U.S. patent application number 11/281824 was filed with the patent office on 2006-05-25 for tool sharpening apparatus.
Invention is credited to Nigel Roberts.
Application Number | 20060111026 11/281824 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33548694 |
Filed Date | 2006-05-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060111026 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Roberts; Nigel |
May 25, 2006 |
Tool sharpening apparatus
Abstract
The invention relates to apparatus for use in the sharpening of
tools and in particular to apparatus for the sharpening of selected
ones of a plurality of different tools, said apparatus including a
grinding wheel and a plurality of tool holders. At least one of the
tool holders is connected to the apparatus so as to be movable
between out-of-use and in-use positions thereby allowing the cool
holder to be positioned accurately. In one embodiment the housing
is provided on a base which is provided with storage means for
other sharpening implements and/or accessories.
Inventors: |
Roberts; Nigel;
(Pocklington, GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WOODARD, EMHARDT, MORIARTY, MCNETT & HENRY LLP
111 MONUMENT CIRCLE, SUITE 3700
INDIANAPOLIS
IN
46204-5137
US
|
Family ID: |
33548694 |
Appl. No.: |
11/281824 |
Filed: |
November 17, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
451/293 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B24B 3/54 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
451/293 |
International
Class: |
B24B 7/00 20060101
B24B007/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 23, 2004 |
GB |
0425705.1 |
Claims
1. Apparatus for the sharpening of a blade or cutting edge of a
tool, said apparatus including a rotatable grinding wheel, a motor
connected to said grinding wheel, and a plurality of tool holders,
at least one of which is movable between an out of use position and
an in-use position with respect to the grinding wheel and, in the
in-use position, the said at least one tool holder provides a
location for a tool to be in the appropriate position such that an
edge or point of said tool can be sharpened in contact with said
grinding wheel and wherein said at least one tool holder is
attached to a base and/or housing in which the motor and grinding
wheel are provided, said connection retained in both in-use and
out-of-use positions, and when moved between said positions.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the said tool holder is
pivotally movable between said in-use and out-of-use positions.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein securing means are
mounted on the housing to secure the tool holder in the in-use
position with respect to the housing.
4. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein when the said at least
one tool holder is moved to the in-use position, it moves over
centre of the pivotal connection of the tool holder thereby aiding
the ability of the tool holder to be kept in a fixed position with
respect to the housing in the in-use position.
5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a plurality of the tool
holders are provided in a hinged pivotally movable relationship
with the housing.
6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein each of the tool holders
is mounted with respect to a different face of said housing.
7. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein each of said tool holders
can be selectively moved independently between in-use and out of
use positions with respect to the grinding wheel.
8. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein at least one tool holder
is provided in the form of an access port are provided on the
housing to allow a tool to be sharpened by to the grinding wheel by
placing the tool through said port.
9. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each tool holder is
provided with location means for supporting a particular tool in
the correct orientation with respect to the grinding wheel.
10. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein adjustment means are
provided to allow the grinding wheel to be adjusted in height with
respect to the housing.
11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the adjustment means
are located to adjust the height of the motor within the housing
and thereby adjust the height of the grinding wheel connected to
the said motor.
12. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the housing is secured
to a base, said base provided with storage means for storing any or
any combination of tool holders and/or accessories for use with the
apparatus.
13. Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the base includes an
area for the collection of liquid to be used during the sharpening
process.
14. Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the base includes
storage for additional grinding wheels.
15. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus includes a
carborundum finishing stone.
16. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the grinding wheel can
be reversibly mounted with respect to a shaft leading from the
motor.
17. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the grinding wheel is
mounted with respect to the motor so as to have a substantially
vertical axis of rotation.
18. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the housing includes a
notched section to allow for the passage of a drill bit
therethrough to be applied to the grinding wheel.
19. Apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the drill bit is held
in a chuck which is positionable with respect to the housing.
20. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein retention means are
provided to allow the tool holders to be retained in an out of use
position.
21. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus includes a
base on which the housing is mounted, and a lid which is engageable
with the base and movable between a closed storage position and a
partially open guard position to protect the user of the apparatus
from sparks or other debris from the grinding process.
Description
[0001] The invention to which this application relates is apparatus
to be used to allow for the sharpening of blades or cutting edges
of a plurality of tools and with the apparatus being adaptable to
allow particular sharpening means to be available for use with
respect to particular tools.
