US1841782A - Razor stropping machine - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 19, 1932. F. H. BORM RAZQR sTRoPPING MACHINE Filed Dec'. 10, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l W26 @ad Jan. 19, 1932. F. H. BORM RAZOR STROPPING MACHINE Filed Dec. .10, 1926 2 Shets-Sheet 2 jz/erzzff 27e/2175226272627 I 50m Patented Jan. 1 9, 1 932 y 1 ,7

y UNITI-:D sTAres PATENT orifice FERDINAND H. BORM, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS RAZOR STROPPING MACHINE Application led December 10, 1926. Serial No. 153,746.

This invention relates to improvements in Fig. 2 is a transverse section therethrough the art of abrading mechanism, and more taken on the plane indicated by line 2 2 of particularly to apparatus for sharpening Fig. l, parts being seen in elevation. edge tools and especially razor blades. Fig. 2a. is a fragmentary section of parts 5 The primarv object is the-effective sharpenas seen in Fig. 2 but illustrating an exagger- 55 ing of such tools Without injury thereto and ated distortion ofthe blade and its effect on regardless of variations and irregularities the drum. *Y such as usually exist incident to slight de- Fig. 3 is a view in side eleva-tion of one of iections or other out-of-alignment conditions the abrader drums detached.

lO Ofguch edges, Fig. t is an end elevation thereof looking te A more detailed object is the rectifying of from the right hand end as seen in F ig.` 3. the location and condition of the serrations Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the inner or teeth making up a cutting edge without Clamping plate and stabilizer detached.

danger of breaking such serrations, or tear- Fig. 6 is a similar view of the supporting ing, distorting, or otherwise injuring the mashell of one of the abraders detached. C5

terial of the blade along the line of such ser- Fig. 7 is a similar view of the outer clamprations. ing plate.

A still more detailed object is the provi- Fig. 8 is a transverse section through a sion of a burnishing or abrading surface susmodified form of abrader. 2G tained by a hard and stable sub-support Which Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the shell porstill possesses a capacity of flexing suiiiciently tion of the structure seen in Fig. 8, detached, freely to enable the edge of a razor blade or intermediate portion being broken away for other edged tool to lind contact with the the saving of space. Y abrading surface Without either excessive Fig. 10 is a detailed fragmentary section flexing of the edge or depression thereof into 0f parts seen in Fig. 9, the parts being shown 75 the engaged surface. 011 an exaggerated scale. WT ith these and other objects in view, as will It should be understood by those familiar' in part hereinafter be stated and in part be- With the art to Which the present invention come apparent, the invention comprises a pertains, that edges of edged tools however burnishing or abrading surface and a flexible fine and perfect appears under a microscope so support therefor constructed to allow the suras a line of irregular savv teeth or serrations, face to give prior to any injurious deflecting and, in the forming of especially line 'edges of the blade edge but not to flex ina manner such as required forrazor blades and the like, to produce or endanger embedding of the particular care is exercised to utilize mateedge in the burnishing or abrading surface. rial for the edge and to so treat it in the S5 The invention further comprises i a hard, sharpening process as to avoid as faras posrigid support capable of maintaining its nor- Sible any cracking or opening of the material mal contour under usual stresses but suirearward ofthe valleys between the teeth. ciently liexible to give under a stress some- Any such cracking largely destroysthe supl- 40 what less than that necessary to injuriously port for the teeth and therefore permits the f90 flex a portion of the edge of a blade. teeth to more readily bend'or othervviseflex 1 The invention alsocomprises certain other permanently Out of alignment. It is undernovel constructions, combinations, and arstood of course that Whether the material of i rangements ofparts as will be hereinafter the edge is flawed rearward ofthe teeth val,- 4" specified and subsequently pointed out in the leys or not, any substantial permanent de- `95 appended claim. flection of the teeth from alignment,.results In the a compa-nying drawings in a. chilled edge, and cracks or flaws, though Fig. 1 is a plan view of a stropping mamicroscopic,thus increase the ease with which chine embodyingy the features of the present an edge may be chilled. Excessive or repeat invention. ed deflecting of the teeth in an effort to bring .lfm

