US2669777A

US2669777A - Safety razor

Info

Publication number: US2669777A
Application number: US575002A
Authority: US
Inventors: John T Scully
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1945-01-29
Filing date: 1945-01-29
Publication date: 1954-02-23
Anticipated expiration: 1971-02-23

Description

Feb. 23, 1954 .1. T. SCULLY 2,669,777

SAFETY RAZOR Filed Jan. 29, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4/ a! 4; FIE-.6 5- v IN V EN TOR,

xvii 5mm 2 Sheets-$heet 2 Fl Er. 1 1

Feb. 23, 1954 Filed Jan. 29, 1945 FIEMZ Fl B13 INVENTOR, @4 2 Patented Feb. 23, 1954 UNITED STATES iTENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to safety razors generally and more particularly to the type wherein a thin, replaceable or detachable, flexible razor blade is flexed and clamped between cap and guard members having cooperative blade-flexing faces shaped to flex the blade accurately, the cap and guard members being relatively movable towards or away from each other by manipulation of a threaded handle; such razors being com monly known as of the Gillette type.

Among the objects of the invention is the provision of a safety razor of simple construction, and of easy and economical manufacture; the provision of a safety razor, embodying a replaceable, facedly reversible, flex ble razor blade, having improved means for positioning the blade and guiding it as it is being flexed between clamping members, for improved parallelism of the shaving edges with the axis of the razor head and improved equalization of shaving edge pro jection on opposite sides thereof; the provision of a safety razor having such improved blade guiding means and a guard member facedly reversible to the cap member for providing variations of exposure of the shaving edges of the blade to the guard at a given degree of fiexure of the blade and, especially, to provide a relatively high or relatively low exposure of the shaving edges to the guard, according to which of the guard faces faces the blade, at the maximum degree of blade fiexure or when the blade is most tightly clamped.

Other objects will hereinafter be apparent from the description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

The invention resides in the combinations and arrangements of parts, the cooperative action of parts, and the construction of individual parts ereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawing forming a part of the specification and in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a side perspective view of the component parts of the razor in disassembly, a portion of the handle being shown in section. Fig. 2 is an end view of the guard. member. an end view, partly in section, of the cap member. Fig. i is an end view, partly in section, of the razor head showing the razor blade clamped in operative shaving position between the cap and one blade-flexing face of the guard member. Fig. 5 is an end view showing the blade clamped substantially as tightly as in Fig. l between the cap and the other blade-flexing face of the guard member. Fig. 6 is an end view, with parts shown in section, showing the relative positions of parts just prior to flexing and clamping the blade as in Fig. i. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the razor head with the parts in position as in Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a plan view of a typical double edge flexible razor blade. Fig. 9 is an end view showing a modification of guard member. Fig. 10 is a top elevation of a modification of a part of the guard member. Fig. 11 is a plan face view of a further modification of guard member. Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken on line ill-l2 of Fig. 11 with the part turned ninety degrees. Fig. 13 is a side elevation of a modification of the guard member shown in Figs. 11 and 12.

Referring more particularly to the drawing:

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive comprises a cap member 28, double edge perforated flexible razor blade 2|, guard member 22 and handle 23. Cap member 2t has projecting from its concave or blade-flexing face central externally threaded post 24 of sufficient length to extend through the blade and guard member into the threaded end of the handle, and on opposite sides of, and spaced from, the central post are rigid aligning and positioning

studs

25 and 26. Blade 2! is of the usual and well known construction, being perforated centrally in the form of slot having enlarged

portions

27, 23 and 29 to receive cap post and cap studs 2%, .25 and 26, and is of normally straight thin body longitudinally, as indicated by ill, and is provided with the usual oppositely disposed, sharpened, longitudinal edges providing the shaving edges 3i and 32. Guard member 22 is provided with three aligned longitudinally spaced

cylindrical holes

33, 34 and 35 extending from one blade-flexing face of the member to theother to receive cap post and studs M, 5 and 2E and, preferably, is substantially the same length as the cap member 23 with flat end faces 36. The parts are assembled in the usual manner: threaded cap post 24 being engaged by internal threads 3'! of the handle,

members

28 and 22 being forced towards each other, relatively, by the turning of the handle, causing blade 2! to be transversely flexed and clamped by the cooperative action of concave blade-flexing face 38 of the cap, more particularly the longitudinal edges of the face, and one of the blade-flexing faces 39 or so of the guard member.

