US2690008A - Automatic razor - Google Patents

Description

SePt- 28, 1954 E. BoBKowlcz 2,690,008

AUTOMATIC RAZOR Filed April '26, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l SePt- 2.8, 1954 E. BoBKowlcz 2,690,008

AUTOMATIC RAZOR Filed April 26, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4to provide an annular driving gear.

Patented Sept. 28, 1954 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

The present invention relates to dry shaving razors and more particularly to the type of dry shaving razor which is manually actuated by contact with the skin surface to be shaved.

There are many and varied forms of dry shavers available which utilize a rotating or oscillating blade, or series of blades, in combination withA a stationary perforated screen to achieve the desired shearing action. Many of these employ some form of drive, for example,I electric motors, magnetic solenoids, or spring motors to give the cutting blades the desired shearing action. As will be appreciated, those driven by electricity require a power source, while the spring actuated type are necessarily of fairly complicated structure, and are therefore subject to mechanical failure over a period of use.

There are other forms of dry shaving devices which are driven by the manual engagement of some portion of the shaving mechanism with the skin surface to be shaved but in general,y these again are of fairly complicated and impracticable structure.

The present invention aims to provide a new type of a dry shaving razor embodying a novel mechanical face friction drive device and which is of a construction effective in its perfomance and uncomplicated in structure and function, making manufacture a more simple and less costly operation than the prior devices known.

Accordingly, the invention is a dry shaving razor having a circular perforated screen, face engaging traction members mounted for rotation about a central axis with respect to the perforated screen, and a blade supporting element mounted for rotation on a central axis within the screen. A plurality of cutting blades are mounted on the blade supporting element in radially spaced apart relationship with their cutting edges disposed adjacent to the under side of the perforated screen surface and there are transmission means between the traction members and the blade supporting element, which are so arranged that the cutting action is always against the grain.

More specifically, in a preferred construction of a dry shaving razor in accordance with the present invention the face engaging traction members consist of a pair of spaced apart circular discs which are mounted on the outer portions of the razor, so as to be free for rotation with respect to the perforated screen. Each traction member is shaped so as to be of annular form with the inner peripheral surface being toothed The central axis on which the blade supporting element is mounted is provided at each end with a fixed driven gear and intermediate gears are disposed between the driving gear and the driven gears, so that the traction members counter rotate the blade supporting element in the manner of a planetary gear arrangement.

The structure of the blade supporting elements are such that they support the cutting blades in yielding contact with the under surface of the perforated screen and also prevent the perforated screen from any deforming which might take place through excessive pressure being applied thereon.

Preferably, a solid block of material is shaped so as to have a plurality of outwardly extending segments radially disposed about a central ghub. Each of the segments include means for resiliently supporting a cutting blade in yielding contact with the inner surface of the perforated screen.

The cutting blades utilized are of a variety of forms, all of which are substantially self-sharpening when embodied in the present razor construction.

In an alternative form of the present razor construction, a similar shaving mechanism is combined with a supporting casing and a still further arrangement of blade supporting element and cutting blades is utilized.

In this construction, the annular type traction members are again utilized, the main difference being in the gearing arrangement wherein the driven gear consists of a central serrated sleeve bushing on which the blade supporting element is mounted. The alternative gear arrangement also includes an intermediate gear so that the blade supporting element is rotated in a direction opposed to the rotational movement of the traction members in the manner of a planetary gear.

Both of the preferred constructions are designed so that the finished razor construction is of a handy portable size particularly adapted for carrying in the pocket and each is designed so as to have the minimum of working parts.

Having thus generally described the nature of the invention, particular reference will be made to the accompanying drawings illustrating by way of example preferred construction of dry shaving razors in accordance with the invention, and in which:

Figure l is a View in perspective of a dry shaving razor constructed inv accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the razor construction shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the construction shown in Figure 2 along the line 3 3.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the construction shown in Figure 2 along the line 4 4.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the construction shown in Figure l along the line 5 5.

Figure 6 is a sectional view of a portion of the construction shown in Figure 2 `along the line 6 6 to show the serrated surface of the blade supporting element in contact with the lperforated screen.

Figure '7 is an enlarged detail view partially in section of a portion of the outer casing of the razor and an alternative blade construction to show the means of mounting in more detail.

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail view partially in section of a portion of the razor outer casing and an alternative blade construction to show the means of mounting in more detail.

Figure 9 is an enlarged. detail view partially in section of a portion of the razor construction shown in Figure 3 with an alternative blade ccnstruction to show the means of mounting in more detail.

