US2952911A - Safety razor with adjustable blade setting - Google Patents

Description

M. .1. sHNlTzLx-:R Er AL 2,952,91 1

SAFETY RAZOR WITH ADJUSTABLE BLADE SETTING 2 Sheet,s-Shee\I 1 Sept. 20, 1960 Original Filed March 19, 1956 MMI Sept. 20, 1960 M. J. sHNlTzLER ETAL 2,952,911

SAFETY RAZOR WITH ADJUSTABLE BLADE SETTING Original Filed March 19, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I :wen lons Neger J S/mz/er /V/Mae/ Davy/0.9 enec//clj Jr':

United States Patent SAFETY RAZOR WITH ADJUSTABLE BLADE SE'I'I'IN G Meyer J. Shnitzler, Brookline, and Michael Douglas Benedict, Jr., Wollaston, Mass., assignors to The Gillette Company, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Original application Mar. 19, 1956, Ser. No. 572,494, now Patent No. 2,848,807, dated Aug. 26, 1958. Divided and this application June 9, 1958, Ser. No. 740,882

1 Claim. (Cl. 30-60.5)

The present invention relates to safety razors, and principally to safety razors of the so-called one-piece construction, wherein the component elements of the razor remain inter-connected at all times to facilitate blade replacement without the necessity of handling separated razor parts. In greater particularity the present invention concerns the provision of improved and relatively inexpensive means for adjusting the shaving relation between a clamped blade and an associated guard member to suit the needs of the user.

The various objects and features of the invention will be apparent in the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, and their particular novelty distinctly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a View in side elevation, partially in longitudinal section, showing our razor with the shaving relation thereof adjusted to provide a minimum blade edge exposure;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, with certain portions broken away, but with the shaving relation adjusted to provide a greater exposure of the blade edge;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3 3 in Fig. 1

and on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 in Fig. l and also on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 5 is a perspective View on an enlarged scale of the elements employed in clamping a blade in the present razor;

Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 5 showing these elements in a different relative position; and

Fig. 7 is an exploded view of the various component elements of the illustrated razor.

A preferred embodiment of our novel razor, as it would be used in shaving, is best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, wherein it will be seen that the razor comprises a head portion 10 in which -a double-edged blade B may be clamped for use in shaving. A handle 12, of composite construction, is connected to the head portion 10 which may include a guard 14, a platform 16 and a pair of swingable cap sections 18 for clamping the blade B against the platform 16 with its cutting edges in shaving relation with respect to the guard 14.

The exterior portions of the handle 12 may include a guard extension 20 fast upon the guard 14 to which a tube 22 may be press-fitted to form a composite outer tube. Immediately beneath the tube 22 (hereinafter referred to as outer tube 22) will be found an adjusting knob 24 which may be employed to vary the shaving relation between the clamped blade B and the guard 14 in a manner more fully described below. The terminus of the lower end of the handle 12 may include an opening and closing knob 26 which for greatest convenience is placed in end-to-end relation to the adjusting knob 24.

In furtherance of certain aspects of the invention, it has been found preferable to provide an inner tube 28, one end of which is spun onto the platform 16 and which Patented Sept. 20, 1960 ICC extends Vinteriorly of the tube 22 and concentrically thereof. For convenience of manufacture, this inner tube 28 may be of composite construction and include a threaded element 30 pressed onto its lower end. With further reference to Fig. 1, it can be seen that the adjusting knob 24 may also, for convenience of manufacture, be ofcomposite construction and have a press-fitted insert 32 which is threaded onto the threaded element 30. This insert further provides a seat 34 for receiving the lower end of the outer tube 22. A spring 36 acting between a ange 37 formed on the inner tube 28, and an internal shoulder 39 formed on the guard extension 20 maintains the lower end of the outer tube 22 in positive engagement with the seat 34, which in effect is an integral part of the adjusting knob 24.

