CA2471111A1 - Skate sharpening fixture and method of use - Google Patents

Abstract

A skate sharpening fixture or holder employing a multi point adjustment system that allows the unlimited flexibility in adjusting a skate blade for sharpening.
The fixture or holder includes a clamp assembly for holding the skate blade against an anvil assembly for skate sharpening. The anvil assembly is linked to the base of the multi point adjustment system, with adjustment points spaced along the length of the anvil plate coinciding with a longitudinal span of the skate blade, each point of the adjustment system permitting adjusting of the spacing between the anvil assembly and the base to change the orientation of the skate blade for sharpening.

Description

SKATE SHARPENING FIXTURE AND METHOD OF USE
Field of the Invention The present invention is directed to a skate sharpening fixture or holder, and in particular a fixture that uses a mufti point adjustment system that allows the unlimited flexibility in adjusting the skate blade for sharpening.
Background Art A number of skate sharpening fixtures have been developed for skate sharpening machines. These fixtures hold the skate blade in place while the blade is passed along a grinding wheel to sharpen the skate blade. The orientation of the skate blade with respect to the grinding wheel is critical, and if the blade and wheel are not properly aligned, the blade will be sharpened in a not-square condition.
While some prior art fixtures offer control of the blade orientation, see for example the Wissota and Blademaster fixtures, and United States Patent No. 5,897,248 to Sacriska, adequate controls of the orientation of the skate blade is still lacking. In the Wissota "tangent finder" fixture, adjustments can be made to the height, in or out tilt, and side to side or degree of level tilt. The level of tilt is controlled by a knob wherein rotation of the knob alters the tilt of the lower blade support.
The present invention overcomes the deficiencies found in prior art systems by providing a multipoint adjustment system as part of the skate sharpening fixture.
Summary of the Invention The present invention is an improvement over prior art skate sharpening fixtures that use a clamp assembly that secures the skate blade in place to blade sharpening.

One aspect of the invention includes a moveable anvil assembly that uses a multipoint adjustment system to orient the skate blade in a desired manner fox sharpening.
The invention also includes a method of using the skate sharpening f xture by adjusting the blade orientation based on measurements of the squareness of the blade, S preferably obtained in squareness increments that match increments of adjust on the fixture.
Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description.
Description of the Invention A key feature of the invention is the use of the multipoint adjustment system.
The system uses in a preferred mode, three points of adjustment, although more could be used if so desired. The points are arranged in a triangle with two of the points aligned closest to the blade clamp with the third point centrally aligned and spaced from the clamp.
The fixture includes a clamp assembly that retains the skate blade in place on an anvil assembly. The anvil assembly is adjustable with respect to a base using the multipoint adjustment system, whereby the system alters the position of the anvil assembly so that the skate blade is properly aligned with the grinding wheel of a skate sharpening machine. This makes the fixture a universal type in that it can be calibrated to any skate sharpening machine. Moreover, given the universal adjusting feature of the fixture, wherein the anvil assembly is floating and can be tweaked in any direction, skates can be sharpened to obtain square edges, or non-square edges. Also, the toe of the skate can be made higher than the heel, or vice versa.
In a preferred mode, the adjustment system includes a detent adjusting mechanism that permits the anvil assembly to be freely and accurately adjusted for alignment with the sharpening machine wheel. The adjusting mechanism includes a control knob for each point of adjustment. Each knob is secured by a bolt that extends through the base plate and an 2S anvil base, the bolt being threadably attached to the knob. A spring surrounds each control bolt and is positioned between the upper surface of the base and an underside of the anvil base. The spring biases the anvil base against control knobs that are attached to another end of the control bolt.
A detent mechanism is also provided. The detent mechanism includes a spring loaded pin mechanism that is positioned between the control knob undersurface and the anvil base.
The control knob undersurface has a series of recesses along its periphery, the recesses spaced apart an equal distance. When the knob rotates, the pin leaves the recess, thus retracting against the spring bias, and extends once it can engage the next recess. An audible click tells the user that the spring is seated in the next recess, and the anvil assembly has been adjusted the distance corresponding to the rotation of the control knob on the control bolt corresponding with movement between one recess to the next recess. While this increment can be any distance, a preferred distance is 0.0005 inches. Rotating the knob for two clicks would move the anvil assembly 0.001 inches. Of course, other distances could be used, the distance determination a function of the recess spacing, and threadable attachment between the bolt and the control knob.
One embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 1, wherein the holder is designated by the reference numeral 10. Figure 2 shows the holder 10 in a front perspective view, with Figure 3 showing a front view. Figure 4 shows a rear view of the holder 10, with Figure 5 showing a side view. Figure 6 shows a top view, with Figure s 7 and 8 showing an exploded front and rear perspective views, respectively.
Turning to Figures 7 and 8, the anvil assembly comprises the anvil base 1 which floats on the base plate 3, using springs 5, bolts 7, bellows 9, control knobs 11, and nuts 12. The springs are disposed between the 'base plate 3 and anvil base 1 and are surrounded by the bellows 1 I. The springs S bias the anvil plate 1 from the base plate 3, with rotation of the control knobs 11 controlling the spacing between the base plate 3 and anvil plate 1, and orientation of the held skate blade for sharpening.
The anvil assembly further includes a two piece clamp bar block 13, each half 14 of the block 13 being attached to the anvil plate using screws 15. Each half 14 has a slot 16 S which is designed to receive a clamp bar 19. The halves are connected using screw 17. The clamp bar 19 is essentially 1-shaped with one leg 21 of the L resting in the slots 16 of the formed block 13 and the other leg 23 assisting in the clamping of the skate blade. The leg 23 has a threaded opening 24 designed to receive a threaded screw 25. Disposed between a top of the screw 25 and leg 21 is a spring 27, the spring 27 maintaining the screw in a set stationary position. The function of the screw 2S in securing a skate blade will be described below. The clamp bar 19 is held in place by set screw 29 that secures the leg 21 in place against the block 13, with each half 14 forming an opening 33 for the set screw 29 to pass through and engage opening 3I in the Ieg 21.
The anvil assembly also includes an anvil plate 35, which is secured to the block 13 using screws 37, the anvil plate 35 having a surface 39 to receive the metal skate blade surface for mounting purposes The anvil assembly also includes a clamp 41 having a surface 43, see Figure 5, that opposes surface 39 and is designed to contact the other side of the skate blade surface for mounting purposes. The clamp 41 includes a slot 4S, which is sized to engage a part of the leg 21 of the clamp bar 19. The leg 21 of the clamp bar 19 has a protruding portion 47, which provides a space 49 to allow the skate blade holder to ft between the portion 47 and the clamp 41 and anvil plate 35. The clamp also has a cam 51 and cam handle 53. The cam is held in place by a bolt 55 which attaches to the clamp 41 and allows the cam to rotate around the bolt axis. Operation of the clamp will be described below.

