US2262389A - Shaving device - Google Patents

Description

G. DALKOWITZ SHAVINGDEVIGE Filed July 31, 1937 ATTORN EY Patented Nov. 11, 1941 SHAVING DEVICE Godfrey Dalkowitz, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to American Safety Razor Corporation, Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of Virginia.

Application July 31, 1937, Serial No. 156,726 h 6 Claims. (01.304120 My present invention relates to shaving instruments generally referred toas dry shavers and in which the shaving operation is effected without the use of creams, detergents or fluids.

Dry shaversgenerally function upon the clipper principle in that the hairs to be shaved are led into a channel or opening in a relatively stationary member and there clipped short by a second member moved relatively to the stationary member. This is the principlewhich is employed for animal shearing, hair cutting and other similar clipping operations. The employment of this clipper principle for shaving purposes, presents many problems, such as the sensitiveness of the face to irritation, the irregularities of its contours, the varying lengths of the hairs to be out,

the tendency of hairs to curl and to hug the face,

and the requisite for a satisfactory shave; that nevertheless all the hairs shall be clippedclose to the face without burning, cutting or otherwise irritating the face and that the shaving'operation shall be elfected in a minimum of time.

It is among the objects of my invention to provide a dry shaver in which these problems will have been met and solved.

the spaces between the teeth of the stationary member of the dryshaver can be more effectively attained by making the guard or comb member as a separate and independent entity and then associating it with a dry shaver by an assembly operation.

While the British patent to Appleyard 753 of 1913 discloses a guard or comb member associated with and positioned laterally of the dry shaver, it will be observed as this specification is read, that Appleyard did notcontemplate any I such p'redetermination of the character of the slots in his comb or guard as is herein-disclosed and therefore the benefits that flow from the re1a-- tionship herein disclosed of such slots to the spaces betweenthe teeth in the stationary cutter of face engaging plate.

The slots which I provide in the comb or guard comprise anouter portion and an inner portion. The outer portion is relatively of a substantial length and of such width as to admit increments of flesh as the shaver is moved across the face.

I have herein illustrated my invention' as embodied in or associated with a clipper of the type used for shearing and hair cutting purposes, and in which the stationary and the movable member are each provided with spaced laterallyprojeoting teeth and the two are soassociated that upon the relative movement therebetween, the teeth of the latter will pass by those of the other to clip any hairs entering the space between the teeth of the stationary member, as the shaver is moved across the facef: In this type of clipper, the relative movement between the two members is generally a reciprocation in a straight line,

' reference being had to the conventional hair clipper used by a barber. It will be understood, however, that this mannerof illustration of one feature of my invention has been for the purpose of compliance with that portion of the statutes that require thedisclosure of at least one embodiment of my invention.

To attain the aforementioned object, I provide an arrangement whereby themovement of:

the dry shaver across theface Willcause the hairs to be picked up as it were, straightened out, and

then guided into the space between the teeth of the stationary member, and in accordance with my invention, this provision takes the form of a slotted guard or comb associated with andposi- ,tioned laterally of the ends of the teeth in the stationary member and the slots of which are of a predetermined character and related predeterminately to the spaces between the teeth of the "stationary member. I have found that this predetermination of the character er the slots in the guard member and'tlieir relationshipto The inner portion is also relatively of substantial length but of such restricted width as to exclude increments of flesh By this arrangement, in-

crements of flesh will be forced upwardly into f the outer parts of the slots as the shaver is moved across thexface. This action will cause the hairs to stand up as itwere very much as when a barber pinches an increment of flesh between his thumband forefinger and then shaves the hair therefrom. Continued movement "of, the shaver across the face will bring each increment of flesh thus forced upwardly, against the narrowed inner portions of the slots which will force the flesh. outwardly therefrom, however, leaving hairs thereon presented upstandingly therethrough, to be guided thereby into. a space between the teeth in the stationary member for a clipping operation by the moving cutter.

The effectiveness of the proper predetermination of the character of slots is fully attained by properly relating the guard or comb to the slots in the stationary or comb member and for i .this' reason my invention contemplates further that the guard member be .manufactured a a separate. element and associated with the shaver by an assembly operation so that the aforementionedpredetermined characteristics may be more assuredly attained.

It is a further object of my invention to pro vide a dry shaver of parts so devised as to be capable of being manufactured economically and of materials most effective from the standpoint of the manufacture and use of such parts and of being assembled expeditiously and inexpensively.

It is a still further object of my invention to provide a dry shaver comprising among other things, a face engaging plate and a movable,

cutter to cooperate therewith, constructed and associated to function efiiciently in the cutting of the hairs and also in the discharge of the cut hair.

It is a further object of my invention to provide, with a dry shaver comprising stationary and movable members cooperating for hair cutting purposes, separately formed guard and spac-- er members also associated and constructed to facilitate the discharge of the cut hairs.

