Skate sharpening fixture

Abstract

A skate sharpening fixture. The skate sharpening figure including an anvil base plate that is suspended on a lower plate. An upper anvil plate is connected to the anvil base plate and presents an upper anvil surface for resting a skate blade therealong. A clamp assembly is mounted relative to the upper anvil plate and includes a clamp for biasing the skate blade against the upper anvil surface to establish a closed and clamped position of the skate sharpening fixture. At least one of the anvil base plate, the lower plate, or the clamp are comprised of a lightweight material for reducing an overall weight of the skate sharpening fixture and placing a center of gravity of the skate sharpening fixture in close proximity to an operator's position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A skate sharpening fixture comprising:
 an anvil base plate suspended on a lower plate;   an upper anvil plate connected to the anvil base plate and presenting an upper anvil surface for resting a skate blade therealong;   a clamp assembly mounted relative to the upper anvil plate and including a clamp for biasing the skate blade against the upper anvil surface to establish a closed and clamped position of the skate sharpening fixture; and   wherein at least one of the anvil base plate, the lower plate or the clamp are comprising of a lightweight material for reducing an overall weight of the skate sharpening fixture and placing a center of gravity of the skate sharpening fixture in close proximity to an operator's position.   
     
     
         2 . A skate sharpening fixture as set forth in  claim 1  wherein at least one of the anvil base plate, the lower plate, or the clamp are constructed from case aluminum or bronze. 
     
     
         3 . A skate sharpening fixture as set forth in  claim 1  wherein each of the clamp and the upper anvil plate present an exposed vertical surface which is disposed adjacent to a grinding wheel during a sharpening operation of the skate blade; and a wear resistant plate disposed on at least one of the exposed vertical surfaces of the clamp or the upper anvil plate to minimize or prevent wear of the skate sharpening fixture during the blade sharpening operation. 
     
     
         4 . A skate sharpening fixture as set forth in  claim 4  wherein the wear resistant plate is comprising of an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene. 
     
     
         5 . A skate sharpening fixture as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising bottom wear pads attached to a bottom portion of the lower plate to prevent damage to both the skate sharpening fixture as well as a table on which the skate sharpening fixture rests. 
     
     
         6 . A skate sharpening fixture comprising:
 a lower plate extending between an operator side and an anvil side for engaging a table;   an anvil base plate moveably supported by said lower plate;   an upper anvil plate extending from said anvil base plate in generally perpendicular relationship to said lower plate and proximate to said anvil side of said lower plate and presenting an upper anvil surface extending in spaced and parallel relationship with said lower plate for supporting a side of an ice skate;   a clamp presenting a clamp surface disposed in spaced and parallel relationship with said upper anvil surface and linearly moveable toward and away from said upper anvil surface for clamping the skate blade between said clamp surface and said upper anvil surface to secure the skate blade in position for being sharpened;   at least one operator control connected to said lower plate adjacent to said operator side for being gripped by an operator to allow said skate sharpening fixture to be moved by the operator; and   at least one of said lower plate, said anvil base plate, or said clamp being comprised of a lightweight material for reducing an overall weight of said skate sharpening fixture and placing a center of gravity of said skate sharpening fixture toward said operator side of said lower plate when a skate is secured by said skate sharpening fixture.   
     
     
         7 . A skate sharpening fixture as set forth in  claim 6  wherein at least one of said anvil base plate, said lower plate, or said clamp are constructed from case aluminum. 
     
     
         8 . A skate sharpening fixture as set forth in  claim 6  wherein at least one of said anvil base plate, said lower plate, or said clamp are constructed from bronze. 
     
     
         9 . A skate sharpening fixture as set forth in  claim 6  wherein each of said clamp and said upper anvil plate present an exposed vertical surface extending generally perpendicularly to said upper anvil surface for being disposed adjacent to a grinding wheel during a sharpening operation of the skate blade, and a wear resistant plate disposed on at least one of said exposed vertical surfaces of said clamp or said upper anvil plate to minimize or prevent wear of said skate sharpening fixture during the blade sharpening operation. 
     
     
         10 . A skate sharpening fixture as set forth in  claim 9  wherein each of said wear resistant plates have a length extending parallel to said upper anvil surface and a width extending parallel to said exposed vertical surface with said length being greater than said width. 
     
     
         11 . A skate sharpening fixture as set forth in  claim 9  wherein said wear resistant plate includes a pair of wear resistant plates each disposed on one of said vertical surfaces of said clamp and said upper anvil plate. 
     
     
         12 . A skate sharpening fixture as set forth in  claim 9  wherein said wear resistant plate is comprised of an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene. 
     
     
         13 . A skate sharpening fixture as set forth in  claim 9  further including an adhesive disposed between said wear resistant plate and said vertical surface for securing said wear resistant plate to said vertical surface. 
     
     
         14 . A skate sharpening fixture as set forth in  claim 6  wherein said lower plate includes a bottom portion, and at least one bottom wear pad is attached to said bottom portion to prevent damage to both said skate sharpening fixture as well as the table on which said skate sharpening fixture rests during tilting movement of said skate sharpening fixture. 
     
     
         15 . A skate sharpening fixture as set forth in  claim 14  wherein said at least one bottom wear pad is attached to said bottom portion of said lower plate in alignment with said at least one operator control. 
     
     
         16 . A skate sharpening fixture as set forth in  claim 15  further comprising a fastener extending through and attaching said at least one bottom wear pad to said bottom portion to allow said bottom wear pad to be removed and replaced. 
     
     
         17 . A skate sharpening fixture as set forth in  claim 14  further including a felt pad disposed against said bottom portion of said lower plate and spaced from said wear pad for engaging the table to prevent damage to both said skate sharpening fixture as well as the table when said skate sharpening fixture is not tilted relative to the table, and said felt pad having a larger surface area than said wear pad. 
     
     
         18 . A skate sharpening fixture as set forth in  claim 17  wherein said felt pad extends further from said bottom portion of said lower plate than said bottom wear pad to allow said felt pad to engage the table when said skate sharpening fixture is not tilted relative to the table. 
     
     
         19 . A skate sharpening fixture as set forth in  claim 6  wherein said at least one operator control includes a pair of operator controls spaced from one another and each disposed adjacent to said operator side of said lower plate. 
     
     
         20 . A skate sharpening fixture as set forth in  claim 6  further including a plurality of adjustment devices interconnecting said lower plate and said anvil base plate to provide movement of said anvil base plate relative to said lower plate, each of said adjustment devices including an adjustment knob for being rotated by an operator, and each of said adjustment devices being of a manganese bronze material for reducing the weight of said skate sharpening fixture to place the center of gravity of said skate sharpening fixture further toward said operator side and for minimizing wear to said adjustment knobs.