them into alignment or otherwise sharpen them frequently results in crystallization along the line of flexing, and the teeth break off and leave a nicked edge. It frequently occurs in the formation of edged tools, especially razor blades, that the degree of precision in the approximation of the edge to a straight line is not very high. Some blades are flexed toward one end portion, others toward another, and still others more or less bowed or otherwise out of perfect line. Such irregularities are usually not great enough to be readily perceived by the naked eye but when the blade is laid against an abrading or polishing surface, a certain amount of stress must be exerted on one relative tothe father to cause all parts of the edge to simultaneously contact with the surface. If the Bliment is sufiiciently accurate to enable Suc Contact with sufficiently limited stress en the teeth of the edge little if any harm will be done, but beyond a certain point of deleeting to reach contact with the abrading surface the strain would be sufficiently great to eause or tend to cause the forming of the object fiaws or cracks extending inward from the valleys between the teeth with a resulting permanent injury to the blade. It is a primary object of the present invention to enable efectiva sharpening of blades without danger of any such injurious results, and for the purpose of convenience, the term abrade will be utilized hereinafter to signify any action destined to or intended for the restoration 0f a dulled blade to a sharpened condition, it being understood that the term burnishing herein employed is only distinguished in degree from abrading, and in many instances the sharpening is affected without actual abrading or removal of material from the edge of the blade, the sharpening-action in such case comprising merely the restoration of the teeth of the edge to a cleaned vand aligned condition. Therefore, in the appended claims, the terminology should beinterpreted kto include this formi of sharpening even though the term abrade be utilized to describe the actions.

.Referring to the drawings by the numerals, Lindicates a frame or housing in which are jonrnaled the abraders designated generally by the reference numeral 2, and each comprising@ drum provided with a terminal pinion 3 meshing with the rpinion ofthe other drum cndfsolocated as to effect successive buiing, hurnshing or abrading action on the blade toibe sharpened. Any appropriate actuator, sllehas erank4, is connected to the extended shaft '5 of one of the drums 2 so that the drumsmay be revolved manually. Pendant lips 6-6 formed integral with or approximately fixed to the housing of frame 1, near the opposite ends thereof, form supports and guides for the blade 7 for retaining it rigidly xn place during the sharpening operation.

industrial art.

The blade 7, as illustrated, is of the wafer type provided with a. single cutting edge and a stifi'ening back at the opposite edge, but of course it should be understood that any type of blade may be effectively treated by an embodiment of the present invention, suitable supporting and shifting ap aratus being employed as is well known in tlifis particular The blade holder 6 and forni of the frame 1 may be modified to any extent weil Within the intent and purpose of the present invention, and it should be further understood that, while the abrading drums are shown as of a peculiar contourhereinafter to be described in greater detail so that during revolution one abrading surface contacts with the edged portion to be acted u on While the other is out of Contact therewit 1 and the latter brought into contact after the former has left contact and so on alternately, the invention is well adapted for apparatus in which the abrading action occurs otherwise than as stated.

Referring more particularly to the buffing, burnishing, or abrading drums 2, each being a duplicate of the other, one only will be described in detail. A sub-support or backing tubular plate or shell 8, preferably of metal, is arranged to form a substantially solid, hard support for the abrading material 9 which is usually of leather but of course may be of any suitable and appropriate material and provided in the forln of a strip, wrapped about and snugly fitted on the exterior surface on the shell 8. The shell 8 is preferably formed of relatively thin sheet metal, such as brass, but may be iliade of any other material capable of the functions herein set forth for this element of the structure such, for example, as insulating fibre or material having a cellulose base. The shell 8 must afford a hard and subtantial support for the abrading material 9, and yet be capable of flexing under that degree of pressure, a reasonable latitude of safety being provided, represented by the capacity of the edge of the blade 7 to fiex without danger of crystallization or other injury, so as to enable the abrading surface 9 to stroke all parts of the edge of the blade despite irregularities in the alignment of such edge. In Fig. 2a there is illustrated an exaggerated distortion of the blade 7 seen at 7, which requires the flexing, at 8', of the shell 8. The exaggeration is necessary for purposes of clear illustration since the usual extent of flexing is ordinarily so slight as to be diflicult of observation with the naked eye. The shell 8 is parti-cylindrical, that portion carrying the abrading material 9 which is to contact with the blade being transversely struck on the arc of a circle described from the axis of the drum 2 as its center. It will be apparent that the extent of the curved surface on said circle is capable of a wide range of variation, and I prefer to utilize substantially all of the area or approximately all of the area on the curve of said circle which is oapable of acting against the blade being sharpened While the other drum is out of contact therewith so that there will be a minimum of interim between the time one abrader leaves contact with ,one side of the blade and the other abra-der reaches contact With the other side thereof. It will be readily understood that the fact that the shell 8 is made of material affording stabilized flexibility Will be largely negatived if the end portions of the shell 8 were rigidly held against flexing. Hence, in making up the abrading drum, those parts of the end portions of the drum Which are liable to require flexing are not anchored to the heads of the drum.hereinafter to be described, but are left free to flex throughout that portieri corresponding Vith the parts of surface 9 positioned for and capable of engaging the edge of blade 7 The shell 8 is made up of a curved sheet of material Whose longitudinal edges are preferably spaced and provided With interned, anchoring tabs 10, and, When the shell is assembled as a part of the abrading drum, an inner supporting and clamping plate 11 is arranged Within the shell, and an outer clamping plate 12 is disposed exterior-ly of the shell along the line of the opening between the edges of the shell and overlapping parts of the body of the shell. The plate 11 is provided with slots 13 through which the tabs 10 are extended, and, in the completed drum, are clenched as clearly seen in Fig. 2. The plate 11 is provided with a flat base through which the slots 13 are formed, and, along the edges of the flat base, the plate is bent at each side to form inclined side sections or Wings ld-lh each terminating in a flattened edged portion 15 disposed to rest against and support the shell 8. 1Wings 14: are therefore stabilizing braces tending to limit flexing of those portions of the shell 8 beyond the areas of the surface 9 capable of contact with the edge of the blade 7. T he braces le also aid in preventing any tendency toward a permanent distortion of parts of the shell S. The leather strip or other abrading material 9 is preferably stretched tightly upon or otherwise caused to snugly enclose and engage the shell S, the terminal portions of the strip 9 lying between the exterior clamping plate 12 and the shell 8, as clearly seen in Fig. 2. The clamping plate 12 is susceptible of a Wide range of variation, but, as seen in the drawings, consists of a substantially flat plate formed with inclined edged portions 16--16 terminating in serrated edges 17-17 set substantially at right angles to the sides of the body of the plate 12 so as to enter and effectively grip the strip 9 for prevent- -ing the possible slipping or loosening thereof. The body of the plate 12 is also provided with stamped-up penetrating tabs or points 18-18 entering the material of strip 9 for further resisting movement thereof independently of the shell 8. The tabs 18 may be -of any desired form, number, and arrangement but are preferably disposed, as'clearly seen in Fig. 2, in such angular or inclined relation to the plate 12 as to best resist any withdrawing stresses on the strip 9 relative to the clamping plate 12. The clamping plates 11 and 12 are firmly and effectively secured together in any acceptable and appropriate manner. One method of such fastening consists in t ie employment of tubular rivets or eyelets 19 extending through apertures 24-24 in the f plates 11 and 12. As many such eyelets may be employed as found desirable. l have illustrated the use of only two but a greater number under some conditions may be preferable.

