US2792675A - Knife sharpener - Google Patents

Description

y 21, 1957 Q E. K. WILSON 2,792,675

KNIFE SHARPENER Filed Oct. 31, 1955 Wig 1.

IN VEN TOR.

gilson United States Patent KNIFE SHARPENER Elvin K. Wilson, Omaha, Nebr. Application October 31, 1955, Serial No. 543,703

3 Claims. (Cl. 51--72) This invention relates to sharpening devices particularly of the grinding wheel type, such as used for sharpening knives, hatchets, axes, and other tools, and in particular an elongated motor driven cylinder of abrasive material rotatably mounted in a housing with a lubricant retaining chamber in the lower part of the housing and positioned whereby the lower portion of the cylinder dips into a lubricant therein, and with an adjustably mounted wiper positioned to remove lubricant from the surface of the cylinder to regulate the amount of lubricant carried on the surface of the cylinder through the sharpening area.

The purpose of this invention is to provide means in a knife and tool sharpening device to prevent overheating so that the temper is not removed from a tool as the tool is sharpened.

Various types of devices have been provided for In. bricating grinding and sharpening wheels to facilitate grinding and to prevent. overheating, however, such de vices flow liquid lubricant over the grinding wheel or dip the lower portion of the. Wheel into a tray of lubricant and no. provision is made for wiping or otherwise regulating the amount of lubricant on the surface of the grinding wheel at the point where the knife or other tool engages the wheel. It will be appreciated that too much lubricant increases the time required for grinding or sharpening.

a tool or the like and too little lubricant causes overheating which results in the temper being removed from the tool.

With, this thought in mind this invention contemplates a housing for a g inding cylinder in which the housing is provided with a false bottom that provides a lubricant retaining chamber below the cylinder so that the lower side of the cylinder passes through lubricant in the chamber and inwhich means, is provided for wiping the lubricant from the cylinder so that the amount of lubricant remaining on the surface of the cylinder may be controlled.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide means for regulating the amount of lubricant on the surface of a grinding wheel so that just suflicient lubricant is. provided for grinding whereby the possibility of the temper being taken out of a tool by overheating is substantially eliminated.

Another object of the. invention is. to provide means for mounting a wiper in combination with a grinding wheel whereby the amount of lubricant on the surface of the wheel may be regulated.

Another important object of the invention is to provide means for evenly distributing lubricant over a grinding stone so that a stone sharpening knives, tools and the like may be completely lubricated without splash and waste of the lubricant.

A further object of the invention is to provide a housing for a grinding and sharpening wheel or cylinder in which one compartment in the housing holds a lubricant into which the lower side of the wheel or cylinder extends and another compartment provides a chamber for a motor for rotating the device wherein with the lubricant 'ice controlled by a wiper splashing thereof is substantially eliminated and the. lubricant is confined to the lubricant compartment.

A still further object is to provide a rotatable knife and tool sharpening cylinder which is continuously supplied with lubricant and in which the amount of lubricant on the cylinder is controlled in which the device is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies a housing having a grinding cylinder compartment and a motor compartment with a grinding cylinder in the grinding cylinder compartment and a motor in the motor compartmentand in which a wiper is adjustably mounted in the grinding cylinder compartment for regulating the lubricant on the surface of the grinding cylinder which is operatively connected to the motor.

Other features and advantages of the invention will ap-- pear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a longitudinal section through the housing of the improved knife. and tool sharpener with the grinding cylinder and motor shown in elevation.

Figure 2 is an. end elevational view of the sharpener with part broken away showing a cross section through the housing, and showing in particular the mounting of a wiper for removing excess lubricant from the grinding cylinder.

Figure 3 is a sectional plan looking downwardly upon the wiper and mountingthereof with part of the wiper broken away and showing a portion. of the rear wall of the housing, the said portion of the rear wall being. shown in While one embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the above-referred-to drawings, it is to be understood that they are. merely for the purpose of illustration and that various changes in construction may be resorted to in the course of manufacture in order that the invention may be utilized to the best advantage according to circumstances which may arise, without in any manner departing from the, spirit and intention of the device, which is to be limited. only in accordance with the appended claims. And while there is stated the primary field. of utility of the invention, it remains obvious that it may be employed in any other capacity wherein it may be found applicable.

In the accompanying drawings, and in the followingspeeification, the same reference characters are used to designate, the same parts and elements throughout, and in which the. numeral 10 refers to the invention in its entirety, numeral 12 indicating a cylindrical grinding stone, numeral 14 a wiper carried by thumb screws 16 and 18, numeral 2%) a motor, and numeral 22 the base ofa housing having a front wall 24, a rear wall 26, end walls 28. and 30, an, intermediate partition. 32, a false bottom or horizontally disposed; partition 34, an arcuate cover 36 over the grinding cylinder compartment 38. and a cover 40 over the motor compartment 42.

The covers are secured to the lower portion of the Figure 2.