[0002] Although the following description refers almost exclusively
to use of hingedly connected adaptors for presenting tools to a
grinding wheel, it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the
art that adaptors could be rotatably mounted or connected in
alternative ways to secure the same.
[0003] The provision of apparatus which allows the sharpening of
blades of tools is well known. Typically, the apparatus comprises a
rotating grinding wheel which has a coating of abrasive material
thereon. The particular abrasive material which is selected can be
from any of a range of known materials to suit particular quality
and/or practical requirements.
[0004] The wheel is provided to rotate, typically driven by a motor
and there is provided at least one adaptor which can be presented
to a surface or surfaces of a grinding wheel and into which the
blade to be sharpened is fitted such that when the adaptor is
presented to the grinding wheel, the blade in the adaptor is
presented to the grinding wheel at an appropriate orientation to
facilitate the sharpening of the blade by the removal of material
from the blade to leave an edge of requited shape. The tools which
can be sharpened include drill bits, knife blades, scissor blades,
chisel blades or the like and typically, a series of different
adaptors are requited to be provided for each or each group of
tools so as to ensure that said tools are respectively presented to
the grinding wheel at the appropriate orientation for the
particular sharpening requirement.
[0005] It is known to provide a series of adaptors, each of which
can be located with respect to the grinding wheel either by
screwing the adaptors in position to thereby provide the most
effective and secure location of the adaptor in position or,
alternatively, by providing an automatic latching means which
allows the adaptor to be slid into engagement means and latched in
position with respect to the grinding wheel and a housing in which
the grinding wheel is provided. In practical terms however, a
problem is experienced with the automatic latching means in that
the tolerances of the manufacture of the adaptor and/or housing
means that the adaptors can move to a limited degree with respect
to the housing and hence the grinding wheel thereby causing
inferior sharpening to be achieved on the blade held in the
adaptor.
[0006] The aim of the present invention is to provide apparatus
which allows for the selective sharpening of blades of different
tools by providing a series of adaptors which can be selectively
positioned with respect to a grinding wheel and secured in the
required position so as to present the tool at the required
orientation to the grinding wheel.
[0007] In a first aspect of the invention there is provided
Apparatus for the sharpening of a blade or cutting edge of a tool,
said apparatus including a rotatable grinding wheel, a motor
connected to said grinding wheel, and a plurality of tool holders,
at least one of which is movable between an out of use position and
an in-use position with respect to the grinding wheel and, in the
in-use position, the said at least one tool holder provides a
location for a tool to be in the appropriate position such that an
edge or point of said tool can be sharpened in contact with said
grinding wheel and wherein said at least one tool holder is
attached to a base and/or housing in which the motor and grinding
wheel are provided, said connection retained in both in-use and
out-of-use positions, and when moved between said positions.
[0008] In one embodiment, the tool holders can be secured by
securing means in the in-use position and/or out-of-use position
with respect to the housing.
[0009] In one embodiment, the securing means is any or any
combination of screws, nuts, catches, latches, clips, grips,
magnets, springs and/or the like.
[0010] In one embodiment the securing means is mounted on the
housing. Typically the securing means passes through an aperture in
the tool holder and is actuated to secure the same.
[0011] In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of the tool holders
are hingedly connected with respect to the housing and/or base such
that the same are independently moved to the in-use position, and
in one embodiment the same move over centre so that the effect of
gravity on the holder acts to bring the holder into contact with
the housing thereby aiding the ability for the tool holder to be
kept in a fixed position with respect to the housing during use. It
will be appreciated that the tool holders could otherwise be
rotatably mounted to achieve a similar effect.
[0012] In one embodiment, a plurality of tool holders are provided
for sharpening blades of tools each hinged with respect to the
housing so that each is hingedly moved to a respective side of the
said housing.
[0013] In one embodiment, at any given time, one of the tool
holders can be selectively moved to an in-use position for use of
the apparatus for sharpening a tool held thereon. In another
embodiment, a plurality of the tool holders can be moved to an
in-use position and used for sharpening tools which are held in the
respective tool holder by the user and/or fixing means.
[0014] In one embodiment, further tool holders are provided in the
form of one or more access ports and/or notches provided on the
housing to allow tools to be sharpened by application to the
grinding wheel therethrough.
