Abstract: A method and apparatus for causing attrition to an outer surface of a food product to provide a removed portion of the food product and a remainder of the food product. In a first aspect, an abrasive stream contacts the outer surface of the food product, thereby separating at least a portion of the outer surface of the food product from the remainder of the food product to provide the removed portion of the food product. In a second aspect, the apparatus includes a product positioner to position the food product in an attrition zone and a nozzle for discharging the abrasive stream into contact with the food product in the attrition zone. The abrasive stream can be food grade and can include a food grade fluid and a food grade abrasive, for example, air and salt, respectively.

Abstract: A skate blade sharpening system includes a chassis having a slot for receiving a skate blade, and a skate blade retention mechanism for retaining the skate blade in a sharpening position. The skate blade retention mechanism includes an actuator and a pair of jaws on respective sides of the slot, the jaws being coupled to the actuator and configured for symmetrical opening and closing movements about a centerline of the skate blade. The jaws are secured to the chassis by guide blocks extending though corresponding guide slots of the jaws. The guide blocks have respective angled surfaces contacting corresponding angled surfaces of the jaws permitting the jaws to slide on the guide blocks when the jaws are open. The angled surfaces are oriented in a manner urging the jaws upward against a surface referenced to the chassis as the jaws are urged to a closed position by the actuator.

Abstract: A skate squaring device includes a main frame having a slot to receive a skate blade. The main frame is designed to attach to a portion of a skate sharpening fixture such that calibration lines on the main frame are perpendicular to a centerline axis of a body of the skate blade when mounted in the holder. A magnetic angle is attached to the end of the skate blade and positioned adjacent a face of the main frame having the calibration lines to determine if the skate blade edge is square.

Abstract: A skate sharpening holder includes an anvil plate surface that is adapted to engage with a skate blade so that the skate blade is securely held with respect to the anvil during skate sharpening or contouring. The anvil plate surface can include pins or openings that would engage with respective openings or pins in a skate blade to hold the skate blade in place.

Abstract: A skate sharpening holder includes an anvil plate surface that is adapted to engage with a skate blade so that the skate blade is securely held with respect to the anvil during skate sharpening or contouring. The anvil plate surface can include pins or openings that would engage with respective openings or pins in a skate blade to hold the skate blade in place.

Abstract: A guide assembly for an ice skate sharpener cooperates with a template of a desired contour of a skate blade to control the relative disposition of a sharpening wheel and a skate blade. The guide assembly comprises a base and a carriage slidably mounted on the base so as to be moveable, relative to said base, along a predefined path. A support is provided for connection to a skateholder. The support is connected to the carriage to permit movement of a skateholder in a direction normal to the path. The support inhibits relative movement between the carriage and a skateholder in a direction parallel to said path. A follower connected between the skateholder and template, control movement of the skateholder in a direction normal to the path as the carriage is moved along said predefined path. The skateholder therefore follow the contour of the template.

Abstract: A skate squaring device includes a main frame having a slot to receive a skate blade. The main frame is designed to attach to a portion of a skate sharpening fixture such that calibration lines on the main frame are perpendicular to a centerline axis of a body of the skate blade when mounted in the holder. A magnetic angle is attached to the end of the skate blade and positioned adjacent a face of the main frame having the calibration lines to determine if the skate blade edge is square.

Abstract: A self-centering skate holder for clamping a skate blade from above and below which maintains the blade at a predetermined height and parallelism. A handle is connected with a cable which is taut and extends around the circumference of the upstanding vertical member. The movements of the cable activate cam levers which rotate cams that move a pair of jaws towards or away from each other. The simultaneous movements of the cams ensure that the jaws move in unison and through a similar distance allowing a skate blade of any thickness to be clamped along the desired centerline. In an alternative mechanism, a tie bar extends between the jaws and is operated by a cam to induce equal and opposite movement of the jaws.

Abstract: A method is for using a skate-grinding device. The method provides an automatic sharpening system (10) that has grip members (14, 16) and a grinding wheel (28). A blade (18) of a skate (20) is inserted into a groove (19). The system is turned on. A motor (44) rotates the grinding wheel (28) and automatically moves the grinding wheel (28) within the groove to grind the blade (18). An electronic unit (86) measures a time the system (10) is used. A user of the system (10) is charged for the time measured by the electronic unit (86).