Referring more particularly to reversible guard member 22, the convex blade-flexing faces 553 and it are transversely curved on the same radius and have a curvature substantially complementary to blade-flexing face 33 of the cap. Projecting laterally outwardly of faces 33 and Ml, on opposite longitudinal sides thereof and equidisstant laterally therefrom, are parallel, longitudinal skin guards 4| and 42 which may be formed in the guard member in any suitable manner shown in the art and of any suitable material or materials; as shown herein, the guard member comprises a laminated assembly of a rigid, rectangular, i'iat sheet 43 fixedly secured between piano-convex rigid parts M and 45, parts 43, M and it being suitably fastened together by riveting, or soldering,'or welding, as'may be desired, and, as shown herein, by soldering. The projecting and longitudinally extending ends of skin guards ll and t?! are symmetrically rounded on opposite faces of sheet 13 and on opposite sides of the guard member as indicated at 46, ll and at it, the shape and length of curvature of the rounding being the same onb oth faces and at both sides of the sheet and being so shaped and related to the curve of blade-flexing

faces

38, 39 and til as to provide a shaving angle or angles according to the best-practicein the art or commerce. Important features in the reversible guard member are that either blade-flexingfac'e'thereoi is cooperative with thecap member for flexing and clamping the razor blade with the shaving edges thereof in operative shaving position to the skin guards and that one bladeflexing face, is lower relatively to the shin guards than the opposite blade-fiexing face til, whereby, when the blade is clamped tightly between faces Stand 3t,'the shaving edges of the blade will be exposed relatively to the skin guards preferably substantially as high. as in the best commercial'practice employed in theimproved razors of the Gillette type when the parts-thereof are similarly tightly clamped and'the blade flexed substantially to the same degree; and, further, whereby, when the blade is clamped tightlyto the same degree between faces 38 and Gil, the shaving edges of the blade will be exposed higher relativelyto the skin-guardsg'in bothcases, however,neither face 38 nor facefilil istoohieh relativelyand to the skin guards for operativeshaving' in theusual safeinanner and, preferably, face '40, the higher face, is low enough to the skin guards to permit operative shaving in a-safe manher with less than full flexure of blade and, consequently, with a still relatively higher exposure of shaving'edges'to, skin guards. The difference in height, relative to face widths 'andto skin guards, of faces stand ill maybe any suitable distance within the limits of operative shavingand is such a distance-preferably, whereby, when the blade isclarnped to the same degree of tightness between cap andiace'tior capand' face 42],the

differencein height of shaving-edge exposure to the respective skin guardsiis not greater than twice the height of'theflowershaving edgeexposure and, preferably,'does not exceed one-one hundredths of an inch, and, more preferably, does not exceed: 30 i of an'inch' in some instances, the guard member may be'made withla relative difference in face heights which will, when the blade is clamped to the'same degree of tightness between champ and face 38' or between thecap andface as, effect a difierence" in height of-shavingedge exposure to the'respective skin guards of not more than .002 of an inch, or substantially .002 of an inch. Since gua-rd'member 22 is show'n'withconvex faces 3t and'tll' curved on the same radius and having the same widthsland also the same width as face 38' of the'capZt) it will be clear, upon reference toFig."'2,'that for purposes of illustration thereferred to relative 'diiiference in face heights will'beunderstood by considering the line A--'A"a plane through the til) guard member at the edges of its blade-flexing face 39 and paralleling a plane axially through the skin guards represented by the line 13-43, and by considering the line C-C a plane through the guard member at the edges of its bladeiiexing face 66 and paralleling AA and B-B'. It will readily be seen that the distance between A-A and B--B' is less then the distance between BF-B and 0-0 andthat, consequently, blade-flexing "face 39 is lower, relatively to skin guardsill and 42 than is blade flexing face 40 (it having been observed that guard faces 46, 41, E8 and 4-9 are symmetrically related to axial plane I Cap studs 25 and 2B are provided, for a por- "tioiroftheirlengths, with lateral parallel sides shaving edges substantially equally exposed laterally to and extending substantially parallel with the blade-flexing edges of the cap member before the blade is flexed into operative shaving position, and constitute, together with the'holes 34 and 35 in the guard memben cap andguardaligning means or guard-guidingmeans, cylindrical portions 50, 5t havlng'a cl0se,-but practicable, sliding fit in holes 34% and. 35: and being of suitable length for initially positioning the cap and, guard members and the b1ade-and:for guidingthe movements of the capa-nd guardmembers relatively towards, or away from, each other. The inner ends of the studs 25 and 2firextending from cylindrical portions 56, 5D to the inner or concave face of the capmember havelaterallyinclined sides converging in the direction of the concave faceof thecap and-forming opposite lateral sides of frusto-conicalportions 5 I, 5| of the studs'whose outer and

