US2262401A

US2262401A - Knife sharpener

Info

Publication number: US2262401A
Application number: US338866A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alexis E Meade; Margaret L Meade
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1940-06-05
Filing date: 1940-06-05
Publication date: 1941-11-11
Anticipated expiration: 1958-11-11

Description

NOV ll, 1941. E-.MADE E-rAL KNIFE SHARPENER Filed" June 5, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Now-11, `1941 OFFICE KNIFE SHARPENER Alexis E.

Meade and ilvlargaret Ll' Meade,` I s Lakewood, Ohio Application June 5, 1940, Serial No. 338,866`

13 claims. ii., 51-2'14) This invention relates to knife sharpeners and one object of the invention is to provide a small,

lightand compact portable device for this purpose.` Anotherv object is to provide `means for removably supporting the abrasive members of the Sharpener together with retaining means for thesame, which are readily releasable when the abrasive members require replacement. A, further object is to provide a portable knife sharpener in which the abrasive members are supported in oppositely oblique positions upon" slidable carriers having relatively broad bases to insure easysliding movement. s And it is also an object of theinvention to provide carriers for the abrasive members designed to protect the gudeways on which they move to prevent the accumulation of abrasive dust thereon.` Other objects and advantages will appear as" the de` scriptionproceeds. The invention consists in certain features and elements of construction in combination as hereinshown and Vdescribed and as indicated `by the claims. s l

' In-the drawings: v s

Figure 1 is a side elevation oa portable knife Sharpener embodying this invention.

` Figure 2 is atop plan view lof the same.

Figure 3 is" the bottom plan view.`

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional View taken as indicated at line 4-4 on Figure K2,r buton a larger scale.

Figure `5 is a transverse section taken as indicated at` line 5`5 on Figure fl,

Figure 6 is I a `fragmentary Vertical section showing a modified formof abrasive retainer.`

Figure 7 is al fragmentary perspective nView showing another formof abrasive retainer. n Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail section` showing another `form of abrasiveretainer. J r L Figure 9 is" a `fragmentary detail section showing a further modication of abrasive retainer. I T Figure 10 is a perspective View showing one of the carriers removed from the frame, but 'with the abrasive members mounted thereon. f Figure 11 is a perspectiveview .of` the other carrier with its abrasive member. s

Figure 12 is a perspective View of a stop member. I l

Figure 13 is a partial back view of one of the carriers. s

Figure 14 is a side elevation of a modified form of Isharpener having certain parts adaptedior folding when out of use. I

Figure 15 is a side elevation showing the parts folded incollapsed position. s

The Sharpener which is the subject of this invention is of thetype in whichwa plurality of abrasive members are disposed lin` oppositely `obliqueplanes to form a V-shapedspacevinto which the cutting edge of aknife is `received so that as the blade is reciprocated .the abrasive members act on bothsides of the blade simulta-` neously to sharpen `its cutting edge. In addi# tion the abrasive members aremountedpon carriers which are slidable so asto permit the abra sives to move apart as the blade is pressed down beween them, thus bringing into action the full length of each abrasive surface, iwhile suitable spring means holds said surfaces Lyieldinglyin s contact with the knife blade which is being sharpened. As shown in Figure 1 the Sharpener includes a case or frame I which is approx` imately rectangular inoutline and consists essentially 'of side wallsand `end walls. In'the form illustrated in `Figures l to Y5 the casel in-` cludes top or cover portions'2`at both ends, but' I its `middle portion is left upwardly open topro- Vide clearance for movement of the abrasive vcarriers and to afford ready access to the abrasives themselves. The

end Walls

3, 3 of the casing support longitudinal guide rods 4, 4 onwhich the abrasive carriers are slidably mounted; 4"I'he carrier 5 is shown supporting two stones or abrasive members Ii, 6 while the carrier l` is provided with a single stone or abrasive member 8 extend-'- ing between

thestones

6, 6. The working faces of the stones `I5, 6 extend in` a" plane which is oblique to the vertical, and the working faceof the` stone 8 l extendsin a plane oppositely oblique as seen -in Figures l and 4, thus providing al V shaped opening into which the edge of a-knife blade such as that shown at A in Figure lmay `be inserted `for sharpening.

