Abstract: A polishing apparatus is used for polishing a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer to a flat mirror finish. The polishing apparatus includes an enclosing structure having an outer wall and at least one door, a polishing section enclosed by the enclosing structure for polishing a surface of a workpiece by holding the workpiece and pressing the workpiece against a polishing surface of a turntable, a sensor for detecting an opening or closing of the door, and an exhaust system for exhausting ambient air from an interior of the enclosing structure. The polishing apparatus further includes an adjusting mechanism for adjusting an amount of air which is exhausted from the interior of the enclosing structure. The amount of air exhausted from the interior of the enclosing structure is reduced by the adjusting mechanism when the door is closed, and the amount of air exhausted from the interior of the enclosing structure is increased by the adjusting mechanism when the door is opened.

Abstract: A blade sharpener having a magazine slidably carried within a sleeve. The magazine contains two sets of three sharpening wheels carried for rotation within the magazine, which are positioned in a staggered relationship with respect to one another, such that each set of three sharpening wheels forms two sharpening interfaces. Two channels are defined in the magazine and are generally in alignment with each of the two sharpening interfaces. The magazine is movable with respect to the sleeve, and may be selectively fixed in at least three positions relative thereto with a spring-biased pushbutton. For storage or transport, the magazine is moved into the sleeve such that both sets of the sharpening wheels are housed within the sleeve. The magazine of the blade sharpener is also provided with an elongated sharpening rod which is pivotally connected to the magazine, and which is used to sharpen serrated blades.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device for sharpening of knives, which are mounted in the knife ring of a chip cutter and whose cutting edges run essentially parallel to the knife ring axis. Several grinding tools can be run intermittently and simultaneously in the direction of the knife ring axis in order to sharpen individual knives The knife ring stands still during the sharpening and is rotated around its own axis during the pauses between sharpening corresponding to the distribution of the knives over the periphery of the knife ring. Any grinding tool sharpens any knife in such a way that the desired total (amount of) removed grinding material is achieved with the last grinding tool in the peripheral direction of the knife ring.

Abstract: A sharpening apparatus for sharpening blades of tools and other implements such as spatulas and grill scrapers. The sharpening apparatus includes a base member on which a sharpening stone is positioned. A slidable blade guide member is slidably connected to the base member. The slidable blade guide member includes a guide surface that is disposed at an angle relative to the upper surface of the sharpening stone, and a mounting mechanism for removably mounting a spatula against the guide surface such that the scraping edge of the spatula is in engagement with the sharpening stone. The slidable blade guide member is manually slidable back and forth to sharpen the scraping edge of the spatula. A fixed blade guide member is also attached to the base member.

Abstract: An abrasive material contains abrasive particles in the range of 50 to 80% by weight in an olefinic thermalplastic resin system which is based on ethylene copolymer. The material may be incorporated on a substrate structure to be used as a stropping or honing material or may be shaped by an injection molding process or may be injection molded over a rigid insert or molded over a rigid wheel or disk inserted in the mold. The material may be used for polishing and finishing of crystalline materials, ceramics, silicon and semi-conductor wafers.

Abstract: An elastic polishing pad is adhered to a surface of a flat substrate holder of a platen. A substrate holding head which holds and rotates a semiconductor substrate is provided above a first region extending from the central portion to peripheral portion of the polishing pad. The semiconductor substrate rotated by the substrate holding head is pressed against the first region of the polishing pad. A slurry is dropped in a prescribed amount from an abrasive supply pipe onto the polishing pad. Pad pressing means for pressing the polishing pad is provided above a second region extending from the central portion to peripheral portion of the platen. The pad pressing means has a disk-shaped pad pressing plate and a rotary shaft for holding the pad pressing plate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sharpening the knives of a chipper, with the knives remaining in a knife basket during sharpening, and the knife basket being removed from the chipper and placed in a knife basket carrier in which it is rotatably mounted. The knife basket is first locked against rotation, and then a sharpening device, such as a grinding mechanism, is moved in a direction parallel to the knife basket axis along a first knife or group of knives for purposes of sharpening. After sharpening the first knife or group of knives, the knife basket is unlocked and the sharpening device and knife basket are rotated relative to each other, with the sharpening device proceeding to a new working position for sharpening a further knife or group of knives. The above cycle is repeated until all knives have been sharpened. The knife basket is then reinstalled in the chipper.

