Composite Circular Slicer Knife

Abstract

A substantially circular slicer knife is provided having an interior base portion made of a first material and an outer edge portion made of a second material. The outer edge portion is metallurgically bonded to the interior base portion. A method of manufacturing the slicer knife involves providing a knife base of the first material having an annular groove therein, applying second material to the annular groove forming a knife blank and then machining the knife blank to expose the second material along a radially outer edge.

1 - 39 . (canceled)  
   
   
       40 . A method of manufacturing a circular slicer knife involves the steps of: 
 providing a knife base of a first material, the knife base having an annular groove therein having a substantially rectangular cross-section at its bottom side defining spaced apart groove comers;    applying a second material to the annular groove of the knife base via a welding process to metallurgically bond the second material to the knife base, forming a knife blank; and    machining the knife blank to form a continuous circular cutting edge defined by the second material, including machining the first material to remove the spaced apart groove comers and exposing second material on both interior and exterior sides of the knife.    
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the second material has higher toughness than the first material.  
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the first material is stainless steel and the second material is a cobalt based alloy.  
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the resulting knife has a generally linear region of metallurgical bonding between the second material and the first material, where the generally linear region of bonding forms a right circular cylinder that has an axis coinciding with a central axis of the knife.  
   
   
       44 . A method of manufacturing a circular slicer knife involves the steps of: 
 providing a knife base of a first material, the knife base having an annular groove therein;    applying a second material to the annular groove of the knife base via a welding process to metallurgically bond the second material to the knife base, forming a knife blank; and    machining the knife blank to form a continuous circular cutting edge defined by the second material, including machining the first material to remove a majority of the annular groove.    
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 44  wherein the annular groove has a substantially curved cross-section.  
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 45  wherein the annular groove has a substantially semi-circular cross-section.  
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 44  wherein the annular groove has a substantially rectangular cross-section.