US2498018A

US2498018A - Convertible knife sharpener

Info

Publication number: US2498018A
Application number: US35430A
Authority: US
Inventors: Willis F Thompson
Original assignee: ALDEN SPEARE S SONS CO
Current assignee: ALDEN SPEARE S SONS CO; ALDEN SPEARE'S SONS CO
Priority date: 1948-06-26
Filing date: 1948-06-26
Publication date: 1950-02-21
Anticipated expiration: 1967-02-21

Description

Feb. 21,1950 THQMPSQIN 2,498,018

CONVERTIBLE KNIFE SHARPENER Filed June 26, 1948 Patented Feb. 21, 1950 CONVERTIBLE KNIFE SHARPENER Willis F. Thompson, Portland; Maine, assignor to The Alden Speares Massachusetts Sons (30., a corporation of- Application June 26, 1948, Serial No. 35,430

8 claims.

The invention relates to a convertible knife sharpener, and the object of the invention is to provide a knife sharpener convertible into a small packet within which the abrasive element of the sharpener is contained and concealed, or the packet, by simple manipulation, be again converted into a knife sharpener.

The invention can best be seen and understood by reference to the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a packet into which the knife sharpener is converted and within which its abrasive element liesconcealed.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the knife sharpener.

Fig. 3 is a cross vertical section of the knife sharpener as shown in Fig.2.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the interior of one of the rollers and associated parts, and

Fig. 5 shows in cross section a detail of construction.

The type of knife sharpener to whichthe present invention relates is like that described in my co-pending application Serial No. 745,610. which matured as Patent No. 2,469,797, issued MaylO, 1949, in which there is a set of rollers and abrasive element rotated by the free rolling of the rollers back and forth over a supporting surface when actuated by'the blade of the knife as it is reciprocated during its sharpening. One,

or preferably both, of the rollers is spaced from the abrasive element to provide a bearing for the knife sharpener as it is reciprocated during its sharpening; also a hub against which the blade has bearing during its sharpening.

As will presently be explained, in the present construction the side of each roller against which the blade has bearing, together with the hub, remains a normally fixed part while the remain.- ing body of the roller is a part translatably inovable in or out with relation to the fixed'side of the roller and to the abrasive element. When moved in it will assist in forming the packet as shown in Fig. 1, and when moved out asshown in Fig. 2 it forms one of the rollers of the knife sharpener presenting a side bearing and hub against which the knife blade has bearing as it is' reciprocated during its sharpening as previously explained. 7

Referring to the drawings: l represents the abrasive element which is flanked on its opposite sides by rollers 2 and 3, respectively. t represents the interior side of each of the rollers which isinclined at an angle to the adjacent side of the abrasive element. Fixed to and preferably formed integral with each side 4 of the roller is a hub 5 generally frusta conical in shape which extends into a cavity 6 on the side of the abrasive element. The hub presents a peripheral surface having a certain angularity to the side of the abrasive element. The angularity of the side and that of the hub in relation to the side of the abrasive element are co-ordinated as referred to in my said co-pending application. The inner end of each hub is closed by a web 7 which bears against'the abrasive element at the bottom of the cavity 6. Passing through these webs and through that portion 8 of the abrasive element lying between its cavities is a rivet 9 the ends of which are upset against the respective webs. Thus the hub 5 and sides 4 of the rollers are bound together and fixedly secured to sive element.

I!) represents the rim of each of the rollers. These rims bear treads ll of rubber or like material around their peripheral surfaces.

The interior diameter of the rim of each of the rollers is larger than the diameter of itsfixed side l and that of the abrasive element, thus enabling the rim to be moved translatably over its fixed side and. .over the abrasive element. This translatable movement of the rim is obtainedby manually turning it and is efiected as follows:

Substantially one longitudinal inner half of each rim [0 is fashioned by thickening the rim to provide interior circumferentially spaced cams l2 each having an edge l3 angularly inclined with outward inclination to the axis of the roller, or with the inner endof the inclined edge nearest said axis. Adjacent the inner end of each edge I3 is a finger l4 and a socket l5.

