US2362666A - Air powered hair cutter - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 14, 1944. E. F. sARvER AIR POWERED HAIR CUTTER Filed April l5, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY Nov. 14, 1944. f E. F. sARvER AIR POWERED HAIR CUTTER Filed April l5, 1943 n 2 Sheets-Shea? 2 /f/NVENTOR Emme f.- arver.

BY f,

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 14, 1944 l I UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE Am POWERED HAIR CUTTER Emmett F. Sarver, Wichita, Kans., assignor of one-half to 0. W. Wortman, Wichita, Kans.

Application April 15, 1943, Serial No. 483,132 9 Claims. 30-41) This invention relates to pneumatically oper- 3. Formed on the .cylindrical shell, diametrically ated hair cutters and has for its principal objects opposite the perforations, is a tubular neck 6, the to provide a simple, compact, cool-operating,'and top of which extends substantially opposite the self-cleaning structure that -is readily operable lowermost of the apertures 5, as best illustrated l and not harmful to the skin. .5 in Fig. 3. The lower portion of the neck joins Other objects of the invention are to provide the wall Il adjacent the lowermost row of aperfor application of actuating air directly upon the tures to form a passageway 9 having connection movable cutting elements; and to utilize the .with the rotor chamber through Va slot-like port actuating air for facilitating entrance of hair II. The neck 6 terminates in a handle I2 and -v f into the cutter, for eifectingremoval of the cut l carries a nipple i3 for attaching one end of a hair and for facilitating the dispersion of heat flexible hose or duct il, having its opposite end generated incidental to operation of the device. connected with a suction pump later described.

In accomplishing these and other objects of The exterior surface of the handle may be suitthe invention,y hereinafter pointed out, I have ably knurled as` shown in Fig. l; provided improved details of structure, the pre- The ends of the rotor chamber are provided ferred forms of which are illustrated in the acwith internal threads I5 for receiving the excompanying drawings, wherein: ternal threads I6 of disks Il which are turned Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a. hair cutter coninto the ends of the cylinder to complete closure structed in accordance with the present invenof the rotor lchamber and retain the rotor I8 now tion. to be described.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the hair cutter, a por- The rotor I8 is best illustrated in Fig. 4 and intion of which is broken away and shown in seccludes a cylindrical body of a length adapted to tion to better illustrate the cutter bar elements be received lbetween the ends. Il, and of smaller and one of the journals for mounting the rotor. diameter than the internal diameter of the rotor Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view 25 Chamber- Formed in the rOtOr bQdy are longituthrough the hair cutter. dinal groovesA la larranged radially with respect Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the rotor body to the axis of the rotor and having side faces 20 showing one of the cutter bars in position and 2l and bottom faces 22 for supporting bars therein. 23. The bars 23 are substantially coextensive Fig. 5 is a sectional view through one form of -30 with the rotor body and havefside faces 24 and suction pump by which the cutter may be actuclosely engaging the side faces 2q and 2l of ated. the grooves in such a manner that the bars 23 Fig. 6 is `a fragmentary cross-sectional view are slidable therein to support cutter bars 26 in through a hair cutter having a modied form of contact with the inner surface of the rotor chamcutter bar elements. ber.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a modi- The cutter bars 26 comprise elongated strips fled form of the invention employing an oscillahaving arcuate outer faces 21 corresponding in tory type of cutter. radius to the rotor chamber and having reversely Fig. 8 is a face View of the form of invention arranged' inner arcuate faces 2'8 ofv a radius shown in Fig. 7. adapted to intersect with the outer faces zljin Fig. 9 is a sectional view through the cutting cutting edges 29 and 30. The cutter bars are of head of a further modied form of invention, the a Width substantially corresponding to the slide cutter element being adapted for reciprocation, bars 23 so that they are receivable Within the Fig. 10 is a face view of the form of the inven- 45 grooves of the rotor when the slide bars are retion illustrated in Fig. 9. tracted. The rounded faces 28 of the cutter bars Referring more in detail to the drawings:A are journaled Within correspondingly shaped I designates a hair cutter constructed in ac:- grooves 3l formed in the outer edges of the bars cordance with the present invention, and which 23. whereby the Cutter bars are adapted t0 pivot includes a shell 2 shaped to provide a substan- 50 and maintain the outer faces 2T in constant contially cylindrical rotor chamber 3 having a relatact with the inner surface of the rotor chamber' tively thin wall 4. The wall 4 has a plurality of to' form a substantially leakproof seal thereberows of apertures 5 covering, for example, a quartween.

ter thereof and of a size adapted to pass hair The slide bars 23 Ordinarily retain' the Cutter into the cylindrical chamber when the perforated bars 26 in Contact with the wall of the Cylindrical face is moved over the skin as illustrated in Fig. chamber responsive to centrifugal force. In order mounting elevators r44 is rotatably mounted a to avoid possible sticking of the slide bars, the bars are preferably arranged in pairs and the bars of each pair are interconnected by push rods 32 which are freely slidable within bores 33 extending between the bottoms of the diagonally opposed grooves as best illustrated in Fig. 3. The free ends of the push rods 32 are loosely fitted within sockets 34 formed within the inner edges of the slide bars 23, so that there is slight relative movement between the bars and ends of the rods. In order that the cutting edges 29 and 30 are exposed when the cutter bars areI moved across the perforated section of corner edges of the slide bars 23 are beveled as indicated at 34 and 35.

