SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, applicants provide a free standing sander for abrading products that includes a sanding head having an endless abrasive belt rotating around an upper roller and a lower roller。 A first motor rotates at least of one of the upper and lower rollers of the sanding head so as to cause the abrasive belt to rotate endlessly around the upper and lower rollers。 A conveyor is provided adjacent the lower roller of the sanding head to convey the products towards the sanding head while the first motor rotates the abrasive belt of the sanding head around the upper roller and the lower roller。 At least one rotatable eccentric shaft is rotatably mounted at one end to the upper roller and to the other end to the lower roller of the sanding head, and a second motor is provided for rotating the at least one eccentric shaft such that rotation of the least one eccentric shaft causes the sanding head to move in a translational orbital movement。

Further, in accordance with the present invention, applicants provide a method of sanding products that includes placing a product on a conveyor belt that moves the product through an abrading area。 Next, the product is abraded in the abrading area by a mechanism including a sanding head comprising an endless abrasive belt rotating around an upper roller and a lower roller, a first motor for rotating at least one of the upper and lower rollers of the sanding head where the rotation of the at least one roller causes the abrasive belt to rotate endlessly around the upper and lower rollers, at least one rotatable eccentric shaft rotatably mounted at one end to the upper roller and at the other end to the lower roller of the sanding head, and a second motor for rotating the at least one eccentric shaft such that rotation of the at least one eccentric shaft causes the sanding head to move in a translational orbital movement。

Also, in accordance with the present invention, applicants provide a second embodiment of the free-standing sander and method of sanding products that utilizes an arcuate plate at the top thereof as a substitute for the top roller utilized in the prior embodiment of the inventive free-standing sander and method of sanding products。

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide an improved sanding machine of the type having a sanding head comprising an endless rotating sanding belt entrained around an upper and lower roller that does not leave cross-grain or otherwise unacceptable scratch patterns in the sanded surface of the work piece。

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved sanding apparatus of the type having a sanding head comprising an endless rotating sanding belt wherein the sanding head is caused to move in a translational orbital movement。

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved sanding machine of the type having a sanding head comprising an endless rotating sanding belt that provides a homogeneous sanding pattern on the surface of work pieces processed by the machine。

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved sanding machine of the type having a sanding head comprising an endless rotating sanding belt wherein both rotational movement and translational orbital movement are provided to the endless sanding belt in order to 

render unnoticeable the scratches created by the sanding belt upon the work pieces。

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved sanding machine of the type having a sanding head comprising an endless rotating sanding belt that is particularly well adapted for cross-grain sanding of solid wood and veneers in such a way as to eliminate the pattern of longitudinal scratches created by conventional sanding machines utilizing sanding heads with rotating endless sanding belts。

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved sanding machine of the type having a sanding head comprising an endless rotating belt which combines a single orbital movement of the sanding head with the conventional rotation of the endless sanding belt of the sanding head。