Knife holding and sharpening block

• US 4,866,845 A
• Filed: 03/22/1988
• Issued: 09/19/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mcpherson's America Incorporated
• Original Assignee: John B. Mcevily
• Inventors: McEvily, John B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Watts, Douglas D.
• Application Number:
  US07/171,727
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: 30/296 R, 30/296 A, 30/123, 30/138, 51/214, 51/211 R, 51/205 WG, 248/37.3, 206/214, 206/216, 206/374, 206/553, 206/576
• US Class Current: 30/138
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 21/14 Knife racks or stands; Holders for table utensils attachable to plates
• CPC Class Codes: B24D 15/084 the sharpening elements being fitted to knife sheaths, holders or handles

Abstract

A block for holding, storing and, if desired, sharpening knives is disclosed. The block includes a body member, at least one and, preferably, a plurality of elongated housing members disposed within the body member. Each housing member includes an open end and defines a cavity within the body member for receiving a knife blade through the open end. Sharpening means are rigidly and angularly disposed within the cavity at a position proximate the open end. The knife blade can be introduced into the elongated housing member in or out of engagement with the sharpening means. When introduced into the elongated housing member in engagement with the sharpening means, it engages the sharpening means at a predetermined angle of orientation, so that the edge of the blade becomes honed while encountering a minimal degree of resistance when being introduced into the elongated housing member.

Claims

1. A block for holding and sharpening knives which comprises

a body member;

at least one elongated housing member disposed within said body member having an open end and defining a cavity within said body member for receiving a knife blade through said open end; and

means for sharpening an edge of said knife blade, said sharpening means being rigidly and angularly disposed within said cavity at a position proximate said open end at an angle of about 18°

to about 24°

with respect to said knife blade when said knife blade is introduced substantially along the horizontal plane of said elongated housing member, whereby when said knife blade is introduced into said elongated housing member, or removed therefrom, in engagement with said sharpening means, it engages said sharpening means at said predetermined angle of orientation so that said sharpening means sharpens an edge of said knife blade while offering minimal resistance to the force required to urge said blade into said elongated housing member.

2. The block of claim 1 wherein said at least one elongated housing member is angularly disposed within said body member.

3. The block of claim 1 wherein said sharpening means includes two sharpening elements arranged in an adjacent overlapping relationship, said sharpening elements being carried on a support block.

4. The block of claim 3 wherein said sharpening elements are fabricated from tungsten carbide or a ceramic material.

7. The block of claim 1 wherein said sharpening means is positioned adjacent to said open end.

8. The block of claim 1 wherein said sharpening means is mounted on a shoulder disposed within said body member at a position proximate said open end.

9. The block of claim 8 wherein said shoulder is associated with said body portion.

10. The block of claim 8 wherein said shoulder is integrally formed with said body portion.

11. The block of claim 1 which includes a plurality of elongated housing members.

26. The block of claim 1 wherein each housing member includes a knife associated therewith.

5. A block for holding and sharpening knives which comprises:

an elongated housing member having an open end and defining a cavity therein for receiving a knife blade through said open end; and

means for sharpening an edge of said knife blade, said sharpening means being rigidly and angularly disposed within said cavity at a position proximate said open end at an angle of about 18°

to about 24°

with respect to said knife blade when said knife blade is introduced substantially along the horizontal plane of said elongated housing member, whereby when said knife blade is introduced into said elongated housing member, or removed therefrom, it is capable of engagement with said sharpening means, and when so engaged contacts said sharpening means at said predetermined angle of orientation so that said sharpening means sharpens an edge of said knife blade while offering minimal resistance to the force required to urge said knife blade into said elongated housing member.

6. The block of claim 5 wherein said sharpening means is disposed within said cavity at an angle of about 20°

to about 22°

.

23. The block of claim 5 further comprising a body member surrounding said elongated housing member.

27. The block of claim 5 wherein each housing member includes a knife associated therein.

12. A block for holding and sharpening knives which comprises:

an elongated housing member having an open end and defining a cavity therein for receiving a knife blade through said open end; and

means for sharpening an edge of said knife blade, said sharpening means being rigidly and angularly disposed within said cavity at a position proximate said open end at an angle of 18°

-24°

when said knife blade introduced into said elongated housing member, or removed therefrom, it is capable of engagement with said sharpening means, and when so engaged contacts said sharpening means at said predetermined angle of orientation so that sharpening means sharpens an edge of said knife blade while offering minimal resistance to the force required to urge said knife blade into said elongated housing member, wherein said elongated housing member and open end thereof is interiorly dimensioned larger than said knife blade so that said knife blade may be introduced into said elongated housing member out of engagement with said sharpening means to avoid sharpening said edge.

24. The block of claim 12 further comprising a body member surrounding said elongated housing member.

25. The block of claim 24 wherein said body member surrounds a plurality of elongated housing members.

28. The block of claim 12 wherein each housing member includes a knife associated therewith.

13. A block for holding and, if desired, sharpening knives which comprises;

a body member;

at least one elongated housing member disposed within said body member having an open end and defining a cvity within said body member for receiving a knife blade through said open end;

means for sharpening an edge of said knife blade, said sharpening means being rigidly disposed within said cavity at a position proximate said opene nd and at an angle of about 18°

to about 24°

with respect to said knife blade when said knife blade is introduced substantially along the horizontal plane of said elongated housing member, said elongated housing member being interiorly dimensioned larger than said knife blade so that said knife blade may be introduced into ro removed from said elongated housing member in or out of engagement with said sharpening means, whereby when said knife blade is introduced into or removed from said elongated housing member out of engagement with said sharpening means any sharpening of said blade is avoided and when said knife is introduced into said elongate housing member, or removed therefrom, in engagement with said sharpening means, it engages said sharpening means at a predetermined angle of orientation so that said sharpening means sharpens an edge of said knife blade while offering minimal resistance to the force required to urge said knife blade into said elongated housing member.

14. The block of claim 13 wherein said at least one elongated housing member is angularly disposed within said body member.

15. The block of claim 13 wherein said sharpening means includes two sharpening elements arranged in an adjacent overlapping relationship, said sharpening elements being carried on a support block.

16. The block of claim 15 wherein said sharpening elements are fabricated from tungsten carbide or a ceramic material.

17. The block of claim 15 wherein said sharpening means is disposed within said cavity at an angle of about 20°

to about 22°

.

18. The block of claim 13 wherein said sharpening means is positioned adjacent to said open end.

19. The block of claim 13 where said sharpening means is mounted on a shoulder disposed within said body member at a position proximate said open end.

20. The block of claim 19 wherein said shoulder is associated with said body portion.

21. The block of claim 19 wherein said shoulder is integrally formed with said body portion.

22. The block of claim 13 which includes a plurality of elongated housing members.

29. The block of claim 13 wherein each housing member includes a knife associated therewith.