[0015] Typically the tool holders are designed to hold any or any
combination of scissors, blades, knives, chisels, screwdrivers,
drill bits, and/or the like.
[0016] Typically each of the tool holders includes a suitable
location formation to allow a tool to be held in or on the tool
holder and at a suitable orientation to the grinding wheel for
sharpening.
[0017] In one embodiment adjustment means are provided to allow the
grinding wheel to be adjusted in height with respect to the
housing, to take into account wear of the same. Typically the
adjustment means is located on the underside of the device, and
adjusts the height of the motor within the device, thereby
adjusting the height of the wheel connected thereto.
[0018] Typically the housing can be secured to a base in the form
of a tray and/or a supporting surface. Typically the tray is
provided with a storage means for storing accessories. In one
embodiment storage means include any or any combination of a lid,
recesses, drawers and/or the like. Typically the accessories
include any or any combination of drill bits, grinding wheels,
finishing stones, spanners, a water bath, cleaning brushes, safety
glasses, and/or the like.
[0019] In one embodiment the apparatus base includes an area for
the collection of liquid to be used during the sharpening
process.
[0020] The base can also include storage for additional grinding
wheels which may be straight replacement wheels or may have
different grinding or sharpening characteristics and thereby allow
the same to be selectively fitted and used for specific sharpening
processes. In one embodiment the apparatus includes a carborundum
finishing stone.
[0021] In one embodiment the grinding wheel can be reversibly
mounted with respect to a shaft leading from the motor so as to
allow full use of the grinding wheel to be achieved and any wear of
the same to be taken into account.
[0022] Typically the grinding wheel is mounted with respect to the
motor so as to have a substantially vertical axis of rotation.
[0023] In one embodiment the housing includes a notched section to
allow for the passage of a drill bit therethrough to be applied to
the grinding wheel for sharpening. In this arrangement the drill
bit is held in a chuck which is positionable with respect to the
housing.
[0024] In one embodiment retention means are provided to allow the
tool holders to be retained in an out of use position.
[0025] In one embodiment the apparatus includes a base on which the
housing is mounted, and a lid which is engageable with the base and
movable between a closed storage position and a partially open
guard position to protect the user of the apparatus from sparks or
other debris from the grinding process.
[0026] In a further aspect of the invention there is provided
apparatus for allowing the sharpening of a blade or cutting edge of
a tool, said apparatus including a rotatable grinding wheel having
a coating of abrasive material thereon, said wheel driven by a
motor to rotate, said motor and grinding wheel provided in a
central housing and wherein there are provided a plurality of tool
holders, said tool holders movable between an out-of-use position
and an in-use position with respect to the said housing and, in the
in-use position, providing a location for a tool such that said
tool is oriented in the appropriate position such that an edge
and/or point of said tool can be sharpened in contact with said
grinding wheel and wherein at least one of the tool holders is
attached to the housing when in the in use and out of use positions
and moving between said positions.
[0027] A specific embodiment of the invention is now described
wherein:--
[0028] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the sharpening
apparatus with the base according to one embodiment of the
invention;
[0029] FIG. 2 illustrates the sharpening apparatus with the base
removed with a tool holder secured in the in-use position; and
[0030] FIG. 3 illustrates the base and lid of the sharpening
apparatus.
[0031] With reference to the FIGS. 1 and 2 there is illustrated a
sharpening device 2 which is mounted on a base in the form of tray
4 and secured to the same by screws 6. The tray 4 may also be fixed
to a supporting surface by screws 8.
[0032] The sharpening device 2 includes a housing 10 and a grinding
wheel 12 rotatably mounted a shaft of a motor (not shown) within
the housing in a substantially horizontal plane i.e. with a
substantially vertical rotational axis. For safety, the majority of
the wheel 12 is positioned within the housing 10, with the upper
face and a portion of the side face presented to the user. The
housing 10 includes an angled recess or notch 16 to allow tools
such as a drill bit to be presented to the side face of the wheel
12. When power is supplied to the motor by switching the on/off
switch 18, the grinding wheel 12 rotates allowing any tools applied
to the face or edge thereof to be sharpened due to the abrasive
nature of the surface of the grinding wheel.
[0033] The grinding wheel 12 is secured to the motor within the
housing 10 via conventional means such as a nut or shaft 14. The
grinding wheel 12 can thus be removed and reversed to allow both
faces to be used or be replaced with other forms of grinding and/or
polishing wheels. A shaft lock can be provided to lock the shaft
when the grinding wheel 12 is removed.
