Scissors sharpener

A pair of slightly peripherally overlapped and axially spaced rotary grinding members are provided and journalled for rotation about generally parallel axes of rotation. The peripheral portions of the remote axial faces of the grinding members are oppositely bevelled and rotary torque producing structure is provided and drivingly coupled to the grinding members for driving the latter in opposite directions of rotation. Further, structure is provided defining oppositely facing substantially co-planar bearing surfaces on opposite sides of and disposed substantially normal to a plane normal to the axes of rotation of the rotary grinding members and disposed between the overlapped portions of the rotary grinding members. The bearing surfaces are disposed in generally equal chord planes of the rotary grinding members spaced substantially equally from and paralleling the axes of rotation of the rotary grinding members.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Various forms of scissors sharpeners have been heretofore designed. Some 
forms of scissors sharpeners are constructed in a manner enabling only one 
blade of a pair of scissors to be sharpened at a time and other forms of 
scissors sharpeners are constructed in a manner enabling both blades of 
scissors to be sharpened at the same time. In addition, some forms of 
scissors sharpeners are constructed in a manner whereby the blades of 
scissors to be sharpened must be repeatedly manually passed over a 
sharpening device and other forms of scissors sharpeners are constructed 
including motor driven rotary grinding members over which the blades of 
scissors to be sharpened need be passed only two or three times. However, 
there are relatively few powered rotary grinding structures constructed in 
a manner to enable both blades of scissors to be sharpened at the same 
time. In addition, these forms of powered scissors sharpeners are not 
constructed in a manner whereby a pair of scissors to be sharpened may be 
manually manipulated to swing the blades of the scissors together in the 
usual cutting manner while simultaneously passing the blades of the 
scissors over powered rotary grinding members. 
Examples of the above referred to previously known scissors sharpeners 
including some of the general structural features of the instant invention 
are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 537,306, 1,535,395, 1,556,432, 1,963,422 
and 3,755,971. 
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
A pair of rotary grinding members are journalled for rotation about 
generally parallel axes and include slightly overlapped adjacent 
peripheral portions. The remote axial faces of the grinding members 
include oppositely bevelled peripheral portions and the rotary grinding 
members are driven in opposite directions of rotation. 
The main object of this invention is to provide a sharpener for scissors of 
the motor driven type and constructed in a manner whereby both blades of a 
pair of scissors may be simultaneously sharpened. 
Another object of this invention is to provide a scissors sharpener 
constructed in a manner whereby scissors to be sharpened may be gripped in 
the usual manner and passed longitudinally over the overlapped peripheral 
portions of the rotary grinding members while pressure is applied to the 
blades of the scissors to swing the latter together. 
Another important object of this invention is to provide a scissors 
sharpener including guide or bearing surfaces positioned for engagement by 
both blades of scissors to be sharpened and operative to define proper 
positioning of the blades of scissors being sharpened relative to the 
rotary grinding members. 
A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to 
provide a scissors sharpener in accordance with the preceding objects and 
which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple 
construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be 
economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in 
operation. 
These together with other objects and advantages which will become 
subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation 
as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to 
the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals 
refer to like parts throughout.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numeral 10 generally 
designates the scissors sharpener of the instant invention. The scissors 
sharpener 10 includes a horizontal base 12 which is generally rectangular 
in plan shape and includes front and rear longitudinal marginal portions 
14 and 16 as well as opposite end marginal portions 18 and 20. The base 12 
includes an upstanding side 22 extending along and projecting upwardly 
from the rear marginal portion 16 and the side 22 supports an electric 
motor 24 and journal block 26 on its forward surface. The motor 24 
includes an upstanding and downwardly projecting rotary output shaft 28 
upon which a small diameter pulley 30 is mounted and an upstanding shaft 
32 is journalled from the journal block 26 and has a large diameter pulley 
34 mounted on its lower end below the block 26 and a small diameter gear 
wheel 36 mounted on its upper end above the journal block 26. 
