US2424260A

US2424260A - Safety razor

Info

Publication number: US2424260A
Application number: US564770A
Authority: US
Inventors: Testi Nicholas
Original assignee: Gillette Safety Razor Co
Current assignee: Gillette Co LLC
Priority date: 1944-11-23
Filing date: 1944-11-23
Publication date: 1947-07-22
Anticipated expiration: 1964-07-22
Also published as: BE461392A; FR917942A

Description

3 0 6 5 rch Room July 22, 1947. TEsT| 2,424,260

SAFETY RAZOR Filed Nov. 23, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 uudI'Cn HOOD,

July 22, 1947. 5511 2,424,260

SAFETY RAZOR Filed Nov. 23, 1944 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 iEL/I/Illlllllg 3.5 12' OUGI UH l'iUUlh Patented July 22, 1947 STATES PATENT OFFICE SAFETY RAZOR Application November 23, 1944, Serial No. 564,770

UNITED 11 Claims. 1

This invention relates to safety razors of the type in which a thin flexible blade is supported on both sides, in position for shaving, between co-operating blade-clamping members. It con- 2 a position in which it may be disengaged and so separated from the blade-supporting member of the razor.

The razor of my invention may be supplied by sists in a safety razor of improved construction, 5 hand with blades, or it may be used in co-operhaving the advantages both of a one-piece razor ation with a magazine such as disclosed in my and of a razor in which the blade-clamping prior application, Serial No. 562,966, filed Nomembers may be entirely detached and sepavember 11, 1944. When supplied by a magazine, rated. the fresh blade in inserted beneath the used blade Hitherto, two well-recognized types of safety already in the razor and by the insertion of the razor have been available for the public. In one fresh blade the used blade is elevated and freed type, the co-operating blade-clamping members from engagement with the blade-retaining deare arranged to be entirely disengaged and sepavices of the razor so that it is free to be removed rated for the removal or replacement of a blade, by sliding it outwardly in an endwise direction Thi condition is desirable for a thorough cleanabove the fresh blade. From this standpoint, the

ing and drying of the razor after use, but it has a disadvantage that there is always danger of dropping or losing one of the loose parts when the razor is thus disassembled. In the second type, often referred to as a "one-piece typ d/he blade-clamping members are arranged for separation only to a limited degree sufiicient to provide passage for the blade to be presented or removed endwise from between them. In this type of razor, the danger of dropping loose parts is obviated but the operation of cleaning and drying the razor after use can only be effected with the exercise of considerable care and some inconvenience to the user.

The object of the present invention is to provide a safety razor so constructed and organized that it may be operated as a one-piece razor in ordinary use, but may be readily and completely disengaged and disassembled whenever the user desires thoroughly to clean his razor: for example, the razor of my invention may be operated as a onepiece razor for four or five consecutive shaves and then disassembled and cleaned with the same facility as razors of the type in which the blade-clamping members are entirely disena ed.

With this end in view, an improved feature of the present invention consists in a safety razor in which the cooperating blade-clamping members have a spring-locking connection between them, normally retaining them against complete disengagement but operating to permit the bladeclamping members to be entirely disengaged and separated, in response to a simple manipulation by the user. Going more into detail, the cooperating blade-clamping members may comprise the usual cap and blade-supporting member and the cap may be provided with a slotted retaining flange normally held by a spring in interlocked relation but movable under moderate pressure to razor of my invention has the advantages of compactness and simplicity of construction, While being at the same time adapted for use in magazine combinations where a new blade is presented and a used blade removed by a single operation.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an exploded View showing the individual parts of the razor and a blade in perspective;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing partially assembled elements of the razor in perspective and from a different angle;

Fig. 3 is a view of the razor in longitudinal section showing the cap in released position; and

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of the razor head in blade clamping condition.

The embodiment of the razor herein shown is constructed and arranged to employ doubleedged safety razor blades of the well-known Gillette type, but the invention is not limited tothat or any specific type of blade but with suitable modification may be organized to employ blades of different shapes.

