US3364570A - Safety razor magazine - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 23, 1968 R. L. PERRY SAFETY RAZOR MAGAZINE 3 Sheets$heet 1 Filed Feb. 27, 1967 R. L. PERRY Jan. 23, 1968 SAFETY RAZOR MAGAZINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 27, 1967 FIG 3A FIG 38 Jan. 23, 1968 R. L PERRY SAFETY RAZOR MAGAZINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb 27, 1967 FIG? FIG 6 United States Patent 0 3,364,570 SAFETY RAZQR MAGAZINE Roger Leslie Perry, Lynniield Center, Mass., assignor to The Gillette Company, Boston, Mass, a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 27, 1967, Ser. No. 618,794 14 Ciairns. (Cl. 30-63) ABSTRACT 9F THE DTSCLOSURE A safety razor magazine that houses a razor blade band has a shaving platform for supporting a shaving length of blade band. The magazine includes a wiping surface immediately below the blade support platform and a recess below that wiping surface. An overlying vertical guide channel is disposed on each side of the recess. A movable blade guard structure has a bar positioned in front of the shaving platform, and extending downwardly from the guard bar is a body portion which includes a wiping surface that engage the wiping surface on the magazine to provide a seal between the shaving zone and the blade supply cavity. The side walls of the body portion are received in the guide channels of the magazine recess so that the guard is aligned and guided for vertical movement relative to the blade support platform while the engaged wiping surfaces maintain the barrier between the shaving zone and the blade supply cavity. An adjusting disk, mounted for rotation on the recessed portion of the magazine, includes a spiral cam groove which engages a stud on the guard bar body portion so that rotation of the adjusting disk produces vertical movement, over a range of approximately 0.025 inch, of the guard relative to the blade support platform.

This invention relates to safety razors of the type that employ a continuous ribbon-like blade in an arrangement in which successive lengths of the blade may be sequentially advanced into shaving position by the user, and more particularly to a blade magazine construction for use in such razors which incorporates an arrangement allowing adjustment of the shaving geometry of the razor.

It is frequently desirable to provide a construction in a safety razor which enables the user to adjust the shaving geometry (the relationship between the sharpened edge of the razor blade as exposed in the blade holder with respect to the shaving guard and/or the clamping cap) to suit his individual preferences and/or shaving requirements. A number of unique problems arise in connection with a ribbon type razor construction however. For example, as the major components that affect shaving geometry are part of the replaceable componentthe magazine-the production cost of the adjustable feature to the extent that it is incorporated in the replaceable component must be minimized in order to be economically competitive. The adjustment should be easy to make and permit a wide range of shaving geometries while not creating any potentially hazardous condition for the user.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a novel and improved ribbon-type razor blade magazine structure which provides adjustable and yet precise shaving geometry configuration.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved shaving geometry adjustment arrangement in a ribbon type razor blade magazine which is easy and safe to use and which permits adjustment of the shaving geometry over a wide range of values.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel and improved ribbon type razor blade magazine construction incorporating a shaving geometry adjustment arrangement that is economically adaptable to high volume production techniques, both in the manufacture of the magazine components and in the assembly of those components into a magazine unit.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a compact magazine construction of adjustable shaving geometry configuration that is compatible with commercially available magazine holders.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a ribbon razor blade magazine having a shaving geometry adjustment arrangement for use in a razor construction that employs a holder member adapted to removably receive the magazine. A continuous ribbon like razor blade that includes several shaving portions in series is housed in the magazine. The magazine includes structure that defines a blade supply position, a blade take up position, and a blade path that extends between the supply position and the take up position. The structure defining the blade path includes a blade support platform which defines a shaving zone for receiving and supporting a shaving length of blade in shaving position. The magazine structure includes a blade guard structure that is movable relative to the support platform in a direction perpendicular to the blade support platform. The blade guard structure extends in generally parallel, spaced relation to and is disposed forwardly of and downwardly from the blade support platform and includes a guide surface that cooperates with a guide surface of the platform structure for controlling the direction of relative movement of the guard and platform in a shaving geometry adjustment operation.

