US2720696A - Electric shaver - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 18, 1955 s. 1. WADSWORTH ELECTRIC SHAVER Filed Jan. 29, 1954 & m m w.

azwvzp J. WDfWO/W? United States Patent "Ofiice 2,720,696 Patented Oct. 18, 1955 ELECTRIC SHAVER Sanford I. Wadsworth, Jackson Heights, N. Y. Application January 29, 1954, Serial No. 406,954

6 Claims. (Cl. 3041.5)

This invention relates to electric shavers.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an electric shaver for removing superfluous hair from the face or any other part of the body wherein the motive power is transmitted through a shaft to a cutter or blade so that the latter completes three hundred and sixty degree revolutions, either direct or geared to increase or decrease blade speed, and not employing the vibrator cam or oscillator principle.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an electric shaver of the above type which is air cooled, provides a more rapid shave, has an increased shaving area, reduces irritation to the skin, is less noisy; introduces a new diaphragm and valve arrangement, has an uninterrupted cutting surface and is faster than conventional mechanical shavers.

For other objects and a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof, taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the cutting blade;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevational view of the skin guard;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the device being used to remove leg hair; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the device being used to shave the face.

Referring now to the figures, 10 represents generally a housing and case assembly including a cover 10a connected to a cylindrical motor chamber 1% by means of screws 22 and a screen and diaphragm chamber 100 suitably connected to the bottom of the motor chamber 10b (Fig. 2), the cover 1011, motor chamber 10b and screen and diaphragm chamber 100 being formed of suitable plastic. The chamber 100 is externally threaded at 30 and has screwed thereon an internally threaded skin guard or face plate 29.

A plastic hand strap 12 is formed with doubled up loops at each end and is secured to the cover 10a by means of the integrally formed strap holding portions 11.

A fractional horsepower motor 14 is suitably mounted in the motor chamber 10b and includes a drive shaft 15 extending therefrom in both directions. The upper end of the drive shaft 15 is supported in an externally threaded bushing 13 provided in the top 10a. The bushing 13 is screw threaded into an insert provided in the top of the case 10a, the upper end of the bushing 13 being provided with a screw driver slot to permit vertical adjustment of the shaft and to thereby provide the blade or blades 16 adequate clearance in relation to the face plate or skin guard 29. A knurled lock nut 36 is screw threaded on to the bushing 13 and prevents the latter from losing the proper blade adjustment once attained. The upper portion of the shaft 15 is provided with an annular groove 24 in which is positioned a snap ring 17 which is also received in the partially slotted bushing 13 to insure the up and down adjustment of the shaft 15 with the bushing 13.

The inside of the screen and diaphragm chamber is provided with an annular groove 24 Within which is positioned a diaphragm assembly 23, a very fine wire mesh screen 25 being secured intermediate the flanged portion of diaphragm 23 and groove 24. The diaphragm 23 is provided with a plurality of upwardly struck openings 26 which are adaptedto permit the upward movement therethrough of hair while at the same time preventing its return movement by means of the portions 27.

The adjacent portions of the motor chamber 10b and screen and diaphragm chamber 100 are provided with the opening 34 (Fig. 1) adapted to be opened and closed by a sliding door 3411 moved by finger 35, thus providing a hair ejector. Thus, hairs blown upwardly through the diaphram 23 will be retained therewithin by screen 25 until ejected through the door 34a.

A cutting blade 16 is secured to the bottom end of the drive shaft 15 within the skin guard 29 by means of the holder 18 and the screws 18a.

The skin guard 29 over its entire surface is provided with elongated and staggered openings 31 adapted to receive therethrough the hair of the user, the skin guard 29 being case hardened preferably.

An electric cord 32 carrying a male plug 33 at one end for connection to a suitable source of power is adapted to be plugged into the motor 14 through casing 10 in any suitable manner, for example by a male and female plug arrangement or by a bayonet slot construction. The blade 16 is attached to the shaft 15 at an angle of attack (approximately forty-five degrees) to the fiat inside surface of perforated guard 29 to most efiiciently out hair protruding through openings 31, as the device is moved gently over the desired area during operation of motor 14. The door 34a for ejecting hair may be, of course, hinged to the casing, if desired. In operation, the device is connected to a suitable source of power by means of the plug 33, and the hand is engaged under the strap 12 at the top (Fig. 6) and the device applied over the desired area in gradual circular or up and down movements with the guard 29 in contact with the skin. Abrupt or critical areas may be shaved by tilting the device so that the forty-five degree angle of the blade 16 and the guard 29 will provide a more controlled shave, for example when shaving sideburns or a moustache. As contact is made on the skin by the shaver, the hairs are cut close to the skin and thrust against the diaphragm 23 where they pass upwardly through the openings 26 and are trapped by the portions 27 from returning until removed from the device through the hair ejector door 34a between shaving operations. The unique effect and purpose of the angle of attack of the blade or blades 16 is to create a slight suction against the hair and skin, providing a closer shave, and as cut hairs are thrust through the diaphragm 23 against the screen 25, the air passes upwardly through the screen to cool the motor 14 and making the device more comfortable to the user. The air will then vent to the atmosphere through suitable holes 21 provided at the top side of the case. The slotted adjustable bushing 13 controls the clearance between the blades and the guard, thus permitting the desired closeness of shave.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus set forth and disclosed invention, what is claimed is:

1. An electric shaver comprising a hollow casing having a rear closure and a front opening, an electric motor secured within said casing adjacent said rear closure and the nature of my having a central drive shaft extending through said rear closure and through said front opening, a skin guard secured across said front opening and having perforations, a cutterblade secured to the forward end of said drive shaft'in th'e vicinity and slightly spaced from the interior of said guard, filter means intermediate said blade and said motor and externally operable means for adjusting the positionof said shaft'relative to said motor for varying the distance between said blade and guard.

2. The electric shaver as set forth in claim '1, in which said filter means comprises a diaphragm above said blade which has rearwardly struck openingspermitting the rearward passage of hair therethrough but preventing .its recured Within said casing adjacent said rear closure and turn, and. a wire screen intermediate said diaphragm and said motor, said casing intermediate said diaphragm and screen having anejector opening. i i

3. The electric shaver, as set forth in claim 1, in which said externally operable means comprises an externally threaded bushing screw threaded in said rear closure and having a screw driver slot, the rear end of said shaft being received within saidbushing, snapring meansconnecting said shaft and bushing and Iock nut means for locking said bushing relative to said rear closure.

4. The electric shaver, as set forth in claim 1, in which said skin guard has a bevelled periphery, the ends of said blade are correspondingly bevelled, and the pitchof said having a central drive shaft extending through the front opening, a skin guard secured across the front opening and having perforations, a cutterblade secured to the forward end of said drive shaft in the vicinity and slightly spaced from the interior of'said guard, filter means in termediate said blade and said motor, said filter means comprising a diaphragm above said blade which has rearwardly struck openings permitting the rearward passage of hair therethrough but preventing its returm and a screen intermediate said diaphragm and said motor, said casing intermediate said diaphragm and screen having an ejector opening. H r V Reierences Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS v I 2,134,609 'Hay ot; 25;f1 9ss 2,201,951 Brans May 21-, I940

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