US2062561A - Apparatus for straightening hair - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 11936. s. DE LADO APPARATUS FOR STRAIGHTENING HAIR FledDeG. 20, 1934 Patented ec. l', 1936 UNI-TED STATES oF-'FICE 10 Claims.

This invention relates to straightening hair which has a wavy or kinky characteristic due to natural growth or previous treatment by which the set or wave has been produced, and the inven- 5 tion includes an improved method of and means for producing the result.

Hair straightening as heretofore practiced has usually involved the use of pressure and heat applied by cumbersome heating appliances, difcult to use, and tendency to produce large heat zones causing great discomfiture to a user or a person being treated. Furthermore, the appliances heretofore employed required an appreciable time to effect treatment and in general produced a pressing of the hair in a xed position in the appliances used resulting, in many cases, in overheating and extreme drying of the hair with attendant damage.

It is an object of the invention to provide u a device for straightening either long or short hair which can be easily manipulated to produce adesired result without subjecting a user or person operated on to extended heat zones.

Among other objects of the invention are, to provide a` device for producing an ironing eiTect on both sides of a strand of hair being treated, and one in which the ironing eifect is produced between two relatively movable heatedconiform casings capable of reverse rotation to produce a back and forth ironing eifect at suitable speeds and controlled heat conditions under control of the user of the appliance. Furthermore, it is an object to provide a device which will produce an ironing effect by the rotating coniform casings resembling that of ironing with a drawing of the surface of the hair, the coniform casings presenting different surfaces having diiferent peripheral speeds. Other objects include the supplemental use of the device in connection with treatment of hair being wound or unwound on the conventional heating spools of present permanent treatment apparatus.

Briey stated, the invention comprises ironing the hair between two heated coniform casings so arranged as to have reversing rotative movement to produce a back and forth ironing eifect at suitable speeds, and the device comprisesa hand appliance including driving and heating means and control means for suitable operation of the device.

Further advantages of the apparatus of they invention will be more clearly understood yfrom the following detailed description of the invention where reference is had to the accompanying 55; 'drawing formingae part ofthe specication and (Cl. Y 132-31) wherein similar' reference characters represent similar parts throughout', the several gures of the drawing'.

In the drawing:-

Fig. 1 isaf'view-in elevation of the hair straighteri-ing device ofthe invention.

Fig.- 2 isw a central longitudinal sectional view of tlie device of Fig. 1v;

Figi'.` 3l isha' view partly in elevation and partly in section taken'on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. Lfis-af-section'a-lview taken onl the line 4---4 of Fig. 2.

Fig; 5'is a sectional View onthe line 55- of Fig. 2".r

Fig. 6ffis4 abroken cross sectionalY view taken on the Vvline 66 of Fig. 2. Y y

Fig-5' ,'fis a view'in elevation of the rotating cams.'

Figi 8#isiafp'erspectivel View of the transmission1` member for' interconnecting the cams shownin Fig. 7. f

Fig; 9r` is a -broke'n view partly in section showingthe arrangementy of parts forv opening and closing't-lie-casings The device consists of a handle or casing comprising an' outer member 50, and an inner concentric# member I'ZT, spaced from each other throughout substantially theentire' length of the outern'ierrrber-tor lafford an insulating air space. The handle Isupports at its vforward end two relativelyv movable hollow coniform casings Al and 2, rotatably mounted in relatively movable bed blocks 3A and 4, and ifu'rtherfencloses andsupp'orts powertransmissionand controlstherefor to effectoperation ofthe device. Each of the hollow con'ifo'rmv casings I and 2 house electrical `resistance hea-ting units Ilielectrically-connectedvv by leads '--llf to contact rings ISL- associated with the' rotatable: casingssan'cl" insulated from each other andi-rom tli'efcasings.` Current is lsupplied tol` the heating elements from conventional brushes IEPmounted'inand insulated from the respective b'edblocks andelectrically:connected to they circuit wires Il, which'traversethe handle betweenftheiinner andouter membersto connectfwith `a heat-control resistor 38 and a switch 39fcontrolli'ng the'y resistor andthe currentto the device; The resistor and' switchaij': supported by a" memberl 5"' detachably fastened withirrthe krear end of 4'theinner'member I2f'forming a'closure therefor andalso'a support for al driving shaft connectionl 35;

The" two* heated coniform" vcasingsare `arranged for rot'atorif' in reverse directionv under'the' co`ii' trol off-theluser, This'I is-accomplished by" twol parallel transmission connections within the handle including shaft assemblies, cam cylinders, clutches and intermeshing gears. Power for driving the rotating casings is derived, in the device as illustrated, from the shaft connection 35, although it will be understood that a small electric motor may be enclosed in the casing as a driving means, if so desired. A driving cam cylinder 1 and a similar driven cam cylinder 8, each having cam tracks I4, are supported and journaled in two spaced anti-friction bearing assemblies 9, and are interconnected by a transmission member 45 positioned for lateral movement between the cam cylinders. Oppositely projecting pins I3 engage in the cam tracks I4 `so that rotary motion imparted to the driving cam cylinder is transmitted to the driven cam cylinder to drive it in the opposite direction of rotation. To prevent rotation of the transmission member it is provided with an outer surface conforming with the inner surface of the handle casing and with longitudinally extending grooves I5 adapted to receive diametrically opposed guide flanges I6 on the handle casing.

