Skate sharpening machine and method

Abstract

A machine for sharpening skates that can be operated by an individual through a coin-operated or credit card operated input, permits a person that wants skates sharpened to place the skate into the machine and have it automatically sharpened in a manner that is selected by the operator. The operator places a skate into a support and the machine centers and clamps the blade. The machine includes a grinding wheel that is dressed before each sharpening operation, to provide a wheel surface that gives the proper shape to the bottom surface of the ice skate blade, and after dressing, a skate held in the clamp is moved across the wheel so the bottom edge surface of the ice skate is sharpened uniformly along its operable length. The machine includes inputs so that either figure skates or hockey-style skates can be sharpened, and positive clamps that hold the blade directly during its sharpening operation. An access door for operators to put in skates is also interlocked so that operation cannot commence until the door is fully closed. The various operations are controlled primarily with fluid-pressure actuators, and the skate itself is centered in its position on the cradle support prior to clamping so that it is properly positioned for complete grinding across the bottom surface.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.