Abstract: A fixture for controllably holding a blade and particularly a scissor or scissor element for precise sharpening and shaping including hollow grind and clamshell (convex) sharpening. The fixture comprises an articulable holding arm with at least two movable joints and an extension portion swivelly attached to one of the joints. The extension portion terminates in a holding member for the scissor or scissor element which holding member is freely concentrically rotatable relative to the longitudinal extension axis of the extension portion. The holding member comprises a clamping element for holding the scissor element parallel to the longitudinal extension axis. The extension portion further comprises a position adjustable stop to limit rotation of the holding member to provide a precise angular holding of the scissor element relative to an adjacent sharpening element.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for grinding a knife blade to form a sharpened edge. The blade is held in a fixture including a self-centering clamp with a pair of jaws gripping the knife blade by engaging opposite sides of a part of the blade tapered toward an edge location, and holding the blade so that the intended edge location of the blade is in a desired location with respect to the fixture. This permits use of profiled grinding wheels of hard material mounted on a carriage under computer control to grind an edge bevel accurately on each side of the blade, forming a sharp edge.

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 method of sharpening bedknives for reel type mowers by installing sets of locator surfaces in a bedknife grinder, grinding the surfaces with the grinder to be aligned and parallel, installing a bedknife located against surfaces in both sets, and electromagnetically locking the bedknife in position while grinding the edge to be sharpened. The bedknife is adjusted to be aligned with the reel blades by adjusting the bedknife pivots in the mower.

Abstract: The invention is based on the method for the resharpening of knives used in size-reduction machines described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,525,094 in which the knives remain installed in a rotatable knife carrier. With this invention the process has been further developed in so far as the cutting edges S are ground one after another respectively at one stop position of the knife carrier 8 in which the radial ray MS of the cutting circle with the direction mS of the grinding feed v at the knife cutting edges S encloses the clearance angle .phi.. So the invention offers the possibility to choose for the cutting edges any clearance angle matching the properties of the material to be flaked.

Abstract: The invention relates to the resharpening of two-dimensionally acting knife sets in knife rims as they are used for the industrial production of wood flakes from long logs and wood cut to length. Each knife set consists of a knife plate provided with a cutting edge and of several scoring organs whose scoring blades are tightly linked to the knife plate according to the invention. After having advanced all knife sets their resharpening is done in a first phase by means of a grinding drum provided with ring grooves while the knife rim is rotating slowly. In a second grinding phase the cutting edges are touched by the grinding drum which moves slightly in axial direction and for that purpose the knife rim is arrested intermittently. During this phase the residues remaining on the cutting edges and at the scoring organs in the area of the ring grooves are ground off.

Abstract: A device and a method for contouring an ice skate blade. The method comprises the steps of measuring the overall length of the soleplate of the boot and calculating the center point of the soleplate, transferring the center point of the soleplate to the blade and marking the center point of the soleplate onto the blade as the first calibration point. A second and third calibration point, calculated as 25% of the soleplate length are marked from the first calibration point towards the toe and towards the heel of the blade. Toe and heel radius termination points are also marked. The device comprises a measuring tool for measuring the length of the soleplate and having calibration points and radii termination points preset on the device according to the soleplate length. The device therefore eliminates the calculation of all the calibration points and radii termination points each time an ice skate blade is to be contoured.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for sharpening machine tool cutter blades in situ is disclosed. A connector adjustably connects a powered sharpening device to the apparatus. Further adjustment of the apparatus relative to the blades is provided by a body member mounting adjustable arms. One of the arms engages the back of the blade being sharpened, thereby providing a reliable and true reference. A second embodiment sharpens rotary saw blades while a third embodiment sharpens router and shaper bits.