The driving cam cylinder is connected at one end with the shaft connection 35 by clutch member1I8, and at its other end through clutch member I9 with releasable spring-pressed clutch member 28 in turn splined on shaft 2| which has one end thereof freely rotatable in the bore of clutch shaft 22 having driving connection with the casing I at one end and having a clutch member 34 at the other end for cooperation with clutch member 33 slidable on shaft 2|. The hollow shaft 22 is rotatably mounted in two spaced antifriction bearing assemblies 23 and carries a pinion 24 meshing with a similar pinion 24 on a` parallel shaft 25, similarly mounted in the bearing assemblies for driving the other coniform casing 2 connections to which are made from shaft 25 through the intermediate shaft 26 andthe two universal joints 21 and 28. The driven cam cylinder 8 has mounted on one end a clutch member 30 for releasable engagement with a movable clutch member 29 on shaft connection 25 to shaft 26, and to the rotatable casing 2.

A change block or clutch shifting member 32 is arranged for sliding engagement on side flanges in the inner member of the handle similarly to the transmission member 8. 'Ihis clutch shifting member is normally positioned between the parallel shaft connections and has an extension 32' at one end adapted to cause disengagement of clutch members 20 and 29 from the respective cooperating clutch members I9 and 30 when the shifting member moves toward the forward end of the casing. At the opposite end, the shifting member is channeled for engagement with the flange of clutch member 33 which is splined on shaft 2I for longitudinal movement into driving engagement with clutch member 34 connected with pinion shaft 22. A lever 35 pivotally mounted in the casing has pivotal engagement at one end with the clutch shifting member and at the other end with one end of a lever operating connecting bar 36 positioned between the inner and outer members of the handle casing. The other end of the bar is connected to a manually operable control member 31' extending through both members of the handle casing and this control member may be moved longitudinally of the handle through slots formed therein to control the rotating operation of the coniform heated casings. For this purpose also, the end of the nnntrol member extends within the handle for stop engagement with an end portion of the bell crank lever 31 loosely pivoted on screw studs 38 for effecting opening and closing of the relatively movable heated casings.

The rotatable coniform casings are arranged to have an open position as illustrated in Fig. 9, or to have a closed position when treating hair as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. For effecting these relative positions of the casings, casing I is rotatably mounted in bed block 4 held in xed position in the handle, whereas casing 2 rotatably mounted in bed blo-ck 3 may be swung on its laterally extending pivot axles 40 engaging within apertures 4I in the inner member I2 of the handle. The universal joints in the shaft connection and the movement of the axles in the apertures 4I, enlarged for the purpose, allow for the angular change in the position of the casing. The movable bed block 3 straddles the fixed bed block 4 with the depending hook flanges 42 in side recesses 43 of the lower block, with the flanges serving as guides to maintain the alignment of the casing and as members engaging lifting lever connections. Referring in particular to Fig. 9, the opening and closing mechanism for the movable block consists of the lifting lever arms 46 pivotally mounted in the walls of the handle by the screw studs 41 and cooperating bell crank lever 31 similarly pivoted on studs 38 and having a hand hold extension 48 disposed on the exterior of the handle. The bell crank lever 31 has a slotted arm extension 49 which connects with a pin or lateral projection at one end of the lever arm 46 to cause movement of the latter when the bell crank lever is moved. Another portion of the bell crank lever extends transversely of the handle and has a lateral projection 52 adapted to engage behind and move control element 31 and in turn the clutchY shifting member when the bell crank is in the depressed position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The forward swinging movement of this portion of the crank lever arm is arrested, however, when the control element 31 reaches the end of the slot and this position is such as to preclude application of more than predetermined pressure contact on hair being treated between the casings. This pressure need not be stronger than to catch the strand of hair lightly between the casings. The outer ends of lever arms 46 engage at sides of block 3 the hooked flanges to cause lifting and pivoting of the movable block 3. Springs 5I mounted on the lifting lever arms have free ends engaged under the axles of the block to allow for increased opening of the block and for parallel working surfaces between casings I and 2 during operation of the device. The springs assist in lifting the axles 40 by which movement the block 3 moves away from block 4, thus giving a larger opening angle. In closing the casings the springs compel the casing 2 to assume a position in which the treated strand will be between two parallel surfaces.