The base plate 3 can include a resilient base pad 57 for steering along the surface of a table top skate sharpening machine. Steering is facilitated by bolts 59 and knobs 61. Each bolt 59 passes through opening 63 in the base plate and an opening in the base pad 57. The knob 61 is threadably attached to the bolt 59 for steering purposes. Figures 9a-9c show a holder 10' with steering levers 65 in place of the round knobs 61. Figures 9a-c also show a differently shaped clamp 41'.
To adjust the degree of movement of the anvil assembly, spring loaded pins 69 are mounted between the control knobs 11 and the anvil base 1. As described above, spring biased balls 72 in the pins interact with recesses or detents on the underside of the knobs 11.
Audible clicks are perceived by the user whenever the ball 72 engages a given recess, indicating that the anvil assembly for that particular control knob has been moved the distance corresponding from one recess to the next. Indicia 71 corresponding to the detents underneath the knob are shown on the top of each knob 11 to give the user a feel for the adjustment of the anvil assembly.
In use, a skate blade is ultimately positioned between the surface 39 of the anvil plate and the surface 43 of the clamp 41 by sliding the clamp 41 onto of the blade so that slat 45 engages the clamp bar 19. With the screw 25 held in place by the spring 27, the cam ~ 1 is rotated using the handle 53. This rotation causes a bronze bearing 74 of the cam S 1, see Figure 5, to engage the screw bottom 75, see Figure 5. Since the screw is stationary, the cam action will force the clamp 41 downward, thus clamping the skate blade between the two surfaces 39 and 43. Then, the skate blade orientation can be adjusted by movement of one, two, or all three of the control knobs 11. Use of the spring 27 to maintain the screw 25 in a given position is vastly superior to prior art systems that just use a clamp, screw, and cam arrangement. In these prior art systems, the screw is rotated to initially force the clamp in place. Then the cam handle is rotated to further clamp the skate blade in place. This causes an overtorquing in the fixture, and can impart an undesired rotation to the already clamped skate blade. With the inventive fixture, the screw 25 can be initially set in place, and it is held there by the bias of the spring 2.7, and without the need for torquing the screw against the cam. Then, the clamp handle 53 only needs to be rotated for clamping purposes. This operation can be repeated without having to adjust the screw 2S every time as is required in the prior art fixtures. Therefore, the overtorquing found in prior art fixtures is effectively eliminated.
Referring to Figure 3, movement of the knob 1 Ia moves the anvil plate 35 in the direction "A", whereas movement of control knob I Ib moves the plate 35 in the direction Z O 'B". Referring to Figure 5, movement of control knob 1 l c causes the anvil plate 35 to move in the direction "C".
A preferred mode of using the inventive device includes the following:
I First remove the clamp 4I from the fixture. This is accomplished by lowering the clamp lever arm 53 and sliding the clamp towards the right and from the vertical clamp bar, thus disengaging the clamp I9 from the slot 45.
2. All blade edges should be stoned to remove any burrs or rough edges and checked for blade squareness. It is preferred to use a squaring device such as the Quick Square obtainable from Maximum Edge in Ontario Canada, covered by United States Patent No.