Preferably, secured to the platform portion of the magazine is an adjusting mechanism which cooperates in engaging relation with the blade guard portion for moving the blade guard relative to the blade platform so that the shaving geometry parameters of tangent angle, span and. exposure of the razor are readily adjusted in coordinated relation.

Shaving razor structures constructed in accordance with the invention are compatible with commercially available magazine holders. The invention permits adjustment of the shaving geometry over a wide range of values in an arrangement which is compact, easy to operate with precision and certainty, relatively inexpensixe to manufacture, and compatible for manufacture with high volume production techniques.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be seen as the following description of particular embodiments thereof progresses in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of components of a safety razor holder and magazine constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional View of an assembly of the safety razor magazine components shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURES 3A and B are enlarged sectional views showing a range of adjustment of the shaving geometry produced with the magazine construction shown in FIG- URES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 4 is an exploded perspective view of a second form of adjustable magazine constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 5 is a rear view of the cover element and the adjusting member of the magazine construction shown in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view of an assembly of the magazinec omponenls shown in FIGURE 4;

FIGURES 7 and 8 are a front view and a side sectional View, respectively, of another safety razor magazine constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGURES 9 and 10 are front and side views (the latter in partial section), respectively, of portions of a magazine and holder construction in still another embodiment of the invention; and

FIGURES 11-13 are diagrammatic views of still other structures for producing relative motion between the blade platform component and the blade guard component of the magazine.

There is shown in FIGURE 1 a holder structure of the type disclosed in the Nisscn Patent No. 3,262,198 adapted to receive a blade magazine 12. The magazine structure 12 includes a back member 1- and a cover member i which is secured to the back member by tabs 13, 2% of the snap type. It is preferred that the components of the magazine structure be manufactured of a suitable moldable organic plastic capable of being subjected to repeated deformation stresses such as an acetyl plastic sold under the name Delrin.

The back member 14 includes a generally planar base 22 having an upstanding cylindrical wall 24 located intermediate the ends of the base. This cylindrical wall 24 delines a cylindrical supply chamber which receives a coil of shaving blade 26. Adjacent one end of the base is formed an upstanding planar blade support platform 28 having a blade support surface that extends generally perpendicular to the plane of the base 22. Adjacent the other end of the base 22 is a circular aperture 30 adapted to rotatably receive an arbor 32 that has a slot therein to receive one end of blade 26.

Blade 26 extends from the supply chamber defined by wall 24 along a path of the general configuration indicated in FIGURE 1 over a guide surface 34 formed at one end of blade platform 28, along the blade support platform to a second guide surface 36 formed the opposite end of platform 28 and then to take up arbor 32. The blade element 26 in this embodiment is a strip of stainless steel 0.0015" in thickness and 0.1895 in width having a sharpened front edge 40 and an unsharpened rear edge 42.

Formed at the rear of the blade support platform 28 at either end thereof is a vertical pad 44 the surface of w1hich provides a guide for the rear edge 42 for the ribbon blade 26. Disposed above the blade support platform and extending forward over the platform are a series of four spaced tabs 46 which act as guides contributing to the definition of the path of the blade 26 through the shaving zone defined by the blade support platform 28. Below the blade support platform is a wiping surface 48 having a guide aperture 50 therein.

The cover 16 includes a convex side guide surface 60 for guiding the blade strip from supply chamber 24 to shaving zone end guide surface 34 and a complementary convex side guide surface 62 for guiding the blade from the shaving zone end guide 35 to the take up arbor 32. The front wall of the cover includes a recessed portion 64 having at either side thereof overlying vertical guide channels 66 which receive a blade guard bar carrying structure 68. These guide channels 66 are inclined rearwardly at a slight angle with respect to wiping surface 48.

