Method and apparatus for off-line honing of slicer blades

A method for honing or grinding a slicer blade having a curved cutting surface, comprising the steps of:

• removing a slicer blade having a curved cutting surface from a food slicer, and transporting same to a honing apparatus at an off-line location;
• securing the slicer blade in association with a cam member such that at least a substantial portion of a curved pathway camming surface of the cam member follows the curved cutting surface of the slicer blade at a location spaced inwardly of the curved cutting surface of the slicer blade;
• engaging the curved cutting surface of the slicer blade with a honing or grinding member;
• rotating the slicer blade and the cam member together while a cam follower engages and follows the cam member, including controlling the position of the honing or grinding wheel by moving the cam follower along the cam member wherein said controlling of the position of the honing or grinding wheel includes biasing the cam follower into following engagement with the cam member;
• and
• said engaging and rotating steps combine to hone or grind the curved cutting surface of the slicer blade.

A honing apparatus for a slicer blade having a curved cutting surface, comprising:

• a cam member having a curved pathway camming surface, at least a substantial portion of which has a shape that is substantially the same as the shape of a curved cutting surface of a preselected slicer blade and has a radial extent that is less than the radial extent of a corresponding location along the curved cutting surface of the preselected slicer blade;
• a rotation assembly which rotates said cam member and its corresponding preselected slicer blade together;
• a honing spindle assembly having a rotatable honing member and a cam follower operatively connected together such that said rotatable honing member moves in response to movement of said cam follower, and said cam follower engages and follows movement of said curved pathway surface of the cam member in response to said rotation assembly, and said rotatable honing member thereby follows and engages a peripheral edge of said curved cutting surface of the preselected slicer blade while said honing member is rotating;
• and
• a carriage assembly, said honing spindle assembly being mounted to said carriage assembly such that said honing spindle assembly is slidable toward and away from said cam member along a direction generally parallel to said cam member.

A honing apparatus for a slicer blade having a curved cutting surface, comprising:

• a cam member having a curved pathway camming surface, at least a substantial portion of which has a shape that is substantially the same as the shape of a curved cutting surface of a preselected slicer blade and has a radial extent that is less than the radial extent of a corresponding location along the curved cutting surface of the preselected slicer blade;
• a rotation assembly which rotates said cam member and its corresponding preselected slicer blade together;
• at least two honing spindle assemblies, each having a rotatable honing member and a cam follower operatively connected together such that said rotatable honing member moves in response to movement of said cam follower, and said cam follower engages and follows movement of said curved pathway surface of the cam member in response to said rotation assembly, and said rotatable honing member thereby follows and engages a peripheral edge of said curved cutting surface of the preselected slicer blade while said honing member is rotating;
• and
• one said spindle assembly is a primary angle assembly to hone or grind a primary angle along the peripheral cutting edge of the slicer blade, and the other of said honing spindle assemblies is a deburring spindle assembly which generally defines a flat top land width of the slicer blade.

A honing apparatus for a slicer blade having a curved cutting surface, comprising:

• a cam member having a curved pathway camming surface, at least a substantial portion of which has a shape that is substantially the same as the shape of a curved cutting surface of a preselected slicer blade and has a radial extent that is less than the radial extent of a corresponding location along the curved cutting surface of the preselected slicer blade;
• a rotation assembly which rotates said cam member and its corresponding preselected slicer blade together;
• a honing spindle assembly having a rotatable honing member and a cam follower operatively connected together such that said rotatable honing member moves in response to movement of said cam follower, and said cam follower engages and follows movement of said curved pathway surface of the cam member in response to said rotation assembly, and said rotatable honing member thereby follows and engages a peripheral edge of said curved cutting surface of the preselected slicer blade while said honing member is rotating;
• and
• a biasing assembly by which said cam follower is urged into engagement with said cam member, said biasing assembly allowing for movement of said cam member in opposition to said biasing assembly.

A honing apparatus for a slicer blade having a curved cutting surface, comprising:

• a cam member having a curved pathway camming surface, at least a substantial portion of which has a shape that is substantially the same as the shape of a curved cutting surface of a preselected slicer blade and has a radial extent that is less than the radial extent of a corresponding location along the curved cutting surface of the preselected slicer blade;
• a rotation assembly which rotates said cam member and its corresponding preselected slicer blade together;
• a honing spindle assembly having a rotatable honing member and a cam follower operatively connected together such that said rotatable honing member moves in response to movement of said cam follower, and said cam follower engages and follows movement of said curved pathway surface of the cam member in response to said rotation assembly, and said rotatable honing member thereby follows and engages a peripheral edge of said curved cutting surface of the preselected slicer blade while said honing member is rotating;
• and
• said honing spindle assembly includes a movement assembly by which said rotatable honing member moves into and out of engagement with said curved cutting surface at selected locations along the slicer blade.

A honing apparatus for a slicer blade having a curved cutting surface, comprising:

• a cam member having a curved pathway camming surface, at least a substantial portion of which has a shape that is substantially the same as the shape of a curved cutting surface of a preselected slicer blade and has a radial extent that is less than the radial extent of a corresponding location along the curved cutting surface of the preselected slicer blade;
• a rotation assembly which rotates said cam member and its corresponding preselected slicer blade together;
• a honing spindle assembly having a rotatable honing member and a cam follower operatively connected together such that said rotatable honing member moves in response to movement of said cam follower, and said cam follower engages and follows movement of said curved pathway surface of the cam member in response to said rotation assembly, and said rotatable honing member thereby follows and engages a peripheral edge of said curved cutting surface of the preselected slicer blade while said honing member is rotating;
• and
• each of said curved cutting surface and said curved pathway of the camming surface are substantially circular.

A honing apparatus, for a slicer blade having a curved cutting surface, comprising:

• a cam member having a curved pathway camming surface, at least a substantial portion of which has a shape that is substantially the same as the shape of a curved cutting surface of a preselected slicer blade and has a radial extent that is less than the radial extent of a corresponding location along the curved cutting surface of the preselected slicer blade;
• a rotation assembly which rotates said cam member and its corresponding preselected slicer blade together;
• a honing spindle assembly having a rotatable honing member and a cam follower operatively connected together such that said rotatable honing member moves in response to movement of said cam follower, and said cam follower engages and follows movement of said curved pathway surface of the cam member in response to said rotation assembly, and said rotatable honing member thereby follows and engages a peripheral edge of said curved cutting surface of the preselected slicer blade while said honing member is rotating;
• and
• each of said curved cutting surface and said curved pathway of the camming surface are substantially involute.

A honing apparatus for a slicer blade having a curved cutting surface, comprising:

• a cam member having a curved pathway camming surface, at least a substantial portion of which has a shape that is substantially the same as the shape of a curved cutting surface of a preselected slicer blade and has a radial extent that is less than the radial extent of a corresponding location along the curved cutting surface of the preselected slicer blade;
• a rotation assembly which rotates said cam member and its corresponding preselected slicer blade together;
• a honing spindle assembly having a rotatable honing member and a cam follower operatively connected together such that said rotatable honing member moves in response to movement of said cam follower, and said cam follower engages and follows movement of said curved pathway surface of the cam member in response to said rotation assembly, and said rotatable honing member thereby follows and engages a peripheral edge of said curved cutting surface of the preselected slicer blade while said honing member is rotating;
• and
• further including a crank assembly for moving the rotation assembly to a designated rotation start position.