US3105503A

US3105503A - Hair curling device

Info

Publication number: US3105503A
Application number: US5137A
Authority: US
Inventors: Safianoff Albert
Original assignee: Gillette Co LLC
Current assignee: Gillette Co LLC
Priority date: 1960-01-28
Filing date: 1960-01-28
Publication date: 1963-10-01
Anticipated expiration: 1980-10-01
Also published as: GB904399A

Description

Oct. 1, 1963 A. SAFIANOFF HAIR CURLING DEVICE Filed Jan. 28, 1960 United States Patent Ofiice 3-,lh5,5=3 Patented Get. 1, 1963 3,105,503 EAR CURLING DEVECE Albert Saiianolf, Chicago, llL, assignor to The Gillette ompany, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 28, 1960, Ser. No. 5,137 2 Claims. (Cl. 132-40) This invention relates to a device for forming hair curls and pertains more specifically to a device for forming a tress of hair into a fiat spiral curl of the type commonly known as a pin curl.

Present hair dressing techniques and styles of coiffure involve the use of flat spiral curls of hair which lie flat against the head and are held in place by means of hairpins. While it is common practice to employ ones fingers in manipulating and shaping a tress of hair into such a curl, this operation and that of securing the curl in place requires a considerable degree of dexterity which is not possessed to the same extent by everyone, so that the curl produced is not always completely satisfactory.

One object of the present invention is to provide a device of simple and inexpensive construction which can be employed in forming a tress of hair into a pin curl of the type described.

Another object is to provide a two-part device for forming pin curls, which device can readily be separated into its component parts.

Still another object is to provide a device for forming pin curls of the type described comprising a mandrel having a base plate with which a hair-engaging element can be associated for forming a tress of hair into a curl on the base plate.

Other and further objects will be apparent from the drawing and from the description which follows.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an exploded isometric view showing one eu bodiment of the present invention with the two parts thereof separated from each other:

FIG. 2 is a view in cross-section showing the mandrel of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FiG. 3 is a view in cross-section showing the hair-engaging element of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows the mandrel of FIG. 1 with a tress of hair applied to it in an initial stage of curl formation;

FIG. 5 shows the embodiment of FIG. 1 in assembled position with a tress of hair which has been formed into a pin curl by the device;

FIG. 6 is a view in side elevation showing another er. bodiment of a mandrel; and

FIG. 7 is a view in section taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

As shown in the drawing, one embodiment of the present invention comprises a mandrel 19 which includes a base plate 12 of generally flat circular configuration and a center post 14 extending from the center of the base plate perpendicularly thereto. An aperture 16 may be provided in the base plate adapted to receive a tress of hair, the aperture 16 preferably extending inwardly from the outer margin of base plate 12 with the narrowest portion of the aperture adjacent the outer margin. The portion of aperture 16 closest to the center of the plate preferably is of arcuate configuration, extending about the center post in a circular direction. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, base plate 12 has a plurality of openings 18, 13 extending therethrough to decrease the weight of the device and to permit the hair curl to dry readily after it has been formed. Center post 14 may have a hollow core 29, as shown in FIG. 2, in order to provide a device which is light in weight.

A hair-engaging element 39 which is adapted to be removably mounted on the center post of mandrel it? for rotation thereon comprises a sleeve 32 adapted to slide and rotate freely on center post 14. A plurality of narrow inwardly projecting ribs 33 may be provided on the inner surface of sleeve 3-2 extending generally parallel to its axis to act as bearing surfaces to minimize friction, and the outer face of the sleeve is preferably knurled or ribbed to facilitate gripping it with the fingers. A generally annular flange member 34 extends radially outwardly from one .end of sleeve 32 and earries a circuln rim 36 extending forwardly from flange 34 about its outer periphery, embracing an array of hair-engaging projections or teeth 3-8 arranged to form a circular row concentric with rim 36 and center post 14. Teeth 38 extend forwardly beyond the plane of the margin of rim 3:; in order to engage the hair tress tobe wound upon the mandrel. Rim 36 serves to keep other hair tresses, adjacent to the one being curled, from becoming engaged or entangled by teeth 38 during use of the device. Openings 4%, 443- may be provided, if desired, in flange 34 to reduce the weight of the hairengaging member and to permit rapid drying of the hair tress.

