US2780041A - Buffing process - Google Patents

Description

United States Parent BUFFING PROCESS Harvey E. Larsen, Steger, Ill., assignor to Steger Products Manufacturing Corporation, Steger, 13]., a corporation of Illinois No Drawing. Original application January 23, 1952, Serial No. 268,692, now Patent No. 2,6?9,9lll, dated January 18, 1955. Divided and this application December 3, 1952, Serial No. 323,925

7 Claims. (Cl. 51-481) This invention relates to an improved buffing process and, more particularly, to an improved process for machine-operated cloth-buffing of suitably pre-treated woodwork or furniture to impart thereto a lustrous finish.

This application is a division of application 263,692, filed January 28, 1952, and now Patent 2,699,990, issued January 18, 1955.

In the preparation of. woodwork or furniture such as television cabinets, for example, the cabinet is fabricated of suitable wood and is usually then treated by the application of a lacquer coating or finish. The surface is usually also vet-sanded to remove roughness and irregularities of a coarse nature. Then, the surface is bufied to impart thereto the desired lustre.

Heretofore, it has been necessary generally to carry out the butting operation by hand, because machine buffing resulted almost invariably in burning the finish-and even the wood, by reasons of the harsh action of the machine. Machine buffing, usually by means of a rotary rubbing motion of a suitably supported buffing cloth urging an abrasive rubbing compound against the surface to be buffed, is relatively inflexible to the extent that the machine cannot sense overheating at the butting surface. Accordingly, such cabinet buffing operations as were necessary were carried out by hand, using the usual pumice rubbing compounds ordinarily employed for such pun poses.

ln essence, the bufiing operation involves fine smoothing, by moderate abrasive action, sons to obtain a sulficiently smooth finish surface to impart thereto a lustrous appearance. Manual buffing, of course, is tedious and time consuming. But, as just mentioned, it was heretotore not possible to exploit the advantages of speed, uniformity and facility of operation afforded by machine buffing, because over heating or burninginvariably resulted using those available bufiing or rubbing compounds which were suitably active abrasives for practical operation.

Theinstant invention relates to a machine buffing operation wherein a suitably compounded rubbing composition improves the general inflexible character of machine balling by cooperating with the buffing cloth at the bufiing surface to cool, lubricate or otherwise dissipate frictioncreated heat to permit suitably swift and elfective abrasive action without burning.

it is therefore an important object of the instant invention to provide an improved butting process.

it is a further object ofthe instant invention to provide an improved machine buffing operation which may be employed in the bulling of suitablypre-treated or finished woodwork to obtain a brilliant lustre without danger of burning the bullied surface.

it is another object of the instant invention toprovide an improved machine bufiing process which may be employed for the purpose of rapidly imparting a lustre to lacquer-finished wood surface without damaging, for ex ample by over-heating either the lacquer finish or the wood surface.

it is still another object of the instant invention to provide an improved machine bufiing process, whereby rapid but uniquely-cooled abrasive, lustre-imparting .actionis 2,780,041 i 'atentecl F eb. 5, 1957 obtained by the use of a machine operated bufiing cloth in conjunction with a suitable abrasive, such as tripoli, in an oil-in-soap solution emulsion, wherein the weight ratio of tripoli to soft soap is about 1:1, and the total water present is about 420 times the solid soap content.

it is yet a further object of the instant invention to provide an improved machine bufling process for use in obtaining superior results in the bufling of lacquered cabinet work, wherein the boiling operation is accomplished by cooperative action between a suitable buffing cloth and a composition comprising tripoli, soft soap, kerosene and water in approximately at 212:1:5 weight ratio.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof.

The present invention relates to an improved machinebutfing operation of the type described wherein a suitable abrasive such as tripoli is used in the composition in conjunction with about an equal amount of soft soap, a volatile oil such as kerosene in aboutone-hialf that amount, and water. in amounts ranging from about 4 to 20 times the soap solids content.

