US3551316A - Apparatus for sharpening cutting edges electrolytically - Google Patents

Apparatus for sharpening cutting edges electrolytically Download PDF

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Publication number
US3551316A
US3551316A US522668A US3551316DA US3551316A US 3551316 A US3551316 A US 3551316A US 522668 A US522668 A US 522668A US 3551316D A US3551316D A US 3551316DA US 3551316 A US3551316 A US 3551316A
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United States
Prior art keywords
blade
cell
masks
electrolyte
cutting edges
Prior art date
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Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US522668A
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English (en)
Inventor
Robert J Gale
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Wilkinson Sword Ltd
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Wilkinson Sword Ltd
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Wilkinson Sword Ltd filed Critical Wilkinson Sword Ltd
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Publication of US3551316A publication Critical patent/US3551316A/en
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B23H—WORKING OF METAL BY THE ACTION OF A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF ELECTRIC CURRENT ON A WORKPIECE USING AN ELECTRODE WHICH TAKES THE PLACE OF A TOOL; SUCH WORKING COMBINED WITH OTHER FORMS OF WORKING OF METAL
    • B23H9/00—Machining specially adapted for treating particular metal objects or for obtaining special effects or results on metal objects
    • B23H9/08—Sharpening
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21D—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21D53/00—Making other particular articles
    • B21D53/60—Making other particular articles cutlery wares; garden tools or the like
    • B21D53/64—Making other particular articles cutlery wares; garden tools or the like knives; scissors; cutting blades
    • B21D53/645—Making other particular articles cutlery wares; garden tools or the like knives; scissors; cutting blades safety razor blades
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25D—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25D1/00—Electroforming
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25F—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC REMOVAL OF MATERIALS FROM OBJECTS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25F7/00—Constructional parts, or assemblies thereof, of cells for electrolytic removal of material from objects; Servicing or operating