free ends

52, 52 have-the usual dome shape for easy entrance into blade'and guard holes. Inclined portions'5l,-5 I havea definite degreeof inclination or rate'of taper, for their lengths, definitely'related to the degree of flexure of the blade that the blade-flexingfaces of the capjandguard members will efiectyand constitute blade-guiding means for guiding the arcingof the blade during all degrees of transverse flexing to maintain the shaving; edgesof the blade substantially equally exposed laterally-to and extending substantially -'-parallel with the bladeflexing edges of "the cap member and the; skin guards'ofthe guard member. The studs may be cast integral on the cap or madeof'a difierent and suitable material-and weldedv or soldered in holes andin accurate alignment in the cap as shown in-Fig. 3, the studs being provided with cylindrical end portions 53 for thepurposeyin some instances, the holesin'the cap may be internally threaded and portions 53 externally threaded'for cooperative fastening engagement. Blade locating or positioning

portions

53, 50 of the studs-have a widthbetween-their respective opposite lateral sides only slightly less than

holes

28 and 29 of the blade in-order'that the blade may be accurately, if not so; quickly, positioned thereon initially; and" center post 24 of the cap member has a diameter smaller enough than hole 21 of thebladeto preventthe hole'walls of the blade from catching'on thethreadsrof the post before or during fiexurebf the-blade. In Eig,;.4, the parts are" shown tightly drawn, together with the cap and guard members held in proper alignment by the cooperative action of

stud portions

50, 50 and

guard hole walls

54, 54, and with the blade tightly clamped between the blade-flexing face of the cap member and the low blade-flexing face of the guard member and providing the low exposure of blade shaving edges to skin guards as indicated by the distance of a plane contiguous with the shaving edges of the blade and represented by the line D-D from the parallel plane, represented by the line BB, through the axis of the skin guards; as will be observed, the blade has been transversely flexed and arched upwardly or in the direction of the cap member by the turning of the handle and the forcing of the parts together, and with the lateral walls of the blade adjacent the

holes

28, 29 thereof, more particularly. due to the direction of blade arcing, the portions of the lateral walls of the blade which are on the shorter radii, as indicated at 55, having cooperated with frusto-conical portions i, 5!! of the cap studs to position the blade with the shaving edges thereof substan tially equally exposed laterally to the respective skin guards.

In Fig. 5, the parts are shown drawn together to the same degree of tightness as shown in Fig. 4, but with the guard member reversibly faced so that the blade is clamped between the cap memher and the high blade-flexing face of the guard member providing the high exposure of blade shaving edges to skin guards as indicated by the distance of a plane contiguous with the shaving edges of the blade, and represented by the line E-E', from the parallel plane, represented by the line BB, through the axis of the skin guards. In Fig. 6, the relationship of parts is shown in their position just before the blade will go under tension and where the slightest tightening of the handle will cause the commencement of blade flexing: one face of the blade is touching the blade-flexing edges of the cap membar, and the opposite face of the blade is tangentially touching the blade-flexing face of the guard member, in this instance low face 39, substantially centrally along said face; and with the cap and guard aligning and blade positioning or locating cylindrical portions of the cap studs well seated in the guard member and providing the proper alignment of the parts. With the parts in this position, the cylindrical portions of the cap studs extend almost clear through the blade holes, the inner ends 56 of said portions being in position in the holes of the blade at a depth between one-half to two-thirds of the blade; the frusto-conical blade guiding portions of the cap studs extend substantially the remaining distance into the blade holes; and since the usual blade may be either regular and .006 thick or thin and .004 of an inch thick, the blade .21 shown here may, for purposes of this illustration, be considered as of .006 of an inch thickness, and the depth, to give a concrete example, from the cap contacting face, to which ends 56 and the conical portions of the cap studs extend into the holes of this blade is, as shown, but not by way of limitation, approximately midway between .003 and .004 of an inch in order that a thinner blade, for example a blade .004 thick, may be properly positioned and guided. In the position shown, the blade is substantially prevented from lateral movement by the lateral sides of the portions of the cylindrical portions of the cap studs which are in the blade holes, the conical or guiding portions being substantially Vspaced, as indicated at 51, 51, from the rectangular or vertical wall faces of the blade holes. As the cap and guard members are forced relatively towards each other by the turning of the handle and the blade is being flexed, the blade holes become smaller laterally so that the wall portions of the blade opposite the lower portions or bottoms of the holes will be guided, compensatory to reduction in hole size, by the inclined or conical portions of the cap studs whereby, when the blade is clamped for operative shaving, the shaving edges of the blade will be substantially equally exposed laterally to the respective skin guards, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and previously described.