The blade-supporting member or guard I0 is generally rectangular in shape and longitudinally shouldered to provide a blade-supporting face which is transversely convex; that is to say, a face bounded by shoulders over which the blade is flexed when it is clamped for shaving. It is provided with longitudinal marginal slots which set on guard bars I l at both edges and are effective to reduce the weight of the guard member as a. whole. At each corner of the guard member are provided downwardly extending projections I! which are adapted to co-operate with blade magazine of the type described in my prior application above identified in establishing the proper relation between the razor head and the magazine for replacement of a blade.

The guard member is provided with a central hole l3 for connection with the handle of the razor and with 2. blade-locating rib [4 which projects above its face and is tapered at both ends to facilitate the passage over it of the solid end of a blade. The rib I4 is located just within the front or blade-receiving end of the guard member 10. Adjacent to its rear end is provided a detent comprising a pair of upstanding retaining pins or spurs 15 which serve to hold the blade positively in the proper longitudinal position in the razor, and at the extreme end of the guard is provided a. clearance recess [6. Between the two blade-retaining pins I5 is provided a wedge-shaped rib II which serves to elevate the advancing end of a blade so that it may ride up and over the pins IS in reaching its shaving position and also for the purpose of freeing a previously presented blade from the retaining pins l5, as will presently be described. In its lower face, the guard member is provided with a deep, rectangular recess I8 bounded upon opposite sides by'shoulders IS. The recess l8 extends inwardly from the rear end of the guard member to a point somewhat in advance of the central hole [3. The guard member is also notched in its left-hand or rear end to facilitate connection with the cap, as will presently appear.

The co-operating cap or blade-flexing member 20 is similar in contour to the guard member and slightly narrower and it is provided with a central threaded hole 2| for the clamping spindle and with longitudinal shoulders 22 which are spaced apart so as to lie slightly outside the shoulders of the guard member when the two are brought together. The cap is provided at its rear end with downwardly-extending arms 23 which merge into an inwardly-extending retaining element herein shown as a plate or bar 24. The arms 23 pass downwardly in the notch at the left end of the guard. The bar 24 is spaced from the inner face of the cap sufficiently to embrace the guard member with substantial clearance. At its inner end the retaining plate is provided with a circular aperture 25 opening out through the free end of the retaining plate 24 which thus terminates in forks 26 spaced more closely together than the diameter of the circular aperture 25. The latter is located concentrically with respect to the threaded hole 2| of the cap member and with the hole 13 of the guard member when the cap and guard are in their assembled relation. The circular aperture 25 and the opening between the forks 26 form in effect a key-hole slot in the retaining member, A hold-down device, herein shown as a bowed leaf spring 21, is secured by a rivet 28 to the inner face of the cap member 20 and this spring is cut out so that it clears the projecting ribs and retaining pins of the guard member as well as the clamping spindle which passes through the razor head. The bar 24 fits freely and flatwise into the recess l8 and is held against the shoulders I!) by the action of the spring 21.

The inner face of the cap 20 is recessed or channeled, as shown in Fig. 2, to receive the spring 21 when the cap is drawn down into clamping engagement with the blade. The spaced sides of the spring 21 are arranged to bear on the side portions of a blade interposed beneath it and to retain the blade yieldingly on the blad 4 seat. The upwardly flared free end of the spring facilitates the insertion of a blade beneath the spring on the blade seat of the guard.

A double-edged blade 29 such as is employed in the razor herein described is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. It is formed of sheet steel .004 to .007 inch in thickness, sharpened at both longitudinal edges for shaving and provided with a medial longitudinal slot 30 having a central circular enlargement 3|, and two diamond-shaped intermediate enlargements 32. The blade is recessed in all four corners so that it presents elongated unsharpened end portions 33.