Abstract: A portable grinding machine for grinding the bottom blade or bedknife of grass mowers. The grinding machine includes a rotary grinding wheel assembly arranged for linear motion, where the wheel assembly can adjust along the blade or bedknife and grind them.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for automated honing of elongated straight-edged cutting blades such as those used in the printing and binding industry for the trimming of books or pamphlets and the like, wherein a sharpened blade which has been ground on other equipment is thereafter registered and secured at a predetermined angle upon a moveable blade holder support of the apparatus hereof, which support is then cycled to longitudinally displace so that the blade edge is thereby brought into sequential engagement with progressively finer abrasive surfaces of a longitudinal array of cooperative upper and lower orbitally driven honing heads whereby on a single reciprocated pass therethrough the blade is efficiently finished to a smooth sharp cutting edge. In an alternate embodiment of the apparatus and method hereof it is the honing heads which are longitudinally reciprocated while the blade to be honed is held upon a stationary blade holder support.

Abstract: A sharpening and cleaning apparatus for sharpening scalloped-edged blades in a carton slitting machine includes at least two rotating cylindrical hones mounted on a pneumatically controlled actuator, and a pair of blade cleaning brushes mounted on a separate actuator. A sharpening operation is initiated by a machine operator as needed to maintain blade sharpness, and is performed automatically by the apparatus controls. The hone actuator positions the rotating hones in contact with opposing sides of a cutting edge of the slitting blade as the blade moves past the hones at reduced speed. A first hone is rotated in a direction opposite to the direction of the blade and a second hone is rotated in the same direction of the blade. During sharpening, the hones execute several reciprocating axial movements to stroke the blade. Prior to the operation of the hones the actuator positions the brushes in contact with the blade and causes the brushes to rotate to remove debris from the blade.

Abstract: A sharpener for blades comprises a movable blade-sharpening surface, a stationary blade guide supported closely adjacent the surface, and a movable support for a blade. The support comprises pivotally interconnected first and second links and a blade holder. The first link is pivotably supported at a location fixed with respect to the blade guide, the second link supports the blade holder adjacent a distal end of the second link. The links support the blade holder for movement in first directions toward and away from the blade-sharpening surface, in second directions transverse to the first directions, and in third directions transverse to the first and second directions. The blade holder is pivotably supported on the second link, with the links and pivots being located and ganged to support the blade holder adjacent the blade guide for movement in three substantially mutually perpendicular directions relative to the blade guide and blade-sharpening surface.

Abstract: A sharpening machine for sharpening the cutting edges of instruments, particularly the curved inner cutting edges of dental instruments, to obtain an arbitrary wedge angle. A grinding disk is provided with both a plane surface and a radiused outer edge. A shaft extension extends above the plane of the grinding disk and serves to support the instrument as it is being sharpened. The longitudinal axis of the instrument is displaced away from the axis of rotation of the shaft extension by an offset one-half distance equal to the diameter of the shaft extension thereby determining an offset angle of the longitudinal axis of the instrument with respect to the grinding disk and thus the wedge angle of sharpening of the curved inner edge of the instrument. In order to facilitate the sharpening of the curved inner edge of the instrument, the outer edge of the grinding disk is formed with a radius shorter than the radius of curvature of the instrument.

Abstract: A honing process for a long knife blade such as that used in chipping wood products comprises two honing bodies each formed by a shaft carrying three honing discs with the shafts spaced by a distance less than the radius of the discs so the discs interleave and are spaced along each shaft by a distance substantially equal to the width of the discs so that the side edges of the discs lie immediately adjacent. The discs are rotated in directions so they move into the cusp formed between the discs. The long knife blade is inserted into the line of the cusp which lies parallel to the axes of rotation of the honing bodies and is moved back and forth along that line in a honing action. The length of the knife blade is greater than the width of the discs and generally significantly greater than at least two of the discs so that the knife blade remains bridged across the discs during the movement.