Most preferably, the butling composition used in the invention is obtained by mixing three compounds accordiug to the following Schedule E:

Schedule I (a) 3-5 parts of a rubbing compound having the formula:

Proportions ingredientm Preferred, Optimum, percent percent lti. 5 45. 5 Ill. 5 l6. 5

Prepared by dissolving soap (1) in water (4), then adding kerosene (3), and finally adding tripoli (2), with agitanon.

(b) 3 parts of a soap compound having the formula:

Proportions and (c), as a diluent, l5 parts of water. (As used herein, the terms parts, percent and '70 means parts or percent by weight, unless otherwise designated.)

It has been found, by repeated operations, that machine operated cloth-butiing or lacquered television cabinets, for example, may be carried out in a uniquely satisfactory manner so as to obtain optimum results by the use of the foregoing proportions above designated.

The particular abrasive material found to be most satisfactory is tripoli or rose tripoli. it will be appreciated, however, that certain other equivalent abrasives such as silica flour and diatomaceous earth might well be substituted in whole or in part for the tripoli.

The volatile oil (3), kerosene, found to be most suitable for use in compound (a) may, of course, be replaced in whole or in part by an equivalent mineral oil. features of kerosene is its inexpensiveness. The kerosene also has limited solvent functions, at least for cleansing purposes, and also tends to form an oil-in-water emul- 3 sionin the instant composition so as to assist in improv- It will be appreciated that one of the most advantageous ing the uniformity and stability of the suspension of ingredients in the composition. The pine oil of compound (b) may, likewise, be replaced in whole or in part by an equivalent volatile oil.

As is well known, soaps are obtained by the interaction of fatty oils and fat with alkali metal compounds to form salts. in the instant case, the soaps found to be most preferable are the high viscosity potassium soaps made from vegetable oils. Soap-water systems are ca pable of exhibiting a variety of physical forms or phases. For example, true soap solutions (called nigre phase) occur ordinarily when the proportion of soap to water is under about 30%. Another phase, is the middle soap or so-called soft soap phase which normally occurs in soap concentrations ranging from 4-0 to 60% solids in water. In commercial practice, aqueous soap compositions are ordinarily supplied as soft soap (in the concentration just mentioned) and, accordingly, the proportions of ingredients used herein have been referred to on the basis of the soft soap proportions on certain occasions. it should be noted, however, that in the preparation of both compound (a) and compound ([1), the amount of additional water that is incorporated in each is sufficient to effect a. change from the soft soap phase to the nigre phase, and the water of compound is substantially more than the amount necessary to accomplish that transition with respect to either compound (a) or (b) or both.

Although the exact phenomena involved in accomplishing the uniquely advantageous results of the instant invention are not fully understood, it is believed that such results are effected by the combination of several important functions including lubrication, heat dissipation and cleansing.

lt has been found most preferable that the compounds (a), (b) and (c) of Schedule I be employed in the ratio of 3:3:1. The resulting proportions are as set forth in the following Schedule II:

Schedule II It will thus be seen that the preferred ratio of soft soap to tripoli to kerosene to water is about 2:2:1z5. It has been found, however, that appreciable amounts of water may be added in addition to the foregoing proportion of water without producing harmful effects; and in some instances, it is advisable to add additional water, the amount of water employed being to some extent a matter of choice in order to obtain a bufiing compound of the particular consistency desired. In general, it has been found that the amounts of water incorporated in the composition may be such that the final soap solids concentration with respect to the water is about -20%, preferably.

As can be seen from Schedule II, the bufiing compo sition thus described, constitutes a kerosene-in-soap solu tion emulsion, wherein the soft soap to tripoli ratio is about 1:1, the water is about enough to obtain a 10-20% (solids) aqueous soap solution, and the kerosene is a minor proportion with respect to the water, of about 57-20% of the water (or about of the soft soap).

In carrying out the machine-operated cloth-buffing operation of the instant invention, a cloth-bufling wheel powered for rotary motion may be employed. Such a bufiing wheel would ordinarily involve a suitable supporting structure having mounted on a circular face thereof, one or a plurality of layers of suitable resilient material, such as sponge rubber. The buffing cloth is wrapped over the resilient material and is supported thereby during the boiling operation, when the buffing cloth is urged against the wood workpiece with the butting composition applied to the surface thereof.

