Patent ID: 8661692
Filing Date: 2014-03-04
Classification: B26B

Abstract:
1. A split blade housing adapted to support an annular knife blade for rotation in a power operated rotary knife, the split blade housing comprising: a mounting section and an body section extending from the mounting section forming a ring, the mounting section adapted to be mounted to a handle assembly of the rotary knife and includes a recess extending radially through the mounting section, the recess defining a region of reduced axial height with respect to an upper surface of the mounting section and providing clearance for a pinion gear that extends from the handle assembly to engage and drive the knife blade; an annular groove in the housing for rotatably supporting the knife blade, the groove defining a rotational plane of the knife blade; the mounting section including a split defining first and second end portions adjacent the split to facilitate removal of the knife blade from the housing by moving the first end portion circumferentially away from the second end portion to expand a diameter of the split blade housing, the split located within a section of reduced axial height with respect to the upper surface of the mounting section, the reduced axial height section being adjacent to the recess region of reduced axial height and peripherally offset from a midpoint of the mounting section recess; and wherein the split is peripherally offset from the horizontal midpoint of the recess of the mounting section and transverse with respect to a center vertical axis of the blade housing, wherein a direction of the split moving axially from an upper end of the split to a lower end of the split, the lower end of the split being closer to a cutting edge of the knife blade, forms an acute angle with respect to the rotational plane defined by the groove; and a component of a direction of the split when viewed from the upper end of the split to the lower end of the split is the same direction as a tangential component of a direction of rotation of the knife blade at the split.