Abstract: A grinding mechanism includes a track device horizontally arranged in a base, and a slide slidably engaged on the track device. A grinding material is secured on top of the slide and moved in concert with the slide. A gear is rotatably supported in the base and a roller is eccentrically secured to the gear for engaging with the slide. A motor is disposed in the base for rotating the gear. The slide and the grinding material are moved in a reciprocating action along the track device in order to conduct grinding operations.

Abstract: The invention provides a novel cutting tool used in wood working, which has a sufficiently thick cutting edge allowing stable cutting of a veneer from a log as well as an apparatus for and a method of grinding the cutting edge to have a favorable shape and a relatively large angle. The apparatus of the invention includes a table which an elongated cutting tool extending along a longitudinal axis of the table is mounted on, a fixing element for pressing the cutting tool upright against an upright plate, and a carriage which is reciprocatingly movable along the longitudinal axis of the table. The carriage is provided with a pair of grinding wheels which are respectively movable into and out of endwise grinding contact with an upper surface and a lower surface of the cutting edge of the upright cutting tool at desirable angles.

Abstract: A knife sharpener (1) having a flexible grinding system includes a grinding wheel (2) and means for rotating the wheel, and has a fixed guide surface (14) for roughly positioning a knife for sharpening. A movable member (21) is disposed adjacent to the grinding member (17) of the grinding wheel, with the movable biased by a spring (26) in a direction towards the wheel. In operation, when a knife is moved into contact with the grinding wheel, the movable member is displaced inwardly to reduce the contact pressure such that only the knife edge contacts the wheel. Thus, rather than recontouring the knife edge, the knife edge is most closely returned to its original contour. Using such a flexible grinding system substantially maintains the original edge contour of the blade.

Abstract: A method and apparatus deals with a cutter used for cutting a fabric or other material sheet having a layer of active or activatable adhesive disposed on it and provides a lubricant in gel form to be applied to the surfaces of the cutting implement to keep these surfaces free from adhesive otherwise building up on them. The lubricant in the preferred embodiment is a compound of silicone and polytetrafluoroethylene. Further, a second lubricant is provided which is to be applied to the surfaces of the sharpener to keep the sharpening surfaces free from adhesive.

Abstract: A knife having removable handle members, wherein each handle member includes a sharpening member. Each sharpening member is carried adjacent the blade of the knife when the handles are attached. Upon removal of the handles, the sharpening members are carried by the handle members and are used in sharpening of the blade.

Abstract: An apparatus for sharpening the edge of an elongated object includes a housing having an exposed sharpening section with a sharpening element in the sharpening section. The sharpening element is formed from a single abrasive coated sharpening element having a pair of abrasive coated planar comb-like structures formed along opposing sides of the sharpening element. The sharpening element is bent into an X configuration wherein the alternating teeth and slots interdigitate to form the X-shaped configuration and form a sharpening angle between the interdigitating teeth. The sharpening angle has a bisection line with an elongated interrupted sharpening surface.

Abstract: A belt grinding machine for forming cutting edges of complex geometry on surgical instruments includes a fixture for holding an instrument with a site thereon in a position for grinding a surface at the site on the instrument, a grinding assembly having a grinding belt with a planar span for grinding the surface at the site on the instrument, an oscillation producing mechanism for oscillating the instrument relative to the grinding belt so as to reciprocally translate the site on the instrument parallel and relative to the planar span of the grinding belt concurrently with grinding the surface at the site on the instrument, a translation producing mechanism for selectively translating the grinding assembly and thus the planar span of the grinding belt toward and away from the site on the instrument to permit receiving and setting up of the instrument in the instrument holding fixture and to place the instrument in a position for the planar span of the grinding belt to grind the surface at the site on the inst