Definitions

  • An electrolytic cell for electroforming or electrofinishing the cutting edge of a razor blade comprises screening means adjacent which the edge of the razor blade is located, so that the passage of electric current from the razor blade to the cathode of the cell is limited in a differential manner. As a consequence more metal is removed from the tip of the blade and progressively less metal as the distance from the tip increases.
  • This invention relates to the production of cutting edges and, more particularly, to the production of the cutting edges of razor blades.
  • the invention employs electrolytic processing in the production of the cutting edges.
  • the electrolytic processes may be used for the finishing, only, of cutting edges after initial formation by other methods, such as abrasive methods, and such processing will be referred to hereafter as electrofinishing.
  • the processing may be used for production of a cutting edge, without prior mechanical shaping, in which case such processing will be referred to hereafter as electroforming.
  • the method of electroforming of electrofinishing a cutting edge of a razor blade by an electrolytic process wherein the volume of electrolyte in the region of the blade where the cutting edge is to be produced is restricted, whereby a cutting edge having facets of desired surface contour is formed.
  • the invention also provides the method of electroforming or electrofinishing the cutting edge of a razor blade in which the razor blade blank is made anodic in an electrolytic cell, wherein the flow of current from the neighbourhood of the blade edge is limited differentially in such a manner that more metal is removed from the tip of the blade than from areas further from the tip.
  • an electrolytic cell for electroforming or electrofinishing the cutting edge of a razor blade comprising means for limiting the passage of current from the razor blade to the cathode in a differential manner whereby more metal is removed from the tip and progressively less metal as the distance from the tip increases.
  • FIG. 1 is a side elevation of an electrolytic cell for partial-electroforming or electrofinishing of the cutting edge of a razor blade
  • FIG. 2 is an underside plan view of the cell of FIG. 1, and
  • FIG. 3 is a perspective sectional view through the cell at line III-III in FIG. 1.
  • the cell comprises a metal housing 10 which constitutes the cathode of the cell and which is maintained at earth potential by making an earth connection to earth terminal 11.
  • a metal housing 10 which constitutes the cathode of the cell and which is maintained at earth potential by making an earth connection to earth terminal 11.
  • two screening masks 12, 12 (FIG. 3) of ceramic material are mounted and the adjacent faces of these are separated by a sufficient distance to allow the passage of the metal strip 13, in the form of razor blade blanks joined end-toend'with central slot already punched.
  • the strip 13 makes a sliding fit with the faces of masks 12, 12, the separating of the masks 12, 12 being adjustable by means of adjusting screws 21.
  • the masks 12, 12 each have a central aperture in which an elongated anode 14 is mounted to form an electrolyte containing anode chamber 12a, 12a between the blade strip 13 and the respective anode 14, 14. External connection to the anodes is made through four terminals 15 which extend through the wall of the cathode housing 10, being insulated therefrom by insulators 16.
  • the masks 12, 12 are also shaped to provide cathode chambers 12b, 1211 whose shape will be described in greater detail hereafter.
  • Four inlet ports 17 for electrolyte are provided towards one end of the cell, two to feed electrolyte under pressure through the two anode chambers 12a, 12a and the other two to feed electrolyte through the two cathode chambers 12b, 12b.
  • outlet ports 18 are provided towards the other end of the cell.
  • the final portion of the cell at each end beyond the ports 17, 18 is closed by a manifold of insulating material such as ceramic or plastic, for example polytetrafiuoroethylene.
  • Air is fed under pressure to each manifold through a respective air inlet port 19 and through labyrinth seals (not shown) in the manifold to a respective outlet port 20 in order to form an air seal to prevent, or substantially reduce, escape of electrolyte.
  • the current path is from each anode 14 through the electrolyte in its respective anode chamber 12a to the central portion of the blade strip 13, through the blade strip to the exposed surface at each edge and thence through the electrolyte in the respective cathode chamber 12b to the cathode.
  • the novel electrode arrangement is the subject of a co-pending patent application.
  • each cathode chamber is formed with a channel into which projects the edge of the blade strip 13 at which the facets of the cutting edge are to be produced.
  • the channels are V-shaped in cross-section but many other shapes may be employed.
  • the channel may be parallel-sided or may be flared with other than a V-shaped cross-section.
  • the angle of inclination of the sides of the channel will be chosen in dependence upon the operating conditions, such as current density and electrolyte, but by way of example, where electroforming is to be per formed the cell, or at least the initial section thereof, could typically have an included angle for the channel of that is to say the surface of each mask being inclined at 40 to the major plane of the blade strip.
  • the included angle may, for example, by 60 or even as little as 40.
  • the amount of the edge of the blade strip which projects into the channel is a matter of choice dependent upon the desired extent and form of the facets of the finished razor blade, but for typical double-edged razor blades the amount might be between 0.6 and 1.3 mm.
  • the strip may be fed in succession through a number of cells having screening masks providing channels of different cross-section, with the channels in successive cells being progressively narrower as the facets approach more nearly to their final form.
  • the contour of the masks in a single cell may change either progressively or in steps with the same object.
  • the masking conditions will be less critical the more nearly the edge has been formed to its final shape prior to the electrolytic treatment.
  • metal may be used for the masks by insulating the masks from the cathode and using the masks as anodes. In this event the metal employed should be such that it is polarised in the operational condition of the cell so that the masks can provide a conductive connection to that portion of the strip with which they are in physical contact but so that there is negligible conducion between the electrolyte and the exposed surfaces of the masks.
  • suitable metals of which such masks may be composed are titanium, tungsten, tantalum, niobium or zirconium. Complete polarisation of the material is not essential because effective dissolution of the strip would still be possible even if the masks carried a low proportion of the current.
  • alternating current may be used for the processing.
  • Masks can also be used where razor blade blanks are processed in stacks by interleaving blade blanks with masks.
  • another method of processing blanks in stacks is partly to form a cutting edge on the blanks by mechanical methods, such as by abrasive removal of metal or by pressing, to provide facets such that when the blade blanks are superposed one on the other only the facets are exposed and the channels between each pair of adjacent facets acts to limit the current differentially in the manner described above.
  • a preferred electrolyte which is the subject of a copending patent application, has the composition 35 to by weight of phosphoric acid, 5 to 15% by weight of sulfuric acid, 0 to 8% chromium trioxide and the balance water, the bath operating temperature being for example between 55 and C.
  • the invention is not restricted to the formation of cutting edges on razor blades but is applicable to the formation of other types of cutting edges.
  • guide means for supporting a razor blade having at least one unfinished cutting edge in predetermined position relative to said cathode and said anode, said guide means and said cathode defining a first elongated space for containing electrolyte in contact with said cathode, said unfinished cutting edge projecting into said electrolyte,
  • a cell according to claim 1 wherein said guide means is of a plastics material.
  • said guide means is of a metal which is at least partially polarised in the operational condition of the cell.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Electrical Discharge Machining, Electrochemical Machining, And Combined Machining (AREA)
  • Electrolytic Production Of Metals (AREA)
  • Dry Shavers And Clippers (AREA)
  • Fuel Cell (AREA)
US522668A 1965-01-28 1966-01-24 Apparatus for sharpening cutting edges electrolytically Expired - Lifetime US3551316A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB3736/65A GB1135023A (en) 1965-01-28 1965-01-28 Improvements in or relating to the production of cutting edges

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3551316A true US3551316A (en) 1970-12-29

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ID=9763985

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US522668A Expired - Lifetime US3551316A (en) 1965-01-28 1966-01-24 Apparatus for sharpening cutting edges electrolytically

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (1) US3551316A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS4931603B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
AT (1) AT265803B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CH (1) CH461909A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE1565925B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1135023A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
SE (1) SE336284B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4419204A (en) * 1981-09-23 1983-12-06 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Installation for the electro-deposition of metals, particularly aluminum

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
LU81255A1 (fr) * 1979-05-14 1980-12-16 J Louys Procede d'aiguisage ou d'affutage de lames
DE102005044990A1 (de) * 2005-09-21 2007-04-05 Zwilling J. A. Henckels Aktiengesellschaft Verfahren zur endfertigen Bearbeitung einer Klinge eines Schneidwerkzeuges

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4419204A (en) * 1981-09-23 1983-12-06 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Installation for the electro-deposition of metals, particularly aluminum

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS4931603B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-08-23
CH461909A (fr) 1968-08-31
SE336284B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1971-06-28
AT265803B (de) 1968-10-25
DE1565925B2 (de) 1977-04-28
DE1565925A1 (de) 1970-06-18
GB1135023A (en) 1968-11-27

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