5,345,688, which is incorporated in its entirety by reference, since the fixture is incremented to match increments on the Quick Square device. Of course though other squaring fixtures can be used.
3. The laces of the skates should be secured in the boot so as not to interfere with the sharpening process.
4. The fixture's clamping area should be free from dirt or debris, burrs, and the like.

5. The skate should be placed on the fixture with the vertical clamp bar located centrally in the middle opening or throat of the skate blade holder. The skate should be positioned against the fixture's curved anvil plate 35 while centering the skate in the fore/aft (Ieft/right)direction. The skate or its blade holder should not contact any part of the clamp, the vertical clamp bar, or any portion of the fixture except in the clamping area along the skate blade. Any interference can affect the squareness of the skate in relation to the fixture.
6. Reinstall the clamp assembly to the vertical clamp bar overtop the skate.
The clamp should rest on top of the skate blade and be fully pressed against the vertical clamp bar.

7. Adjust the clamp bar screw so that the clamp lever arm will fully seat against the bottom of the screw when the lever arm is in the upright centered position and the clamp fully locks the skate securely on the fixture. This will provide the best clamping lock position and reduce premature wear of the clamping system.
The fixture is especially adapted for use with table top sharpeners as opposed to full size machines that have their own built in fixtures. However, it is believed that the fixture could be adapted for use with full size machines as well.
Another aspect of the invention is the use of different clamp bars. In Figure 5, one type of clamp bar 19 is shown. However, since the clamp bar is easily removed from the slots 45 using the set screw 29, other shaped bars such as a straight one can be used so that other types of skates can be sharpened. Whereas prior art fixtures require an entirely different holder, only the clamp bar 19 needs to be replaced for sharpening a different style of skate, e.g., goalie skates.
The anvil plate 35 can be straight, or in a preferred embodiment, have a curvature.
The curvature, shown schematically in Figure 6 in dashed lines is such that the face 36 is convex, see Figure 5, with the opposite face 38, see Figure 4, being concave.
This curvature improves skate sharpening by allowing the anvil plate to better align with the curved plastic skate blade holder of a skate. Once the metal skate blade is wedged between surfaces 39 and 43, the face 38 rides along the curved plastic blade holder. This contrasts with straight anvil plates of prior art holders that are conducive to skate blade movement during the sharpening process since the curved blade holder abuts against a straight anvil plate surface. The anvil plate 35 also has curved or radiused ends 68 which allow more flexibility in sharpening different length skates, see Figure 2.

Claims (8)

1. In a skate sharpening fixture that employs a clamp assembly to hold the skate blade against an anvil assembly for skate sharpening, the improvement comprising the anvil assembly being linked to the base by a multipoint adjustment system, with adjustment points spaced along a length of the anvil plate coinciding with a longitudinal span of the skate blade, each point of the adjustment system permitting adjusting of the spacing between the anvil assembly and the base to change the orientation of the skate blade for sharpening.

2. The fixture of claim 1, wherein the anvil assembly is spring biased at each adjustment point, and control knobs are linked to the base at each point, rotation of each control knob controlling upward or downward movement of the anvil assembly with respect to the base.

3. The fixture of claim 2, wherein each control knob has a detent mechanism that controls rotation of the control knob in axed increments.

4. The fixture of claim 3, wherein the fixed increment is in fractions of thousands of an inch.

5. The fixture of claim 1, further comprising a cam mechanism for holding the skate blade in place, the cam mechanism including a cam lever arm that is rotatably mounted to a clamp of the clamp assembly, and a cam surface on a portion of the anvil assembly for engaging a complementary cam surface on the cam mechanism to hold the clamp assembly in a fixed position when securing a skate blade.

6. The fixture of claim 5, wherein the cam surface on the portion of the anvil assembly further comprising a bottom of a screw, wherein the screw is threadably mounted to a portion of the anvil assembly, the screw spring biased against unwanted rotational movement.

7. In a method of sharpening skate blades, wherein a skate blade is clamped and adjusted with respect to a skate sharpening machine grinding wheel, the improvement comprising providing a floating anvil assembly, wherein the anvil assembly is mounted to a base that is in turn mounted to a skate sharpening machine, the anvil assembly having a plurality of spring biased adjusting points, and adjusting the orientation of the skate blade by adjusting the position of the anvil assembly with respect to the base using the spring biased adjusting points.

8. In a skate sharpening fixture that uses a clamp, cam and screw assembly for clamping the skate blade to an anvil plate for sharpening, the improvement comprising spring biasing the screw to maintain it in place for improved sharpening or providing the anvil plate with a curvature so that it better aligns with a plastic skate blade holder during sharpening or providing a plurality of differently shaped removable clamps for screw mounting, each removable clamp allowing for sharpening different shapes of skates.