US534268A - Walter n - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) W. N. LAWRENCE.

LATHER CUP.

Patented l-Feb. 19, 1895.

` Untreue @raras Farma Enron,

.VALTER N. LAWRENCE, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

LATHER-CUP.

SPEIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.` 534,268, dated February 19, 1895. Application filed May 16, 1894. Serial No. 511,392.. (No model.'l

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER N. LAWRENCE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lather-Cups, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in lather-cups used for shaving purposes, and while it is more especially adapted to be employed, as the receptacle for refuse lather, yet it can be used as a shaving-mug or cup, in which the lather for the face may be prepared; and it consists in certain peculiarities of the material, form, and construction thereof, as will be hereinafter' more fully set forth and specifically claimed.

lleretofore it has generally been the custom with men when shaving themselves and for barbers to remove the lather from the razor blade after it has been scraped from the face, by means of a piece of paper or cloth, upon which the blade is wiped. This means of freeing the razorof the refuse lather and particles of beard, has been found objectionable, for the reason that the paper or cloth, which is employed will dull or turn the keen edge of the blade, and thus require frequent strapping thereof, and for the further reason that the paper, which is besmeared, is untidy and it is frequently, under certain circumstances, difficult or inconvenient to obtain.

It is therefore the object of my invention,

first, to provide a lather-cup, which shall be simple and inexpensive in construction, and of unbreakable material; second, such a cup, which by reason of its construction, and the material of which it is formed, will readily cleanse the razor or free it of the refuse lather, in such a manner as to leave the blade dry and clean,and somewhat sharper or keener', than when applied tothe cup; and third, a cup, which by reason of its flexible and unbreakable nature, is specially adapted for the use of travelers, tourists, hunters, or barbers, and which can be used as a receptacle for the refuse lather, or as a shaving-mug 4or cup, in which the lather for the face is produced.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention pertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe it, referring to the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1, is a perspective view of my cup, showing a razorapplied thereto and in the act of being freed of the refuse lather. Fig. 2, is a similar view of the cup, showing it clamped between the thumb and fingers, as used in the act of extracting or squeezing the lather from the shavingebrush. Fig. 3, is a top plan View of the cup. Fig. 4, is a central vertic-tl sectional view, taken on line 4, 4,.of Fig. 3, and Fig. `5, is a'like view, showing a modification therein.

Similar letters refer to like parts throughout the different views of the drawings.

A, represents the body of my cup, which is made of any suitable iiexible material, but preferably of red vulcanizedrubber, and of the form illustrated in the drawings. On account of economy, simplicity, and cleanliness, I prefer to construct it of one piece of material, so formed that it will present a flat bottom or disk a., having at its periphery a circumferential wall B, which is contracted at its upper portion, as is clearly shown in Figs. l, 4, and 5, the apex or rim of which terminates in an angular point b, from which angularpoint, the material is inwardly beveled, as at c, and from thence is formedinto a cup or basin C, for the reception of the lather. This formation affordsa cup, which by reason of the fact that it is larger at its base than at the periphery or rim of its basin, and also on account of the adhesive nature of the flexible material of which it is composed, is difticult to up-set.

As before stated, I prefer to make my cup of red vulcanized-rubber, which material possesses the qualities of elasticity and flexibility, as well as that,adapted to hone or sharpen the blade, which is passed over it.

In Fig. 5, of the drawings, I have shown a modification in the construction of my cup, which I may sometimes employ, and which is of the same form as illustrated in Figs. l, to 4, inclusive, and as before set forth, with the exception that the bottom or disk d, is provided at its periphery with a downwardly extending annular rim a', which rim, when the IOO cup is placed on a smooth surface or plane, forms a suction chamber' or vacuum therebetween, as is readily understood, and lnore effectually prevents the displacement or ,upsetting of the cup. This form or modification of the cup is more especially designed for the use of barbers, where it is desired to locate the cup on a marble-slab or smooth surface, so that it will not be displaced or upset by the use of the razor, when it is applied thereto for cleaning the same.

In forming the rim or periphery ofthe basin C, with the angular or pointed apex b, and with the inwardly extending bevel c, it is obvious that a very thin strip or portion is presented to the blade, which readily yields, and as the blade is drawn thereon outwardly, the bevel portion will be raised against its lower surface, thus presenting a flat part against the same, which elfectually cleans it of all the lather, and in so doing, by reason of the iexible material of which the cup is composed, and its honing quality, slightly sharpens the blade. As soon as the razor is raised or removed from the rim of the cup, the latter will assume its normal position, which will cause the refuse lather adhering thereto to be dis placed, and by reason of the inclination of the beveled part c, and the interior of the basin to iow to the bottom thereof.

It is also'desirable after one has performed the operation of shaving to cleanse the brush of lather, and this can be done by clamping the upper portion of the cup, between the thumb and forefinger on the brush, when the same may be Withdrawn, thus squeezing' and extracting the lather therefrom, as will be.

clearly understood by reference to Fig- 2, of the drawings.

While I prefer to make my cup of red vulcanized-rubber, yet I do not desire to be limited to its use, as I may employ other colors ot' the same material or other material of a flexible nature and attain the same results.

In order to render the Wall of the cup, as well as that of the basin, more exible and elastic, I provide the base thereof, with an opening d, which permits of the escape of air, when the shape of the cup is changed by pressure or squeezing, thus adording an air-cushion for the device.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent., is-

l. As an improved article of manufacture, a lather cup made of flexible material having in its base the opening or air passage d, and its walls contracted at the top and terminating in a point or thin edge b, and provided with the bevel c, and basin C, said basin and exterior Wall of the cup being integral, but having an ainchamber therebetween, substantially as described.

2. Asan improved article of manufacture a lather-cup, made ot' flexible vulcanized-rubber, having its Walls terminating at the top in a point or thin edge b, and provided with the bevel c, and basin C, and having at its bottom the annular-rim at', substantially as described.

VALTER N. LAWRENCE. lVitnesses:

CHAs. C. TILLMAN, E. A. DUGGAN.

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