As a detailed description of a bufling wheel preferred for use in the instant process, the buffing wheel comprises a generally circular buffing wheel head, a resilient pad mounted on one face of the head, a sheep-skin cover for the pad, and a buffing surface cloth covering the sheepskin and resiliently supported by the pad. The head is a suitably rigid structure adapted to be rotatingly driven and having suitable ventilating apertures. The pad consists of one or a plurality of layers of resilient material such as porous or sponge (soft) rubber. The resiliently backed sheepskin overlies and is supported by the pad, presenting an outer face of a suitable fleece-like Wool material. The buffing surface cloth is wrapped about the outer face of the sheep-skin, preferably presenting a fabric working (outer) surface and being made of any number of wraps of suitable buffing cloths such as cotton, flannel and canvas.

In general, bufiing as well as cloth-buffing operations machine powered, for example, for rotary cloth-buffing motion are well understood in the art and need not here be described in further detail. The unique feature of the instant invention being the particular cooperation between the ingredients of the boiling composition when interposed between the buffing cloth and the surface to be buffed during a machine-operated process.

In general, lacquer coating compositions and the procedures for their application are also well known to those skilled in the arts involving the use of such lacquer coatings. in woodworking, lacquers fall into two general classes depending to a certain extent on the formulations as well as the application and drying methods. One type of lacquer, known as the buffing or rubbing lacquers which are suitable for use in the instant invention involves the The above formulation is applied by spraying or the like and is then ovenv dried or baked to form a hard lacquer finish.

In the formation of the soft lacquer or so-called nonbufiing lacquer finish, a suitable lacquer formulation (which may even be the above formulation) is sprayed onto the wooden surface and then air-dried (as contrasted to force-dried in an oven, for example) under conditions of, for example, room temperature and perhaps times of as little as eight hours. This also is typical of the class of furniture lacquers for home use. In general, the air-dried lacquer compositions contain minute amounts of air-driers, as for example, cobalt naphthenate drier, which accelerate the air-hardening elfect; but the essential lacquer coating ingredients are the same class. Examples Turpentine 1750 Butyl alcohol 750 The lacquer formulations thus include, as film-forming ingredients, cellulose ester or ethers, plus gums or natural resins dissolved in a suitably volatile solvent to effect quick drying thereof. Additional heat-curable ingredients may be included in the oven-dried lacquers and additional aircuring ingredients may be included in the air-dried lacquers; but the oven-dried and air-dried lacquer coatings finally obtained are recognized in the art as being difierent, particularly with respect to surface hardness. Prior rubbing or buffing methods encountered a great deal of dithculty in connection with the oven-dried or so-called rubbing lacquers; but such prior methods were for practical purposes inoperative with the air-dried or so-called nonbuifing lacquers (hence, the name).

The instant invention is particularly unique in that it provides a process for buffing these soft air-dried lacquer finishes, and in this respect, particularly, the instant invention solves a heretofore unsolved problem and is not merely an improvement over the prior art methods.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of operation and composition may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patents granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A method of imparting a lustre in the finishing of lacquered woodwork that comprises subjecting the surface thereof to the action of a buffing composition urged thereagainst by a cloth covered machine-operated bufiing wheel, said composition consisting essentially of (a) 3-5 parts of a rubbing compound of 16.5 weight percent soft green soap of 60 weight percent solids content, 45.5 Weight percent tripoli, 21.5 Weight percent kerosene and 16.5 weight percent water; (b) 3 parts of a soap composition of 36 weight percent soft soap of 40 weight percent solids content, 1 weight percent pine oil and 63 Weight percent water; and (c), as a diluent, 1-5 parts of water.

