# US 4,392,332 A · Ice skate sharpener

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- Number: US 4,392,332 A
- Document ID: US4392332A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/275,794
- Filed: 1981-06-22
- Granted: 1983-07-12
- Earliest claimed: 1976-11-26
- Assignees: Canadian Skate Contours, Ltd.
- Inventors: Glenn Sakcriska
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4392332A

## CPC

- B24B 3/003: {for skate blades}
- B24B: MACHINES, DEVICES, OR PROCESSES FOR GRINDING OR POLISHING (grinding of gear teeth B23F, of screw-threads B23G1/36; by electro-erosion B23H; abrasive or related blasting B24C; tools for grinding, buffing or sharpening B24D; polishing compositions C09G1/00; abrasives C09K3/14; electrolytic etching or polishing C25F3/00; grinding arrangements for use on assembled railway tracks E01B31/17); DRESSING OR CONDITIONING OF ABRADING SURFACES; FEEDING OF GRINDING, POLISHING, OR LAPPING AGENTS

## Abstract

The invention comprises an improved ice skate grinding, sharpening and contouring machine. The machine includes pins mounted in movable blocks to accurately center an ice skate between the heel and sole struts in a movable holding fixture and alternate eccentric pin positions to select the best contour location on the blade as a function of intended skate usage. As an example, the best blade contour for a hockey forward requires a deeper grind below the forward strut than the contour for a hockey defenseman. The centering feature assures that the skate contour desired will be accurately ground onto the blade and pitched forward the desired amount. An eccentrically mounted pin to adjust the blade position relative to the blade holding fixture for pitching is disclosed in one embodiment. In an alternative embodiment the entire fixture is pitched relative to the fixture follower rollers. Figure skates can be advantageously centered and pitched as desired with the invention for accommodating the particular requirements of the figure skater. New hockey skates with unconventional molded plastic struts such as the Canadian TUUK 2000 have entered commerce. Such skates are accommodated by a modified method of determining the blade center location that is equivalent to the center location of a hockey skate with conventional struts. The modified method and apparatus utilize modified pins or a notched clamping jaw either of which engage one plastic blade clamping lip adjacent the skate blade to locate the blade in the fixture.

## Claims

### Claim 1

In an ice skate sharpening fixture having opposed jaws for retaining an ice skate therein, and follower means on said fixture, the ice skate having longitudinally curved blade clamp lips engaging the ice skate blade and an equivalent center location on the blade, and the fixture having a fixed centerline relative to the fixture follower means,
the improvement comprising separate blade clamp lip locating means adjacent at least one jaw and equidistant from the fixture centerline, each of said separate blade clamp lip locating means not extending in a direction parallel to jaw clamping movement beyond the clamping surface of the jaw thereadjacent upon clamping an ice skate in said fixture, and said separate blade clamp lip locating means positioned to engage at least one of the blade clamp lips equidistant from the equivalent center location on the blade and adjacent the exposed portion of the blade.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The ice skate sharpening fixture of claim 1 wherein the separate blade clamp lip locating means comprise two dowel pins positioned to engage one blade clamp lip.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The ice skate sharpening fixture of claim 1 wherein the separate blade clamp lip locating means comprise two contact points on at least one jaw of the fixture, said jaw relieved between the contact points to provide clearance for the curvature of the blade clamp lip.