GB1403283A - Sharpening of microtome knives - Google Patents

Abstract

1403283 Sharpening knives SHANDON SOUTHERN INSTRUMENTS Ltd 19 March 1974 [4 April 1973] 16200/73 Heading B3D A microtome knife-holder comprises a pair of complementary arms 1, 2 pivoted scissor fashion to one another at their mid-points and each having an upstanding jaw member 5, 6, (7), 8 at each of its ends co-operable with the like jaw member at the corresponding end of the other arm, relative pivotal movement of the arms about their pivotal connections causing symmetrical opening and closing of the jaw pairs, stop means 9 associated with each jaw for engagement with the back of a microtome knife K extending between the jaws, and means for fitting the knife-holder in standardized location in a knife sharpening machine. The pivotal connection is provided by a spindle 3 which extends from the mid-point of arm 1 and is received in a tubular boss 4 extending from the mid-point of arm 2, a pin 18 retaining the spindle in the boss. Each arm has a jaw at each of its ends, the jaw at one end being on the opposite side of the longitudinal centre line to the jaw at the other end. The facing surfaces of the jaws are concave and each consists of a surface 9 which abuts the back egde of the knife and a surface 10 for gripping the knife. Screws 12 act on the arms to cause the jaws to grip the knife. The arms may be of hardened and tempered stainless steel so as to be capable of flexing. The boss is constructed so as to be received in a spigot of a knife-sharpening machine, a retaining screw of the machine engaging a notch 19 in the boss. One end of the holder is distinguished from the other by a depending pin 20 on the arm 2.