[0034] The tray 4 and/or lid 11 as shown in FIG. 3 may also be
provided with a series of holes 30 for storing drill bits therein,
and other tool accessories. For example, a drill height guide 32
for collars 34 may be provided, an additional grinding wheel may be
mounted on the reverse face of the housing 10, and further storage
may be provided for spanners, a water bath, cleaning brushes,
safety glasses, and additional grinding or carborundum finishing
stones. The lid can also be used as a guard for sparks and/or water
when moved to an open or partially open position as shown in FIG. 3
in bold lines and the lid can be moved to a closed position for
transport and/or storage in which the lid periphery 52 contacts the
base periphery 54.
[0035] The housing is illustrated with a tool holder 20 with a
scissor guide 20 and a tool holder 22 with a knife guide both
connected thereto. The tool holders 20, 22 are hingedly connected
to the lower part of the housing 10 so they can each be pivoted
upwards from the out-of-use position as shown in FIG. 1 to an
in-use position as indicated by arrows 24. The tool holders, when
moved to an in use position preferably are angled beyond vertical
towards the housing 10 i.e have passed over centre of the pivot
locations 25, 27 in the in-use position such that gravity biases
the tool holders 20, 22 towards the housing.
[0036] The housing 10 is provided with securing means in the form
of a rotatable catch 26 for each holder which passes through an
aperture 28 in the respective tool holders 20, 22, when the tool
holder is moved to an in-use position. The catch can then be
rotated to the lock the same in position.
[0037] The angled recess or notch 16 acts as another tool holder to
allow a collar or bit holder 34 to be positioned therein, and hence
positioning the drill bit in the collar for sharpening against the
grinding wheel 12. Alternatively the drill bit or other tools can
be positioned in the recess 16 directly.
[0038] An access port 46 is also provided to allow access to the
grinding wheel 12 to sharpen and/or tidy up other tools, especially
those with flat narrow edges such as screwdrivers.
[0039] Referring to FIG. 2, there is illustrated the sharpening
apparatus mounted directly on a supporting surface 38 rather than a
base or tray, and with one of the tool holders, in this case the
one with the scissor guide 20 in an in-use position. The scissor
guide is secured in position by rotating the catch 26 which passes
through an aperture in the scissor guide 20.
[0040] In use, for sharpening scissors a user holds one scissor
blade along the angled edge 42 of the scissor guide, such that the
edge of the first scissor blade is in contact with the grinding
wheel 12. With the grinding wheel rotating as indicated by arrow
44, the first scissor blade is positioned on the face 42 at the
correct angle to be sharpened. To allow the full length of the
first blade to be sharpened, the scissor guide includes a recess or
gap 40 in which the pivot part of the scissors sits. As scissor
blades overlap to facilitate the shearing action, without the
recess the overlapping part of the second scissor blade would
prevent the overlapped portion of the first scissor blade from
contacting the grinding wheel.
[0041] Similarly, the tool holder 22 can be pivoted into an in-use
position such that the blade 48 placed thereon against the angled
head 46 of the tool holder are held at the correct angle for
sharpening against the grinding wheel 12 when the tool holder is
moved to the in-use position which is possible even if the tool
holder 20 remains in the in-use position shown. FIG. 3 illustrates
tool holder 22 in the in-use position with blade 49 being sharpened
with the handle 50 being held by the user (not shown) and the lid
11 in position as a guard.
[0042] Protrusions 36 on the face of the tool holder 20, 22
maintain the tool holder in a position above the rotating grinding
wheel 12 so the tool holder themselves are not worn by the
same.
[0043] The location of the tool holders 20, 22 on the housing to be
pivotally movable between the out-of-use and in-use positions
ensures that the same can be accurately located with respect to the
grinding wheel on each occasion of use, especially given the over
centre movement of the same to the in-use position. This is
important as the position of the blades when the respective holders
with respect to the grinding wheel needs to be correct in order to
ensure that the grinding action on the blade edge actually acts to
sharpen the same rather than damage the blade edge, which is what
can occur if the blade edge is not correctly positioned.
[0044] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that
the present invention also includes further additional
modifications made to the method which does not effect the overall
functioning of the method, such as the provision of decoration to
provide improved aesthetic appearance, and/or the like.
* * * * *