US2393366A - Razor - Google Patents

Description

G. HAMMOND Jan. 22, 1946.

' RAZOR Filed Sept. 21, 1 943 Patented Jan. 22, 1946 umran STATES PATENT'IOFFICE Grant Hammond, West Haven, Conn, assignor to Frank Kenna, New Haven, Conn.

Application September 21, 1943, Serial No'. 503,193

Claims. (01. so- 73) This invention relates to safety razors, and more particularly to the type of such razors employing a double-edged, thin, flexible blade which is clamped between two members, usually designated as guard and cap members, so that the blade is curved when the razor is adjusted for use.

Such razors normally consist of a cap member, a guard member, and a handle member, which alsoserves to secure jthecapand guard members together withthe blade clamped therebetween. Usually the cap member is provided with a concave-inner or upper surface adjacent the blade, so that, when the clamping action takes place, the center of the blade will be depressed into this concavity, thus resulting in a deformation of the blade into a transversely curved shape, with the cutting edges of the blade projecting beyond the cap. e

In the use of such razors the cutting angle at which the blade edge is disposed is determined by the pressure with which the cap and guard are clamped together, and, while this pressure may be varied, as a practical matter the blade will only be satisfactorily secured tightly in place in one position, and hence in practice no adjustment is possible to vary the closeness of the shave obtained. This results from the fact that if the pressure between the cap and guardmembers is relieved to vary the cutting angle of the blade, the latter will not be securely held in place, and will not operate in a. satisfactory manner. Therefore, as a matter of fact, there is no way inthe ordinary razor of adjusting the blade for a close shave or otherwise.

One object of the present invention is to provide a safety razor of the type described, whereby the angle of the blade may be adjusted with respect to the guard member of the razor to obtain a light or a close shave, as desired, while at the same time the blade will be firmly held against the cap member at all times. 7

Still another object of the invention is to provide a razor of the character described in which the parts may be readily disassembled for clean- A still further object of the invention is toprovide a razor of the class described, in which indicating means are provided to indicate to the.

.user the setting of the razor, so that he may be able to ascertain the closeness of the shave to be had from the instrument at any time.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to-be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a razor embodying my improvements;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Fi 1;

Fig, 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on line 4-1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, showing the parts in a different position of adjustment; and

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of parts of the razor head.

To illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention I have shown a razor comprising a cap member III, a guard member II, and a handle member I2.

As-shown, the cap member is provided with a curved or convex outer or lower face J3, and a curved or concave inner or upper face I4. I Upon the upper face of this member are positioned a pair of studs I5 and a shank [6. The studs l5 are designed toenter the end portions ll of an opening I8 in the double-edged flexible blade l9,

. and the shank I6 is also designed topass through the central portion of this opening. It will, of course, .berunderstoodthat the studs serve as a convenient means for positioning the blade I9 to be received in the opening 26.

in relation to the cap 10, but that other means 1 may be employed for this purpose if desired. The

guard l l of the razor is provided with a flat upper face 20 and a convexly curved lower or inner face 2|, this last face being opposed to and having a shape complemental to the convex face ll of the cap Ill. Adjacent its edges the uard is provided with longitudinal slots or openings 22," and guard rails 23 at each longitudinal side edge beyond these openings. This member is also provided with a central opening 24 to receive the shank l6 and an opening 25 on each the blade transversely to conform to the shape of the surface [4 of the cap. Such an arrangement will hold the blade firmly in place, and provide for a satisfactory shave at one shaving or cutting angle, but will permit ofno adjustment of this angle for a light or closeshave. This will be true, because, if the handle I2 is backed off 01' unscrewed with relation to the shank it, while the angle of the cutting edge of the blade will be changed,,the blade will no longer be satisfactorily held, and its cutting edges supported firmly'between the guard and cap member. Such a razor is, therefore, as a practical matter only designed to give satisfactory performance when the handle is screwed down tightly against the guard.

In order that the cutting angle of the blade may be changed:to give a close or a light shave, and at the same time to provide that the blade be clamped tightly against the cap member, and that. its edge be firmly supported upon both sides, I provide a flexible or resilient plate 23 adapted to be disposed between the guard member and the blade. This plate, as shown, is provided with openings 29 through which. may pass the studs 15, and with an opening'30 for thereception of the shank I6. It is also providedat each end with a resilient or spring clip designed to be received in recesses 32 inthe ends of the guard member H, and to clamp over the upper surface of this guard member, .as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. These spring clips may preferably be formedintegrally with the .plate 28 and of the same stock, and provide a convenient means for securely and firmly but detachably securingtheplate 28 to the. guard member I i. The plate will, therefore,

when the parts of the razor are disassembled; be'

ordinarily carried by and remain secured to the guard member, but it may be readily removed therefrom and replaced thereupon, if desired, for

will be flexed or crowned to some extent when.

clamped tightly between the cap and guard, it will, nevertheless, be sufficiently firm and rigid to hold the blade at points adjacent thecuttingedges firmly against the edge of the cap.