The rotor, equipped with the cutters as above described, is mounted'eccentrically of the axis of the rotor chamber on journals 36 and 31 asbest illustrated in Fig. 2. comprise screws 38 having threaded Shanks 39 engaging threads in openings disks I1. Theends of the screws are pointed at 4I to engage in conical sockets. 42 provided in the ends `of the rotor as shown in Fig. 4. The outer ends" A of the journals' have collar portions 43 and 45 which are retained in frictional contact with the disks I1 by heads 45 of the journals.. The elevators are in the form of disks substantially 'corresponding' in diameter to the .diametrof the shell] and have eccentrically arranged openings l43A through which the collar portions of the journalsV extend. It is thus apparent that the elevator disks are mounted eccentrically ofthevaxisA of the cylinder in vsuch a manner that the may be'moved with respect to thecylinderto bring theperipheral faces 41 thereof into projecting relation with respect to theapertured section of the shell. When the rotor assembly is mounted in the rotor chamber,

- a side thereofclosely contacts the wall of the rotor chamber adjacentthe passageway 9 so that a substantially crescent-shaped passageway 48 is provided on the opposite side of the rotor and which' is divided by the slide and cutter bars into a plurality of chambers 49, 50, I and 52 which vary in volume according to their position in the passageway 48. To break the vacuum ahead of the slide bars after thebars pass .the port II, the shell is provided with apertures53 and 54 as best shown in Fig. 3. The cutter thus described may be connected with a source of suction, for example, a water driven air pump as illustrated in Fig. 5, or theflexible duct maybe connected with` the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine whereby the razormay be adapted for use of travelers.

The journals preferably the shell, the outer.

into the path of 40 in the respective The pump snowman Fig. is mustrated to better describe the operation of the hair cutter. The pump maybe of ordinary gear type and includes a housing 55 having a. gear chamber 58 in which pair of meshing gears 51 and58, the teeth 58 of .which move in close contact with opposite end walls and 6I of the gear chamber.- The upper portionof the housing has a manifold 62 connected with ends of the gear chamber through ports 63 and EL The manifold 62 has a neck 85 adapted .to be slipped over the spout 66 of a faucet 61, the neck 65 being sealed with the spout 66 by a sutable gaskets.. The flexible connection I4 connects with a port B9 located in the upper central portion of the gear chamber. The gear chamber also has an outlet through a spout 10.

It is apparent that when water is discharged under pressure into the manifold, water discharges through the ports 63 and 64 to act upon the teeth of the gears and effect rotation of the gears in the direction of the arrows. Since the gears are in meshing relation, they cooperate with the upper portion of the gear chamber to provide a variable capacity chamber which effects movement of air from the cutter through the iiexible duct I4 and port II.

The form of cutter bar shown in Fig. 6 is similar to the structure just described, with the exception that the slide bars have bead-like ribs 21' and the cutters have socket-like grooves 28 to receive the ribs 21'.

In using a cutter constructed and assembled as described, the apertured section thereof is moved over the skin in such a manner that the hairs are projected through the apertures and the cutter bars which sever the projecting ends. The severed ends are drawn by the rush of air through the port I I, passageway 9, and flexible duct I4 and discharged with the waterfrom the discharge spout 1I l of the vacuum pump.

Attention is directed to the fact that the atmospheric air rushing through the apertures facilitates entrance of the hairs and assures a substantially clean shave with a minimum of passages of the cutter over the skin. The expansion of air drawn through the perforations in passing from atmospheric pressure to a lower pressure causes a small drop in temperature and the volume of air flowing through the shell ofthe housing carries off heat of friction generated incidental to operation, s o that the device is cool in operation and avoids discomforts where heat of friction is accumulative. Since the air stream carries away the severed hairs, there is no clogging of the cutter or the usual annoyance of loose hair. When shaving, the apertured face of the shell would ordinarily be supported in close contact with the skin, however, the cutter may be adjusted by swinging the elevators 44 and 45 into position so as to space the apertured face a selected distance from the skin.

The form of invention shown in Fig. '7 employs an oscillatory type of cutter blade 12 arranged to swing on a pivot 13 within a substantially semi-cylindrical compartment 14 so that the cutting edges 15 of the blade move in shearing contact with hair projected through the apertures 16 in the arcuate face 11 of the housing. A valve chamber 18 is provided on the top of the housing and is connected with the chamber 14 on opposite sides of the pivot 13 by ports 19 and 89. The ports are alternately opened and closed by a D shaped valve top thereof connected with the valve chamber 18. The valve is operated by a'iinger 83 projecting upwardly from the oscillatory cutter to shift the valve for alternately opening and closing the ports 19 and 80. The valve chamber is connected by a duct with a suitable source of suction as in the preferred form of the invention. It is obvious that suction acts on a side of the oscillatory cutter through the uncovered ports 19 and 88 whereby the vacuum causes the cutter to swing in the direction of the uncovered port to shear -off any hair protruding through the'apertures.