In the modification shown in Fig. 9, the reversible guard member 22a, of similar laminated structure, has oppositely disposed fiat blade-flexing faces 39a and 40a of equal width and narrower than the cap member which laterally overhangs the rounded fulcrum edges of the blade-flexing faces of the guard member. As shown in this modification, the parts are clamped to the same degree of tightness as the parts shown in Fig. 4, with the parts functioning in the same manner for positioning and guiding the blade for substantially equalized exposure laterally of the shaving edges to the skin guards, and to provide the same high or low exposures of the shaving edges to the skin guards as previously described. The distance between planes D-D and B-B is the same as described in connection with Fig. 4, and blade-flexing face 40a cooperates with the cap to provide the high exposure of blade shaving edges described in connection with Fig. 5; in the construction shown in Fig. 9, however, as will be observed, because of the narrower blade-flexing faces of the guard member, the heights of the blade-flexing faces thereof are respectively greater than in the construction shown previously (Fig. 2), the planes F-F and G-G' being respectively higher relatively to the plane BB' than the planes A-A. and C-C", but the relative difference in heights of faces 39a and 40a and the actual heights of blade shaving edge exposure to the respective skin guards, as indicated by the planes D-D' and B-B', are the same as in the previously described construction. Either of the described guard members may have lather passing longitudinal slots on opposite lateral sides, and in Fig. 10 is shown a modification of the rigid rectangular sheet por-- tion 43a, of the laminated assembly of guard member shown in Fig. 9, having

lather passing slots

58 and 59 extending longitudinally on opposite sides thereof and behind the skin guard bars l I a and 42a, the slots being laterally disposed to the blade-flexing faces of the guard member with the longitudinal side walls of the latter, at the rear of the slots, vertically flush with the inner sides of the slots.

In the modification of the part shown in Figs. 11 and 12, guard member 221) is of one piece construction and is provided with oppositely disposed lather passing slots 53a. and 59a respectively spacing skin guard bars Mb and 42h from the blade supporting head; the cap central post receiving hole 33a is countersunk, as indicated at 31th, in both blade-flexing faces 39a and 40a to receive the threaded end of the handle; in other respects, guard member 221) is the same as the previously described guard member 22a.

In the further modification of the guard memshown. Fig. 13, guard member 220 is provided with oppositely disposed skin guard bars die, opposite ends of which, at the ends of the lather passing slots, provide blade corner skin access? sguards inithe' form-of shoulder en'ds fit'l; 61 which I are relatively higher than-the intermediate portionsbf the -skin"guardbars at their tops and bottoms, but substantially flush with the front "andskin'engagingfaces of 'tilerounded guard Yteeth'.GZ-alternately spaced in t-hebars by grooves '53 extending'rcarwardly to the outer sides of the lather passing'slots. Shoulder ends 69, 6| are *lcw enough relatively to the respective bladeflexing faces of the guard member so as not to interfere with'a tight clamping of the blade, especially a thin blade -.00 -l of an inch in thicknesspand so'as not to-distort the blade corners which will be, preferably, spaced, whenthe blade "is-tightlyclamped, a suitably short distanceabove the shoulders for the purposeof avoiding contact therewith and-for enabling the shoulders to more closely guard thefiblade-edge corners than the skin guardbar portions between the shoulders guard the shaving edges of the blade between the blade edge corners. Shoulderstt, may, ifdesired, be symmetrically high with respect to "the blade-flexing faces of the guard member wherein both blade-flexing faces will have the same height with res actto-the corresponding ,adjacentshou-lder ends of the slain guards and whereby shoulder ends 69 and 6! adjacent the high'face dla will be relatively' higher "to guard teeth 62- than theshoulderends correspondingly adjacent the low face-of the guard member will be to teeth 62. As shown herein, shoulder ends 6i}: and-ill are symmetrically high with respect to teeth Wand, consequently, the shoulder ends correspondingly adjacent face lila arelower relatively theretotha-nthe shoulder ends correspondingly adjacentthe' low face are relatively to the ;low face. In other respects, guard member 220 is the same guard member 22b.