The carrier `li which. supports the

stones

6, 6 includes'a base portion 9 having a bearing flange I0 at one end and bearing lugs I I,` I I at the other s end withialigned bores `in said angefandlugs to t 4the guide rods 4, 4 of the frame 2|.` The carrier includes' upstanding portions whichpro vide inclined channels :to receivethe

abrasive stones

6, 6 between their side flanges ^I3= and these channel portions are shown `,connected by a web I 4 andreenforced by a bracing rib I 5,. The other carrier 1 includes a single channel be` tweenwhose side langesl the stone 8 is i'ltted and thisY channelis supported by a rib I9,.up'

standing from the base 20 which includes a lon-.- gitudinally extending portion 2| connecting transverse flanges 22 `and123 which are bored to iitonthe rods 4, 4 `of the frame; When .the

parts are assembled the portion 2| of the base 2f t 28 extends between the lugs I I, II of the base 9 and the flange 23 rides on the guide rods 4, 4

under the base 9 so that the two bases are thus interlapped to conserve space and to operate in a case of' minimum length. Figure 4 shows the carriers at one limit of their range reciprocative movement on the guides 4, 4 with the

stones

6 and 8 closely approaching each other and leaving onlyV a small V-shaped opening between the planes of their upper ends to receive the knife blade. Figure l shows the stones and their carriers separated by the maximum amount so as to permit the knife blade to pass between the lower ends of the stones.

The frame I includes or is provided with upstanding guides 24 at both sides, each having a vertical guide slot 25 to receive the knife blade and maintain it in substantially vertical position as it is forced downwardly between the

abrasive stones

6 and 8. Near their lower ends the guide slotsy arek constricted as seen at 26 to a width somewhat less than the normal thickness of a knife blade so that although the sharpened cutting 'edge may pass through these constricted portions of the slots 26 the downward movement of the blade A willbe arrested by the constriction. Below this pointeach of the slots has an enlarged clearance opening 27 so as to avoid contact with the cutting edge of the knife blade. The angle of the constriction 26 in the slot 25 is not such as to cause the blade to be gripped in the slot or to seriously interfere with further movement of the blade between the

stones

5 and 8, but it serves .to definitely limit the vertical `range of movement of the blade between the stones and to vprotect the edge which is being sharpened. At all times the stones are yieldingly urged toward each other by means of a single tension spring 28 anchored at one end in the iianger I `of the carrier 5 and engaged at the other end with a hook 29 in the ange 22 of the carrier 1. This single tension member 28 presses the stones I and 8 against opposite faces of the knife blade with equal pressure; but with the blades inserted between them the stones and their carriers are free to move in either direction as a unit on the guide rods 4, 4 except that their position'is controlled bythe engagement of the knife blade in the guide slots 25 of the upstanding guides 24.

. To 'insure that the V-shaped opening between the :abrasive stones shall register initially with theslots 25 the frame I includes xed stopsv 3D which extend obliquely upward to engage substantial portions of the working faces 4of the

stones

6, 6; and a bridge piece 3I is secured in slots 32 of the side walls of the frame so as to support an upwardly extending stop lug 33 to engage the working face of the stone 8. Thus the stones are stopped at definite points in their respective movements toward the slot 25 so as to'leave limited portions of their working faces at the upper ends exposed for initial engagement with the knife blade and since the

stops

30 and 33 engage the working faces of the stones this condition will be maintained as the stones kwear away-because the wear will be followed up by the tension of the spring 28 always urging the working faces of the stones against the stops.

A s shown in the drawings, each of the stones isyof rectangular cross-section, but has oppositely inclined or beveled ends, and the channels between flanges I3 and I8 of the carriers terminate at their lower'e'nds i'n the acutely angular pockets to t the beveled ends of the stones. At the upper end each stone is secured by a retainer 34 which, as shown in Figure 4, may be made of spring metal formed with a hook-shaped lower end to fit around a lug 35 on the carrier, and with a bent upper end which overhangs the beveled end of the stone. The side anges I3 and I8 of the channels, the pockets at their lower ends, and the retainers at the upper ends overlap only a portion of the depth of each stone, thus leaving a generous portion of each of the

abrasive members

6 and 8 exposed for Work and wear. When the exposed portions have been almost worn away the spring retainers 35 may be readily disengaged from the upper ends of the stones. The back of each channel is vcut away at the upper end between the side flanges, as seen at 5a in Figure 13, to make it easy to grasp the upper ends of the stones for slidably withdrawing them and inserting new ones.

