Abstract: Apparatus and method for sharpening cutting tools. In accordance with some embodiments, an abrasive medium is presented adjacent a guide housing. The guide housing includes a guide slot to facilitate presentation of a magnetically permeable tool against the abrasive medium. A magnet positioned adjacent the guide slot exerts a biasing force upon the tool that both draws the first tool against a guide surface of the guide slot and draws the tool into the guide slot along the guide surface to hold the tool at a neutral position at which a cutting edge of the first tool applies a contacting force against the abrasive medium.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for sharpening a tool. In accordance with some embodiments, a selected side surface of the tool is placed in contacting engagement against an upper reverse sharpening guide surface that faces an abrasive surface extending along a first plane. The upper reverse sharpening guide surface is aligned along a second plane that intersects the first plane at an acute angle. A tool cutting edge contactingly engages a non-abrasive support surface disposed between the upper reverse sharpening guide surface and the abrasive surface to establish a plunge depth of the tool prior to contact with the abrasive surface. The tool is thereafter moved away from the upper reverse sharpening guide in a lateral direction across the abrasive surface while nominally maintaining the tool at the acute angle to sharpen the cutting edge in a trailing cutting edge orientation.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated method for sharpening a cutting edge of a tool. In accordance with some embodiments, a side of the tool is placed in contacting engagement against a reverse sharpening guide surface to orient the tool at an acute angle with respect to an abrasive surface, with the abrasive surface extending in a lateral direction from a first end to a second end and the reverse sharpening guide surface located proximate the first end. The tool is moved away from the reverse sharpening guide surface and along the abrasive surface in the lateral direction toward the second end while nominally maintaining the tool at the acute angle so that a cutting edge of the tool is sharpened against the abrasive surface in a trailing cutting edge orientation with a top surface of the tool opposite the cutting edge maintained closer to the second end than the cutting edge.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to an apparatus for sharpening a cutting tool. A tensioner assembly applies a biasing force to a roller to maintain a selected tension in a belt and to facilitate translational displacement of the roller during deflection of the belt. In some embodiments, the tensioner assembly includes a shaft with an L-shaped groove with an elongated portion and an offset portion to facilitate transition of the roller between an extended position and a retracted position. In related embodiments, the tensioner assembly comprises a shaft with an elongated groove to facilitate tracking alignment of the belt on the roller. In further related embodiments, a guide housing is provided adjacent an abrasive medium with a guide slot and magnet to facilitate presentation of a cutting tool against the abrasive medium.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for sharpening a cutting tool. In some embodiments, an abrasive endless belt is rotated in tension along a neutral plane between spaced apart first and second rollers. A guide assembly has spaced apart first and second guide surfaces which collectively converge to an intervening base surface to form a guide channel. Upon insertion of a blade of a cutting tool into the guide channel, a selected side of the blade contactingly slides against at least a selected one of the first or second guide surfaces and a first portion of a cutting edge of the blade contactingly engages the base surface to serve as a plunge depth limit stop for the blade. The endless belt is contactingly deflected by a second portion of the cutting edge away from the neutral plane to sharpen the second portion while the first portion remains in contact with the base surface.

Abstract: Method (300) and apparatus (100) for sharpening a cutting tool (114, 132, 204, 210, 216). A flexible abrasive belt (116, 116A, 116B, 162, 172) with a selected linear stiffness and an abrasive surface (128A, 128B) of selected abrasiveness level is driven (304) in a selected direction along a selected plane between a first support (122) and a second support (118). In some embodiments, the cutting tool is presented (306, 308) in contacting engagement against the abrasive surface to induce torsion of the belt (140, 144, 148) out of the selected plane to conform to a cutting edge (138, 168, 178, 207, 208, 213, 214, 215) of the cutting tool. In further embodiments, presentation of the cutting tool against the abrasive surface of the belt (306, 308) induces bending of the belt out of said selected plane at a radius of curvature (169, 179) determined in relation to said linear stiffness to shape a side surface (164, 166, 174, 176) of the cutting tool with said radius of curvature.

Abstract: A tool sharpening assembly suitable for sharpening cutting tools. In accordance with some embodiments, the apparatus has a rotatable abrasive surface, and a tool support structure which contactingly supports a body portion of a tool while a cutting surface of the tool is presented against the abrasive surface during a sharpening operation. A cooling mechanism operates to reduce a temperature of the tool.

Abstract: A tool sharpening assembly (100) suitable for sharpening cutting tools (140,350,366,546,562). In some embodiments, a wedge-shaped port is formed between a rotational first abrasive surface (160,262) and a stationary second abrasive surface (162,264) to sharpen a distal cutting edge (146) of a cutting tool (140,230,546). In other embodiments, a cooling mechanism (136,326,330,334,338) actively draws heat generated during a sharpening operation from a tool (140) and through a tool support structure (170,234,328,332) contactingly supporting the tool, in further embodiments, a rotatable abrasive slotted disc (364) comprises at least one inspection aperture (372) formed from an interior sidewall (390) with upper and lower leading and trailing edges (396,398,400,402) of non-uniform separation distance. In other embodiments, a cylindrical drum abrasive member (572) is provided with an associated stationary support plate (574).