As shown, the member 23 is of substantially the same dimensions with respect to the'length tive positions of the cap and guard are adjusted by the screwing of the handle l2 upon the shank I6, and that the handle will screw, very easily upon the shank until the flexible plate 28 is crowned or curved by the pressure therebetween, and that after this occurs the screwing of the handle upon the shank will meet with increasing resistance. In order that the adjustment between the parts may be readily indicated so that the user may be advised of the adjustment without having to secure the proper adjustment by trial and error, the upper surface 20 of the guard member H is provided with a plurality of indicating marks 34, and the handle is provided with a pointer 35 to cooperate with these marks.

After the user of the razor has determined the setting ofthe' parts which will best suit his purposes, the pointer 35 may always be turned back to the same indicating mark when the parts of the razor are beingassembled.

In ig- 4 of. thedrawing I have shown the parts of the razor in the positions. which they. will occupy when the handle 12 is screwed down tightly upon the shank I6. It will be noted that in this position of the parts the plate 28 is curved to conform substantially to the lower surface 2| of the guard and the uppersurface- IA of the cap. This position of the parts will result in a very. light shave, as it will be seen that the blade isso curved that its cutting;edge will lieclose to the lower surface of the ,guard. Howevenwhen the handle l2'is backed off, as-shown in Fig. 5,-the blade angle, is changed,-and particularly that of the cuttingedges thereof, sothat. the latter lie at a greater distancefrom the guard to give a closer shave, As the blade angle is not onlychanged to some extent but also the cutting edge thereof lies at agreaterdistancefrom the guard, the shaving action of-=the blade will be g reatly altered. It -will,;- of course, be understood that any positionof the parts between thoseshown, in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5;may be obtained as desired, according to the results which are acceptable to V theuser. It will also be. obviousthat-in eitherand width as the upper surface 14 of the cap member 10, so; that the cutting edges of the blade, as shown in Figs. 4' and 5, will project slightly beyond the side edges of the plate 28, the amount of this projection being substantially the same as the amount of the projection of the blade edges beyond the edges of thecap. Therefore, the blade will be held firml between the cap and the plate 28. adjacent and .along'its cutting edges,.'regardless.of the adjustment of 'therelative positionsof the cap and guard.

It will, of course, be understood that the relaposition of the parts the-bladeedges; are firmly supported and securely held between the cap=and theplate 2 8 regardless of the adiustmentzof theparts, the plate 28;, whilefiexible u der pressure, being sufficiently stilt-and rigjdto effect this, result. v

While I have shown anddescribed a preferred embodiment of" my'in-vention, it: will be under, stood that it is not to be limited to. alliof the-details shown, but i gcapable of modification and variation within the spirit of theinvention: and withinthescopeof-theclaims.

What. claim is: 1" 1.' A ra zo r comprising a cap: member and a guard member; a handle member; for; adiustably Securing h an and. guardmembersztogether: to. clam a razor; blade ltherebetweenfsaid guard member having .a. smocthiconvexlouter surface and said cap member having :a complementary.

concave inner surface to effect flexing of the. blade, said. uard. member having; openings; adjacent itsied'gesgarr initially fiatpflexible plate resting upon theiouter surface ofrtheiguardjmem; her to. overlie the latter and lie'betwen' it and the blade, the) side edges. of said plate extending to clamp a razor blade therebetween, said guard member having a smooth convex outer surface and said cap member having a complementary concave inner surface to effect flexing 'of the blade, said guard member having openings adja-.

cent its edges, an initially flat flexible plate rest-. ing upon the outer surface of the guard member to overlie the latter and lie between it and the blade, the side edges of said plate extending to said openings, to support the blade adjacent its cutting edges, and said plate having spring members at its ends to engage the end portions of the guard to detachably secure the plate to the guard,

3. A razor comprising a cap member and a guard member, a handle member for adjustably securing the cap and guard members together to clamp a razor blade-therebetween, said guard member having a smooth convex outer surface and said cap member having a complementary concave inner surface to effect flexing of the blade, said guard member havingopenings adjacent its edges, an initially flat flexible plate resting upon the outer surface of the guard 4. A razor comprising a cap and a guard, a handle member for adjustably securing said members together to clamp a razor blade against the cap, said cap having a concave inner surface, an intermediate flexible blade-supporting member resting upon the outer surface of the ent of said handle member for securing said blade-supporting member to the guard to hold said supporting member and guard in assembled relation, when detached from the handle.

5. A razor comprising inner and outer bladeclamping members, a handle member for adjustably securing said clamping members together to clamp a razor blade'against the outer member, said outer member having a concave inner surface, an intermediate flexible blade-supporting member resting upon'the outer surface of the inner member between the latter and the blade to hold the blade against the outer member, and means independent of said handle member for securing said blade-supporting member to the inner clamping member to hold said last-named members in assembled relation when detached from the handle, said means comprising clips carried by said supporting member and extending outwardly therefrom to engage the side edges of the inner clamping member.

GRAN T HAMMOND.

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