Abrading – Precision device or process - or with condition responsive... – With indicating
Reexamination Certificate
2003-02-12
2004-03-02
Nguyen, George (Department: 3723)
Abrading
Precision device or process - or with condition responsive...
With indicating
C451S421000, C451S403000, C451S141000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06699103
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention, relates to grinding systems, and more specifically to methods and apparatus for automatically sharpening blades on cutting reels of lawn mowers.
Commercial reel-type lawn mowers typically utilize cutting reels that have helical blades. The cutting reels must be maintained regularly to assure proper operation. Part of such maintenance involves sharpening the blades and sharpening and/or adjusting the bed knives. The sharpening process typically involves two steps. The first step involves spin grinding the tips or radially outer ends of the blades in order to true the reel back to cylindrical shape and sharpen the cutting edge. The second step involves relief grinding the trailing edge of each blade.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,321,912 to Neary et al. teaches a grinding system for spin and relief grinding cutting reels of commercial reel-type lawn mowers. The Neary et al. grinding system utilizes a common rotating drive shaft to rotate a spin grinding wheel and a relief grinding wheel. Both grinding wheels are separately axially slideably mounted on the common rotating shaft, which is generally parallel to the axis of the cutting reel to be ground. While the Neary et al. system offers the common rotating shaft, which is a desirable feature to many grinder operators, it lacks a means of auto indexing from blade to blade. Thus, the Neary et al. grinding system requires an operator to manually cycle each blade through the relief grinding process. This is labor intensive and time consuming. In addition, the fork assemblies
32
on either side of the grinding wheels necessarily wear from sliding contact with the grinding wheels and/or grinding shaft
18
, and they provide poor positioning stability for the grinding wheels.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,394 to Dieck et al. teaches a grinding system for spin and relief grinding cutting reels of commercial lawn mowers. The Dieck et al. grinding system utilizes a movable grinding head, which includes a grinding wheel and a motor mounted on a carriage. The grinding head is slideably mounted on rails that are generally parallel to the axis of the cutting reel. The Dieck et al. system offers an auto indexing system for automatically indexing from blade to blade.
There is a need in the art for a grinding system that allows auto indexing on a grinding system utilizing a common rotational shaft, reduces part friction and wear, and improves grinding accuracy.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention, in one embodiment, is a device for relief grinding a blade having a radially outer edge of an elongated length and first and second faces, with the first and second faces extending generally radially from a reel axis. The device includes a rotatable grinding shaft, a grinding wheel, a grinding wheel guide assembly, a guide finger, and a first non-sliding stabilizer.
The rotatable grinding shaft defines a grinding wheel axis. The grinding wheel is rotatable with and axially slideable along the grinding shaft to follow the elongated length of the blade. The grinding wheel includes a hub with a first bearing surface. The grinding wheel guide assembly is mounted for motion parallel to the grinding wheel axis on at least one rail that extends the elongated length of the blade and is substantially parallel to the grinding wheel axis. The guide finger is adjustably supported on the grinding wheel guide assembly for contacting one face of the blade during grinding and holding the blade in position for relief grinding. The first non-sliding stabilizer bearing is supported on the grinding wheel guide assembly for bearing contact with the first bearing surface. The first stabilizer bearing is oriented to apply to the first bearing surface forces applied to the grinding wheel guide assembly that include a component parallel to the grinding wheel axis.
The present invention, in another embodiment, is a device for relief grinding a blade having a radially outer edge of an elongated length and first and second faces, with the first and second faces extending generally radially from a reel axis. The device includes a rotatable grinding shaft, a grinding wheel, a grinding wheel guide assembly, a guide finger, and a first non-sliding stabilizer bearing.
The rotatable grinding shaft defines a grinding wheel axis. The grinding wheel is rotatable with and axially slideable along the grinding shaft to follow the elongated length of the blade. The grinding wheel includes a hub with a stabilizer bearing surface. The grinding wheel guide assembly is mounted for motion parallel to the grinding wheel axis on at least one rail that extends the elongated length of the blade and is substantially parallel to the grinding wheel axis. The guide finger is adjustably supported on the grinding wheel guide assembly for contacting one face of the blade during grinding and holding the blade in position for relief grinding. The first non-sliding stabilizer bearing is interposed for bearing contact between the grinding wheel guide assembly and the stabilizer bearing surface. The first stabilizer bearing is oriented to apply to the stabilizer bearing surface forces applied to the grinding wheel guide assembly including both a component parallel to the grinding wheel axis and a component perpendicular to the grinding wheel axis.
While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which shows and describes illustrative embodiments of the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modifications in various obvious aspects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.
REFERENCES:
patent: 805127 (1905-11-01), Fetters
patent: 2180911 (1939-11-01), Rodgers
patent: 2279798 (1942-04-01), Shelburne
patent: 2314945 (1943-03-01), Maynard et al.
patent: 2572530 (1951-10-01), Smith
patent: 2780034 (1957-02-01), Turner
patent: 2793474 (1957-05-01), Smith
patent: 3724139 (1973-04-01), Leverenz
patent: 4005554 (1977-02-01), Campbell
patent: D250196 (1978-11-01), Caccioli et al.
patent: 4148158 (1979-04-01), Hewitt
patent: 4192103 (1980-03-01), Sousek
patent: 4621456 (1986-11-01), Winstanley
patent: 4694613 (1987-09-01), Bernhard
patent: 4741130 (1988-05-01), Tano et al.
patent: 4993199 (1991-02-01), Hughes
patent: 5012617 (1991-05-01), Winstanley
patent: D320607 (1991-10-01), Smith et al.
patent: 5291724 (1994-03-01), Cotton
patent: 5321912 (1994-06-01), Neary et al.
patent: 5333112 (1994-07-01), Bybee
patent: 5549508 (1996-08-01), Searle et al.
patent: 5558560 (1996-09-01), Uchida
patent: 5601473 (1997-02-01), Strain et al.
patent: D386504 (1997-11-01), Dieck
patent: 5879224 (1999-03-01), Pilger
patent: 6010394 (2000-01-01), Dieck et al.
patent: 6290581 (2001-09-01), Dieck et al.
“Neary Technology, Model 550SR Reel Grinder”, brochure, undated.
“The Key to the Manicured Look” brochure, Foley United, undated.
“For a Safer Grind!” brochure, Foley United, undated.
“The Peerless 2000 Automatic Spin and Relief Grinder” brochure, Simplex Ideal Peerless, undated.
“The Peerless 1360 Automatic Spin and Relief Grinder” brochure, Simplex Ideal Peerless, undated.
“Landpride Turf Reel Grinders” brochure, Landpride Turf, undated.
“Express Dual” brochure, Bernhard & Company Ltd., undated.
“Neary Spin-Matic II” brochure, Neary Manufacturing, copyright 1986.
“Ransomes Precision Grinders” brochure, Ransomes America Corporation, copyright 1994.
Dieck James H.
Veenendall Gregory A.
Dorsey & Whitney LLP
Foley-Belsaw Company
Nguyen George
LandOfFree
Mower reel blade grinding device does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Mower reel blade grinding device, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Mower reel blade grinding device will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3277459