US959496A - Razor-blade sharpener. - Google Patents

Description

G. G. FLOYD. RAZOR BLADE SHARPENBB. APPLIOATION FILED JULY 28. 1909. 959 ,496, 1 Patented May 31, 1910.

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' G. G. FLOYD, RAZOR BLADE SHARPBNEB.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 28, 1909.

Patented May 31, 1910.

UNITED STATES FATEN T OFFICE.

GEORGE G. FLOYI),' OF GRANITE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO TWINPLEX MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION F MISSOURI.

RAZOR-BLADE SHARPENER.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Application inea July 2s, 190s. serial No. 510,054.

Patented May 31, 1910.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE G. FLOYD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Granite, in the county of Madison and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Razor-Blade Sharp! eners, of which the following is a specication.

\ edged blades, w

My invention relates to razor blade sharpening or stropping devices or similar appliances, its various objects and purposes including the production of a mechanism of this character which will' effect the sharpening of the blades eliiciently,; which will be economical to manufacture, which will sharpen or stro either single or doubleich will reduce an alternate sweepin stropping e ect on the oppo# site sides of t ie cutting edge, and which will sharpen both edges of a double-edged blade or` the two edges of a pair of singleedged blades, during the continued actuation of the appliance and without necessitating the removal or adjustment of such blades. These with several other features of novelty and improvement will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a study of the following detailed description of a desirable exemplification of this invention, whichdescription should be read in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and throughout thevarious views ofwlnich like reference characters refer tothe same part.

In these draWings-Figurel is an end elevation of one embodiment" of my improved sharpening or stropping device; Fig. 2 is a cross-section showing the mutilated cylindrical stropping or sharpening elements in such position that theydo not act on the blade; Fig. 3 is a simi ar View showing the elements in a different position and about to begin the sharpening action on the blade; Fig. 4 is a transverse section on line 4-4 of Fig. 5; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the appliance; Fig. 6 is a cross-section on line 6--6 of Figa-5, the 'parts being viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows; Fig. C", is a section parallel to the base of the device -on a plane passing through the axes of the strapping elements; Fig. 8 shows in elevation the parts of the blade holder and illustrates also a blade in edge view;l Fi 9 shows in assembled relation the elements ilustrated separately in Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is an end View vbe obvious that by razor blade of the section on line 12 of Fig. 5; Fig. 13 shows a modified form of blade holder with two sin-v gle e blades; Fi 14 illustrates in an suchedag holder with gthe two bla/des in deition and with the top of the holder removed; Fig. l5 is a cross-section on line 15-15 of Fig. 14; Fig. 16 illustrates the top part of such a holder; and Fig. 17 shows in perspective one of the single-edge blades.

By reference to the drawings it will'be "observed that this particular embodiment of the invention has a wooden or other base 20, upstanding-,from and fixed to the ends of which by suitable screws are two metallic supporting plates 21 and 22, the base having in addition a similar upright intermediate plate 23. Journaled in such plates and extended longitudinally of the device is a pair of parallel shafts 24 and 25, the end of the former protruding outwardly beyond 'the plate 21 for the application thereto of an operating handle. 26 which is conveniently secured to such shaft by being pinned thereto at'27. Shaft 24 has keyed thereto near one vend a gear 28, the teeth of. which mesh with those of a similar gear 29 of the same diameter keyed or otherwise fixed rigidly with the companion shaft 25. It will, therefore,

the rotation of handle 26 the two shafts will be rotated at the same speed in opposite directions. 0n each of these shafts I mount a wooden cylinder 30 and 31, respectively, each of which is out away or mutilated at 32 and 33, respectively, such mutilations or recesses being capable of assuming matched relation or register, as is clearly indicated for example in Figs. 2 and 6. One longitudinal edge of each of these .cylinders is rounded of at 34, the other edge 35 being comparatively sharp. The curved surfaces of, these cylinders are covered with' leather or other suitable strops 36 which extend from the ed 35 around the entire outer cylindrical su ace of each member and around the curved portion 34, being glued or otherwise alixed 1n place. v

The intermittently-actuated holder for a thin double-edged type is illustrated in detail in Figs. 8 to 11, inclusive, and includes a main substantially semi-cylindrical holder 37 upstanding from the flat surface of which are three spaced posts' or pins 38 adapted to fit in the three correspondingly-spaced apertures through the thin double-edged blade 39. At one end v and integral therewith this holder has a cyment of the holder and the blade held thereby. On opposite sides and parallel to the top flat surface of the holder 37 this enlargement 42 is flattened at 43 and.44 for a pur ose hereinafter indicated. At its opposite end the holder is equipped with another smaller bearin or journal 45 adapted to be received in an rotate in a bearing slot 46 in plate 21 and similar in construction to the slot or recess 41. The holder is also equipped withagpinon 47 fixed thereto and,

between which and the bearing or journal 45 is a cylindrical ortion or enlargement 48, the outer end oi) which acts as a stop shoulder to co-act with the inner ace of the plate 21 to `prevent disl ment or displacement of the holder and lade. Co erating with this holder is a supplementa substantially semi-cylindrical clamp member 49 having extended laterally therethrough three holes 50 toreceive the ins 38, the iiat surface of such clamp member being adapted to bear on the top .face of the blade to hold it in proper position between itself and the holder proper 37. As is clearly illustrated, the pins 38, the clamp member 49, the journal 40, and the 'enlargement 42 all have extended therethrough longitudinally of the holder alined apertures 51, 52 and 53 for the accommodation of a removable locking-pin 54, one end of which is bentlaterally at 55 to form a handle or holder. When the blade 39 has been laced on the pins 38 and the.

clamp 49 app ied, the locking-pin 54 may be pushed through the registering holes so as to hold the clam and blade rmly and rigidly to the hol er, as is shownln Figs. 9 and 10.