Appliedto each of the rims is a cap or cover 16 which forms the outer side of the roller. Each of these caps is provided on its inner side with circumferentially spaced flanges H which fit telescopically within the rim for attaching the cover or cap to it. Though these flanges have a snug fit within the rim, the cover, when applied, is, also, securely held in place by a bead IT on the flanges which fits within a socket ID on the innerside'of the rim. The flanges 11 are formed toprovide circumferentially spaced cams each having an edge I8 outwardly inclined to the axis of the roller; or with the inner end of each cam edge nearer the axis of the roller. Adjacent the outer end of each edge i8 is a finger l9 and a socket 20.

-- The cams, fingers and sockets on the-rim and cover, respectively, are so co-ordinated that when the cover ls properly applied to the rim the finger the abra IS on the cover will fit within the socket 15 on the rim, and finger H on the rim will fit within the socket 20 on the cover. This determines the proper and precise application of the cover to the rim and when so applied the cams on the rim 'and cover will co-operate to form between their respective inclined edges l3 and I8 outwardly inclined ways 2| within which lietabs 22 projecting from the edge of the fixed side 4 of the roller.

With the tabs 22 thus contained the rims are not only connected to the fixed sides of the rollers, but on turning the rims they will be moved translatably in one direction or the other dependent upon the direction of their turning. On turning in one direction they will be moved inwardly to where the two rims will cover the abrasive element and form the packet as shown in Fig. 1, and when turned in a revers direction they will be moved outwardly to form the rollers of the knife sharpener as shown in Fig. 2.

The rims have a determinate amount of turning. When turned inwardly each rim may be turned until the fingers l4 lying at the inner ends of the ways 2| engage the respective tabs 22 forming stops, and when turned outwardly each rim may be turned until the fingers l9, lying at the outer ends of the ways 2|, engage the tabs forming stops.

In order that the inner and outer turned positions of the rim may be maintained without back lash the edges l3, l8 of the respective cams approach one another so close at points 23 adjacent the ends of the respective ways 2!, that they will hav pinching engagement with the tabs when the rims and their associated covers move over the tabs as approach is made to the ends of their respective turning movements.

I claim:

1. A convertible knife sharpener comprising in combination a set of rollers, an abrasive element interposed between the rollers, each of the rollers including a fixed side occupying an angular position with relation to the abrasive element, means for combining the said fixed sides and the abrasive element to rotate in unison, each of said rollers including a rim movable over the adjacent fixed side of the roller and over the abrasive ele ment whereby the combined rims of the respective rollers will form a packet enclosing the abrasive element, and means whereby the rim of each roller may be connected to its fixed side and moved tr'anslatably in or out, inwardly to assist in forming the packet and outwardly to assist in forming one of the rollers of the knife sharpener.

2. A convertible knife sharpener comprising in combination a set of rollers, an abrasive element interposed between the rollers, each of said rollers including a fixed side with hub, each fixed side and hub occupying separate though coordinated angular positions with relation to the abrasive element, means for combining the fixed sides with hubs and the abrasive element to rotate in unison, each of said rollers including a rim movable over the adjacent fixed side of the roller and over the abrasive element whereby the combined rims of the respective rollers will form a packet enclosing the abrasive element, and

means whereby the rim of each roller may be connected to its fixed side and be moved translatably in or out, inwardly to assist in forming the packet and outwardly to assist in forming one of the rollers of the knife sharpener,

3.;.A convertible knife. sharpener comprising in combination a set of rollers, an abrasive element interposed between the rollers, each of the rollers including a fixed side occupying an angular posi-- tion with relation to the abrasive element, means for combining the said fixed sides and the abrasive element to rotate in unison, each of said rollers including a rim movable over the adjacent fixed side of the roller and over the abrasive element whereby the combined rims of the respective rollers will form a packet enclosing the abrasive element, and means whereby the rim of each roller may be connected to its fixed side and movable translatably in or out on turning the rim, inwardly to assist in forming the packet on turning the rim in one direction, and outwardly to assist in formin one of the rollers of the knife sharpener on turning the rim in a reverse direction.

