal with radiused intersecting sides. 
     
     
         14 . The resin pad of  claim 11  having at least two posts, each with a flange on a free end thereof, the posts projecting perpendicularly to the first major surface. 
     
     
         15 . The resin pad of  claim 11  wherein the abrasive material comprises diamond grit.