Realizing that the range of variation of shaving relation between the clamped blade B and the guard member 14 is to be determined bythe needs of the shaving public, the present disclosure illustrates an average minimum exposure of the blade edge in Fig. 1 and an arbitrarily selected, representative maximum exposure of the blade edge in Fig. 2. These extremes and any intermediate exposure positions may be obtained by revolving the adjusting knob 24 to vary the position thereof with respect to the inner tube 28 and threaded element 30. This result ows from the fact that the relative position of the guard member 14 is controlled by the adjusting knob 24 and the spring 36. With respect to the presently-discussed aspects of the invention, it should be observed that the clamped blade B, the platform 16, and the composite inner-tube 28 with threaded element 30 form a rigid metallic system for carrying the adjusting knob 24. The shaving relation adjusting system is free Vfrom any interdependent functional elements intercontime, the shaving relation of the blade B with respect to the guard 14 may at any time be varied by adjustment of the knob 24.

Replacement of the blade B is effected by a further system of mechanical elements which, according to other aspects of the invention, may include the knob 26 located immediately below the -adjusting knob 24 and in end-to-end relation thereto. The knob 26 is illustrated as having two concentric, interiorly threaded portions, the upper of which provides for its attachments to the lower end of the threaded element 30. The lower threaded portion of the knob 26 is, preferably, a multiple thread of relatively steep pitch, and carries thereby a threaded element 38 which has a central aperture 40 of non-circular cross-section (Fig. 7). Looking toward the interior of the inner-tube 28 (Fig. l), it will be seen that a stem 42 extended therethrough, being secured at its upper end to a spider 44 and having at its lower end a reduced portion 46. The cross-section of this reduced portion 46 corresponds to the conguration of the aperture 40 to permit passage of the reduced portion 46 therethrough but prevent relative rotation therebetween. A lock-nut 48 is threaded onto the extreme lower portion of the reduced portion 46 to maintain the threaded element 38 and the stem 42 in assembled relation. Referring further to Figs. 1 and 7, it will be seen that a spring lock-washer 50 is interposed between the nut 48 and the threaded element 38. In Fig. 1, the spring lockwasher S0 is shown as it performs a function described below in which it is wholly compressed to a flat condition, though normally, in non-compressed condition,

. tionn which is illustratively shown in Fig. 7.

thisl lock washer would maintain the. threaded element.

38 at the upper end of the reduced portion 46 of the stem, 42,

The spider 44'L includes cross-arms 52',the linturned ends of which serve as pintlesi"54i for thef pivotal or swingable-mounting of the cap sections 18 as: is best. illus- Y trated Vin' Figs. 5 andv 7. For appearances sake, it is common practice to superpose shell-like members '56 over the ends of the cross-arms 52.

'I-he cap sections ;18 are provided withV legs 58 at'. the lower end of which provision is made for the. pivotal mounting thereof onthe pintles 54. Also adjacentthese pivotal mountingsv are projections @extending from the legs 58l and preferably at right angles thereto. Referring particularly-,to Figs. 2 and 5, it willbe seen that the platform 16 is formed with integral tabs 62 adjacent the legs 5'8- and Voverlying the projections 60.

With the above description ein mind, itwill be. seen that-the blade B may be replaced-byopening andlclosing thev swingable cap sections 18V without disturbing the shaving relation established in theV razorhead by the adjusting knobr24. To this end, knob'26 is rotated to advance it upwardly along the threaded element 30.

also advanceupwardly with' respect to the knob 26.

' stone/,9:11v

4 differentfindividual users, it is essential that convenient and readily accessible means be provided for eiecting such adjustment. Further to these same ends, it s desirable to provide sensing means for determining the magnitude of adjustment being made. To further these purposes,V a stop-spring 64 may be provided. This spring lies between and bearsaagainstrthe threaded. element 30 and the outer-tube 22 tou force its lower end through a slot 66 formed in the lower.A end of the outer-tube 22. The adjusting knob 24` is provided with a portion 67 which overlaps thelower end ofthe outer-tube 22 and is yconcentric therewith.. Flutes 68 formed in this overlapping portion provide detent ,meansA for receiving the lower end of the stop-spring 641 (Fig. 4`) as it is urged outwardly through the slot 66. ,'Thus, as the adjusting knob 24 is rotated, a readily detectable. hesitation is felt by the user as the detent means releasably maintains the adjusting knobinvarious incremental positions. Further, thev stop-spring Y64 produces an audible noise as it enters one ute or another, assisting the user in determining the magnitudey of variation.