Among the general objects of my invention are: the provision, as an attachment to the face engaging plate of a dry shaver, of a separately formed guard member to be associated there with in hair guiding relation thereto and which.

when associated therewith, will guide the hair into the spaces formed between the shearing edges in the face plate and will do so Without irritating or burning the face; and more particularly, the provision for such purposes of a comb or guard member having slots comprising relatively wide and narrow portions; the provision of a dry shaver of the character referred to, having associated therewith and forming part thereof, a guard member of the character and for the purposes set forth; the provision of a new and useful dry shaver comprising parts which can be made inexpensively and of materials serving most effectively from the standpoint of the manufacture and use of these parts and of a design to permit of quick and inexpensive assembly of these parts and which, when assembled, provide an efliciently functioning dry shaver; and the provision in a dry shaver, of an arrangement whereby the cut hair and other debris are freely discharged from the razor and the danger of clogging of the razor is eliminated and more particularly this arrangement in a dry shaver provided with separately formed guards in abutting relation thereto as hereinafter more fully set forth.

For the attainment of these objectsand such other objects as will hereinafter appear or be pointed out, I have illustrated embodiments of my invention in the drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a shaving head completely assembled with guards or combs and mounted in a handle;

Figure 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 2A is a view similar to that of Figure 2 showing a modification;

Figure 3 is an exploded view on a scale larger than that of Figure 1 showing in perspective the component parts of the assembly of Figure 1 constituting the shaving head;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan of a part of the shaver;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view, substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure l; and

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing a slightly modified form.

It will be observed that in Figure 1, I show a shaving head A, mounted in a handle B. The latter feature does not constitute part of my invention and may be dismissed with the general statement that it may be of any suitable or preferred type, such, for example, as a casing within which may be positioned a source of motive power, such as an electric motor, for imparting relative movement to the shaving head parts. My present invention resides in the shaving head and in the guards or combs to be assembled therewith.

The shaving head has been illustrated as comprising generally a face engaging plate H), a movable cutter 20 and the guard members 40 associated therewith.

The face engaging plate i0 is generally elongated and in the embodiment herein disclosed, is provided with outwardly directed teeth I! along its longitudinally extended edges. These teeth have been shown in Figure 4 as of the hair clipper type in that the shearing edges are inclined and the space therebetween is such as results from the inclination of the shearing edges. It will be understood, of course, as this specification is read, that the showing of the teeth as of this clipper type has been merely for purposes of illustration of one shaver construction in which my invention may be embodied.

Projecting centrally downwardly from the centrally imperforate or unslotted portion of the face engaging plate is a longitudinally extended rib M from each end of which extends downwardly a'leg l5 provided with a perforation l6 all as and for the purposes to be shortly pointed out.

The movable cutter is shown at 20 in Figure 3, and comprises a centrally positioned base member 2!, carrying two upwardly directed walls 22 spaced apart a sufficient distance to freely receive therebetween the rib l4 directed downwardly centrally of the face engaging member ID. Extending laterally from each of these two walls 2| are the cutting teeth 24 which have been shown as fewer in number than the teeth on each edge of the face engaging plate and in the drawing they have been illustrated as being approximately one tooth in the movable cutter for each two teeth on the stationary cutter. It will be observed that the length of the member 2| is less than the distance between the inner opposed walls of the legs |5|5 extending downwardly from the face engaging plate and also less than that of the walls 22. By this arrangement the movable cutter can be associated with the face plate or stationary cutter, with the rib I l of the stationary cutter engaged in the space between the two walls 22 of the movable cutter so that the movable cutter can be longitudinally reciprocated with reference to the stationary cutter. This is permitted by the relatively shorter length of the base 2| than that of the space between the legs |5 of the stationary cutter. The base member 2| has the cut-out portion 56 to receive one end of a reciprocating member 60 for givingto the movable cutter such reciprocation.

Upon a reciprocation of the movable cutter the cutting operation is effected in the following manner. As the shaver is moved across the face generally in the direction of the slots between the teeth that is, at an angle to the longest dimension of the face engaging plate, a hair guided into the space between two adjacent teeth I1, is engaged and cut or clipped between the shearing edges at the top of the teeth 24 of the movable cutter and the shearing edges at the bottom of the teeth ll of the stationary member. To effect this, it is necessary that the upper surface or edges of the cutting teeth 24 be maintained in close contact with the lower surfaces of the teeth H of the stationary cutter. For accomplishing this, and also for compensating for any wear due to such contact between the two sets of teeth, I have provided an arrangement such as that shown in Figure 5, wherein one or more pins 3| are employed. Each pin is provided with a collar or flange 32 and has its upper end 33 freely reface thereof. By this arrangement yielding pressure will be applied to maintain the cutters in contact and the pins in functioning for this purpose will be free to incline laterally with the movement of the moving cutter.