The grinding cylinder, which is preferably formed of' a suitable abrasive material, is mounted on a shaft 46 r with a bearing sleeve 48, and the shaft is rotatably mounted in the partition 32 and end wall 30 with bushings 50 and 52, respectively. The end of the shaft extending through the bushing 50 is provided with a coupling element 54 by which the shaft is operatively connected to a coupling element 56 of a shaft 58, which extends from a reduction gear unit 60 on a. shaft 62 of the motor 20. The motor is provided with a flange 64 by which it is attached to the end wall 28 with bolts 66. The thumb screws 16 and 18 are rotatably mounted in openings 68 in the rear wall 26, and the thumb screws are retained in position with collars 70 and 72 on the thumb screw 16, and 74 and 76 on the thumb screw 18. The Wiper or squeegee 14 is secured between flanges 78 and 80 of an elongated bracket or backing 82, which is U-shaped in cross section and through which the thumb screws 16 and 18 extend. Nuts 84 threaded on the thumb screws are positioned between the walls of the bracket 82 and with the thumb screws held in the rear wall by the collars rotation of the thumb screws moves the. wiper toward or away from the grinding cylinder. Springs 86 and 88 extended around the thumb screws and positioned between the bracket 82 and the rear wall 26 urge the wiper toward the grinding cylinder.

The motor is supplied with current by an electric cord 90 which extends through a plug 92, one wire 94 of the cord extending directly to the motor and the other wire 96 extending to a switch 98, having a button or lever 100 extended therefrom and the opposite terminal of the switch is connected to the motor with a wire 102.

The false bottom 34 forms a tray below the grinding cylinder or stone 12, and lubricant placed above the false bottom is positioned so that the lower side of the cylinder dips into the upper part thereof. With the grinding cylinder rotating in a counter-clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow 104, the wiper removes excess lubricant from the surface of the cylinder, and the lubricant remaining on the cylinder passes through the area positioned to be engaged by a knife or other tool. By this means suflicient lubricant for sharpening a knife or the like remains on the cylinder, and the amount of lubricant remaining on the surface of the cylinder is regulated by adjusting the position of the wiper in relation to the cylinder with the thumb screws 16 and 18.

Operation With the parts assembled as illustrated and described the cover is opened, swinging backward about the hinge 44, and by snapping the button 100 the motor is started, rotating the stone 12 in a counter-clockwise direction whereby with the lower side of the stone dipping into the liquid or lubricant, the lubricant is carried upwardly and excess lubricant is removed from the stone by the wiper 14.v A knife or other tool may then be held against the surface of the stone and sharpened without danger of the lubricant splashing from the housing, and at the same time sufficient lubricant may be maintained on the surface of the stone to prevent overheating and taking the temper out of a knife or tool being sharpened.

From the foregoing specification, it will become apparent that the invention disclosed will adequately accomplish the functions for which it has been designed and in an economical manner, and that its simplicity, accuracy, and ease of operation are such as to provide a relatively inexpensive device, considering what it will accomplish, and that it will find an important place in the art to which it appertains when once placed on the market.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a'clear understanding of the'invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy descriptionis regarded as unnecessary.

Changes in shape, size, and rearrangement of details and parts such as come within the purview of the invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

Having now described the invention that which is claimed to be new and desired to be procured by Letters Patent is:

1. A sharpener comprising a housing having grinding V and motor compartments therein, a cylinder of abrading material rotatably mounted in the housing and positioned in the grinding compartment thereof, a pair of screws threaded in a wall of the grinding compartment, 21 wiper carried by the screws and positioned to engage the surface of the cylinder, springs on the screws for urging the wiper against the cylinder, a motor in the motor compartment of the housing, means operatively connecting the motor to the cylinder, and means for wiping lubricant from the cylinder.

2. In a sharpener, the combination which comprises a housing having grinding and motor compartments therein, a cover hinged to the housing, a shaft rotatably mounted in the housing, a grinding cylinder mounted on the shaft and positioned in the grinding compartment, 21 motor having a shaft and positioned in the motor compartment, 2. coupling for connecting the motor to the shaft of the grinding cylinder, said housing having lubricant retaining means therein and said lubricant retaining means being positioned whereby the lower side of the grinding cylinder dips into lubricant therein, and a wiper adjustably mounted in the housing and positioned to contact the surface of the grinding cylinder.

3. In a knife and tool sharpener, the combination which comprises a housing having grinding and motor compartments therein, a cover hinged to the housing, a grinding cylinder positioned in the grinding compartment of the housing, a shaft rotatably mounted in the housing and on which the grinding cylinder is positioned, a motor in the motor compartment of the housing, means for operatively connecting the motor to the shaft on which the grinding cylinder is positioned, said housing having a false bottom therein and said false bottom providing a lubricant retaining tray, the lubricant retaining tray being positioned whereby the lower side of the grinding cylinder is adapted to dip into liquid therein, thumb screws rotatably mounted in a wall of the housing, a wiper threaded on said thumb screws and positioned to contact the surface of the grinding cylinder, and springs extended around the thumb screws and positioned to urgethe wiper toward the grinding cylinder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 516,353 King Mar. 13,1894.

848,800 Barnes -Q. Apr. 2, 1907 1,130,352 Tkach Mar. 2, 1915: 1,559,643 Powell Nov. 3, 1925' 2,175,719 Long Oct. 10, 1939 2,187,421 George Jan. 16, 1940' 2,248,953 Bunch July 15, 1941- 2,589,620 Leffel Mar. 18, 1952 p 1 FOREIGN PATENTS

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