The operation of the device is as follows. Power is supplied by a flexible shaft connected to the clutch element 35, causing rotation of the driving cam cylinder 1 with its endless cam track I4 in engagement with one of the pins o-f the transmission block 45. The rotation of the cam cylinder 1 is continuous in either clockwise or anti-clockwise direction, as the case may be, and causes reciprocation of the transmission block 45. This reciprocation of the block is transmitted into an oscillatory motion in cam cylinder 8 by engagement of oneof the pins of lthey block CII with the cam track in the driven cylinder, thus causing the driven cam cylinder and'connected clutch member to oscillate while the driving cylinder and connected clutch members continuously rotate. The cam groove in the driving cylinder is in effect continuous and therefore the transmission member 45 performs a complete reciprocation for each revolution of the driving cylinder. The oscillatory motion of the driven cylinder 8 is transmitted-to the coniform casings by shaft 25, the engaging pinions, and their respective drive connections with the casings. This condition oLqperation is that for the appliance where treating hair with the control members in i the position illustrated in Fig 2. In this position, the bell crank lever has its hand hold member 48 depressed substantially parallel with the handle of the appliance causing theextension 52 on the lever to engage the control element 31 f and force it to its forward position wherein the clutch shifting member `causes engagement of the movable clutch members with those connected with the cam cylinders. Shaft 2l extending from the driving cylinder connections, being `free to rotate in hollow shaft 22, does not transmit power in this condition of the apparatus.

When the hand hold member 48 is lifted to swing the bell crank lever the lever projection 52 swings rearwardly and lifting lever 46 is caused to lift and turn the block carrying the upper rotatable casing so as to cause the casings to open to a position as shown in Fig. 9 to release the hair from between the casings, the universal joints and the manner of mounting the movi able bed block permitting the angular movement and the movement away from the other casing. With the hand holdlever lifted, the control member 3l may be manually moved rearwardly causing the clutch shifting member to disengage clutch members 29--30 and |9-2U to break power transmission through the apparatus. By further backward movement of the control member 31', clutch shifting means 32 causes movement of clutch member 33 into Aengagement with clutch member 34 connected with a shaft 22. Clutch member 33 being splined on shaft 2| is permitted to slide thereon and its engagement withcooperating clutch member 34 imparts a continuous rotation to the heated coniform casing I. Clutch members 23--30 being disengaged, this continuous rotationof the casing I is transmitted to casing 2 by the meshing of gears 24-24. With the control member 31 in its most rearward position, as described, the casings may again be closed w. to clamp a strand of hair in the position as illustrated in Figs. l and 2, to effect treatment of the hair between continuously rotating casings. It is only after swinging the casings to full open position that continuous rotation is produced.

The heating of the coniform casings is accomplished by the heatingcoils I under control of the resistor and switch so as to produce the amount of heat desired by a user.

This invention as described provides apparatus for treating hair wherein the hair receives a treatment resembling an ironing back and forth on a small surface on both sides of the strand of hair being treated. This ironing effect may be enhanced by placing the hair under moderate tension to reduce its moving action between the casings. This will produce the effect of ironing with a drawing on the surfaces.

With the hair under tension, the working surfaces of the casings will increase or decrease in accordance to the diameter of the casing sur- The apparatus presents the advantages of having small heat zones,.of treatingl the hair without pressure thus preventing pulling and tearing of the hair, of ironing in place on small surfaces beginning at any point on a strand ofhair and working in any direction, and of utilizing the rotativeoscillatory cone shaped casings to straightening the shortest strand of curly or kinky hair.

I claim:

1. An appliance for `treating hair to straighten it which comprises, a handle, a, pair of opposed rotatably mounted and relatively movable coniform casings mounted at one end of the handle, means for heating the casings, and means for producing reversing rotation of the casings while in contact with a strand of hair being treated.

2. An appliance for treating hair to straighten it which comprises, a handle, a pair of opposed rotatably mounted and relatively movable coniform casings mounted at one end of the handle,

means for heating the casings, means for effecting angular movement of one casing with respect to the other, means for maintaining a substantially parallel relationship of working surfaces of the casings when the casings are in working position, and means for rotating the casings at uniform speed.

3. An appliance for treating hair which comprises, a handle, two rotatably mounted and relatively movable coniform casings mounted at one end of the handle, means for moving one of the casings with respect to the other, means for heating the casings under control of a' user, driving connections for the casings, said driving connections including a member arranged to rotate continuously in one direction, and means for translating continuous movement of said member into oscillatory rotative movement for the casings.

4. An appliance for treating hair which comprises, a handle, two cooperating rotatably mounted and relatively movable coniform casings mounted at one end of the handle, means for pivotally mounting one of the casings so that it may be swung to open and closed position with respect toV the other casing with the working surfaces of the casings substantially parallel in the closed position, manually operable means for swinging the movable casing to open and closed position to release or engage a strand of hair between the casings, andl means for producing an oscillatory rotative movement of the casings to produce a back and forth ironing effect on a strand of hair engaged between the casings.