Upon viewing Figure 2, it will be observed that the teeth I'I gradually taper in thickness to a relatively thin edge. I accomplish this in the embodiment of Figure 2 by curvedly contouring the upper surface III of the face engaging plate including the laterally projected teeth along a radius of for example one inch in a dry shaver which is in the neighborhood of one-quarter inch in width, exclusive of the guards or combs, as to cause the face engaging plate to be thickest at the center and to gradually thin out towards the extreme ends of the teeth. In this embodiment of Figure 2, the lower surface of the face engaging plate is flat and is engaged by the corresponding upper flat surface of the moving cutter 20. It will be understood that asimilar result can be attained by forming the upper surface of the member I of two surfaces at a shallow angle of for example 7 /2 to the horizontal and meeting at a line which coincides with thelongitudinal central line and in this form it is advisable to round off the top surface along thisapex line.

In the embodiment of Figure 2A, I arrive at a similar construction by making the upper surface I0 of the face engaging plate flat, and the lower surfaces I0 of the teeth I! inclining upwardly and outwardly at a shallow angle, such as l /2 to the horizontal and with a corresponding inclination to the upperedges 20 of the teeth of the movable cutter 20.

Upon reference to Figure 2, it will be observed that guard members 40 are so assembled with a dry shaver such as that hereinabove described as to bring them into direct contact with the ends of the clipper teeth I! of the stationary cutter and upon viewing Figure 3 of the drawing, it will be further observed that these guard members are provided with slots of the character to be described more in detail, which, in their assembled relation, register with and open into the spaces between the teeth II of the stationary cutter. It will further be observed that the alternative or varied contours of the upper surface of the face engaging plate I0 including the teeth I! is continued into the upper surface of these guard members.

In order to maintain the guards in the aforementioned relationship to the stationary cutter and in the relationship to-the movable cutter to be hereinafter referred to, I employ spacer plates 50, one for each side. Thesespacer plates have been illustrated in the drawing as located below the movable cutter and each as having a top Wall 5| which inclines downwardly in a lateral or outward direction. The two spacer plates and the two guard members are perforated as shown at 53 and 54 so that when the spacer plates and the guard members are assembled laterally about the downwardly projecting legs I5 of the face engaging plate, the bottom of all of these members and parts will be in a common plane as shown object among others that I am enabled to select metals for the different parts and to treat such metals so as to meet the requirements of each part and in this connection I will here state that in my'preferred manner of manufacturing the face engaging plate I0 and its integrated parts comprising the rib I4 and the downwardly projecting legs I5, I make the elements I5 separately from the face plate I0 and then associate the two by a process such as welding. In this manneriI am enabled to manufacture the elements I0 and I4 of tool steel, which subjects itself to a hardening process, and the element I5 of cold rolled or low carbon steel, which does not subject itself to a hardening process by heat treatment, and in this manner the drilling of the holes I5 through the legs I5 is facilitated.

I will now describe the construction of my guard members whereby they serve to guide hair into position to be clipped without irritating or burning the face. The guard members are slot: ted at their upper ends and it will be observed upon viewing Figure 4 in which I have illustrated one specific manner of contouring and dimensioning the slot that the slots so formed are composite in character and comprise an inner portion BI which is restricted and an outer portion 62 which is widened. The width of the portion 62 is predeterminately such-as to admit therethrough an increment of flesh whereas the width of theportion BI is predeterminately such as not to admit any increment of flesh but, however, such as to freely admit hair. Therefore, assuming the dry shaver as shown ,in Figure 2 as moving across the face, an increment of flesh will be received in the widened parts 62 of these slots of my guard member and forced upwardly therein but on the continued movement of the shaver, such increment of flesh will be forced out of the slot by and as it reaches the restricted portion GI. However, this operation will cause any hairs carried by this increment of flesh to be correctly positioned and extended for passage through the restricted portions GI and into the space between adjacent teeth II of the face engaging plate to be clipped off close to the skin, generally adjacent the extreme thin ends of the teeth I1. I have found that the portion 6| if restricted at its exit (1. e. its inner) end to approximately a Widthof between .008 to .012 inch and the portion 62 if restricted at its exit end to a width of .020 to .035 inch, will serve my purpose effectively. I have also discovered that to fully accomplish my objectives, the length of each of the portions GI and 62 of the slot should be substantial; for example, a length of the restricted portion 6| should preferably be somewhere between .010 to .020

inch, and the length of the widened portion somewhere between .020 to .040 inch.

