US2397617A - Safety razor - Google Patents

Description

' April 2, 15546. MUROS n SAFETY RAZOR Filed Feb. 28, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l Figzl. /A/Vf/vm/ 5MM- Figa. j

April 2, 1946. J. MUROS y SAFETY 'RAZOR Filed Feb. 28. 1945 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Apr. 2, 1946 SAFETY RAZOR` Joseph Muros, Cambridge, Mass., assignor to Gillette Safety Razor Company, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Y ApplicationFebruary 28, 1945, Serial No. 580,106 (ci. -so-sm 4 l2 Claims.

This invention relates to safety razors of thetype in which a exible, replaceable blade is supported in position for shaving between co-oper ating blade-clamping members. It comprises an improved razor having a hinged one-piece capso operated as to clamp the blade by centrally applied pressure on the blade-seat of the razor.

The improved safety razor of my invention is a one-piece razor in the sense that it includes in its organization no loose parts which'are likely to become lost or mislaid when the razor is opened for the purposeof cleaning or replacing a blade. It is also characterized by a one-piece cap constructed and arranged to clamp the blade by centrally-applied pressure as distinguished from pressure applied at the corners of the cap.

Uniform supporting action of the blade-engagv ing faces of the clamping members upon the interposed blade is thus insured and tendence to bridge it obviated.

The attempt has been made heretofore to provide safety razors operating in this manner but in constructions heretofore used it hasbeen necessary to employ a blade having an aperture in its body large enough tol permit passage ofthe capin endwise position. This involves an objectionableweakness in the blade as well as objec-` tionable long motion of the parts in opening the razor. On the contrary, the razor of my invention is compact and self-contained in'construction and may employ blades of any commercial construction, including double-edged blades oi the well-known Gillette type.

An important feature of my invention consists in a clamping spindle having threads formed at two different places in its length, one being effective for opening and closing the cap and the other being effective for moving the 'cap to clamp the blade interposed between it and the blade-supporting member. Preferably and as herein shown, these two threads are of different pitch; the thread for opening and closing the cap being a quick thread of steep pitch and the thread for clamping the blade being of finer pitch and so well adapted for developing adequate clamping pressure. As herein shown, the two threads are constructed and -arranged for successive opera.

tion; that is to say, the quick thread is effective for opening or closing the cap, while the clampingvthread is disengaged, and the ne thread is elective for the clamping operation While the quick thread ls disengaged.

Another feature of the invention consists in convenient provision for adjusting the opening angle of the cap. As herein shown', the train'of mechanism for opening and closing the cap includes a distance piece or spacer operating with a predetermined but adjustable amount of clearance between two shoulders or abutments. shoulders are arranged for relative adjustment and their place in the train of mechanism is such I that the greater the amount of separation be- Y tween them the greater is the angle of cap opening.

Still anotherfeature of the invention consists in an organized safety razor structure including a hinged single-piece cap arranged toy be operated as above set forth, in which the whole structure whenonce assembled and adjusted is maintained as anoperative organization by a single screw inserted as the last step in the assembling operation.

These and other features of the invention will be Ibest understood and appreciated Vfrom the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, selected for purposesof illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of the complete razor in closed condition;

Fig. 2 is a view'ofthe razor in vertical Sectio and'on an enlarged scale.

i Fig. 3 is a View in longitudinal section corresponding to Fig.V 2,*except that the razor is shown in its opened condition; y

Fig. 4 is a corresponding View in longitudinal section at right angles to that of Fig. 3;

Fig."5 is a View in ber of the razor; Y

Fig.6 is a view in perspective of the spider and cap member; Y

iariyto yhandle double-edge Vbladescf the `Wen known Gillette type having. a longitudinalmedial slot with Aseveral local enlargements therein,

and'reentrantrcorner notches which deneelongated unsharpened end portions in the blade. 5 It will Vbe understood. howeven.l that the razor may be adapted for handling other types of blades byV appropriate modification of its design, all within the 'scope of the present invention.