Extending outnf'ardly from and formed integral with the various parts of the plate 11 and its bracing Wings 14 are anchoring tabs 20-20 which in the-assembled drum serve as the connecting means to the heads of the l drum. VThe drum is provided at each end with a head 21 of an edged contour conforming to the transverse contour of shell 8 after the clamping plates are in place, that is to say each head is parti-circular with a lattened part corresponding with the flattened part of the shell 8, which produces -in effect an eccentric mounting of the drum. Each read 21 is formed With a series of slots 22, corresponding in number and location to the tabs 20, and proportioned to receive the said tabs. rlhe tabs 20 extend through the respective slots 22 anda re swaged or otherwise upset, as indicated at 20 in Fig. 4, at the outer face of the respective drum head 21 so as to pinion of the other drum, and extended shaft 5 also outstands from said journal 23.

1n operation, the crank 4 is revolved after the manner of the functioning of any of the Well known types of razor sharpening machines, the blade 7 being in place. The abrading surfaces of the tivo drums are thus caused to successively engage the opposite sides of the edged portion of the blade 7 and to act upon the same as heretofore stated, the abrading surface 9 flexing with the shell 8, as at 8', when required, but maintaining its normal contour at all other times. No condition of any average blade 7 Will be such as to cause the edged portion thereof to enter or imbed 0 itself in the material of the surface 9 because of the hard, resisting character of the subsu port provided in the shell 8.

n Figures 8 and 9 I have illustrated 011e modified embodiment relating more particularly to the construction of the supporting shell. In this embodiment the shell 8a is formed from a coiled spring and preferably each helix being flattened to provide a requisite eccentric exterior surface of the finished drum. The material employed to produce the coiled spring making up the shell 8a is preferably of flat spring material as seen best in Figure 10. Mounted on the shell 8a is the abrading material 9a and the said shell and the abrading material are clamped by the plates 11a and 12a and the parts are otherwise constructed after the .manner above described with respect to the form and details of the abrading drum. Obviously, the shell 8 may be made up of numerous other forms than as seen at 8a while possessingT the requisite capacities above indicated and all Well within the scope and intent of this invention.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the invention is characterized in that by the use of an effective embodiment thereof a blade may be sharpened without injury, and by injury is included weakening, or crystallization, or permanent deflecting of any portion of the edge.

lVhat is claimed is:

A device ot the class described comprising, in con'ibination, a housing; a blade holder mounted within said housing; a drum member rotatably mounted within said housing; said drum member composed ot a flexible cylindrical shell, said shell having a flattened portion; end members for said shell having openings thereon, stropping material disposed upon said shell; clamping means comprising opposed clamping members, one ol' said members engaging the inner portion of the shell and the other member engaging the stropping member; lugs on the ends of one of said clamping members adapted to engage the openings in said end members whereby the clamping members, and shell, are secured to said end members.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

FERDINAND H. BORM.

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