Hub flange for cast hub brush

1. A rotary brushing tool comprising:

a hub portion having a pair of hub elements, each hub clement including a central opening bounded by a tubular portion extending axially along the central opening, an annular retaining plate portion extending radially outward from the, and a hub channel formed by placing the tubular portions of the hub elements in opposition, the hub channel opening radially outwardly; and

a wheel portion including:

bristles arranged in the hub channel to extend substantially radially outward from the central opening so as to have a portion of the bristles within the hub channel and a portion of the bristles extending radially outward from the hub channel,

a castable material retaining the bristles within the hub channel, the castable material being located substantially entirely within the hub channel and having an unbounded radially outward surface that is fully exposed to the portion of the bristles extending radially outward from the hub channel

wherein the bristles are substantially free of the castable material radially outward from the huh channel so that the portions of the bristles radially outward from the hub channel are flexible relative to the portions of the bristles located within the castable material in the hub channel; and

wherein the castable material is poured into the hub channel and, when cured, is retained in the hub channel solely by the hub elements and the portion of the bristles within the hub channel, the castable material forming a hub in the hub channel that retains the bristles.

2. The rotary brushing tool of claim 1 , wherein the hub channel substantially envelops the castable material before curing.

3. The rotary brushing tool of claim 1 , wherein the hub channel substantially envelops the castable material after curing.

4. The rotary brushing tool of claim 1 , wherein an inner diameter of the tubular portion enables the rotary brushing tool to be secured on an arbor.

5. The rotary brushing tool of claim 1 , wherein the tubular portion joins an inner circumference of the annular retaining plate portion.

6. The rotary brushing tool of claim 5 , wherein a surface plane of the tubular portion is substantially perpendicular to a surface plane of the annular retaining plate portion.

7. The rotary brushing tool of claim 5 , wherein the connection between the tubular portion and the inner circumference of the annular retaining plate portion further comprises a stepped portion having a circumferential annular surface extending radially outward with respect to the tubular portion, the circumferential annular surface being adjoined to, a flange extending axially inward with respect to the annular retaining plate portion; wherein the annular surface of the stepped portion and the flange are located within the hub channel.

8. The rotary brushing tool of claim 1 , wherein the hub channel is an annular recess.

9. The rotary brushing tool of claim 1 , wherein the castable material is an epoxy resin.

10. The rotary brushing tool of claim 1 , wherein the rotary brushing tool has a one-piece integral structure.

11. The rotary brushing tool of claim 1 , wherein the hub elements are joined to form the hub channel.

12. The rotary brushing tool of claim 1 , wherein the annular retaining plate portion for each hub element further comprises a bead located on a side of the annular retaining plate portion inside the hub channel.

13. The rotary brushing tool of claim 12 , wherein the bead is connected to the outer circumference of the annular retaining plate portion.

14. The rotary brushing tool of claim 12 , wherein the bead is operative to apply pressure to the bristles held in the hub channel.

15. The rotary brushing tool of claim 14 , wherein the applied pressure increases the width of the bristles at the outer circumference of the wheel portion.