The' razor herein shown vcomprises a .blade-supporting or guard member l0 .substantially rectangular inlioutline .and presenting a Ablade-seat convex inacontour, uponzwhichthe blade isitrans- These perspective of the cap mem-V Fig. 'l is a view in perspective 0f the blade-- supporting` orv guard member and handle of the versely flexed when it is clamped in place. The longitudinal edges of the guard member are curved downwardly and longitudinally slotted to provide guard bars therein. The body of the guard member is provided centrally and symmetrically with a diamond-shaped depression I2 which stiffens the guard as a whole.V As best shown in Fig. 7, the member I is further stiffened by having both of its ends down-turned in the form of 'ilange's I3. Slots I4 extend inwardly through these flanges and through the longitudinal vertices of the diamond shaped depression I2. The flanges |3 and the body of the guard member are also provided with a pair of slots I5 located near the rear edge or the` guard memberV and with a pair of rectangular lclearance apertures I6 located near the front edge of the guard member. The member I9 is ,perforated vcentrally in the bottom of theV diamond-shaped depression I2 to receive the upper end of the razor handle Il and this is headed'or upset in the perforation to form a permanent `connection between the handle and the guard member. n l l `Coj-operating with the guard member |0 is a hinged, one-piece cap member lgsimilar in outline and somewhat narrower than the guard member and having an inner concave blade-engaging face'which -is the complement in contour to the convex face of the guard member. At its rear edge the cap I8 is provided with a pair of downwarly extend-ing arms |'9 which merge into rearwardly extending branches and each of these terminates in an inwardly extending lug 2|. In its forward corners, the'cap I8 is provided with reinforcing corner-lugs 22 adapted to fit with clearance into the apertures |-6 of the guard member when the cap is brought into clamping relation therewith. Y

Centrally, the :cap -|8 is provided with a rounded boss .disposed concentrically with respect to va threaded hole `2.3 therein. The cap I8 is pivot'-V ally connected or hinged at yone edge to a spider which will now be described. This comprises a central bar 24 having ydown-turned arms -25 at both ends merging into parallel transverse bars 26. The bar 24 serves as blade-locating means in thd'razorrand theblade vis slotted to t the bar. The arms `25 :of the bar pass :downwardly through the'slots I4 in the guard member I0 at the vertices of ,the depression I2. A pivot 21-extends inwardly through-one endo eachof the transverse n bars 26 and Vthrough the Varm |9 tof the cap at a iine external thread'30 near vits lower end.V

The stem 29 is of such diameter as toslide freely within the hollow .portion I1 of thelrazor handle. T-heslot of the yblade is ,provided with Aa 'central enlargement 'of circular `outline to receive the f hub 28.

, In the assembled razor, a vcircular nut 3| is Yscrewed upon rthe thread 30 andforms in eiect an adjustable shoulder on 'the vstem 29.V The Vstem 29 and spider are movable up and down in the razor assembly .to `effect both clamping and swinging movement of the-'cap |8 as 'Will 'be presentlydescribed. Y Y

A sleeve 32 ts looselyoutsidethe lhollow'stem V2919i fthe `spider fandiyserves 'asaa Tspacer liirxdis-v The central bar 24 of tance piece between the nut 3| and a shoulder provided by the lower end of the handle Il thus limiting the highest position to which the spider can move, as shown in Fig. 4. A compression spring 33 surrounds the sleeve 32, bearing at its lower end on the nut 3| and at its upper end against the shoulder provided by the handle and urging the spider always downwardly. The handle is shouldered externally to receive the barrel 34 to which it is permanently united, as by a forcing fit. The barrel encloses the stem 29, the sleeve 32 and the spring 33 as well as a clamping spindle 35 disposed concentrically within the stem 29. The spindle 35 is of such diameter as to turn freely in the stem 29 and is provided with a 'threaded upper end 36 arranged to make clamping engagement with the central threaded hole 23 of the cap and thus to transmit centrally-applied clamping pressure to the cap when desired. The spindle is moved longitudinally by a coarse or quick thread 31 formed on yits exterior and engaging with a corresponding Vinternal thread cut in the interior of the stem 29 yof fthe spider.

A screw 4| having a vtlire'a'cled.fshanlz I2 is screwed into the end of 'the spindle 35 and l provided with a circular headV which .ii'ts :the end of the thimble 39.. A dowelpin 43makes positive connection between lthelower endV of rthe spindle and an annular'fla-ngfe within theftl'imble 39, these parts being held ytogetherbyfthe screw 4|. It will be seen that'the tliimble 39 provides convenient means Lfor'A the user (to v.ro'tai'jefthel spindle 35 for raising or Flowering fthe" swinging the cap and also for-clamping .orreleasingthecap.