Figure 10 is a front view in perspective of an alternative dry razor construction in accordance with the invention.

Figure 11 is a front view in perspective of the razor construction shown in Figure l0 as it would appear in a suitable carrying case.

Figure 12 is an enlarged sectional view of the razor construction shown in Figure l0 along the line I2 I2.

Figure 13 is an enlarged detail view of the upper portion of the razor construction shown in Figure 10, along the line I3 I3 Figure 14 is an enlarged detail view in perspective of a preferred cutting blade.

Figure 15 is an enlarged detail view, partially in section, of one of the blade supporting members and a portion of the outer screen to show the preferred blade mounting means in more detail.

Figure 16 is an enlarged detail view in perspective of an alternative cutting blade.

Figure 17 is an enlarged detail view, partially in section, of the blade form shown in Figure 16 as it would appear in relation to the outer screen.

With particular reference to Figures l through 5 of the drawings a preferred construction of a dry shaving razor in accordance with the invention includes a pair of outer side plates I0 adapted to be grasped between the thumb and fingers of the user, a pair of annular traction members I2 which are mounted for rotary mo-tion to the side plates I0, and an outer perforated cylindrical screen I4 that is disposed between the traction members I2 and is xed relative thereto. A blade supporting element I6 is mounted for rotary movement within the screen I4 about a common fixed axis with the traction members I2. A transmission means is provided between the traction members I2 and the vblade sup-porting element I6 so that rotary movement of the traction members I2, through moving engagement with the surface to be shaved, is adapted to rotate cutting blades supported by the element I6 in a direction opposed to the traction mem- -bers I2.

In order that the function and construction of the elements making up this construction may be more clearly understood they will now be described in more detail. The side plates lil are of circular outline and each is recessed on the inner side to accommodate the transmission means which comprises of a planetary gear arrangement. This gear arrangement includes as a main driving lgear the inner peripheral portion of each of the traction members I2 which is of toothed formation to provide an annular driving gear 26. Three vintermediate gears 22 are mounted in radially spaced apart relationship Within each side plate i6 so as to be in meshed engagement with the annular driving gear 26 and a central driven gear 24 positioned centrally of each plate I6.

A central shaft 25 connects the plates I0 axially by screws 29 passing through each plate Ul into threaded engagement with the outer ends of the shaft. A bushing 21 of square outer cross section is slidably tted over the shaft 25 and serves as a common axle for the blade supporting element. I 6 and the driven gears 24. The gears 24 and the blade supporting element it are a drive fit on the bushing 26, the square outer surface of the bushing making their engagement secure..

With this arrangement, rotation of the trac tion members I2 relative to the side plates it, causes rotation of the intermediate gears 22 which in turn act on the driven gears 24 so as to rotate the blade supporting element I6 in a direction opposed to the rotational movement of the traction members and at a greatly multiplied speed.

The outer perforated screen i4 is of a circular cylindrical form and is supported about the outer marginal edges by intermediate plates 30. 'Ihe plates 3l] are mounted over the bushing 2l with suiiicient clearance therebetween so that the bushing 21 can freely rotate relative thereto. In order that the screen I4 be fixed relative to the traction members I2 and blade supporting element I6 a plurality of pins 4@ are provided which extend through the plates 3o into the portions of the outer plates lll intervening the gears 22, see Figure 4. The blade supporting element I6 comprises of a solid body of overall cylindrical shape with the outer surface of the body recessed longitudinally to provide a plurality of radially spaced-apart semi-circular recesses 4I. The intervening body portions or segments 42 constitute movable bearing surfaces or supports for the perforated screen I4. The outer surfaces of the segments 42 are grooved or serrated circumferentially as indicated at 45 to provide clearance spaces between the screen and blade supporting element to avoid pulling of hair when the element is rotating.

The recesses 4I are each bored centrally to provide recesses 43 of sufficient dimensions to accommodate shafts and coil springs 52. The shafts 50 are each threadably engaged concentrically of each opening 43 with the coil springs slidably fitting over the shafts.