Abstract: Apparatus and method for sharpening a tool, such as a chisel. A sharpening guide applies a clamping force to secure the tool and advances a beveled leading edge surface of the secured tool against an abrasive surface to sharpen a cutting edge while the guide is in an upright orientation. An alignment plate nestingly receives the guide in an inverted orientation to align the tool prior to sharpening. During alignment, a back surface of the tool slidingly contacts an upper plate surface and the cutting edge contactingly abuts an alignment feature which projects from the plate surface. In some embodiments, the alignment feature comprises a removable alignment pin selectively insertable into a plurality of spaced apart apertures, each providing a final bevel angle for the sharpened tool.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for sharpening a workpiece, such as a cutting tool. An abrasive disc is rotatable about a disc rotational axis and includes a plurality of spaced apart, radially disposed apertures extending therethrough from a first surface to an opposing second surface of the disc. The first surface is configured to facilitate sharpening of a workpiece by contacting engagement of the workpiece against an abrasive layer adjacent the first surface between adjacent first and second apertures of said plurality. The first surface further induces controlled axial displacement of the workpiece away from the disc as the second aperture approaches the workpiece during disc rotation. The first surface is preferably concave so as to extend into the disc between each adjacent pair of the apertures. Alternatively, the first surface is provided with different compressibilities to induce the controlled axial displacement of the workpiece.

Abstract: Method (300) and apparatus (100) for sharpening a cutting tool (114, 132, 204, 210, 216). A flexible abrasive belt (116, 116A, 116B, 162, 172) with a selected linear stiffness and an abrasive surface (128A, 128B) of selected abrasiveness level is driven (304) in a selected direction along a selected plane between a first support (122) and a second support (118). In some embodiments, the cutting tool is presented (306, 308) in contacting engagement against the abrasive surface to induce torsion of the belt (140, 144, 148) out of the selected plane to conform to a cutting edge (138, 168,178,207, 208, 213, 214, 215) of the cutting tool. In further embodiments, presentation of the cutting tool against the abrasive surface of the belt (306, 308) induces bending of the belt out of said selected plane at a radius of curvature (169, 179) determined in relation to said linear stiffness to shape a side surface (164, 166, 174, 176) of the cutting tool with said radius of curvature.

Abstract: Apparatus for manipulating an article, such as a cutting tool. A moveable jaw member includes first and second inclined surfaces, with the second inclined surface being substantially parallel to the first inclined surface and non-parallel to a central axis. A support structure provides stationary first and second guide surfaces along which the respective first and second inclined surfaces contactingly move. This maintains the jaw member in a selected angular alignment with the central axis as the jaw member advances in a direction orthogonal to the central axis to engage a side of the article. A second jaw member is preferably provided so that the article is clamped between the first and second jaw members. A spring preferably biases the jaw members apart and resists inward movement thereof. A base surface advances along the central axis to contactingly advance and retract the jaw member(s).

Abstract: Apparatus and method for sharpening a workpiece, such as a cutting tool. An abrasive disc is rotatable about a disc rotational axis and includes a plurality of spaced apart, radially disposed apertures extending therethrough from a first surface to an opposing second surface of the disc. The first surface is configured to facilitate sharpening of a workpiece by contacting engagement of the workpiece against an abrasive layer adjacent the first surface between adjacent first and second apertures of said plurality. The first surface further induces controlled axial displacement of the workpiece away from the disc as the second aperture approaches the workpiece during disc rotation. The first surface is preferably concave so as to extend into the disc between each adjacent pair of the apertures. Alternatively, the first surface is provided with different compressibilities to induce the controlled axial displacement of the workpiece.

Abstract: A tool sharpening assembly (100) suitable for sharpening cutting tools (140,350,366,546,562). In some embodiments, a wedge-shaped port is formed between a rotational first abrasive surface (160,262) and a stationary second abrasive surface (162,264) to sharpen a distal cutting edge (146) of a cutting tool (140,230,546). In other embodiments, a cooling mechanism (136,326,330,334,338) actively draws heat generated during a sharpening operation from a tool (140) and through a tool support structure (170,234,328,332) contactingly supporting the tool, in further embodiments, a rotatable abrasive slotted disc (364) comprises at least one inspection aperture (372) formed from an interior sidewall (390) with upper and lower leading and trailing edges (396,398,400,402) of non-uniform separation distance. In other embodiments, a cylindrical drum abrasive member (572) is provided with an associated stationary support plate (574).

Abstract: Method and apparatus for facilitating sharpening of a tool. A tool holder is provided to present the tool for sharpening against an abrasive member, such as a grinding wheel. A moveable jaw member preferably engages a side of the tool to align the tool with a reference axis. The jaw member preferably supports an alignment finger which moves with the jaw member and which contactingly engages the tool to establish a desired angular orientation of the tool with respect to said axis. The tool preferably includes a flute surface and a cutting edge, and the alignment finger contacts the flute surface adjacent said cutting edge. The alignment finger is further preferably configured so that a distal end thereof is initially adjusted against the abrasive member, such as by a grinding operation, while the alignment member contactingly supports the tool.