The razor handle 34, which is tubular in character, is inserted at its upper end in the hole I3 of the guard member and secured in position once and for all in any convenient manner. It is herein shown as being shouldered and provided with a collar or ring 35 of relatively large diameter which is disposed in contact with the lower or outer face of the guard member. This collar 35 of the handle is of such diameter as to pass freely up or down through the circular aperture 25 of the retaining plate but it is too wide to pass transversely between the forks 26 thereof. Below the collar 35 the handle presents a section of reduced diameter which will pass freely between the forks 26 and which constitutes in effect a stud or projection for the keyhole slot of the retaining plate.

Within the bore of the tubular handle is provided a clamping spindle 36 threaded at its upper end for connection with the threaded hole 2| of the cap. It is provided with a collar 31 movable freely within the chambered handle 34 in which is also provided a long compression spring 38 tending at all times to move the clamping spindle downwardly and so clear the blade passage between the cap and guard members, as soon as the threaded end of the spindle is disengaged from the threaded hole 2| of the cap. The spindle 36 is provided with a knurled head 39 at its lower end which projects beyond the end of the tubular handle 34. This part of the handle is provided with an internal annular rib 40 which serves as a positive stop to limit the downward movement of the clamping spindle 36 when the latter is disengaged from the cap.

In assembling the razor, the handle barrel 34 is secured permanently to the guard member I0. The cap 20 is then pressed down upon the guard member, flattening the spring 21 and carrying the retaining plate 24 downwardly below and beyond the collar 35 of the handle. While held downwardly in this position the forks 26 of the retainin plate may be slipped past the handle 34 and the circular recesses 25 brought into concentric relation with the collar 35 of the handle.

Now when the cap is released from this temporary pressure the spring 21 will act immediately to lift the cap with its integral retaining plate and to locate the circular aperture 25 of the retaining plate at the same level-as the collar. When this interlocking relationship has been established and while it persists, it is impossible to disengage the cap and the guard members of the razor head and consequently the razor may be employed as a one-piece razor. If, from time to time, it is desired to separate the cap and the guard for purposes of thorough cleaning, the cap may be again pressed down against the action of the spring 21. The retaining plate 24 is thus carried below the level of the collar 35 of the handle, out of interlockin engagement with the collar, In this position the cap may be moved Search b freely toward the left as seen in Fig. 3, and completely disengaged from the razor head.

By unscrewing the clamping spindle 36, leaving the spring 38 to move the spindle 36 downwardly to the clearance position shown in Fig. 3, the razor may be prepared for the reception of a blade. The blade may then be presented endwise between the spaced cap and guard members. In advancing between them the solid end of the blade is first lifted and then lowered in passing over the rib M. It is then lifted by the elevating rib ll above the retaining pins l5 and advanced until its shoulders are arrested by contact with the downwardly extending arms 23 of the cap. These arms act as stops and limit the inward movement of the blade when it has reached a position wherein the forward intermediate enlargement 32 registers with the blade-retaining pins l5. When this position has been reached, the blade is free to settle itself in fiat condition upon the inner convex face of the guard member "I. The blade may be now clamped in position for shaving by pushing the clamping spindle 36 upwardly and screwing it into the threaded hole 2| of the cap 20. This draws the cap downwardly, flexing the blade transversely over the convex face of the guard member and clamping it securely in shaving position. In this movement the head of the rivet 28 finds clearance in the recess I6 of the guard member and the spring 21 is flattened into its recess or channel in the cap 20.

When it is desired to replace the used blade, a fresh blade is merely inserted beneath the used blade by hand or from a magazine. The forward end of the guard member I!) is champered to facilitate entering the end of a fresh blade beneath the used blade. As the new blade is advanced beneath the old blade, its solid end is elevated by riding up the inclined face of the wedge-shaped rib l1 and at the same time the ,used blade is moved upwardly or stripped from the retaining pins I5 so that it is freed for endwise removal by movement from left to right while resting upon the fresh blade which has just been presented beneath it. The operation of replacing a used blade takes place. of course. while the clamping spindle is lowered by the spring 38 and while the cap is elevated by the bowed spring 21, all as shown in Fig. 3.

