US3421213A

US3421213A - Hair trimming device

Info

Publication number: US3421213A
Application number: US610529A
Authority: US
Inventors: George Pawlikowski
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1967-01-20
Filing date: 1967-01-20
Publication date: 1969-01-14
Anticipated expiration: 1986-01-14

Description

Jan. 14, 1969 e. PAWLIKOWSKI HAIR TRIMMING DEVICE Filed Jan. 20, 1967 FIG. I.

FIG. 2.

INVENTOR GEORGE PAWLIKOWSKI BY AT TOR NE YS.

United States Patent 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A comb having a planar slot extending through the strip of the comb and into the teeth to a line closely spaced from the free ends of the teeth. Slidabl-y disposed in the slot is a razor blade which is biased towards the free ends of the teeth by spring means.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The present invention relates to a hair trimming device especially for home use.

SUMMARY A longitudinally extending comb comprising a longitudinally extending strip from which a plurality of laterally directed parallel teeth extend is provided with a slot of substantially shorter extent than the strip, which slot extends through the strip and through the teeth a substantial portion thereof and terminates only a short distance from the free ends of the teeth. The slot is proportioned to slidably receive a cutting blade, preferably a standard double edge razor blade, which, after disposition in the slot, is engaged by a pair of hairpin springs which bias it toward the free ends of the teeth.

When it is desired to trim the hair, the portion of the comb including the blade is run through the hair and the blade cuts the hair without fear of cutting the skin or scalp by virtue of the blade being spaced from the free ends of the teeth. As the blade is moved into areas of thicker hair, it will be forced away from the free ends of the teeth by the thicker hair against the bias of the springs, to properly adjust itself at a proper height for trimming the thicker portion of the hair.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a hair trimming comb embodying the present invention; FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof; and FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings in detail, a comb comprising a strip or rib 12, and a multiplicity of teeth 14 is illustrated in FIG. 1. The comb may be made of any suitable comb material such as tortoise, hard rubber, plastic or metal. As shown the teeth 14 are divided into two sections 16 and 18, section 16 being made up of a plurality of relatively widely spaced relatively thick teeth and section 18 being made up of relatively closely spaced relatively thin teeth. However, the comb could be provided with teeth of one type and spacing without departing from the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the leftmost tooth 20 and the rightmost tooth 22 are extra heavy continuations of the strip 12 and serve as end guards to prevent tooth breakage.

Extending through strip 12 and into a portion of the teeth 14 is a planar slot 24 having an open end 26 at the upper end of the strip 12 and having a closed end 28 3,421,213 Patented Jan. 14, 1969 closely spaced from the free ends 30 of the teeth through which the slot 24 extends. The free end 28 of slot 24 preferably terminates between about .01 inch and .25 inch from the free ends 30 of the teeth through which it extends and most preferably terminates about .015 inch therefrom. As is preferred, slot 24 is of substantially less longitudinal extent than is strip 12, and most preferably, substantially less than one-half the comb length. Moreover, as is preferred and shown, slot 24 is disposed on one side of the center of comb 10 so that the other side may be used as a conventional comb and also serves as a handle for the trimmer to be described hereinafter.

Slidably disposed in slot 24 is a cutting blade 32 which, as here shown, is preferably a standard double-edge razor blade. The slot 24 is proportioned relative to the cutting blade 32 so that it is received therewithin with little longitudinal clearance whereby to prevent the blade from canting when subjected to forces as will be described hereinafter.

