Untitled record

Application filed October 5,1894, Serial No. 525,002, (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, Charles A. Miller, a citizen of the United States, residing at Meriden, in the county of New Haven and State 5 of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Knife-Sharpeners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled io in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improvement in knife-sharpeners; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of parts here15 inafter described, and definitely pointed out in the claims.

The aim and purpose of the invention is the provision of improved means and special constructions whereby a quick, accurate, and 2o positive adjustment of the relative position of the several jaws may be acquired.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views, in which—

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the sharpener. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line x x of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a plan view indicating portions in dotted lines. Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the jaws, and Fig. 5 is a 30 plan view of the base with the jaws removed.

In the drawings, A represents the base, having the square vertical sockets a formed therein on opposite sides of its center. These sockets extend entirely through the base. In 35 the center of the base, in alinement with the space between the sockets a, is an elongated slot 6, extending from a point adjacent the sockets to a point near the edge of the base. Passing horizontally through the base and 40 terminating at the inner end of the slot b is a threaded opening in which an adjustingscrew B is placed. This screw B is of a length sufficient to carry its end into the slot b, and carries on its outer end a milled nut 45 or disk C, by which the same is turned. In the base opposite the screw-opening is formed a circular cavity D, opening into the slot b and through the side of the base. In this cavity is located a spiral spring d, the same 50 closely fitting and thereby being supported in the cavity, while its inner end projects into and partly across the slot b longitudinally and terminates at a point in proximity to the inner end of the screw. The tension of the spring is varied by a small abutting .screw E, 55 threaded into the outer end of the cavity D. By adjusting the screw inward the spring d can be moved farther inward toward the screw B.

F, F', and F⁸ represent the sharpening-jaws 60 of like or uniform construction, having the tapered rectangular shanks f at their lower ends, the shoulder/' near the upper end of the shank, and the blades/⁸; which have curved sharpening edges /³. On the lower 65 portion of the inner or sharpening edge is formed a curved lug or lateral projection/⁴, through which a suitable eye or aperture/⁵is formed.

In arranging the jaws in the base the shanks 70 of any two thereof, such as F' F^a, are driven into the sockets a, and owing to the taper of the shanks the same are tightly held in the sockets when the shanks have been forced down until the shoulders / and under edge of 75 the lugs /⁴ rest on the upper face of the base. The jaws F' F⁸ being thus fixed in position in the base the eyes /⁵ thereof will be in direct alinement. The jaw F is now adjusted by passing the shank thereof into the slot b and 80 interposing the same between the ends of the screw B and spring d. When in that position, the lug/⁴ is forced in between the lugs on the other jaws, and a suitable pintle II is passed through the eyes of the respective 85 lugs, thereby pivotally uniting the jaws.

In operation should the cutting-surface of the jaws become worn the screw B is turned, forcing the shank of the jaw F inward against the spring and the blade with its cutting edge 90 in between the edges of the other jaws, so that the exposed surface or apex of the space between the jaws will be changed and a new sharpening-surface be presented. By loosening the screw B the spring-will force the 95 jaws apart. It will be observed that all pressure placed on the jaws F is received by the screw rather than the spring, so that the jaw is fixedly held in operative position.

By forming the jaws of uniform shape and 100 size they are interchangeable and can be quickly assembled. It will be further ob

558,407 served that by pivotally uniting the jaws a very simple and strong fulcrum is provided, avoiding complicated or expensive mountings and all independent sliding or vibrating movement. . ™

When it is desired to remove the jawsF F~, it is only necessary to drive them from the sockets by inserting a suitable driving implement into the base of the sockets. _ This may io be necessary when the pivoted jaw is worn more than the other jaws and it is desired to interchange the same.

It is evident that many minor changes in the construction and arrangement of the parts 15 can be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without in the least departing from the nature and principle of my invention.