The razor -is asse r"bled 'from the Y.parts aboveV described as follows.: The-capita .andthe spider are 'first connected Aas shown vin 'Figjl by -ilhe pivots 21, and the blade-supporting mn'giberlf is permanently vconnected `to the handle ffl-33'. The capi-is now turned up .into a vertical-:position so Atlfiat -the rearward yloranclhe's"Z9 lof the arms I9 extend downwardly .andthe .stemTIl bfi the spider is inserted in the bore Y oivrthe barrel, the branches `23 at the same timelpassing down through the -slots Y|55 of the blade-Supporting member. After the Ybranches l2|l7are` ,-passede' th-rougihlthe slotsythe capisswung intoits closed position,v thus permitting Vthe. spider 12o-move downwardly tov-its 4lowest position; The .razor lis then inverted while the `cap -isl-held .placeand the-sleeve 32 andthe spr-Ting 33=arefdroppedfinto Place between -the barrel-34r-and the stemnljilof1 the spider.

The circular ynut 3| is next"dropped the4`V end-of -theflbarreL engaged with :the-thread 3|) of the spindle 29, Yand screwed .in-by theuse-ofa spanner until it is adjustedmroperly forathede'- sired'opening cfg-thel cap. The l.angleofaopening' of the -YcapY tis determined by the j-.positionof the untel The upwardmovement effthgzeiderfls This thread |31 is much coarser than the clamping thread on` positively arrested when the sleeve 32 is engaged between the shoulder of the handle I'I and the nut 3l. It will be seen that the farther up on the stem 29 the nut 3I is screwed,the` more is the upward movement of the stem 29 confined,

and consequently the smaller the opening angle of the cap I8. On the other hand, as `the nut 3| is turned reversely so as to increase the up-A ward movement permitted to the stem 29 the greater is the opening anglepermitted to thecap. The spindle 35 is now inserted in the bottom of the barrel and screwedinwardly until the collars 38 at its lower end span the slot for the key 40 at the lower end of the barrel. The key 40 is now put in place in the barrel and pro.- jects inwardly between the two shoulders of the spindle. The thimble 39 is then placed von the end of the barrel and turned to lbringthe dowel pin 43 into alignment with the hole prepared for it in the end of the spindle. When these have been brought into registration the screw 4`I is set up tightly in the end of the spindle thus holding the thimble in place, which in turn holds the key 40 against the possibility of removal. The key 40 is shownin Fig. 8 as hav in'g a wing at each end which prevents it from passing wholly through the barrel while locating the inner portion of the key in position to be engaged by the collars 38 of the spindle.

Starting with the cap in open position as shown in Fig. 4, the razor above described is used in the following manner: In the open position of the cap, the blade-seat of the blade-supporting member I is fully exposed and the transverse bars 26 of the spider are initially lifted above the level of the blade-seat. A blade 44which, as already explained, is slotted to receive the bar 24 and the hub 28 of the spider, may now be freely placed in the razor and will rest at its ends upon the bars 26 of the spider, all as shown in Fig. 4. The angle of cap opening is determined by the height of the spider and the engagement of the inturned lugs 2I on the arms of the cap with the under-side of the bladesupporting member I0. turned in a clock-wise direction the thread 31 lowers the spindle rapidly and permits the spring 33 to force the spider downwardly. In the downward movement of the spider, the arms I9 of the cap engage shoulders in the blade-supporting member adjacent to the slots I5 and the cap is accordingly swung toward and into its closed position. When the arms I9 of the cap have assumed vertical positions they are free to pass downwardly through the slots I5 Vof the guard member.

At substantially the same time that the cap reaches its closed position, the quick-thread 31 of the spindle l35 passes above the internal thread of the spider stem 29 and the clamping thread on the end 36 of the spindle is free to enter the threaded hole 23 of the cap. After this occurs, further turning of the spindle draws down the cap with a centrally-applied pressure, flexing the blade 44 upon its blade-seat and clamping it in shaving position as shown in Fig. 2. l

After the razor has been used, the series of steps above set forth occur in their reverse order. First, the spindle 35 disengages the cap I8 without any substantial movement thereof, that is to say, pressure of the cap on the blade is released by a slight vertical movement, but no swinging movement of the cap takes place. The vertical movement imparted to the cap by the threaded end 36 of the spindle is suicient for As the spindle 35 is nowy member.

the purpose of adjusting the edge exposure' of the blade to the preference of the user. 'After the disengagement of the threaded end 36 from the cap, the quick-thread 31 len-gages the internal thread of the stem 29 of the spindle. Further rotation of the spindle 25 now raises the spider against the action of the spring 33, lifting the transverse bars 26 above the level of the blade-Seat, so that the blade is lifted from the blade-seat, and at the same time causing the cap I8 to swing toward its open position by carrying the pivots 2l up through the slots I5 while the inwardly extending lugs v2l are` engaged against the underside of the blade-supporting The limit of upward movement of the spider occurs when the nut 3I brings up against the bottom of the spacing sleeve 32, as Shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

It will be understood that the spring 33 and also the weight of the moving parts both tend at all times to lower the spider 24 and thus automatically to close the cap I8. The actual upand-down position of the spider and the position of the cap I 8 are controlled by the spindle through its threaded connection 3T with the stem of the spider. It will be further understood that there is sufficient clearance to free the spindle completely after one thread is disengaged so as to facilitate engagement of its other thread.

