Dual sharpener apparatus for maintaining the sharpness of the cutting edge on blades used to cut sheet-type work materials

A sheet material cutting apparatus comprising:

• a support frame having a work supporting surface;
• a cutting head coupled to said support frame adjacent to said work supporting surface and including a rotatable knife frame having a presser foot movably coupled thereto for movement between a working position and a non-working position relative to said knife frame, said knife frame being rotatable relative to said support frame;
• an elongated blade having cutting surfaces defining a vertically extending cutting edge and coupled to said knife frame for reciprocation relative to said knife frame to cut sheet material supported on said work supporting surface;
• a primary sharpener coupled to said knife frame and selectively engageable with the elongated blade for removing material therefrom during a primary sharpening operation;
• and
• a secondary sharpener coupled to said presser foot and fixed in a generally vertical direction with respect to said presser foot for movement therewith in said generally vertical direction, said secondary sharpener including a sharpening surface movable in a generally horizontal direction with respect to said presser foot for movement relative to said presser foot in said generally horizontal direction to selectively engage said blade during a secondary sharpening operation, and
• wherein the secondary sharpener further includes a biasing member coupled to said sharpening surface and biasing said sharpening surface away from said blade, whereby the secondary sharpener can be spaced from the blade when said presser foot is in the working position.