BI having a port 82 in the end of the ascacec other port so .that the vacuum the opposite side of the cutter.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 9, the cutter 86 is slidably mounted within a shell 81 having a substantially flat apertured bottom face 88'. The Y comprising a plurality of spaced blades 99 having cutting edges 90 movable over the inner surfaces of the section 88. The blades are connected by a bar 9| that carries aspring 92 having flexible ngers 93 and 94 on the ends thereof which engage a valve plate 95 to retain the cutting edges of the blades in cooperative shearing contact with the apertured section 88 and-the valve plate 95 in position to alternately open and close ports 96 and 91 that connect the respective ends of the cutter chamber with a manifold chamber 98. The manifold chamber 98 has a connection with a source of suction through a port 99.

With this arrangement the cutter is recipro- It -will be noted that in each instance the actuating air acts directly upon the cutter elements to effect movement thereof so that the cutter is operated with a mlmmum of.

relatively large volume of air drawn through the apertures tends to lift the hairs their entrance through the apertures into concontact with the movable member and for dis-v charging hair severed by the cutting edges.

2. A hair cutter including a shell having a substantially cylindrical cutter-` compartment procutter having cutting edges cooperating with the cutting edges of the apertures for cutting hair projecting through said apertures, and means connected with the chambers for drawing said air through the apertures to facilitate entrance of the hair to be cut and for effecting movement of the cutter to sever thev projected hair.

3. A hair cutter including a shell having a rotor compartment provided with apertures in a is elective on v slide bars and effect wall thereof, the edges of said apertures forming cutting edges, a rotor body in the rotor compartment, cutter bars slidably carried by the rotor body and having cutting edges cooperating with the first named edges, means journaling the rotor body eccentrically of the rotor compartment, and pneumatic means connected with the shell for drawing air through the apertures to act upon said cutter bars and effect rotation of the rotor body.

4. A hair cutter including a shell having a rotor compartment provided with apertures in a wall thereof, the edges of said apertures forming cutting edges, a rotor body in the rotor compartment, slide bars carried by the rotor body, means journaling the rotor body eccentrically of the rotor compartment, cutter bars having self aligning connection with the iirst named bars and provided with cutting edges movable in contact with the wall of said rotor compartment, and pneumatic means connected with the shell for drawing air through the apertures to act on said rotation of the rotor.

5, A hair .cutter including a shell having a rotor compartment provided with apertures in a Wall thereof, the edges of said apertures forming cutting edges, a rotor body inthe rotor compartment having longitudinal radially arranged grooves, bars slidable in said grooves, means journaling the rotor body eccentrically of the rotor compartment, cutter bars having self aligning connection with the slide bars and provided with cutting edges movable in contact with the wall of said rotor compartment, and pneumatic means connected With the shell for drawing air through the apertures to effect rotation of the rotor.

6. A hair cutter including a shell having a cut ter compartment provided With apertures in a wall of the compartment forming cuttingedges,

` a cutter reciprocably supported in the shell and connected with said cutter compartment, a valve in the valve compartment for alternately opening and closing said ports, and suction means connected with the valve compartment for eiecting reciprocation of the cutter.

7. A hair cutter including a shell having a cutter compartment provided with apertures in a wall of the compartment forming cutting edges, a cutter reciprocably supported in the shell and having cutting edges movable over the cutting edges formed by said apertures, means on the shell forming a valve compartment having ports vconnected with said cutter compartment, a-valve in the compartment for alternately opening and closing said ports, valve suction means connected with the valve compartment for effecting reciprocation of the cutter, and a connection between the cutter and the valve to effect reciprocation of the valve responsive to movement of the cutter.

8. A device of the character described including a shell having an apertured wall portion for admitting hairvinto the shell and providing cutting edges, a cutter element having a cutting edge cooperating with the saidedges to cut ofi hair entering the shell, said cutting element having impelling surfaces on opposite sides of said cuttingedge, means mounting the cutter element in said shell for movement of the cutting edge on said cutting element lrelative to cutting edges of said apertured wall portion, and means for producing movement of air from the shell on the side 'of one 0I seid surfaces to induce movement of air 'into the shell through seid epertured well the other impelling surface for element in the portion to act on producing movement ofthe cutter shell.

tingedge that ere carried thereby. means mounti ing the cutter element in seid shell for movement '9.` A device ot the character described includ-l ing a shell having an apertured wall portion for admitting hair into the shell and providing cutting edges, a cutter element carrying a cutting edge cooperating with said edges to cut off hair" enter-ing the shell,'said cutting element having impelling surfaces on opposite sides'of the cutof the cutting edge on seid cutting element rela.- tive to cutting edges o! said epertured well portion, e nexibie duct connected witn'the sneu on surface.'

ELMIIE'I'I F. SARVER.

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