While I have illustrated and described the in .vcntion in the preferred form, I wish it to be understood that the invention is not; limited to the precise details shown and described and that variations and modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I Eclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

l. A safety razor including, in combination, relatively movable cap and guard members having blade-clamping faces cooperative for transver ely flexing and clamping a flexible razor blade, the cap member having a hollow bladeclam'ping ifacathe guard member being facedly reversible and having two oppositely disposed blade-clamping faces either of which is cooperati vc with the cap member for transversely flexing the blade, slain guards forming opposite longitudinal side edges of the guard, one of said blade-clamping faces of the guard member being higher at its sides above the skin guards than the other, rigid blade-positioning projections extending downwardly from the cap member to engage'the guard member for guiding said mem- "bers relatively towards each other, said projections having slightly tapered upper side portions tapering in the direction of the cap member for "guiding the blade as it is being flexed and centrall'y arched towards the cap member for positioning the blade relative to the guard member,

and a -handlemember for moving said cap and guard members relatively towards each other.

- A safety 1 razor including, in combination, relatively movable cap and guardmembershaving, blade-clamping faces cooperative for transversely flexing and clamping a flexible -razor blade, the cap member having a hollow-bladeclamping face,-the guard member being facedly reversible and having two oppositely disposed blade-clamping'faces either of Which is cooperative with the capmember for transversely flexing the blade, skin guards forming opposite 1ongitudinal sideedges of the guard and having, at opposite ends, shoulders forming blade-corner "skin. guards disposed relatively higher to the blade-clamping' faces of the guard member" than the sliinguard portions between said shoulders, oneof said'blade-clampingfaces of the guard member'beinghigher at its sides above the skin guards than the other, rigid blade-positioning projections extendingdownwardly from the cap member to engagethe guard member itorguiding said members relatively towards each, other, said projections having slightly tapered upper side portions tapering in the direction of the cap member for guiding the blade "as it is being flexed and'oentrally arched towards the cap member for positioning the bladerelative to the guard member, and a handle'memb'er-for moving said cap and guard members relatively towards each other.

as safety razor including, in combination, relatively movable cap' and guard members having blade-clamping facescooperative fortransversely flexing and clamping a flexible razor blade'the cap member having" a hollow bladeclamping face, rigid blade-positioning projections extending downwardly from the cap member and havingguard-guidingside portions to engage the guard'member for guiding "saidmembers relatively towards each other, said projections having slightly tapered upper side portions tapering in direction of the cap member for guiding the blade as it is being flexed and centrally arched towards'the cap member for positioning the blade -relative to the guard member, said guard-guiding side portions of said projections being so adapted to the blade-clamping face of the cap member as to-"be disposed in the blade for initially positioning theblade whenthe latter is in a flat condition and in surface engagement'with the blade- ;clamping faces of said members, and a handle member for moving said cap and guard members relatively towards each other.

JOHN 'T. SCULLY.

References. Gitedin the file of this patent UNITED sTATEs PATENTS Number Name Date 1,486,317 'Barry Mar. 11, 1924 1,883,962 Swan Nov. 22, 1932 1,947,244 Bradbury Feb, 13, 1934 1,971,985 Laird "Aug. 28, 1934 2,089,486 Kuhn Aug. 10, 1937 2,213,062 Brandenthaler Aug. 27, 1940 2,262,588 Mailman Nov. 11, 1941 2,273,261 Gump Feb.'l7, 1942