In Figure 4, I have illustrated the portions GI and 62 of the slots in the guard member, each as defined by parallel walls and connected to each other by inclined walls 65. In the modifled embodiment of Figure 6, I show an arrangement in which the widened portion 62' tapers gradually from a maximum width at its entrance to the width of entrance mouth of the slot portion (W to have the free or advancend of they suihcient depth to the slots and this I accomplish by the provision of the overhanging flanges 43 which will serve advantageously in the shaving operation.

Reference will now be had to Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing to show my manner of providing for the discharge of'cut hairs. It will be observed that the relationship and contours of the movable cutter and the spacer members 50 are such as to provide a space H freely open to the spaces between the teeth of the movable cutter and that this space which is generally triangular with the base or lower side formed by the inside wall of the guard member 40 has its apex or widest portion below the cutter and its bottom wall (the inclined top wall 5! of the spacer members) inclined downwardly outwardly and opening exteriorly of the shaver through openings 13 provided in the guard members, the lower walls 15 of these openings being inclined and in effect a continuation of the inclined top wall of the spacer member. This construction will serve to efiectively discharge the cut hairs from the shaver through the openings 13. The inclination of the outer walls 16 of the guard members serves to assist in-the discharge of the cut hairs and also in the formation of the overhanging flange 43.

In order to reinforce the shaver parts, I may provide ridges or raised portions 80 at the ends of the member H] and similarly widened portion 8| at the ends of the guard, in registry with the raised portions 80.

By making the guards or combs as separate members I am enabled to more closely control the slot formation therein and in this connection attention is invited to Figure 4 in which the width of the space between the teeth ll projecting from the stationary member at its mouth is shown as slightly greater than that of the exit or adjacent end of the restricted portion 6| of the related slot in the guard or comb 40. By this arrangement, with the slot formation in the guard closely controlled, there is not the necessity for so closely controlling the spacing between the teeth I! of the stationary cutter because there can be quite a substantial tolerance permitted in the last mentioned spacing without causing the teeth IT to obstruct the passage of hair from the slots in the comb into the space between the teeth I! of the stationary cutter or to present a projection which will irritate or burn the face.

While I have herein disclosed my invention in connection with details of construction of certain embodiments, it will be understood that this is done merely for illustrative purposes and that it is not intended that the scope of my invention shall be limited thereby unless and insofar as such limitations are called for by the prior art.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination in a dry shaver of a stationary cutting member and a movable cutting ing ends of the guard teeth relatively more" member, the stationary cutting member having cutting teeth thereon spaced from each other by slots, a guard member provided with teeth registering with and in sufficiently close adjacency to the teeth of the stationary cutting member as to exclude skin and hair from the intervening space, said teeth of the guard member being spaced by slots leading into the slots of the stationary cutting member and the inner portions of the guard member slots being narrower than the adjacent outer portions of the stationary cutting member slots.

2. The combination in a dry shaver of a stationary cutting member and a movable cutting member, the stationary cutting member having cutting teeth thereon spaced from each other by slots, a guard member provided with teeth registering with and in relatively close adjacency to the teeth of the stationary cutting member, said teeth of the guard member being spaced by slots leading into the slots of the stationary cutting member and the inner portions of the guard member slots being narrower than the adjacent outer portions of the stationary cutting member slots, and said guard member slots having their outer portions wider than their inner portions.

3. The combination in a dry shaver of a stationary cutting member and a movable cutting member, the stationary cutting member having cutting teeth thereon spaced from each other by slots, a guard member provided with teeth registering with and in relatively close adjacency to the teeth of the stationary cutting member, said teeth of the guard member being spaced by slots leading into the slots of the stationary cutting member and the inner portions of the guard member slots being narrower than the adjacent outer portions of the stationary cutting member slots, and said guard member slots and said cutting member slots having their outer portions wider than their inner portions.

4. The combination in a dry shaver of a stationary cutting member and a movable cutting member, the stationary cutting member having cutting teeth thereon, a guard member having teeth registering with and in relatively close adjacency to the ends of said stationary member cutting teeth, and the guard member teeth being wider than the stationary cutting member teeth at their adjacent portions.

5. The combination in a dry shaver of a stationary cutting member and a movable cutting member, the stationary cutting member having cutting teeth thereon, a guard member having teeth registering with and relatively closely adjoining the ends of said stationary member cutting teeth, and the guard member teeth being wider than the stationary cutting member teeth at their abutting portions, and said guard member teeth tapering outwardly as viewed in plan.

6. A shaver head having a stationary portion constituted by five vertically disposed layers of material, the central one having a cut-out portion therein, a transversely disposed toothed shear plate carried at the upper end of said central layer, the two-outermost layers constituting guard sections for the shear plate, and the two remaining layers being of restricted width and so positioned as to leave a space between the guard and the central layer, and below the shear plate, and a movable cutter mounted for movement in said space.

GODFREY DALKOWITZ.

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