A plurality of cutting blades 56 are slidably mounted on the shafts 50, one on each shaft, and a screen supporting member 53 is mounted over each :blade 56 on the upper ends of the shafts 50. The cutting blades 56 shown are of a curved form having central curved backing plates 60 so that under the nuence of the coil springs 52 their cutting edges are resiliently urged into contact with the inner surface of the screen I4. The upper ends of the shafts 50 are formed s0 as to maintain the supporting members 53 a set distance from the inner surface of the screen I4 and in spaced apart relationship from the recesses 43 so as to provide a clearance space for the resilient action of the blades 56. The outer surfaces of the members 53 are serrated circumferentially in a similar manner to the main body of the blade supporting element. In an alternative arrangement shown in Figure 9, the shafts 5U are replacedby headed bolts 350. Each of the blade holding assemblies consist of a pair of curved backing plates 360, a anged cylindrical bushing sleeve 310 having a threaded end, and a retaining nut 312. The cutting blades 356 shown are of flexible material and are of rectangular form having a central opening to accommodate the bushing sleeve 316. To mount the blades 356 in operative position, each blade is placed between the plates 366 on the bushing 310 and the retaining nut 312 tightened until thel blade is in the curved form shown. The assemblies are then placed on the bolts 356, the coil springs 352 mounted in position and the bolts 356 screwed into the blade supporting element.

In use, the plates I2 are held between the thumb and ngers and the device is moved over the skin surface to be shaved so as to rotate the traction members I2 by frictional engagement with the skin. As the perforated screen I4 is fixed relative to the traction members I2 the hair protrudes through the perforations and is clipped by the counter rotating cutting blades 56 as actuated through the planetary gear arrangement driven by the traction members I2. The screen I4 is provided with openings I5 so as to allow the cut hair to be discharged from the interior. The segments 42 of the blade supporting element I 6 act against any possible deflection from the circular form of the screen I4 and in combination with the supporting members 53 considerable pressure may be exerted, if necessary, to obtain a close clean shave.

The preferred gear p arrangement shown is adapted to multiply any rotational movement of the traction members I2 to the blade supportf ing element and cutting blades so that the minimumpartial rotation of the traction members Will result in a cutting movement about the entire circumference of the razor. As will be appreciated, each cutting blade 56, or 356 embodies two cutting edges and as there are four such blades supported in the construction illustrated there are eight cutting edges dispersed about the periphery of the screen so that the actual rotational movement required to cover the entire screen surface is very slight.

An alternative cutting blade form |56 and an alternative blade supporting arrangement is shown in Figure '7. In this arrangement the blade I 56 is of rectangular form having a central opening to accommodate a headed bolt I50. A channel shaped blade supporting member i5? is utilized which includes a corresponding opening so that it also slidably i'lts over` the bolt |50 and by a coil spring E54 is adapted to resiliently keep the blade I56 in yielding contact with the inner surface of the perforated screen I4.

A still further alternative form of cutting blade |80 is shown in Figure 8. This blade is of substantially U-shaped channel form having a central opening adapted to slidably fit over the bolt 50 so that the coil spring 52 urges the blade I80 into resilient contact with the underside of the screen I4. In order to present sideways or rocking movement of the blade I80 a curved spacing 6 member I 82 is provided which ts over the bolt 50 and bears against the inner corners of the blade.

In the alternative construction of a dry shaving razor according to the invention shown in Figure 10, the shaving mechanism is illustrated as being mounted on a casing 266 adapted to fit Within a carrying case 269 as shown in Figure l1.

The shaving mechanism includes a pair of spaced apart end plates 2I6 between which are mounted a pair of traction members 2 I 2, a perforated screen 2 I3, and a blade supporting element 2I6 which is adapted to be rotated Within the screen 2I3k by the traction members 2I2 under frictional engagement with the surface to be shaved. The traction members 2I2 are supported on the respective end plates 2N and each member 2 I 2 has a knurled or serrated outer peripheral surface and an inner toothed peripheral surface so as to provide an annular driving gear 2I4. A pair of intermediate gears 2I5 are mounted, one on each end plate 2I6, for free rotary movement in meshed engagement with the corresponding traction member gear 2I4.

A shaft 226 extends between the end plates 2l@ so as to maintain the plates in correct spaced apart relationship and to provide an axle for a toothed sleeve bushing 222. The blade supporting element 2I6 is xedly mounted on the sleeve bushing 222 so that rotation of the sleeve 222 counter rotates the supporting element 2I6 at a considerably increased speed. This is made possible by the relative sizes of the gears 2I4, 2 I 5 and the outer ends of the sleeve bushing 222 which serve as driving gears 2I'l in the manner of a planetary gear train so that a single rotation of the traction members 2I2 is multiplied to cause several rotations in the opposite direction of the blade supporting element 2I6.