In use, a tress of hair is wrapped for about one turn around the center post 14 of the mandrel being drawn through aperture 16 if such an aperture is present, and passing from left to right as seen in FIG. 2, i.e., in the same direction as the center post 14. Mandrel 10 is moved along the hair tress until it is close to the head, whereupon the free end of the tress is wrapped one or more times about the center post 14-, as shown in FIG. 4, and hair-engaging member 36* is mounted on the center post, as shown in FIG. 5, so that it is free to rotate. Sleeve 32 is then grasped with the fingers and is rotated on center post 14 while being urged toward base plate 12 of the mandrel 10 The project'mg teeth 33 engage the hair tress and form it into a neat, con pact, spirally arranged, flat curl without snarls. Hairengaging element 3% may be left in position to maintain the curl in place, or if desired it may be removed by pulling it axially from its position on center post 14 and it may then be used with a different mandrel. in the latter case, the pin curl may be securely retained in position by securing it with a hairpin, with one leg of (the pin at the face of the hair curl remote from base plate 12 and the other leg of the pin between base plate 12 and the head. In either case, the mandrel 1% will remain in position on the head of the individual until the hair has dried or has been otherwise set in its desired curled configuration.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a semiannular array of teeth 5% is mounted on base plate 52 which is otherwise identical with base plate 12, being provided with a center post 54 and with a slot 56 narrow at the outer periphery of base plate 52 and windening into a semi-annular opening or aperture 58 adjacent center post 54. The array of teeth 50 is also disposed adjacent center post 54 and on the opposite side thereof from aperture 58, extending upwardly from base plate 52 in the same direction as center post 54 so as to be encompassed by the circular row of teeth 38 on element 36 when the latter is mounted on center post 54. The teeth of array 59, which are preferably no greater in length than teeth 38, aid in temporarily holding the hair tress in place on the base plate 52 before the hair engaging element 30 is mounted in place on the center, and also teeth 38 in facilitating initiation of the curling or wrapping operation.

l-lair curls formed by means of the device or" the present invention are particularly desirable in that the hair tress is not only wrapped circumferentially about the center post but also is twisted spirally about its longitudinal axis at the same time.

The curling device of the present invention may be fabricated from a variety of materials including metal and rubber, but the material of choice is a synthetic plastic composition which is light in weight, free from any tendency to rust or discolor in use and readily formed by a simple molding operation.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein, it is not intended to limit the invention solely thereto, but to include all of the obvious variations and modifications within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for forming pin curls comprising a mandrel having a generally fiat base plate with a post secured to and extending substantially perpendicularly upwardly therefrom and having an varcuate aperture in said base plate and a slot extending inwardly from the outer margin thereof to said aperture, said mandrel being adapted to be placed against a head with said post extending outwardly and a tress of hair extending through said slot and said aperture, a hair-engaging element comprising a sleeve mountable on said post for rotation thereabout and a flange secured to and extending radially outwardly from said sleeve adjacent the end of said sleeve nearest to the base plate, a circular row of hair-engaging teeth on said flange positioned inwardly of the margin thereof and pro- '4 jecting toward said base plate when said sleeve is mounted on said post, means for preventing entanglement of other adjacent hair tresses by sai'd teeth comprising a rim extending from the margin of said flange toward said base plate, said teeth projecting beyond the margin of said rim in position to bear against said base plate and to engage the first-mentioned hair tress when said element is urged toward said base plate, whereby rotation of said element on said post forms the first-mentioned hair tress into a curl about said post between said base plate and said flange.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 in which said mandrel includes an array of hair-engaging teeth mounted on said base plate adjacent said center post and the hair-engaging teeth on said element are arranged in a circular row embracing the array on said base plate when the element is urged toward the base plate and the teeth on said element are at least as long as those on said base plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent" UNITED STATES PATENTS

Claims

1. A DEVICE FOR FORMING PIN CURLS COMPRISING A MANDREL HAVING A GENERALLY FLAT BASE PLATE WITH A POST SECURED TO AND EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULARLY UPWARDLY THEREFROM AND HAVING AN ARCUATE APERTURE IN SAID BASE PLATE AND A SLOT EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM THE OUTER MORGIN THEREOF TO SAID APERTURE, SAID MANDREL BEING ADAPTED TO BE PLACED AGAINST A HEAD WITH SAID POST EXTENDING OUTWARDLY AND A TRESS OF HAIR EXTENDING THROUGH SAID SLOT AND SAID APERTURE, A HAIR-ENGAGING ELEMENT COMPRISING A SLEEVE MOUNTABLE ON SAID POST FOR ROTATION THEREABOUT AND A FLANGE SECURED TO AND EXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARDLY FROM SAID SLEEVE ADJACENT THE END OF SAID SLEEVE NEAREST TO THE BASE PLATE, A CIRCULAR ROW OF HAIR-ENGAGING TEETH ON SAID FLANGE POSITIONED INWARDLY OF THE MARGIN THEREOF AND PROJECTING TOWARD SAID BASE PLATE WHEN SAID SLEEVE IS MOUNTED ON SAID POST, MEANS FOR PREVENTING ENTANGLEMENT OF OTHER ADJACENT HAIR TRESSES BY SAID TEETH COMPRISING A RIM EXTENDING FROM THE MARGIN OF SAID FLANGE TOWARD SAID BASE PLATE, SAID TEETH PROJECTING BEYOND THE MARGIN OF SAID RIM IN POSITION TO BEAR AGAINST SAID BASE PLATE AND TO ENGAGE THE FIRST-MENTIONED HAIR TRESS WHEN SAID ELEMENT IS URGED TOWARD SAID BASE PLATE, WHEREBY ROTATION OF SAID ELEMENT ON SAID POST FORMS THE FIRST-MENTIONED HAIR TRESS INTO A CURL ABOUT SAID POST BETWEEN SAID BASE PLATE AND SAID FLANGE.