Abstract: This device is a low cost and an easy to use fixture for sharpening wood jointer and thickness planer blades or knives with extreme accuracy and sharpness. The device holds two blades at opposing angles creating a flat plane upon which a flat sharpening stone or abrasive device can employ repeated reciprocal movements. The holder is made of a rigid material with a bolt down clamp, which secures the two individual blades at the proper and precise angle. The design also employs individual adjustment screws, which elevates each end of both blades, allowing the user to sharpen blades of various widths. Once the rough sharpening is complete the device is then staged for the final honing of the blades. This feature makes it possible to sharpen the blades razor sharp as well as grind a secondary bevel on the blade.

Abstract: Sharpening the cutting edge of a chipper knife having a chip-breaking shoulder in its underside remote from the cutting edge apex which is integral with the chipper knife is effected by removing a layer of material of uniform thickness from the underside of the cutting edge and thereby removing the bluntness of a dulled cutting edge and forming a resharpened cutting edge having the same wedge angle as the cutting edge prior to resharpening.

Abstract: An apparatus for grinding an elongated knife blade used in a veneer lathe or a veneer slicer has a blade mount with a mounting surface on which the blade is fixed. In order to prevent a thermal distortion of the cutting edge of the blade after it has been ground by the grinding wheel and naturally cools, the blade mount and the blade thereon are cooled by supplying a cooling medium even to an intervening surface or area therebetween. The blade and mount are also cooled entirely by direct contact with the cooling medium. The grinding wheel is controlled such that when it is lowered to abut against the blade, a resistance torque increase is detected and the grinding wheel is raised slightly to a grinding start level from where the grinding feed and stroke of the wheel is started so that interference between the wheel and the blade is prevented during the initial longitudinal stroke of the wheel along the blade.

Abstract: The invention provides apparatus and methods for applying force to an object or workpiece. The invention has a first stationary magnet and second moveable magnet within a housing member. The magnets are arranged such that the magnets repel one another with a force related to the spacing between the magnets. The housing member is coupled to a modifying member, e.g., a motorized grinder or sharpener, with the object or workpiece disposed between the second magnet and the modifying member such that the second magnet forces the object or workpiece against the modifying element. The magnets can be electromagnets. In a preferred aspect, the object is a rotary razor head commonly used in electric razors and the invention sharpens the rotary razor head. In this aspect, the modifying member is a rotating grinding disc and anti-rotation elements prevent the razor head and magnets from rotating with the grinding element. The razor head is forced into the grinding element by the magnetic force formed by the two magnets.

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.

Abstract: A method of resharpening the knives in a chipping machine while they are installed in the knives' rotor is disclosed. For this purpose all knives are moved forward one after another to their functional position by an amount that corresponds to the wear of the edges. As part of this, the radial grinding feed which is required in order to achieve the desired protrusion of the edges above the relevant area of the knives' rotor is pre-programmed based on the detected state of wear. A device to implement this method is also disclosed. The device comprises a rotational disk for the knife rotor placed on top of a machine frame and where an equipment table is provided that supports a cross-wise translatory moveable grinding unit, as well as a radially moveable adjustment device which has a sensor to determine the state of wear of the relevant area of the knife rotor 8 and a stop face to limit the knife feed.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for the finish grinding of cutting blades of a cutting tool head of a granulating device for thermoplastic material in which a grinding wheel is supported for rotation about a vertical axis with a grinding surface of the grinding wheel facing upwardly and the cutting blades of the cutting tool head rest on the grinding surface of the cutting tool head under the weight of the grinding wheel. The cutting tool head is free for vertical movement and is precisely aligned with the axis of rotation of the grinding wheel. The grinding wheel is driven by a motor around a vertical axis to grind the cutting surfaces of the cutting blades and produce precision ground surfaces on the blades which are aligned in a common plane.