Figure 6 shows a modified form of retainer 36 consisting of an acutely angular metallic pocket loosely carried on a threaded stud 3l projecting from the back of the carrier. The pocket 3B is clamped in position by means of a thumb nut 38 and when the stone is to be replaced it is only necessary to loosen or remove the nut 38 and disengage the pocket 35 from the upper end of the stone.

Figure 7 shows another form 'of retainer consisting of a wire loop or band 39 having its lower end engaged in a notched lug of the carrier while its upper end bears against the upper bevelled end of the stone. In retaining position the upper end of the loop 39 is wedged against the end surface of the stone so that to release the stone it is only necessary to swing the loop backward out of wedging position.

In Figure 8 the retainer 4I is an acutely bent clip engaging the bevelled end of the stone and formed with a lug 42 through which a clamping screw 43 extends into a threaded boss 44 on the back of the supporting channel. Figure 9 shows a variation of this arrangement in which the angular clip 45 has a lug 46 engaging the threads of a tension rod 41, while a threaded lug 48 engages an oppositely threaded portion of the rod 41. of the rod may be squared at 49 so that its rotation in one direction clamps n the end of the stone while opposlte rotation releases the retainer.

tremely simple and does not require disassembllng any of the mechanism.

As a safety feature each of the upstanding ateas close as possible to the 'hilt or handle of the blade indicated at B in Figure 2. the guard anges `t) are spacedat a substantial distance from the slots 25. The symmetrical designfof the casing IV rendersit likely that it mayfbe grasped and held by either end; accordingly guard flanges 50 are provided at bothsidesof the slots and since the interlapping arrangement of the stones precludes having them closely adjacent the side walls of the frame at both sides of each of the slots 25, itmay be desirable for the user to reverse the sharpener end for end in the process of sharpening a blade soas to insure equal abrasive action on both sides ofthe cut` ting edge. This is an additional reason for the symmetrical design of the case and for the provision of guard flanges 50 at both sides of the guide slots 25.

In the course of operation as the working faces of the

stones

6 and 8 wear away, the dust of abrasive material thus produced will be carried downward and might tend to cause rapid wear of the guide rods 4, 4 and bores of the carriers which ride thereon if it should lodge on the guide rods. Therefore, the upper faces of the carriers adjacent the guide rods 4 are `preferably made convex with downwardly sloping edges so as to shed the dust and allow it to fall past the rods onto thetable or other support, the case l preferably being made open at the bottom. Thus the edges of the baseportion 9 are shown sloping downwardly at 9a and the edges of the portion f 2l of carrier 1 are similarly bevelled at 2|a. Directly below the V-shaped opening which is formed between the working faces of the stones orrods 4 are completely covered by upwardly convex or V-shapedportions Ila of the lugs Il, thus. minimizing the chance that any of the vabrasive dust will lodge on the guide rods themselves.

For convenience of assembling, the rods 4 may be understood as of tubular formation with their end portions threaded and with retaining screws 54 inserted through counter-sunk openings in the end `walls 3 of the case I. However, any other conventional arrangement may be .employed for securing lthe rods removably `in the frame. In order that the cover portions 22 may enclose as much `of the mechanism as possible the central opening ofthe case is made with elongated slots or notches 52 as seen in Figure 2 for accommodating the bracing ribs l5 and I9 of the carriers in their reciprocation.