Abstract: A polishing apparatus that employs a polishing media retention arrangement to prevent slippage or wrinkles in the polishing media during polishing. The polishing media is drawn against a support surface by a vacuum applied between the polishing media and the support surface. Also, a porous layer may be placed between the polishing media and the support surface to form dimples in the polishing media upon the application of vacuum. An alternative arrangement draws the polishing media against a carrier and the substrate to be polished.

Abstract: A processing jig comprises: a main body to be fixed to a processing apparatus; a retainer that is long in one direction for retaining a bar as an object long in one direction; four couplers for coupling the retainer to the main body; three load application sections, coupled to the retainer, to each of which a load is applied for deforming the retainer; and three arms for coupling the load application sections to the retainer. The retainer has a beam structure that is bent with an application of external force. A bar fixing section to which the bar is fixed is provided at a lower end of the retainer. Both ends of the retainer are not coupled to the main body but left open.

Abstract: A skate sharpening apparatus includes a skate blade holding device, the skate blade sharpening device having a horizontally mounted sharpening wheel which is rotatably driven, and wherein the skate holding device has first and second jaws for contacting opposite sides of a skate blade. First and second pivot arms each having first and second ends with the pivot arms being mounted intermediate the first and second ends are arranged such that the first ends of each of the arms are connected to the first and second jaws respectively. A linearly moveable actuator moves second ends of each of said first and second pivot arms, the linearly moveable actuator causing each of the pivot arms to move an equal distance and therefore move each of the jaws in equal distance, with a center line of the linearly moveable actuator lying in the same plane as a center line extending through a skate blade held between the jaws and a center line extending through the sharpening wheel.

Abstract: A device and method for contouring and sharpening an ice skate blade. The device uses a fixture for holding the ice skate. The fixture employs retractable depending cam rollers to be guided by cam templates recessed into the top surface of the table of the machine. The cam templates are coverable when not in use, thus increasing the usefulness of the top surface of the table. The grinding wheel is movable into and away from the fixture. One of the cam rollers is mounted to an eccentric wheel for pitching the ice skate blade in relation to the grinding wheel. The method comprises the steps of clamping a skate into the fixture, retractably depending or lowering the cam rollers to engage the cam templates in the table of the machine, adjusting the cam roller by operating the eccentric to achieve the desired pitch, moving the grinding wheel to the fixture holding the ice skate and contouring or sharpening the ice skate.

Abstract: A compact, hand-held tool for safely deburring the edges of a skate blade. The tool utilizes a pair of resiliently biased deburring surfaces which are movable between an open position and a closed position. The deburring surfaces are resiliently biased in the open position by a biasing means such as a leaf spring. In the open position, any size or shape skate blade can be readily inserted between the deburring surfaces. A user can apply pressure between his/her thumb and fingers to engage the deburring surfaces against the skate blade edges. The width of the skate blade determines the extent of the closed position. In the closed position the tool can be manipulated back and forth along the length of the skate blade to simultaneously deburr both edges.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for sharpening skate blades operate by measuring the length of a skate blade, determining a predetermined profile corresponding to a desired radius of curvature for the blade, and coordinating the motion of a grinding wheel and the blade to grind the blade according to the predetermined profile. A grinding force is applied by the grinding wheel against the blade using a stepper motor coupled through a screw drive, thereby not allowing the grinding wheel to chatter or bounce against the blade. In addition, the blade is clamped end-to-end by a clamping assembly that also determines the length of the blade via the position of the clamp.

Abstract: A device for accurately locating the blade of a skate mounted in a skate holder so that it may be ground correctly. The device includes a base block mounted to a base of a skate sharpener, a lever pivotally mounted to the block, the block having a blade contacting surface which is substantially perpendicular to the sharpener base, a deflection gauge for measuring the deflection of the lever from a neutral position. A pivotal axis of the lever is parallel to a plane through grinder wheel and parallel to the sharpener base.