As has previously been alluded to, there are desirable maximuml and minimum settings for the shaving relation As this occurs, the element 38 will4 move upwardly 'until Yit reaches the upper limit of the reduced kportion 46 lof the stemY 42, decompressing the spring lock-washer 42, carrying it upwardly and with it the spider 44. As

hasbeenV noted, theV capV sections 18 are carriedon the Y pintles 54 at the ends of these spidercrossl arms 52, and, therefore, vthey, will advance upwardly as Vsaid longitudinal movement is imparted byrotation of the knobl 26. As a resultofthis longitudinalimovement,the

of the. bladel edge'with respect to the guard member. 1.4. In the interest of providingv a more.Y convenient and eicient adjusting means for this` shaving relation, it. is desirable that means be provided for preventing the adjustment of the shaving relation from exceeding either extremelimit'. VTo this end, and with` another aspect of the present invention in mind, the stop-spring 64 preferably is formed with'aloop 7 0-which .also extends through the slot 66 in the outer-tube 22. Co-operating with this Y projecting. loop is an integral lug 72 extending upwardly projections 60 will engage undersurfaees of Vthe plat- A formV 16 as providedfby the Ytaps 62, thus causing the capr sections 18 to swingloutwardly to a fully openaposi- In this position of the cap sections 18, an `old blade may be from the overlapping portion 67l of the adjusting, knob 24. Once in assembled' relation, rthe rotation of the adjusting knob 24 is thereby limited to less than'one revolutionvand the extreme limits` of adjustment. may be established by the pitch of the thread ofy theelement 30. g Y

Two lfunctions 'are combined inthe stop-spring 64;

, namely, it serves as a click-producing detent means as lremoved andY anew blade maybe placed' on the razor j head, resting onv the platformV 16'. The new blade may be clamped on the platformV 16 by imparting reverse vrotationY to the knob 26. In so doing, theknob-26 and the threaded element 38 will move` downwardly-.with respect to the outer tube 22, carrying the stem 42and ythe associatedspider 44 therewith ina-longitudinali direc- Y tion.V As this longitudinal movementV ,is imparted, the vlegs 58V of the cap sections 18 will engage edgesl on the'pl-atfor'm, as provided'by the tab 62 (see Fig. 6), thus.

causing the cap sections to swinginwardly toward each other in readinesstoV clamp a blade B- ou the platform.

l`16 in response to continued longitudinalV movement of A`the stem 42, in a downward direction. After thev blade B is clamped against the platform 16in-a-positive manner, further continuedrrotation ofthe knob 2600mp'resses the spring lock-washer V50 as seen` 'in Fig.` l'vtoV 28"and the stem V42 will effectuate'the same degree of.Y

opening `and closing of the'cap sections V18;

Often times,.in shaving itis `foundy thathcertainv portions of 'a persons face may be-more tender than other portions, and' because Vofl this or-'forv closery shaving Vor other.reasons, it may be desirableto'vary the shaving ":rela'tion' ofthe blade -of the 'razorl head `during the -course AFor-'this reason, as well as to permit svariations lofxthis shaving relationtosuitl the need of 'o'ff'the shave.

well as providing. a stop for limiting the extent of adjustment of the knob 24 to less than one `full-revolution.

YYet another functionis uniquely combined in this eleloop 70'is externallyivisible and serves as a readyV reference point for the desired indicia on' the adjusting knob 24. Y a ,Y

The present application isazdivision of our co-pending .applicationr Serial No'. 572,494 led March 19,Y 1956,

'from said guard, andY swingable cap sections which in 'closed position clamp' aA blade against Vthe platform in shaving'relation with respect tosaidV guard andVv in open position permit blade replacement, saidguard having an extension forming aportionof saidhandle,. means. se-

' cured/to saidlplatform, adjustable,l meansy connected to said lastnamed means for varying the shaving` relation between the clampedfblade and the guard-by adjustment of said` platform relative to said guard, a spider on which said cap sections are pivotally mounted, ia stem.con

A'nected to said Vspiderv and extendingA interiorly. of. Vsaid handle, Vmeans for imparting longitudinal. movement to V`said stem and spider, said-cap sections having projections and legs adjacent their pivotal mountings, and said separate platform having undersurfaces which are engaged by said projections to swing the cap sections to their open position in response to longitudinal movement of the stem in one direction, said platform also having edges which engage the cap section legs to swing said cap sections to their closed position in response to longi- References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Anastasia Jan. 11, 1955 Shnitzler et al Aug. 26, 1958

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