This guard carrying structure has a body portion 70 from the front face of which projects stub 72. A scale indicating the setting of the magazine geometry is molded on the face of body 70 and a corresponding series of latching surfaces 73 are aligned with the scale. At the top of the body is formed a rigid blade guard bar 74 that extends the length of the shaving zone defined by platform 28. The body 78 includes a rear surface '71 which engages wiping surface 48 to provide a barrier or seal between the shaving zone and the blade supply cavity 24 (as indicated in FIG. 3). Slots, as defined by spacer tabs 76 provided between guard bar 74 and the rear surface of body 70, allow release of soap and/or water which might accumulate during shaving. The center tab 76 projects beyond the rear wall 71 and is arranged to enter and cooperate with slot 50 to provide guidance for vertical movement of the guard structure 68. This guard structure is received in the channels 66 in the cover 16 and when cover 16 is assembled to back 14, guide channels 66 force surface 7 1 into firm wiping engagement with surface 48 to maintain the barrier between the shaving zone and the blade supply cavity. Also, center tab '76 is positioned in slot 50 so that the guard is aligned with and guided for vertical movement relative to platform 28.

Cover 15 also includes a circular aperture 819 adapted to receive stud 81 of adjusting disc 82 for rotation therein. Disc 82 has, on its periphery a knurled surface 83 and on its rear surface, a spiral cam groove 84 which engages stud 72 for producing vertical movement of guard 74 relative to the edge of blade 26 in the shaving zone in response to rotation of disc 82.

An indicator bar 8 5 includes a central projection 37 adapted to be positioned in the control aperture 88 in disc 82 and an indicator projection 89 at one end. The span between projections 87 and 89 is such that bar 86 may be secured firmly in a desired angular position by engagement of projection 89 with knurled surface 83. After the magazine is assembled, it is positioned in a jig and set to normal shaving geometry by rotation of disc 82. Indicator bar is then snapped in place at the vertical position (pointing to the center of the scale on the face of guard structure 68). In this position latch surface 75 on the rear of indicator bar 86 engages one of the series of surfaces 73 in a latching and shaving geometry stabilizing function.

Arbor 32 has a stub shaft 90 on which is positioned an indicator disc 92 having gear teeth 94 in its outer periphery and a series of numbers 96 on its face. This indicator disc cooperates with gear teeth (not shown) formed in the rear of cover 16 which are arranged so that a complete revolution of arbor 32 produces a fraction of a rotation of disc 92 so that a disc number indicative of the number of shaving blade used is visible through aperture 98 in the face of cover 16.

The assembled magazine structure with a length of blade therein is adapted to be positioned in holder 10 which includes a head 182 having a forwardly projecting lip 104 adapted to engage the blade 26 and hold it firmly in position on shaving platform 28. Slots 106 in head 102 receive hold down tabs 46. Holder has a handle 110 carrying a latch structure 112 for securing magazine in position so that drive shaft 114 (rotatable by lever 116) engages arbor 32 and lip 104 clamps blade 26 in shaving position on platform 23. A sectional view of the magazine 12 positioned in holder 11 is shown in FIGURE 2.

An enlarged view of the shaving geometry configuration of this magazine is indicated in FIGURE 3A and an adjusted position is shown in FIGURE 3B. Shaving geometry involves a set of interrelated dimensions which include the distance E that the sharpened edge 40 of blade 26 projects in a distance perpendicular to line 120 (which extends between the tip of lip 104 and the tangent surface of guard bar 74), herein termed exposure; the tangent angle A between line 122 (the plane of blade 26) and line 124 (a line tangent to the surface of guard 74 and the sharpened edge 40 of blade 26); and span, the distance S between the sharpened edge 40 of blade 26 and the tangent point on the surface of guard 74 as indicated by lines 126 and 123.

Movement of the guard structure to the position shown in FIGURE 38 changes the shaving geometry characteristics as indicated by the corresponding primed reference numerals and has a significant effect on the comfort and/ or shaving efficiency of this razor construction.

In a particular embodiment the blade guard 74 is permitted vertical movement of approximately 0.025". In the minimum tangent angle position (a blade tangent angle of 22) the blade span is 0.055" and blade exposure is 0.001". In the maximum tangent angle position (a tangent angle of 38) a span of 0.090", and an exposure of 0.009" are provided.

