Grinding of knives

Abstract

A method of grinding tufting machine knife modules having a plurality of knives fixed in a common knife block in spaced parallel disposition. In a first form a remote knife of the block is secured in a fixed disposition and the other knives are loaded toward that knife with the free ends of the knives in a mutual abutment, the composite end face of all the knives thereafter being simultaneously ground to form an outwardly concave surface configuration in the composite end faces. In an alternate loading arrangement the blades on opposite sides are loaded toward the middle of the module. In a preferred arrangement the knife blades are maintained in spaced parallel disposition but collectively deflected to bring the end faces into co-planar relationship and thereafter ground in conformity with the common plane. A jig and grinding set up are illustrated for this latter arrangement.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.