Improvements in Cutlery Grinding Machines.
Year: 1897

page_text: of Westchester and State of New York, United States of America.
Improvements in Cutlery Grinding Machines.
1, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention is to provide a grinding machine for knives, scissors
and other articles of cutlery and similar things, whereby a considerable number
of such things can be treated rapidly and effectively, instead of requiring the
individual treatment under hand guidance, as has heretofore been the case.
Grind-
stones driven by power have been heretofore employed, the operative holding the
tool to be sharpened or ground against the grinding surface. Sharpening machines,
wherein a number of knives may be sharpened, have also been employed.
The problems of grinding and polishing and of simple sharpening are quite
distinct from each other and need quite different mechanism and adaptation of
means to the desired end. This arises from the fact that in sharpening the blade
of a knife, chisel, scissors or other tool, only the edge on one or both sides has
to be treated, while in grinding and polishing, the entire surface has to be reduced
to give the blade the desired configuration and thickness, as well as to prepare its
surface for plating by the electrodeposition of silver or other metal.
My invention, while applicable to the simpler forms of grinding and polishing,
where the thing is to be ground has previously almost acquired its desired shape and
polish, is more particularly intended for the treatment of table knives recently forged.
When such knives come from the forge, they are rough, unsightly and with little or
no sharpness and consequently, are considerably thicker than desired for use. Such
knives, speaking generally, are of two kinds, those in which the blades are too thick,
but already tapered to an approximate edge, and those which are of substantially
uniform thickness. The former have to be uniformly reduced by grinding until the
desired polish and sharpness are secured. The latter have to be reduced more toward
one edge than the other, so as to secure the desired taper to the blade, both from the
rear to the front edge and from the handle to the tip.
All this grinding, however, is practically level, as compared with the surface of the
grinder, so that the difference in the mechanical operation consists in the means for
presenting and sustaining the article to be ground and not in the angle of presentation.
In simple sharpening, on the other hand, the angle of presentation becomes the
important feature.
I accomplish these objects by constructing a grinding machine which has a properly
supported revolving grinder which may be of a width the full length of the blade to
be ground or less, if desired. In some cases, there is an advantage in having it of
greater width than said length. It contains, of course, proper mechanism for
imparting the desired revolution to said grinder, and in the case of a narrow grinder,
means for reciprocating or oscillating said grinder laterally, so that every portion of
the surface to be ground may be reached. In table knives, the blade generally rounds

page_text: out toward the bolster ; and it is therefore desirable to have the edges of the grinder
correspondingly round. This grinding machine is also supplied with mechanism for
moistening the grinder and the knives; and the latter are carried on a transversely
channelled travelling bed, which is moved by suitable mechanism under the grinder
continuously or intermittently, according to the character of the grinding surface.
Where the grinder is of full width, the motion of the bed may be continuous, as the
whole surface of the knife blade is acted on at once and no lateral motion of the
grinder is necessary. Where the grinding surface is less than full width, lateral
motion becomes necessary and the motion of the travelling bed is therefore
intermittent.
If the problem were simply that of sharpening, the successive knife blades might be
rigidly held at the desired angle; but as the problem involves the reduction to a
predetermined point of irregularly roughened surfaces, the knife blades cannot be
rigidly presented, but must have a sufficient yielding pressure to enable the grinder
to accommodate itself to the varying conditions presented by the successive knives or
the successive portions of the same knife.
In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated two conveniont ways of
imparting this yielding pressure to the knife blade and have shown the machine
as mechanically adapted to the grinding of table knives. The principles therein
illustrated can readily be applied to the treatment of scissors, chisels and other
tools which have to be ground and polished, without departing from the spirit of
my invention.
Figure 1 is a top plan.
Figure 2 is a side elevation.
Figure 3 is an end view.
Figure 4 is an enlarged detail of the knife, as arranged in the travelling bed.
Figure 5 is a section on line y-y of Figure 4.
Figure 6 is a section on line - of Figure 5.
Figures 7, 8, 9 and 10 show different forms of the knife clamping device.
Figure 11 is a perspective view of part of the travelling bed.
Figures 12 and 13 illustrate a modification of the way of clamping the knives.
Same letters indicate similar parts in the different figures.
on
A is the frame of the machine. B is the travelling bed adapted to move
the tracks a a under the operation of the worm shaft b. C is the driving pulley
operated by belting from a source of power not shown. This pulley is mounted
on the driving shaft c, which carries the bevelled gear d and is journalled in the
framework. This gear meshes with the bevelled gear d', which is mounted on the
worm shaft b also journalled in the framework, and operating the travelling bed B,
as before stated.
This travelling bed is provided with a series of transverse channels D separated
from each other by the partitions e-e and preferably, simply straight channels
somewhat wider than the knife blade, which is to be inserted therein. E-E show
a series of table knives of ordinary construction inserted in the machine ready to
be ground and polished. G is the grindstone provided with the usual cover F,
(see Figure 2), and mounted on the arms by the shaft g. Revolution is
imparted to this grindstone through the pulleys -, (see Figure 3), on the ends
of the shaft g, the same being connected by belting with a source of power not
shown. The arms f- and through them the grindstone are supported by the
frame H secured to the framework of the machine A and preferably, in such
manner, that they may be caused to travel laterally, when desired.
The means
which I have shown for this purpose are the worm screw journalled in the
framework H and turned by the handle K, said worm screw being threaded through
the block L, to which said arms ff are rigidly attached.
a
The block and with it, the grindstone, may be raised and lowered, if desired
by the hand wheel M, in any usual and convenient manner, such as the worm
screw m, (see Figure 3), which is threaded through a suitable bearing not shown
in the frame H.