The shoulders l9 from a guideway within the recess l8 for the retaining bar or plate 24 of the cap 20. When one end of the bar is introduced into this guideway the spring 21 presses it against the shoulders l9 and the bar is guided inwardly in a straight line path until the forks 26 encounter the collar 35. Then, in order to complete inward movement, the cap must be pressed down by the user to carry the forks 26 below the collar 35.

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

1. A safety razor comprising cooperating bladeclamping members, and a handle having in its length a short section of reduced diameter, one of said members having a retaining element slotted to receive the handle and being movable longitudinally thereof, and a spring tending at all times to hold said retaining element out of registration with the reduced section of the handle.

2. A safety razor comprising cooperating bladeclamping members relatively movable one with respect to the other, one member having a keyhole slot therein, a hole-filling collar projecting from the other member, and a spring tending at all times to hold the collar in the hole end of the said slot while permitting it to be forced by moderate pressure into disengaging position.

3. A safety razor comprising cooperating bladeclamping members, a handle connected to one member and having a collar thereon, a retaining plate connected to the other member and having a key-hole slot therein, and a spring acting at all times to hold the said collar in the large end of said slot.

4. A safety razor comprising a blade-supporting member, a cooperating cap having a, forked retaining bar connected thereto and embracing the blade-supporting member with clearance, a projection on said member interlocking with the forks of the retaining bar, and a spring acting to maintain interlocking engagement of the projection with the forks of said bar while permitting the forls to be moved to a disengaged position by the user.

5. A safety razor comprising a blade-supporting member and a, cooperating cap having arms extending across and covering one end of said member, a blade-retaining projection on said member near its covered end, and a blade-lifting device adjacent thereto.

6. A safety razor comprising a blade-supporting member and a cooperating blade-flexing cap, spaced blade-retaining spurs on said member, and an inclined blade-lifting rib disposed between said spurs.

7. A safety razor comprising cooperating bladeclamping members connected for limited separation to receive a blade presented endwise between them, a blade-locating rib on one member near the blade-receiving end of the razor, a bladelifting rib on the same member near the other end thereof and retaining spurs on opposite sides of the latter rib, whereby a fresh blade advanced beneath a used blade already in the razor will strip the used blade from said spurs.

8. A safety razor comprising cap and guard members detachably connected, one member having an arm disposed parallel thereto in spaced relation and the other an elongated recess in its outer face shaped to receive said arm, and spring means normally retaining said bar in said recess.

9. A safety razor comprising cap and guard members detachably connected, the cap having a retaining bar disposed parallel thereto and spaced below it, a spring attached to the cap between it and said bar, and the guard having a longitudinal guideway in its outer surface wherein the bar is movabl received under pressure of said spring.

10. A safety razor comprising a handle, a stationary blade-clamping member rigidly fastened thereto, a movable co-operating blade-clamping member having an interlocking connection with the stationary member, and a spring tending to maintain the connection operative and the said members locked in engagement, but permitting forcible movement of said movable member into relation with respect to the stationary member in which it may be detached without disturbing the said stationary member.

11. A safety razor comprising a handle, a stationary blade-clamping member rigidly fastened thereto, a co-operating movable blade-clamping member having a retaining portion extending beneath the stationary member and being forked about the handle, a collar on the handle beneath said stationary member and of greater diameter than the opening of the said fork, and a spring 7 acting yieldingly to separate the two blade-clamping members and to locate the fork of the retaining portion interlocked with the collar of the handle while permitting the movable clamping member to be forcibly depressed and the fork to be moved at the same time to a position out of line with the said collar, whereby the movable member may be disengaged and removed without disturbing the said stationary member.

NICHOLAS TESTI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 890,406 Cobb June 9, 1908 0 2,364,251 Testi Dec. 5, 1944