The supporting element 216 is a solid member formed so as to have a central portion 224 and a plurality of blade holding segments 226 which extend outwardly in radially spaced apart relationship from the central portion 224. Each of the segments 226 include a rectangular recess 228 extending the length of the segment and an elongated slot 236 which extends through the top of the members into recess 228. Transverse openings 232 are provided through the slotted top of each element 226 into the bottom of the recess 228 to providea means of entry and a seat for a pair of coil springs 234. A at rectangular plate 236 is slidably tted into each recess 228 on top of the springs 234 so that it is resiliently urged against the top of the recess. With this arrangement, cutting blades 240 in the form of an inverted T are slidably inserted into each recess 228 on top of the plates 236 so that the cutting portion 2M of the blade protrudes through the slot 236 and is adapted to resiliently contact the inner surface of the perforated screen 2I3.

The screen 2I3 is perforated for approximately half its circumference with the lower portion being provided with a plurality of larger elongated openings 250 to allow cut hair to fall through onto the top of the casing 268. The casing 268 includes spaced apart end plates 252 between which the shaving mechanism is mounted. Each end plate 252 includes a slotted opening 254 adapted to receive the outer ends of the shaft 220 and locking nuts 256 t over the shaft ends to retain the shaft 226 in position. In order to prevent rotation of the end plates 2I0 of the shaving mechanism, screws 258 are in- 7 sei-.ted through the .casing end plates 252 .into ltlrireaded engagement with the Vplates 2 t0 zat each side.

With reference :to Figure 1.0, the lower portion lof the .casing 2118 'is divided into two compa-rtments having .hinged `clos-ure iiaps 260. These may be utilized to carry, for example, a tube of Yshaving lotion A and a supply of cutting blades B.

A further :alternative form of cutting blade .2 62 is shown in Figure 16 and a `preferred means of supporting vsuch .a blade is shown `in Figure 17. The blades 252 are of `channel form in general cross section and it is contemplated that they may be used in the first razor construction 'shown in Figure l through .5 by substituting a supporting bolt 254 for the bolts 50. A main feature .of the present invention resides in the fact that, due to the counter-rotating action .of the transmission means between vthe 'traction members and the blade supporting elements, the .cutting action of the blades always takes place .against the grain lor set of the hair as it protrudes through the perf-orated screen. As is well known in the art, when the cutting takes place with the grain, and if the .cutting blades are not too sharp, there `is a tendency for the razor to pull rather than cut cleanly.

The particular gear .arrangement `used in vthe present razor construction, namely, the relatively large annular driving Vgear formed by the traction members and the relatively small intermediate and driven gears, transmits the motion of the transmission members at a multiple surface speed to the blade supporting members. This results in fast and multiple cuttings under normal movement of the face engaging members against the skin so as to make this motorless vest pocket type razor nearly as elcient as the conventional electric razor.

Further, in spite of the relatively small size of the present razor constructions, their circular design provides 8 moving cutting blades against the conventional 2 and all 8 cutting blades are cutting against the grain, whereas in a .conventional electric razor, due to the usual reciprocal action, the blades cut alternately with and against the grain.

I claim:

1. A dry .shaving razor, comprising, a circular cylindrical perforated screen, .a pair :of circular ,endplates dispersed one at .each end of said screen, a pair of .annular traction members .mounted for vrotation between said screens outer ends and said end plates, a shaftA extending between said end plates and concentrically of said perforated screen, a blade supporting element mounted for vrotation on said shaft, said blade supporting element including radially spaced apart recesses and intervening segments, blade supporting means mounted Within each of said recesses, a cutting bladeinounted on each of said blade supporting means, a transmission means between said annular traction members and said blade supporting element adapted to counter-rotate said blade supporting .element on `rotation of said traction members.

`2. A dry shaving razor as claimed in claim .1 wherein said blade supporting element is provided with four blade supporting members disposed in vequal radially spaced apart relationship.

3. A dry vshaving razor as claimed in claim 1 wherein each cutting blade is provided with two cutting edges adapted to resilently contact the inner surface of said screen.

4. A dry shaving razor as claimed in claim 1 wherein said perforated screen and shaft are Xed with respect to said traction members and blade supporting element and said transmission means comprises a planetary gear train.

5. A dry shaving razor, as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of `said blade supporting means are resiliently biased by a spring position between said supporting means and .said element.

References Cited ,in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,120.239 Burgeson June 14, 1938 2,365,861 Brander Dec. 26, 1944 2,370,331 ISusunaga Feb. 27, 1945 2,521,597 Moore Sept. 5, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 59,330 Norway Dec. 5, 1938

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