Secured to the rib 12 is a pair of

hairpin springs

34 and 36 which hairpin springs, as will be described in detail hereinafter, bias the cutting blade 32 towards the closed end 28 of the slot 24. As shown the hairpin spring 34 is connected to the strip 12 of comb 10 by having a hooked portion 38 thereof extend through a hole or aperture 40 in strip 12 and thereafter having said hooked portion bent down on the opposite side of the comb from that which the main portion of the spring 34 is disposed. Preferably hooked portion 38 of spring 34 passes through the hole 40 with a little clearance whereby to permit pivotal movement of the spring 34. As may best be seen in FIG. 3, the hairpin spring 36 is similarly connected to the strip 12, with a horizontal portion 42 passing through a hole 44 in strip 12 with a slight clearance and the free end 46 being bent down on the opposite side of the comb 10 from the main portion of the spring 36. The free end of spring 34 is provided with a horizontally extending hooked portion 48 and the free end of the spring 36 is provided with a horizontally extending hooked portion 50 (FIG. 3) both of which hooked portions are adapted to fit between the teeth of the comb and into the conventional slot 52 of the blade 32 whereby to engage the blade and bias it at both ends downwardly towards the closed end 28 of the slot 24.

By utilizing the double hairpin spring biasing arrangement above described, biasing force is uniformly distributed along the length of the blade 32 whereby to prevent canting in use as will be described. Moreover, it will be noted that both

springs

34 and 36 are detachably connected to the blade 32 whereby to permit the disengagement of the

hooked ends

48 and 50 of

springs

34 and 36, respectively, to permit the removal of blade 32 and the replacement thereof with a new sharp like blade when the initial blade is dulled from use.

When a user desires to trim his hair, he will grasp the comb 10 at the portion remote from the blade 32. As

shown herein that is section 16. He will run the portion of or short in the area being trimmed, as for example in the area of the back of the neck, the relatively small amount of hair will be insufficient to force the blade 32 upwardly against the bias of

springs

34 and 36. Accordingly, the blade will remain in the position shown in FIG. 1 and the hair will be closely trimmed. However, it should be noted that the blade never moves downwardly through slot 24 sufficiently to actually engage the skin or scalp underlying the hair being trimmed as the blade is maintained in spaced relationship therefrom by short distance of teeth 18 between slot end 28 and teeth ends 30.

Further, when the blade portion is run through thicker sections of hair as, for example, through the hair on the top of the head, the large quantity of hair being passed through the teeth enclosing blade 32 will be so great as to force the blade 32 upwardly in the slot away from the end 28 thereof in order to permit such a quantity of hair to pass through the comb teeth section 18. Thus the blade will adjust itself in slot 24 so as not to trim the thick hair to the same height as the sparse hair and thereby give a normal appearing trim to the overall head.

After trimming, the user may reverse his grip and safely hold the comb in the portion ncluding the blade 32 so as to use the remainder of the comb in the normal comb fashion. It will be obvious that there is no danger stemming from holding the comb in the area of blade 32 as the blade is completely spaced from the outside and cannot engage the hand of the user while being so held.

While I have herein shown and described the preferred form of the present invention and have suggested modifications therein, other changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a hair trimming device including a comb having a longitudinally extending strip and a plurality of teeth extending therefrom;

(a) a longitudinal slot in said strip extending downwardly through said teeth and terminating close to 4 the free ends of said teeth; the length of said slot being less than one-half the length of said strip; (b) a cutting blade disposed within said longitudinal slot for slidable movement transversely thereof; and (c) a pair of spaced apart hairpin springs with one end of each connected to said comb and the other end of each connected to said blade for yieldably biasing said blade toward the free ends of said teeth during the hair trimming operation.

2. The device of claim 1, wheren said blade is a double I edge razor blade having a longitudinal slot therein, and said other ends of said hairpin springs are detachably hooked through said blade slot at opposite ends thereof. 3. The device of claim 2, wherein said slot is entirely disposed on one side of the center line of said comb.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 879,569 2/ 1908 McDonald et a1 30-30 1,236,926 8/1917 Gore 30-30 1,247,908 11/1917 Van Dersal. 1,866,475 7/1932 Loughmiller 3030 2,530,917 11/1950 Taylor 3030 2,530,918 11/1950 Taylor 3030 2,536,485 1/1951 Behr 30-30 MYRON C. KRUSE, Primary Examiner.