Blade Sharpener

Abstract

A device for sharpening lawnmower and sod cutting blades is provided. The blade sharpener provides a rotatable blade bed that can be used to safely adjust the grinding attack angle without exposing the operator to the moving grinding wheel. The blade bed of the present invention can be quickly adjusted over a range of different sharpening angles and is adapted for honing both right and left-sided blades.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention pertains to a device for sharpening blades, particularly blades for residential and commercial lawn mowers, sod cutters, and the like. The blade sharpener of the present invention provides a rotatable blade bed that that can quickly be adjusted over a range of different sharpening angles, which allows greater efficiency in sharpening multiple blades of varying honing angles. The blade sharpener of the present invention is also adapted for honing both right-side and left-side blades with only a simple adjustment to the blade bed base and the grinder yoke.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]There are numerous examples of blade grinders in the prior art. However, there is not a sharpening device that can quickly and easily accommodate a variety of blade sharpening angles while also allowing easy adaption between right and left-sided blades. The advantage of the present invention is that one single sharpening device can now be used across a wide r...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0003]Prior art devices generally combine rotational sharpening functions around a single point. This is an impractical approach to repetitive sharpening operations of differing blades because, the device is generally unwieldy to adjust due to the difficulty of isolating one axis for rotational adjustment while the other axes are moving. In addition, prior art devices fail to accommodate for right and left-side blade interoperability with blades of varying honing angles. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 9,102,031, issued to Page, a sharpening device is disclosed that suffers from these disadvantages. The Page device has a 3-way pivot point located above an unmoving blade bed. The device is inadequate for repetitive sharpening of blades with varying honing angles because of the difficulty in adjusting the rotational attack of the grinder relative to the honing surface of the blade. Further, the device does not easily operate between set angles of grinding, which is a necessary feature for efficient blade sharpening operations. In addition, the immovable blade bed of Page cannot accommodate both right and left-sided blades.

[0004]Other prior art devices suffer similar disadvantages. U.S. Pat. No. 7,967,666 to Messner discloses a blade sharpening apparatus with a pivot connector where the grinder itself is rotated around an axis perpendicular to the blade length. The Messner device also allows translational movement along the blade length but it does not allow for easy relocation of the grinder away from the blade surface for the purpose of interchanging blades. Further, the Messner device is unable to easily accommodate both right and left-sided blades.

[0005]U.S. Pat. No. 7,918,715 to Clark et al. discloses a device that can sharpen both clockwise and counterclockwise blades (right and left-sided blades) by rotating the blade bed a full 180 degrees. However, the blade bed is not otherwise adjustable for accepting blades of various hone angles. In order to process blades of varying angles, an operator of the Clark device must make careful adjustments to the attack angle of the grinder. Again, this is a cumbersome approach for repetitive sharpening operations.

[0006]U.S. Pat. No. 6,761,623 to Baker discloses a blade sharpening device that sharpens blades at a predetermined angle. The Baker device has a means of blade support that allows for the proper positioning of the blade with respect to the sharpening mechanism so as to generate the correct sharpening angle for the sharpening of the blade. However, the device cannot accommodate the simple interchange of right and left-sided blades. Furthermore, adjustment of the honing angle is cumbersome, with a hand operated crank set forth as the preferred method for rotating the blade bed. The Baker invention does not provide for rapid adjustment of blade angles as now provided by the present invention.

[0007]It is a feature of the present invention to provide a blade sharpener that can accommodate rapid and easy adjustment of the sharpening angle through an easily adjustable blade bed.

[0008]It is still another feature of the present invention to provide a blade sharpener that has a grinding apparatus that is freely moveable in a wide range of motion while locking the attack grinding angle.

Problems solved by technology

However, there is not a sharpening device that can quickly and easily accommodate a variety of blade sharpening angles while also allowing easy adaption between right and left-sided blades.

This is an impractical approach to repetitive sharpening operations of differing blades because, the device is generally unwieldy to adjust due to the difficulty of isolating one axis for rotational adjustment while the other axes are moving.

In addition, prior art devices fail to accommodate for right and left-side blade interoperability with blades of varying honing angles.

The device is inadequate for repetitive sharpening of blades with varying honing angles because of the difficulty in adjusting the rotational attack of the grinder relative to the honing surface of the blade.

Further, the device does not easily operate between set angles of grinding, which is a necessary feature for efficient blade sharpening operations.

In addition, the immovable blade bed of Page cannot accommodate both right and left-sided blades.

Other prior art devices suffer similar disadvantages.

The Messner device also allows translational movement along the blade length but it does not allow for easy relocation of the grinder away from the blade surface for the purpose of interchanging blades.

Further, the Messner device is unable to easily accommodate both right and left-sided blades.

However, the blade bed is not otherwise adjustable for accepting blades of various hone angles.

Again, this is a cumbersome approach for repetitive sharpening operations.

However, the device cannot accommodate the simple interchange of right and left-sided blades.

Furthermore, adjustment of the honing angle is cumbersome, with a hand operated crank set forth as the preferred method for rotating the blade bed.

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