5. An appliance for treating hair' which comprises, a handle, two cooperating rotatably mounted and relatively movable coniform casings mounted at one end of the handle, means for electrically heating the casings, means for pivotally mounting one of the casings so that it may be swung to open and closed position with respect to the other casing with the working surfaces of the casing substantially parallel in the closed position, manually operable means for swinging the movable casing to open and closed position to release or engage a strand of hair between the casings, driving means for producing oscillatory rotative movement of the casings to iron a strand of hair engaged between the casings, and control means for controlling operative connection'of said driving means with said casings.

6. An appliance for treating hair to straighten soy arranged to rotate continuously 1n one direction,

it which comprises, a handle, a pair of opposed rotatably mounted and relatively movable coniform casings mounted at one end of the handle, means for heating the casings, means for electlng angular movement of one casing with respect to the other, means for maintaining a substantially parallel relationship of working surfaces of the casings when the casings are in working position, a pair of rotatably mounted cylinders having cam tracks therein, means for continuously driving one of the cylinders with rotating movement, a transmission member engaged in the cam tracks of the cylinders to convert the continuous rotating movement of the one cylinder into oscillatory rotative movement in the other cylinder, connecting means including clutches between the cylinders and the oasings for driving the casings with oscillatory rotative movement, and manually controlled clutch operating means for engaging and disengaging the clutches to control the driven movement oi the casings.

7. An appliance for treating hair to straighten it which comprises, a handle, a pair of opposed rotatably mounted and relatively movable coniiorm casings mounted at one end of the handle, means for heating the casings, means for effecting angular movement of one casing with respect to the other, means for maintaining a substantially parallel relationship of working surfaces of the casings when the casings are in working position, a pair of rotatably mounted cylinders having cam tracks therein, means for continuously driving one of the cylinders with rotating movement, a transmission member engaged in the cam tracks of the cylinders to convert the continuous rotating movement of the one cylinder into oscillatory rotative movement in the other cylinder, connecting means including clutches between the cylinders and the casings for driving the casings with oscillatory rotative movement, manually controlled clutch operating means for engaging and disengaging the clutches to control the said last mentioned means being positioned for engagement by the means for eiecting angular movement of the casings to eiect operation of the casings.

8. An appliance for treating hair which comprises, a handle, two cooperating rotatably mounted and relatively movable coniform casings mounted at one end of the handle, means for` pivotally mounting one of the casings so that it may be swung to open and closed position with respect to the other casing with the working surfaces of the casings substantially parallel in the closed position, manually operable means for swinging the movable casing to open and closed position to release or engage a strand of hair between the casings, driving connections for said casings including a member means for translating continuous movement of said member into oscillatory rotative movement for the casings, control means for controlling operative connection of said last mentioned means with the casings, said control means including a member operated by the manually operable means in swinging the movable casing to closed position to effect oscillatory-rotative movement of the casings.

9. An appliance for treating hair which comprises, a handle, two cooperating rotatably mounted and relatively movable coniform casings mounted at one end of the handle, means for pivotally mounting one of the casings so that it may be swung to open and closed position with respect to the other casing with the working surfaces of the casings substantially parallel in the closed position, manually operable means for swinging the movable casing to open and closed position to release or engage a strand of hair between the casings, a driving shaft connection for each of the casings, gears associated with the shaft connections to provide correlated movement of the casings, a pair of parallel rotatably mounted cam cylinders, means for driving one of the cylinders with a continuous rotary movement, means for converting the continuous rotary movement of one cylinder into oscillatory rotative movement in the other cylinder, a plurality of clutches for connecting and disconnecting the cylinders with the shaft connections of the casings, and clutch control means for producing driving connections of the casing with either the continuously rotating cylinder or the oscillatory rotative cylinder.

10. An appliance for treating hair which comprises, a handle, two cooperating rotatably mounted and relatively movable coniform casings mounted at one end of the handle, means for pivotally mounting one of the casings so that it may be swung to open and closed position with respect to the other casing with the working surfaces of the casings substantially parallel in the closed position, manually operable means for swinging the movable casing to open and closed position to release or engage a strand of hair between the casings, a driving cam cylinder, a driven cam cylinder, a transmission member interconnecting said cylinders for connecting continuous rotative movement of one cylinder into oscillatory rotative movement in the other cylinder, driving connections including clutches between the cylinders and the casings, said connections to the pivotally mounted casing including universal joints to permit the angular movement of the casing, and manually operable control means for operating the clutches to produce oscillatory rotative movement or continuous rotating movement of the casings.

STEPHAN DE LADO.

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