has become partly worn. This `will notonly in`-` sure a proper distribution of wear butwill continue toprovide a suitable entering openingbetween the upper ends of the stones as the wear onV their `working faces allows their carriers to beV drawn closer together by the spring 28. And since the `retainers 34 and the upper ends of the stonesarereadily accessible without, in any way, disturbing theiother parts of the sharpener, this vreversal can be accomplished in a fewseconds and as frequently as the user finds it desirable. Figures 13`and 14 illustrate a modified design adapting the sharpener to be folded into a package of minimum dimensions so as to be readily packed and Icarried as a part of the kit of `a woodsman or hunter.' or frame 60 may consist of a simple peripheral Wall entirely open at the top; The base portions ofthe carrier and their guide rods may be similar to those already described but the `upstandin'g portions 65and 51 of the carriers are shown hingedlyl connected at 66 and 68,.respectively, to .theirbases and braced in upstanding position by struts 69 which are pivotally secured` in lugs 'I0 of the `carrier bases and which merely bear disengageably against lugs `'ll of the parts 65 and 6l.` For packing the device the struts 69 are swung down to the position shown in Figure 14 andthe hinged carrier members 65 and li'l` are also swung to horizontal position reducing-the height of the device by about one-half. The guide slots 'l5 are formed in upstanding arms 14 `of a detachable yoke in which the parts 14 are connectedby a cross-bar member lilnormally extending under the frame B0. Rounded bosses 16 engage holes 11 in the sides of the frame, but for packing the device this yoke may be spring sufficiently to release the bosses from the holes 11, permitting removal of the yoke and its replacement in horizontal position over one end .of the frame with its bosses 'lli` engaging holes `'I8 asseen in Figure` 14. The entire device may then be tted into a suitable rectangular case,

not shown. i i i While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention; it will be manifest to `those skilled in the art that various modifications and re-arrangements ofthe parts may be made without departing `from the spirit and scopeof the invention, and

that the 'same isnot limited to the particular form `herein shown and described, except inso Since the

stops

30 and 33 extend parallel to y the working faces of the stones 6 and B, and both engage substantial portions of the length of said stones or abrasive members, theywill maintain the proper relation of the stones with respect to the guide slots 25'as the working faces of the stones wear away with use. This wear willbe fairly well distributed over the length of each stone, because, ordinarily, the knife `blade will be carried past the lower ends of the abrafar-` as indicated by the appended claims. i l Weclaim:` c ,Y

In a knife sharpener, a frame providing -a fixed guide' slot for a knife blade, a pair of car, riers, `abrasive members supported thereon` with their `working faces in intersecting planes, and a guideway on the frame on which said carriers are mounted for reciprocation transversely ofthe guide slot and toward and from each other, each carrier having a base portion extended inthe Vdirection of said guideway and lapping past the .basebf theother carrier, with bearing portions at the ends of said base portions `engaging the giiideway,` the bearing portions at one end of one carrier engaging the guideway between the bearing portions of the other carrier on said guide? `fais/ l l2. In a knife sharpener, a frame, parallel guide rods extending longitudinally in the frame, a pair of carriers mounted for reciprocation on the guide rods, abrasive members supported on the carriers with their working faces in intersecting planes, one carrier having base portionsextend- For this purpose the case I ing longitudinally over the guide rods with bearing portions at their ends slidable on the rods, said base portions having laterally sloping upper surfaces, the other carrier having a base portion which extends longitudinally between the vertical planes of the rods with laterally projecting bearing portions at its ends slidably engaging said rods, and said base portion of said other carrier having laterally sloping upper surfaces whereby both carriers will shed abrasive dust falling on said bases, the frame being open at the bottom for the escape of said dust.

- 3. In a knife Sharpener, a frame, parallel guide rods extending longitudinally in the frame, a pair of carriers mounted for reciprocation on said rods, one carrier having base portions extending longitudinally over the guide rods with bearing portions at their ends engaging the rods, the other carrier having a base portion which extends longitudinally between the bases of the rst mentioned carrier and which has laterally projecting bearing portions engaging the rods, and abrasive members supported on said carriers with their working faces extending obliquely upward and disposed respectively above said base portions and intermediate the bearing portions of the carriers on which they are supported.

4. In a knife Sharpener, a frame, parallel guide rods extending longitudinally in the frame, a pair of carriers mounted for reciprocation on said rods, one carrier having base portions extending longitudinally over the guide rods With bearing portions at their ends engaging the rods, the other carrier having a base portion which extends longitudinally between the bases of the rst mentioned carrier and which has laterally projecting bearing portions engaging the rods, and abrasive members supported on said carriers with their working faces extending obliquely upward and disposed respectively above said base portions, the upper surfaces of the base portions adjacent the lower ends of the abrasive members sloping laterally downward to protect the guide rods from abrasive dust.