Having `thus .disclosed my invention and described in detail an illustrative embodiment thereof, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

Y1. A safety razor having a blade-supporting A1 member, a one-piece cap hinged to swing toward and from said member and having a centrally disposed threaded hole, a spring acting to close the cap, and a threaded clamping spindle movable rst to control the spring closing of the cap and then to engage the threaded hole of the cap and to clamp the cap by centrally applied pressure against a blade on said blade-supporting member.

2. A safety razor having a blade-supporting member, a spider movable with respect to said member, a one-piece cap hinged to the spider to swing toward and from said member and having a central aperture, a spring acting to move the spider and cap into closed position, and a spindle for counteracting the action of said spring and for engaging the aperture of the cap to clamp the cap by centrally applied force against a blade on said blade-supporting member.

3. A safety razor having a blade-supporting member provided at both ends with slots, a spider movable with respect to said member, a onepiece cap pivotally connected to the spider and having arms passing through the slots of said member and a central aperture, and a spindle operatively connected to the spider for controlling the up and down movement thereof while the cap is locked against swinging by the guided movement of its arms in the slots of the bladesupporting member, and having a portion shaped to engage the aperture of the cap for clamping the cap by centrally applied pressure against a blade on said blade-supporting member.

4. A safety razor having a blade-supporting member, a co-operating one-piece cap, and a clamping spindle having a steep-pitch threaded connection with the blade-supporting member and a fine-pitch threaded connection with the cap constructed and arranged to be successivelyV operated.

5. A safety razor having a guard member, a

blade-supporting spider. ymovable therein, a cooperating blade clamping cap, and a spindle .having threaded connection with .the` spider and a threaded connection with the cap, said connections .being vconstructed and arranged `to be suc- I cessively engaged in clamping a vblade `between the cap and guard members. Y v

6. A safetyrazor having a blade-supporting member, a co-operating one-piece .cap hinged for opening and closing movement towardand from said blade-supporting member Aand movable bodily 'to exact blade-clamping pressure, and a clamping spindle having two screw'threads thereon, one for opening or closing the cap `,and the other for clamping the cap upona vblade interposed between it and the yblade-supporting member.

7. A safety razor having co-operati-ng bladeclamping members-one of which comprises a onepiece cap hinged to swing about one edge, and means for opening and closing the cap including a distance piece and abutments relatively adjustable to Vary the angle ci cap opening.

8. A safety razor having co-operating bladeclamping members, one of which comprises a onepiece .cap hinged to swing about on-e edge, a Y

' closed and a separate threaded clamping connection with the cap arranged to engage after the cap has been closed.

9. A safety razor havingV a blade-supporting member, a one-piece cap hinged to swing into closed position above said member, a spring tending at lall times to'close the cap, and a 'spindle having :a 'threaded connection for holding vthe cap openagainst spring pressure and .being rotatable to permit V:the .cap to close under the actuation of .the said spring.

'10; A safety razor having co-operating bladeclamping members, one of Whichcomprises a onepiece cap hinged yto swing about one edge, a spring acting to swing the cap into closed position, and a spindle having spaced threads thereon, one thread acting to ,swing the cap open against Vspring tension, and theother thread acting to move the cap in a .rectilinear path for clamping .or releasing a blade interposedbetween the .sai-d clamping members.

11. Asafety razor having .a guard member fast to a Vtubular handle, .a spider carrying a hinged one-piece cap and having a hollow stem movable within said tubular handle, a spindle concentrically disposed within said stem and having a threaded connection therewith, a spring normally depressing Vthe spider, a lost-motion connection between .the handle andV spindle, and a threaded connection between the spindle and said cap.

12. A safety razor having a blade-supporting member, a one-piece cap hinged at one edge thereof and being adapted to swing toward and from the'said vsupporting member, a spring acting to close .said cap, a clamping spindlek cooperating with said cap to clamp the same by centrally applied force against a blade o-n said blade-supporting member, and means associated with said spindle to Vcounteract the action of said spring. n

JOSEPH MUROS.

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