Hood for Drum Sander

Abstract

A drum sander having a fin for deflecting airflow around the drum and directing dust and debris to a dust collecting outlet. The fin includes a first section at a first angle and a second section at a second angle that directs air movement generated by the operating drum toward the dust collecting outlet. The free edge of the fin is shaped to wrap partially around the drum in two helical inclined planes. A tool free adjustment of parallelism may be provided. The workpieces are pulled through the sander rather than being pushed through. Lightweight materials reduce stress on the assembly. Heat is dissipated by the configuration and material of the drum.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A hood for a workpiece shaping machine having a working element for shaping a workpiece, comprising:
 a hood partially enclosing the working element of the workpiece shaping machine, the hood defining a dust collecting opening configured for connection to a dust collector, the hood having an interior surface directed toward the working element;   a fin extending from the interior surface of the hood toward the working element, the fin being shaped to redirect air moved by operation of the workpiece shaping machine toward the dust collecting opening.   
     
     
         2 . A hood as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the fin extends along a full length of a working portion of the working element. 
     
     
         3 . A hood as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the working element is a rotating working element that generates an air flow direction during operation, and wherein the fin is disposed at an angle to the air flow direction, the angle directing air and entrained dust toward the dust collecting opening. 
     
     
         4 . A hood as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the working element is a cylindrical working element, and wherein the fin includes a free edge lying on a helical inclined plane. 
     
     
         5 . A hood as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the free edge lying on the helical inclined plane includes a first section of the fin having a free edge lying on a first helical inclined plane, and further comprising: a second section of the fin having a free edge lying on a second helical inclined plane. 
     
     
         6 . A hood as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the first helical inclined plane rotates in a first direction and the second helical inclined plane rotates in an opposite direction. 
     
     
         7 . A hood as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the hood is configured for use on a drum sander. 
     
     
         8 . A workpiece shaping machine, comprising:
 a housing;   a workpiece shaping tool mounted in the housing;   a motor connected to the workpiece shaping tool and operable to drive the workpiece shaping tool;   a hood mounted on the housing, the hood defining a dust collecting opening; and   a fin extending from the hood toward the workpiece shaping tool, the fin being disposed at an angle relative to an axis of the workpiece shaping tool, the fin angle including a component in a direction of air movement as a result of operation of the workpiece shaping tool, the fin including a free edge along a helical inclined plane.   
     
     
         9 . A workpiece shaping machine as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the fin include a first fin section extending along a first angle and a second fin section extending along a second angle. 
     
     
         10 . A workpiece shaping machine as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the workpiece shaping machine is a drum sander having a take-up conveyor;
 wherein the workpiece shaping tool is a drum disposed opposite the take-up conveyor; and   further comprising:   a parallel adjustment connected to the take-up conveyor to change an angle of the take-up conveyor relative to the drum, the parallel adjustment including a hand-operated knob and a detent at a position indicating a parallel position between the take-up position and the drum.   
     
     
         11 . A workpiece shaping machine as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the take-up conveyor includes a conveyor bed, a drive roller and a driven roller connected to the conveyor bed, and a belt extending over the conveyor bed and the drive and driven rollers; further comprising:
 a tension adjusting mechanism connected between the conveyor bed and one of the drive roller and driven roller, the tension adjusting mechanism being operable to vary a tension on the belt.   
     
     
         12 . A workpiece shaping machine as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a belt drive motor connected to the drive roller, the drive roller being disposed at an output of the drum sander.   
     
     
         13 . A workpiece shaping machine as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising:
 an infeed tension roller and an outfeed tension roller mounted on the housing and disposed on either side of the drum, the infeed tension roller and an outfeed tension roller being user adjustable to vary tension applied to a workpiece during shaping of the workpiece.   
     
     
         14 . A workpiece shaping machine as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a tool-less clip on the drum that is operable to hold an abrasive strip to the drum.