5. In a knife Sharpener which includes a plurality of abrasive members disposed with their working faces in planes which intersect at an acute angle, and guiding means controlling the relative movement of said members and maintaining the angular relation between their working faces as they are moved apart by the introduction of a knife blade between them, means providing a guide slot for such blade, said slot narrowing to a constricted portion at which the Width of the slot is less than the thickness of such blade back of its cutting edge, and with a Wider portion beyond the constriction affording clearance for the cutting edge when it passes through the constriction.

6. In a knife Sharpener which includes a plurality of abrasive members disposed with their working faces in planes which intersect at an acute angle, and guiding means controlling the relative movement of said members and maintaining the angular relation between their working faces as they are moved apart by the introduction of a knife blade between them, means providing a guide slot for such blade, said slot narrowing to a constricted portion at which the width of the slot is less than the thickness of such blade back of its cutting edge, said constriction being located below the level of the lower ends of the working faces of the abrasive members.

'7. In a knife Sharpener, a frame, a pair of car- 75.

riers, abrasive members supported thereon with their working faces in intersecting planes, and a guideway on the frame on which said carriers are mounted for reciprocation toward and from each other, each carrier having a base portion extended in the direction of said guideway and lapping past the base of the other carrier, with bearing portions at the ends of said base portions engaging the guideway, together with wear compensating stops on the frame extending upwardly for contact with the working faces of the abrasive members over substantial portions of their length.

8. In a knife Sharpener, a frame providing a fixed vertical guide slot and a horizontal guideway extending transversely thereof in opposite directions therefrom, a pair of carriers both mounted for sliding movement on said guideway, and abrasive means on said carriers disposed respectively with their working faces in oppositely oblique relation to the guide slot and in planes which intersect at the plane of the slot, together with a single spring yieldingly connecting said carriers to each other independently of the frame, urging them toward each other and thereby applying the abrasive means with equal pressure to opposite sides of a knife blade inserted in the slot.

9. In the combination defined in claim 8, each of said securing elements comprising a clip of spring metal having a hook-shaped lower end engageable with a lug at the back of the channel and an angularly bent upper end fitting over the inclined upper end of the abrasive member.

10. In the combination defined in claim 8, said securing means including an angularly bent clip fitting over the inclined upper end of the abrasive member, and threaded means engaging said clip with a lug projecting from the back of the channel whereby the clip may be clamped end- Wise against the abrasive member.

11. In a knife Sharpener, an upwardly open oblong frame, a pair of carriers, longitudinal guideways on the frame on which said carriers `are mounted for reciprocation toward and from each other, each carrier having a base portion engaged with the guideways and an upstanding portion hinged thereto, abrasive members supported on the upstanding portions of the carriers with their working faces in intersecting planes, and bracing means on the bases supporting the upstanding portions but disengageable therefrom to permit said portions to be folded down toward the frame in compact arrangement.

l2. In a knife Sharpener, an upwardly open oblong frame, a pair of carriers, a longitudinal guideway on the frame on which said carriers are mounted for reciprocation toward and from each other, each carrier having a base portion engaged with the guideway and an upstanding portion hinged thereto, abrasive members supported on the upstanding portions of the carriers with their working faces in intersecting planes, upstanding guide means at each side of the frame providing a'guide slot perpendicular to the guideway at a plane substantially bisecting the angle between the planes of said working faces, and bracing means on the bases supporting the upstanding portions but disengageable therefrom to permit said portions to be folded down toward the frame in compact arrangement, said upstanding slotted guide means being adjustable for disposing their slots horizontally to reduce the height of the Sharpener for packing.

13. In a knife Sharpener, a frame, a pair of carriers, a guideway on the frame on which said carriers are mounted for reciprocation toward and from each other,` yielding means urging the carriers toward each other,` and abrasive members supported on the carriers with their working faces disposed in intersecting planes for contact with opposite faces of a blade to be sharpened n by reciprocation in its own plane between said abrasive members and under downward pressure tending to urge them apart in opposition to said yielding means, each abrasive member having parallel side walls and end walls oppositely and obtusely inclined to the working faces of the 10 Walls exposed.

member, the carriers having channels with side wallsbetween which said members are fitted and with end walls at the lower ends inclined to overlap portionsof the'inclined ends of the abrasive members, together with disengageable securing means overhanging portions of the inclined upper ends of said members whereby the abrasives are held captive in theI channels with their working faces and adjacent portions of their side ALEXIS E. MEADE; MARGARET L. MEADE.