4. A convertible knife sharpener comprising in combination a set of rollers, an abrasive element interposed between the rollers, each of the rollers including a fixed side occupying an angular position with relation to the abrasive element, means for combining the said fixed sides and the abrasive element to rotate in unison, each of said roll,- ers including a rim movable over the ,adjacent fixed side of the roller and over the abrasive element whereby the combined rims of the respective rollers will form a packet enclosing the abrasive element, tabs extending from the fixed side of each roller, and cams forming ways in which said tabs are contained by which the rim of each roller is connected to its fixed side and movable translatably in or out on turning the rim, inwardly to assist in forming the packet on turning the rim in one direction and outwardly to assist in forming one ofthe rollers of the knife sharpener on turning the rim in a re verse direction.

5. A convertible knife sharpener comprising in combination a set of rollers, an abrasive element interposed between the rollers, each of the rollers including a fixed side occupying an angular position with relation to the abrasive element, means for combining the said fixed sides andthe abrasive element to rotate in unison, each of said rollers including a rim movable over the adja-. cent fixed side of the roller and over the abrasive element whereby the combined rims of the respective rollers will form a packet enclosing the abrasive element, tabs extending from the fixed side of each roller, a cover closing the outer open side of each rim and forming the outer side of the roller, circumferentially spaced cam forming flanges on said cover by which it is secured to the rim, circumferentially spaced cams on the interior of the rim co-operating with said cams on the cover to form inclined ways in which said tabs are contained and by which the rim of each roller is connected to its fixed side and movable translatably in or out on turning the rim, in-

' wardly to assist in forming the packeton turning the rim in one direction and outwardly to assist informing one of the rollers of the knife sharpener on turning the rim in a reverse direction.

6. In a knife sharpener the combination comprising a rotatable abrasive element, a roller having a fixed side occupying an angular position with relation to the abrasive element, means for combining the said fixed side and the abrasiveelement to rotate in unison, said roller including also a rim movable translatably over the adjacent fixed side of the roller and over the abrasive element, and means whereby the rim may beech nected to the fixed side of the roller and moved translatably in or out on moving the rim, inwardly over the abrasive element on moving the rim in one direction and outwardly to assist in forming the roller on moving the rim in a reverse direction.

7. In a knife sharpener the combination comprising a rotatable abrasive element, a roller having a fixed side occupying an angular position with relation to the abrasive element, means for combining the said fixed side and the abrasive element to rotate in unison, said roller including also a rim movable translatably over the adjacent fixed side of the roller and over the abrasive element, means whereby the rim may be connected to the fixed side of the roller and moved translatably in or out on moving the rim, inwardly over the abrasive element on moving the rim in one direction and outwardly to assist in forming the roller on moving the rim in a reverse direction, and means for limiting and releasably securing said rim in a determinate position when moved out to assist in forming said roller as aforesaid.

8. In a knife sharpener the combination comprising a rotatable abrasive element, a roller having a fixed side occupying an angular position with relation to the abrasive element, means for combining the said fixed side and the abrasive element to rotate in unison, said roller including also a rim movable translatably over the adjacent fixed side of the roller and over the abrasive element, elements borne by said fixed side of the roller, a cover closing the outer open side of the rim and forming the outer side of the roller, circumferentially spaced cam forming flanges on said cover by which it is secured to the rim, circumferenti-ally spaced cams on the interior of the rim :co-operating with said cams on the cover to form inclined ways in which said elements are contained and by which the rim of the roller is connected to its fixed side and moved translatably in or out on turning the rim, inwardly to assist in forming the packet on turning the rim in one direction and outwardly to assist in forming one of the rollers of the knife sharpener on turning the rim in a reverse direction.

WILLIS F. THOMPSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the Number Name Date Copland et al Sept. 11, 1928