page_text: As before stated, the edges of the grindstone G are preferably rounded off to adapt
it to grind the portion of the blade next the bolster.
N is a pump, by means of which a water spray, (see Figure 3), may be
discharged through the pipen and spraying device P upon the blades being
ground immediately behind the grindstone. This situation of the spraying device
enables the operator to keep the machine from getting clogged by the particles
of emery dust formed during the grinding process.
As before stated, the knives should be inserted in the channels D and held therein
in such a way as to present a substantially level grinding surface to the grinder and
yet have a sufficient power of yielding to enable the grinding to adapt itself to the
different kinds of work required. The details of two forms of such yielding support
will now be described.
I have found that the most effective way of placing the knives in the channels
is to have the knives attached to a spring cushioned chuck of suitable size and
shape before they are put in the channel, so that the knife and its corresponding
chuck may be placed in and removed from the channel as a unit. In this construc-
tion, the chuck R, (see Figure 4), is a piece of wood, metal or other suitable
inaterial of about the length and width of the channel and so adapted in its height
at various portions that the knife blade will project above the partitions e-e the
required distance for satisfactory grinding and polishing. This chuck is hollowed
out at one end, as shown at r, (Figure 10), so as to receive the bolsters,
(Figure 4), of the knife handle and is provided with a clamp t secured thereto by
the removable screw v, (Figure 9), or bolt and nut ww¹. (Figure 10). It will
be readily seen that by turning the clamp t over the bolster of the knife handle,
the knife may be firmly secured to the spring cushioned chuck R without affecting
the natural springiness of the blade. Further not to interfere with the natural
springiness of the blade, the surface of the chuck is hollowed out, as shown at o,
(Figure 4).
As before stated, that portion of the upper surface of the chuck, on which the
blade is to rest, must be adapted to conform to the various thicknesses of the knife
blade. The blade being thinner toward the tip than toward the bolster, it follows
that the surface of the chuck must approach the top of the partitions dividing the
channels more closely at the inner than at the outer end. As the back of the blade is
thicker at all points than the edge, it follows that the surface of the chuck on the
corresponding side should be lower than on the knife edge side. This is true whether
the chuck is to be used for a knife blade which is already shaped or one of uniform
thickness which requires to be shaped in the grinding. The divergence of lines is
clearly shown in Figures 5 and 6, the right hand channel in the latter figure containing
a knife and the left hand one, not, the side for the knife edge and the top of the wall for
the back of the blade being substantially on the same level.
The under side of the chuck is hollowed out, as shown in Figure 6, so as to receive
a spring cushion, by means of which the upper surface of the knife blade is held up
against the grinder with a yielding pressure driven from the bottom of the channel.
This spring cushion may be a block of rubber, T, (Figure 6), or a spiral spring or any
other convenient form of spring cushion. The sides of the chuck e may be slotted, as
shown at t', (Figure 7), and a metal block T provided below the cushion with pins t²
engaging with said slot, or the cushion may be connected with the chuck in some
other convenient manner.
The clamping device before described may, if desired, be detachably connected with
the chuck, as shown in Figures 5, 7, 8 and 9, instead of rigidly attached by means of
the screws t³ ³. A rigid attachment, however, will ordinarily be sufficient, as the
chuck can readily be made strong enough not to break at that point. It will be readily
seen that by associating the knife and the spring cushioned chuck together before
putting them in the machine, the time of changing knives is diminished to the time
necessary to pull one knife out and to thrust another knife into the channel.
A simpler form of chuck, but one which is not designed for attachment to the knife
before insertion in the machine, is shown in Figures 12 and 13. The chuck R' is a