A second embodiment of a ribbon blade magazine constructed in accordance with the invention is shown in FIGURE 4. In this embodiment the entire cover portion 16' is permitted to move relative to the base member 14'. The basic blade handling structure is similar to the magazine structure shown in FIGURE 1. Supplemental locking tabs 150 extend laterally from guide studs 152 which project through apertures 154 in the base member 14' and latch on the back of the base member with vertical walls 156 of apertures 154 providing guide surfaces which cooperate with studs 152 to provide vertical guidance. Additional vertical guidance is provided by recessed wall portions 160 of base 14' which cooperate with tabs 162 on cover 16 (FIGURE 5). As the cover is movable relative to the back, the teeth 170 of the counting mechanism are formed on the wall of take up chamber 172 and cooperate with the teeth 96 of indicator disc 92'. Further the base includes a rigid forwardly projecting step 188 which engages the latch mechanism 112 in the holder to secure the magazine firmly in shaving position in the holder. A rear view of the cover and the adjusting member 82 is shown in FIGURE 5. Member 82 has a stud 31 and a slot 84. Slot 84 engages stub 72' and movement of member 82 causes vertical movement of cover 16" relative to the base 14 to provide an adjustment of the shaving eonietry in a manner similar to that provided in the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1. A seetional view of this magazine in assembled condition is shown in FIGURE 6.

Still another magazine construction is shown in FIG- URES 7 and 8. The configuration of the base 14 and the cover 16" are similar to the structure shown in FIG- URE 4. In this embodiment the adjusting mechanism is a disc 200 that is mounted coaxially with supply chamber wall 24" for location as determined by circular surface 262. Stud 204 is located eccentrically with respect to surface 202 and is received in guide slot 206 (that is elongated in the horizontal direction as indicated in FIGURE 7) in cover 16". Rotation of disc 200 produces relative movement between back 14" and cover 16" so that the position of guard bar 74" relative to the edge of blade 26 is adjusted. It will be noted that back member 14" includes an inclined surface 210 immediately below the shaving platform 28 and cover member 16" has a cooperating inclined surface which mates with surface 210, so that guard bar 74 is subjected to a horizontal component of movement as well as a vertical component of movement in response to rotation of disc 200. This feature of compound movement may be incorporated in other embodiments.

A number of other motion producing mechanisms may be utilized in the practice of the invention. For example, there is shown in FIGURES 9 and 10 an arrangement which employs an adjusting disc 2-20 which is mounted for rotation coaxially with take up arbor 32. Disc 220 includes a spiral groove 222 formed in its inner face and a pin 224, formed integrally with cover 16", is received in groove 222. Thus rotation of disc 220 produces vertical movement of cover 16" relative to base 14". In FIGURES 11 and 12 are shown a cam structure 230, 23%, respectively, secured for rotation about the axis defined by shafts 232, 232 (which is fixed to cover 16) and adapted to engage cam surfaces 234, 234 formed in base 14. In FIGURE 11 cam 230 is rotated by means of lever 236 while in FIGURE 12 a spur gear 238 is mounted on shaft 232' and is driven by a rack gear 240 which is operated by the projection 242 that is secured for movement on the wall of the magazine cover 16. The embodiment shown in FIGURE 13 employs a spiral gear 250 mounted for rotation in a side wall of the cover member of the magazine. The teeth of gear 250 cooperate with gear teeth 252 formed between the supply chamber and the take up chamber on the back member of the magazine.