Abstract: A shaving system of the wet shave type includes support structure and blade structure secured to the support structure. The blade structure has an aperture with an annular sharpened shaving edge that is defined by main facet portions that converge at an angle of less than 40.degree., and supplemental facet portions that are extensions of the main facet portions and converge at an included angle of less than 60.degree. to define an annular ultimate tip portion. The annular ultimate tip of the sharpened edge defines a shaving plane and the bisector of the included angle defined by the supplemental facets is disposed at an angle (shaving angle) in the range of 15.degree.-35.degree. to the shaving plane.

Abstract: In order to achieve precision in sharpening, particularly for dental instruments, a sharpening device includes a base having a generally upwardly extending hand grip portion wherein the base is adapted to be position on a generally horizontal supporting surface. The sharpening device also includes a sharpening stone or the like operatively associated with the base together with a retainer for removably retaining the sharpening stone in at least one angular position relative to the generally horizontal supporting surface. Further, a method of sharpening a dental instrument having a cutting edge defined by a face and lateral side is disclosed. The sharpening method includes providing a support for a sharpening stone at a preselected angle to a horizontal plane and then holding the dental instrument with one hand while also holding the support with the other hand.

Abstract: A method of sharpening cutting blades of the type made from bar stock type material, the method comprising producing relief surfaces on the cutting profile surface. The method comprises forming first and second relief surfaces on the cutting profile surface. The first relief surface extends from a location inward of the cutting edge to the back face and is oriented at a first relief angle with respect to a side surface. The second relief surface extends from the cutting edge to the first relief surface and is oriented at a second relief angle with respect to the side surface with the second relief angle being smaller than the first relief angle. The cutting blades may comprise a uniform cross-section and the cutting profile may include a protuberant portion adjacent the top surface of the cutting blades.

Abstract: A sharpening apparatus for sharpening scalloped-edged blades in a carton slitting machine includes at least two rotating cylindrical hones mounted on a pneumatically controlled actuator. A sharpening operation is initiated by a machine operator as needed to maintain blade sharpness, and is performed automatically by the apparatus controls. The actuator positions the rotating hones in contact with opposing sides of a cutting edge of the slitting blade as the blade moves past the hones at reduced speed. A first hone is rotated in a direction opposite to the direction of the blade and a second hone is rotated in the same direction of the blade. During sharpening, the hones execute several reciprocating axial movements to stroke the blade.

Abstract: A hand held skate blade sharpening tool has a rotatable sharpening stone retained within a channel-shaped body member. Removable pins mounted on the body are located adjacent the outer ends of the stone to limit longitudinal movement of the stone within a channel of the body member. The body member has an access slot extending radially from the stone. Elongated guides projecting upwardly adjacent the slot are transversely spaced at a distance substantially the same as the width of the skate blade to guide and limit lateral movement of the blade within the slot. A transverse groove interrupting the slot and guides is open to the channel exposing the stone. This enables the stone to be manually rotated within the channel to rotate an unused sharpening surface into alignment with the slot.

Abstract: This knife sharpening machine comprises a supporting framework (2), means (3) of holding a knife (C) on the framework (2) at a sharpening section (4), a pair of disk grinders (10) acting on the knife at the sharpening section (4) from opposed sides thereof, and motive means (22) for rotatively driving the two grinders (10) in opposite directions. Said grinders (10) are carried movably on the framework (2) each along an arcuate path (P), convexedly to the knife (C) position.

Abstract: Both facets of a double faceted blade are simultaneously sharpened as the facets are moved across a first pair of planar abrasive coated surfaces crossing to form a vertex and positioned to establish a total included angle at the vertex nominally equal to the intended total included angle of the edge facet. A guide structure contacts and aligns the blade so that the centerline of the blade is positioned at or near the bisection of the included angle of the abrasive surfaces. The guide structure is one or more rotatable members.

Abstract: A process for selectively abrading one surface of a veneer knife at a higher rate that the other face and includes a novel way of providing lubricating and cooling fluid to the faces of the knife wherein the majority of the lubricant is provided to the face which abrades slower to further enhance the self sharpening of the knife.