A second journal block 38 is also supported on the front side of the side 
22 and rotatably journals a pair of parallel upstanding shafts 40 and 42 
therefrom. The lower ends of the shafts 40 and 42 have meshed gear wheels 
44 and 46 mounted thereon and the gear wheel 36 is meshed in driving 
engagement with the gear wheel 44. The upper ends of the shafts 40 and 42 
have a pair of rotary grinding members or wheels 48 and 50 removably 
mounted thereon and the grinding wheels 48 and 50 include adjacent 
overlapped peripheral portions. In addition, the remote axial faces of the 
grinding wheels 48 and 50 include oppositely bevelled peripheral portions 
52 and 54. 
The rear side 22 is provided with a front to rear extending bore 55 and the 
threaded shank portion 56 of a guide block 58 is secured through the bore 
55 in angularly adjusted position therein by means of a threaded hand nut 
60 and thereby supports the guide block 58 in adjusted angular position 
projecting forwardly of the side 22. The guide block 58 includes upper and 
lower forwardly projecting arms 62 and 64 which are vertically spaced 
apart and receive the overlapped portions of the adjacent peripheral 
portions of the grinding wheels 48 and 50 therebetween. The arms 62 and 64 
define substantially co-planar abutments surfaces 66 and 68 at their free 
ends and the surfaces 66 and 68 extend a short distance rearwardly from 
the free ends of the arms 62 and 64 and then twist downwardly and 
upwardly, respectively, away from each other as at 70 and 72. Also, the 
rear side 22 includes an opening 74 formed therethrough below the grinding 
wheels 48 and 50 and in front to rear alignment with the overlapped 
adjacent peripheral portions of the grinding wheels. 
The electric motor 24 is electrically connected to a suitable source (not 
shown) of electrical potential through an adjustable variable speed 
control 76 whereby the speed of rotation of the output shaft 28 and thus 
the grinding wheels 48 and 50 may be varied as desired. The maximum speed 
of rotation of the rotary output shaft 28 determines the gear reduction of 
the drive assembly through which the electric motor 24 is drivingly 
coupled to the shafts 40 and 42, the pulley 30 being drivingly connected 
to the pulley 34 by means of an endless flexible drive member 78. In 
addition, the sharpener 10 may be provided with a shroud enclosing the 
motor 24, the drive train by which the rotary output shaft 28 is drivingly 
coupled to the shafts 40 and 42 and the control 76, except for the control 
knob portion 80 thereof which will be disposed outwardly of the shroud for 
ease of adjustment. 
In operation, a pair of scissors to be sharpened is manually gripped in the 
usual manner and manipulated to spread the blades 82 and 84 thereof apart 
in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings by phantom lines. 
Then, the scissors may be positioned with the blades 82 and 84 engaged 
with the surfaces 66 and 68 and the root ends of the blades 82 and 84 
engaged with the bevelled peripheral axial faces 52 and 54 of the grinding 
wheels 48 and 50. Thereafter, the scissors are manipulated to urge the 
free ends of the blades 82 and 84 together while longitudinally advancing 
the blades 82 and 84 to the right as viewed in FIG. 3 of the drawings. If 
the blades 82 and 84 are long, the free end of the blade 84 will be 
received through the opening 74. Further, if the blades 82 and 84 are 
curved, the surfaces 70 and 72 provide clearance for such curved blades, 
whether the scissors blades be curved to the right or to the left as 
viewed in FIG. 2. 
If it is desired, several passes of the blades 82 and 84 over the bevelled 
peripheral faces 52 and 54 of the grinding wheels 48 and 50 may be made. 
In any event, the sharpener 10 is capable of sharpening conventional 
scissors with straight blades or curved blades and the blades of scissors 
being sharpened may curve either toward the right or toward the left. 
Further, the bevel of the sharpened edges of the blades of the scissors may 
be varied by loosening the hand nut 60, slightly angularly displacing the 
shank portion 56 and then re-tightening the hand nut 60. Also, the double 
journal block 38 may be replaced by a pair of spaced journal blocks, if 
additional clearance is needed for the lower blade being sharpened, or a 
single notched journal block, to straddle opening 74, may be used to 
provide additional blade clearance. Still further, the grinding wheels may 
be replaced by metal cutting wheels, if desired, to perform a bevelling 
operation. 
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the 
invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily 
occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the 
invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and 
accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, 
falling within the scope of the invention.