page_text: simple piece of wood, metal or other suitable material properly shaped on its upper
surface to meet the requirements of grinding, as before explained, and is of proper
length and width to slip into the channel, where it rests upon the spring cushion,
which, in this case, is not necessarily attached to the chuck, but rests upon the bottom
of the channel. The cushion might be dispensed with, but the work would not be as
satisfactory, either in result or in time consumed. In this simpler form of chuck, the
chuck remains in the channel and the knife only is removed and replaced; and I
therefore provide an individual clamp for each knife, which secures the handle to
the bed itself instead of to the chuck.
W, (Figure 11), is a retaining bar which partially covers or closes the open ends of
the channels D at both ends and serves the double purpose of preventing the chucks
from working out of the channels in operation and of strengthening the partitions.
This bar preferably leaves an open space below it for the water and grit to work ont
of the channels and does not reach the top of the partition, as a certain space is
necessary for the up and down play of the chuck and to allow for the thickness of the
knifo handle.
Although, for the sake of clearness, the knives are shown in the drawing with
their handles projecting all one way, it is evident that the knife will be inserted
from the right or left side, according to the side of the blade which is to be ground.
Economy in grinding can be effected by arranging the knives in pairs, so that the
right and left sides of adjacent knives are ground simultaneously.
An advantage of having the grindstone oscillate during its revolution is found in the
better finish of the knife, as such oscillation smooths out the marks which would be
left by straight grinding.
In grinding, the knives should be so placed that the grinding takes place from the
edge to the back. The back of the blade, therefore, should be supported against the
tendency of the pressure from the grindstone to force it out of line. I therefore
provide a shoulder q, (Figure 6), on that side of the chuck, against which the back of
the blade
If this shoulder is omitted, the knife will have to be placed upon
the chuck in such a way that the back will be supported laterally by the partition
between the channels.
may rest.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A grinding machine for knives, cutlery and similar articles, which consists of a
revolving grinder, mechanism for imparting revolution thereto and mechanism for
supplying moisture thereto, a transversely channelled travelling bed, spring cushioned
chucks inserted in said channels adapted to receive and support the articles to be
ground in such way as to present a full grinding surface to said grinder, and
machanism for feeding said bed under said grinder, substantially as and for the
purposes specified.
2. A grinding machine for knives, cutlery and similar articles, which consists of a
revolving grinder, mechanism for imparting revolution thereto and mechanism for
supplying moisture thereto, a transversely channelled travelling bed, spring cushioned
chucks suitably fitted to the shape of the blade of the article to be ground and adapted
to be secured to said article and to be inserted in said channels and to hold said
article therein in such way as to present a full grinding surface thereof to said
grinder, and mechanism for feeding said bed under said grinder, substantially as and
for the purposes specified.
3. In a knife grinding machine, a spring cushioned chuck provided with devices
for securing the article to be ground thereto and provided with a level surface for
supporting the edge of the article to be ground and a shoulder, against which the
back of the blade is supported and with the upper surface of said chuck hollowed out
below said shoulder, so as to present a tapering surface lengthwise of said chuck,
substantially as and for the purposes specified.
4. In a knife grinding machine, a spring cushioned chuck provided with devices

page_text: for securing the article to be ground thereto and the top of which is hollowed out
to receive a portion of the blade of the article to be ground in sach way as to taper
at one edge from tip to bolster and form a wall, against which the back of the blade
can rest, the surface of said chuck on each side of said hollow being substantially at
the same level, substantially as described and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 19th day of January 1897.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.