Thus it will be seen that the invention provides a compact, reliable band blade cartridge or magazine structure which permits adjustment of shaving geometry over a wide range of values in coordinated relation and with ease and precision. While several embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, still further forms thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore it is not intended that the invention be limited to the disclosed embodiments or to details thereof and departures may be made therefrom within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. For use in a safety razor, a magazine member adapted to be received in a holder member, said magazine member adapted to store a ribbon-like blade of uniform width having a longitudinally extending rear edge and a parallel sharpened front edge,

said magazine member comprising structure defining a blade supply position, a blade take up position, and a blade path extending between said supply position and said take up position, said structure defining said blade path including a blade support platform which defines a shaving zone for receiving a shaving length of blade in supporting position with the sharpened edge of the blade projecting beyond the front edge of said support platform,

said support platform structure including a guide surface,

a blade guard structure extending in generally parallel spaced relation to the front edge of said blade support platform,

said blade guard structure including a guide surface engaging said platform guide surface for guiding relative movement between said guard structure and said support platform in a direction perpendicular to said blade support platform for adjusting shaving geometry of the safety razor,

structure for stabilizing the position of said guard structure relative to said platform structure to provide a set shaving geometry configuration during a shaving operation,

and take up mechanism coupled to said take up position for advancing a blade stored in said magazine member to position a sequence of shaving portions of said blade on said blade support platform.

2. The magazine member as claimed in claim 1 wherein said stabilizing structure includes a manually adjustable member for moving said blade guard structure relative to said blade support platform.

3. The magazine member as claimed in claim 2 wherein said stabilizing structure includes a series of spaced latching surfaces and a cooperating latching surface, at least one of said latching surfaces being carried by said manually adjustable member.

4. The magazine member as claimed in claim 1 wherein said blade supply position defining structure and said support platform structure are formed in a base member which includes a wiping surface extending perpendicular to said support platform and further including a cover structure disposed over said blade supply position defining structure, said cover structure including a cooperative guide surface which engages said wiping surface of said base to provide a barrier between said blade supply position and said support platform.

5. The magazine member as claimed in claim 1, further including a cover structure disposed over said blade supply position defining structure, and wherein said blade guard structure is a member movable relative to portion of said cover structure and said blade guard member includes a guide surface engaging a surface of said portion of said cover structure for guiding said relative movement of said guard structure and said support platform.

6. The magazine member as claimed in claim 5 wherein said stabilizing structure includes a manually adjustable member for moving said blade guard structure relative to said blade support platform.

7. The magazine member as claimed in claim 6 wherein said blade guard structure includes a cam surface, said manually adjustable member is mounted for rotational movement about an axis fixed with respect to said blade support platform and includes a cam surface engaging said cam surface of said blade guard structure.

8. The magazine member as claimed in claim 7 wherein said stabilizing structure includes a series of spaced latching surfaces and a cooperating latching surface, at least one of said latching surfaces being carried by said manually adjustable member.

9. The magazine member as claimed in claim 4 wherein said blade guard structure is integral with said cover member and said cover and base members include interen'gaging guide surfaces for guiding said relative movement of said guard structure and said blade support platform.

19. The magazine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the structure including said blade support platform is adapted to be fixed relative to said holder member when received therein and said platform structure guide surface extends generally perpendicular to said platform.

11. The magazine member as claimed in claim 10 wherein said blade supply position defining structure and said support platform structure are formed in a base member which includes a wiping surface extending perpendicular to said support platform and further including a cover structure disposed over said blade supply position defining structure, said cover structure including a cooperative guide surface which engages said wiping surface of said base to provide a barrier between said blade supply position and said support platform.

12. The magazine member as claimed in claim 11 wherein said stabilizing structure includes a manually adjustable member for moving said blade guard structure relative to said blade support platform.

13. The magazine member as claimed in claim 12 wherein said blade guard structure is a member movable relative to portion of said cover structure and said blade guard member includes a guide surface engaging a surface of said portion of said cover structure for guiding said relative movement of said guard structure and said support platform' 14. The magazine member as claimed in claim 12 wherein said blade guard structure is integral with said cover member and said cover and base members include interengaging guide surfaces for guiding said relative movement of said guard structure and said blade support platform. r

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,128,551 4/1964 Crown 30-63 3,203,093 8/1965 Kuhnl 30-63 3,262,198 7/1966 Nissen 30-4011 MILTON S. MEHR, Primary Examiner.

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