2. A method of imparting a lustre in the finishing of lacquered woodwork that comprises subjecting the surface thereof to the action of a bufiing composition urged thereagainst by a cloth covered machine-operated butfing wheel, said composition consisting essentially of (a) 3-5 parts of a rubbing compound having the formula:

Weight percent Soft green soap (60% solids) 12-20 Tripoli 35-55 Kerosene 15-25 Water 15-25 (h) 3 parts of a soap composition having the formula:

Weight percent Soft soap (40% solids) 30-45 Pine oil up to 2 Water 55-70 Parts Soft green soap (60% solids) 16.5 Tripoli 45.5 Kerosene 21.5 Soft soap (40% solids) 36 Pine oil 1 Water 112.5

4. A method of imparting a lustre in the finishing of lacquered woodwork that comprises applying lacquer to a woodwork surface and air-drying the lacquer thereon, and subjecting the surface thereof to the action of a buliing composition urged thercagainst by a cloth covered machine-operated bufiing wheel, said composition consisting essentially of (a) 3-5 parts of a rubbing compound of 16.5 weight percent soft green soap of 60 weight percent solids content, 45.5 weight percent tripoli, 21-5 Weight percent kerosene and 16.5 weight percent water; (12) 3 parts of a soap composition of 36 weight percent soft soap of 40 weight percent solids content, 1 weight percent pine oil and 63 weight percent water; and (c), as a diluent, 1-5 parts of water.

5. A method of imparting a lustre in the finishing of lacquered woodwork that comprises subjecting an airdried lacquer coated surface thereof to the action of a buffing composition urged thercagainst by a buffing cloth, said composition consisting essentially of (a) 3-5 parts of a rubbing compound having the formula:

Weight percent Soft green soap (60% solids) 12-20 Tripoli 35-55 Kerosene 15-25 Water 15-25 (b) 3 parts of a soap composition having the formula:

Vi eight percent Soft soap (40% solids) "30-45 Pine oil up to 2 Water 55-70 and (a) 1-5 parts of water.

6. A method that comprises cloth-buffing air-dried lacquer coated Woodwork with a bufiing composition consisting essentially of (a) 3-5 parts of a rubbing compound having the formula:

Weight percent Soft green soap (60% solids) l2-20 Tripoli 35-55 Kerosene 15-25 Water l5-25 (b) 3 parts of a soap composition having the formula:

Weight percent Soft soap (40% solids) 3045 Pine oil up to 2 Water 55-70 Parts Soft green soap (60% solids) 16.5 Tripoli 45.5 Kerosene 21.5 Soft soap (40% solids) 36 Pine oil 1 Water ...1125

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 28,956 Bennett July 3, 1860 743,993 Thompson Nov. 10, 1903 770,732 Anderson Sept. 27, 1904 1,141,263 Pease June 1, 1915 1,161,187 Cassimus Nov. 23, 1915 1,556,261 Stoddard Oct. 6, 1925 1,813,823 Snukiskis July 7, 1931 1,927,872 Kramer Sept. 26, 1933 2,332,992 Davis Oct. 26, 1943 2,471,727 Creamer May 31, 1949 2,477,234 Brock et a1. July 26, 1949 2,699,990 Larsen Jan. 18, 1955

Claims (1)

1. A METHOD OF IMPARTING A LUSTRE IN THE FINISHING OF LACQUERED WOODWORK THAT COMPRISES SUBJECTING THE SURFACE THEREOF TO THE ACTION OF A BUFFING COMPOSITION URGED THEREAGAINST BY A CLOTH COVERED MACHINE-OPERATED BUFFING WHEEL SAID COMPOSITION CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF (A) 3-5 PARTS OF A RUBBING COMPOUND OF 16.5 WEIGHT PERCENT SOFT GREEN SOAP OF 60 WEIGHT PERCENT SOLIDS CONTENT, 45.5 WEIGHT PERCENT TRIPOLI, 21.5 WEIGHT KEROSENE AND 16.5 WEIGHT PERCENT WATER; (B) 3 PARTS OF A SOAP COMPOSITION OF 36 WEIGHT PERCENT SOFT SOAP OF 40 WEIGHT PERCENT SOLIDS CONTENT,1 WEIGHT PERCENT PINE OIL AND 63 WEIGHT PERCENT WATER; AND (C), AS DILUENT, 1-5 PARTS OF WATER.