FIELD OF THE INVENTION.

The invention is concerned with collecting dust generated by a tool in a manufacturing or like operation. For convenience the operation will be hereinafter called a 'sanding operation'. It is to be understood that this term includes any abrading operation which generates fine particle able to be entrained in a flow of air. Examples are, the sanding of repaired panelwork in a motor vehicle panel shop and finishing the joints in plaster or like wall sheeting where joints between sheets have been 'fixed' by the application of a plaster filling material in surplus to that required for the forming of an aesthically acceptable joint.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION.

The generation of dust in sanding operations is unavoidable. The collection of dust generated is mandatory in many industries and where not mandatory the collection of dust is good practice in the interest of worker health and environment conservation. There has been a need for a simple effective dust collection means for hand tools used in sanding operations. This invention provides a manifold for use in a dust collector which is simple, efficient and economical to manufacture.

STATEMENT OF INVENTION.

Broadly stated the present invention can be said to provide a dust collector manifold assembly including a body part with a through bore for connection at one end to a dust collector, a port in the wall forming the through bore for

connection to a supply of pressurised air, a coupling member with a through bore, the coupling member is adapted at at one end for connection to a dust delivery line and at its other end to enter into the body bore from the other end of the body bore and to externally sealingly engage the wall of the body bore, securing means to secure the coupling member in the body bore with air passages in the coupling member in communication with said port in said body wall to discharge jets of compressed air into the coupling member bore in a direction towards said one end of said body bore.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a presently preferred embodiment of the invention:

Fig.1 is a schematic view of a dust collector of the type in which the present invention would be used, and

Fig.2 is a sectional elevation of the several parts which make up the manifold of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In Fig.1 there is shown a manifold 1 with three coupling points indicated generally as 2,3,4. There is a hose 5 connecting the coupling point 2 of the manifold 1 to a source of compressed air, in the illustrated case a stand alone air compressor 6.

The coupling point 3 is shown connected by a hose 7 to a tool, which is illustrated as a non-powered sanding block 8. The coupling point 4 is shown connected by a hose 9 of indefinite length to a dust collecting bag 10. It is to be understood that it is not necessary to have the hose 9 and the bag 10 can be directly coupled to the manifold coupling point 4.

The tool 8 as illustrated is representative of a tool likely to be used with the invention and it comprises a hollow body 11 with an outlet 12 to which the hose 7 is coupled. The working face 13 of the body 11 is a plate with gills or slits or other dust admitting apertures (not shown) which are aligned with like apertures in a sheet of sanding medium removably fixed (as by material known by the trade mark Velcro) over the working face 13.

The manifold 1 comprises a tubular member 14 with an flat external mounting surface 15 to which is mounted a valve mount 18 including a mounting plate 16. The valve mount 18 is fastened by dual-purpose screws 19 to the member 14 and it has a through airway 20 which is threaded at one end at 17 and aligned at its other end with a hole 21 in the member 14 which serves as an inlet port into the bore 39 of the member 14. An "O" ring seal 27 is provided to ensure leak free passage of compressed air from the airway 20 to the bore 39. The threaded passage 17 is for connection to a threaded tail 22 of a suitable flow control valve 23 adapted at 24 for connection to the hose 5.

The hose 9 is connected to the manifold 1 through a coupling member 25 by means of a hose clamp 43. The coupling member 25 is provided with an external "O" ring seal 26 on an enlarged portion 28 of the coupling member 25 whereby the coupling member 25 is externally sealingly engagable with the bore 39. The sleeve 25 is retained in place in the member 14 by one of the screws 19 which pass through a hole 38 in the member 14 to threadingly engage in the hole 27 in the coupling member portion portion 28.

The hose 7 is connected to the manifold port 1 through a coupling member 29 comprising a tubular body 30 to which the hose 7 is clamped by a hose clamp 42. The body 30 has a pair of enlarged portions 31 and 32 separated by a circumferential groove 33. There is a plurality of jet forming passageways 34 with entry ends in the groove 33 and they exit through an internal shoulder 35 in the bore 36 of the coupling member 29 in a direction away from the tool 8. The enlarged portions 31 and 32 are respectively provided with an "O" ring seal

37 and 38 which externally sealingly engage with the bore 39 of the member 14. The coupling member 29 is retained in place in the member 14 by one of the screws 19 which passes through a hole 40 in the member 14 and threadingly engages in the hole 41 in the coupling member portion 32.

In an operating situation the user of the tool 8 would regulate the flow of air through the hose 5 by means of the valve 23, that air would be converted to jets though passageways 34. The resulting jet created stream of high pressure air directed away from the tool 8 develops a negative pressure in the hose 7. The negative pressure can be controlled at will by the operator adjusting the valve 23 and be developed to the extent that the sanding device 13 will be retained by suction in contact with the surface being sanded.

It will be seen from the foregoing the manifold of the invention provides a simple and effective means whereby substantially dust-free sanding can be achieved with the associated health and pollution benefits that automatically follow.