Fixed to the inner face of gear 28 and rotatable therewith and with the sl1a,ft.24, I provide a toothed sector 56 having desirably one-half as many teeth as 'the .pinion 47 ofthe holder, such teeth being adapted to intermittently engage those of such pinion during the rotatlon of the sharpening or stropping elements to effect 'the intermittent rotation of the blade holder through approximately 180 so as to reverse the pos1tions of the edges of such a double-edged blade.

` On pins 57 projecting inwardly from the inner faces of the plates 21 and 23 I fulcrum or hinge a pressure frame composed of two end bars 58 and 59 connected together by the two rods 60 'and 61, the extended reduced ends 62 of which pass through suitable holes or apertures in such end bars. And bar 58 has a downwardly-extended portion 63 supplied with a substantially semicylindrical recess 64, such portion 63 being adapted to bear against the top of the part 48 of the blade holder, the companion frame end bar 59 having a flat bottom surface 65 to bear against the parts 42, 43 and 44 of the holder, and when engaging the latter' two acting to yieldingly maintain the holder against rotation. At 66 (Figs. 2 and 3 by means of a screw I secure to the top o the base 20, a curved spring 67 having areversely-bent upper end portion 68 adapted -to bear against and co erate with the rod 61, the springbeing so nt or curved that it will act to yieldingly hold the pressure fra-me down on the blade holder or maintain such frame in elevated position, as is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the rod 61 passing by the dead center or'contacting .with the opposite portions of the curved part of the` spring. To vary and adjust the amount of the ressure which this spring will impose on tie frame and on the bladeholder, I supply the device with an adjustable screw 69, whichwill be turned to increase or decrease the pressure, as appears necessary, the screw 66 acting somewhat as a fulcrum during such adjustment.

The operation of the mechanism so far as described and which in itself constitutes a Icomplete operative appliance, is substantially as follows: The operator applies the dull blade to be sharpened to the holder 37 over the pins 38 and places the clamp member 49 on such pins, subsequently inserting the locking-pin 54. This application of the blade to the holder may be done while the latter is in position in the appliance, or, if

desired, by raising the pressure frame to the dotted -line position shown in Fig.- 1, the holder may be removed from the device for such pur ose, and then replaced and the pressurerame turned down so as to apply its pressure to the holder. This applicatlon `of the blade to the holder is aom lished while the stropping or sharpening e ements are in the inoperative portion of their rotation, that is, while the recesses or.cavities 32 and 33 are in register as in Figs. 2 and 6. T he member 59 of the pressure frame now b'ears on the flat part 43 of the holder, actin to retain the latter against rotation and lio d the blade substantially parallel to the base. The operator then turns the handle 26 inthe direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, which causes the rotation of the two stropping or sharpening elements in the direction indicated bythe arrows in Figs. 2 and 3. As the strop equipped cylindrical portions of these rotary sharpening elements turn about, they simultaneously engage the two edges of blade 39, as shown in Fig. l3, lifting the whole blade and holder somewhat against the pressure of spring 67 and concaving the blade to some extent, as is indicated in Fig. 3. Continued actuation of the handle 26 results, as will be readily understood, in the passage of the strops under and against the lower sides of both cutting edges of the blade, it being understood that the diameters of these sharpening elements, the distance apart of their shafts, and the location of the blade are so chosen and related that the proper stropping and Sharpening eli'ect on the cutting edges will be secured.

lfVbenthe curved ends of the strop over the faces of the parts 34 of the cylinders pass from beneath the blade, the holder with its blade drops suddenly,l under the action of the pressure frame, to the bottoms of the slots 4l and 46, and soon afterward the teeth of the toothed Sector 56 engage those of the pinion 47, the latter and the blade being held in proper position for this engagement of the teeth b y coaction of the pressure frame with the flat surface 43. As the sector rotates it revolves the holder and blade through an arc of 180, the bar 59 ot' the pressure :trame riding on the part 42 of the holder and finally engaging the flat sur-face 44 to hold the blade and holderin their new position with the blade parallel to vthe base. Obviously, the mutilated or cut-away parts of the sharpening or strop-` pin elements permit this rotation of the bla e, and during further and continued rotation of the stropping elements they again engage the blade, as shown in Fig. 3, but thlstime each acts on the opposite side of the cutting edge whose other side was previously acted upon bythe other stropping or sharpening element. During this further sharpening operation of the device the bladeand holder are raisedagainst the action of the spring and the blade is concaved as in the previous instance. Y

The construction of the device is such that the blade is turned through 18()o for each revolution of the cylindrical stroppers, whereby the proper alternate action o the latter on the opposite sides of the cutting edges is effected and secured. The, rotation of the handle and the sharpening elements and the intermediate action of the holder is continued for a few seconds until the cutting 'edges of the razor blade are rendered sharp and are put in condition for a smooth and easy shave. When the blade has reached the desired degree of sharpness the pm 5 4niay be withdrawnI by means of its bent end 55,' and the clamp 49 and blade 39 readily removed by inverting the applianceand a new blade may be easily put. in place, or, if desired, the pressure frame may be raised, being held in elevated position by the spring, and -t-be holder wholly removed from the device to effect the removal of the blade. v

In order to decrease the time'for stropping and sharpening such a blade, the device instead of being actuated by the handle 26 may be operated through a spring motor mechanism clearly shown on the drawings. In this case the shaft 24 is provided with a gear 70 between the plates 22 and 23,- such gear meshing with another one'71 on an intermediate shaft. 7 2 journaled in the two plates 23 and 24, such latter shaft in turn having a. smaller gear 73 in mesh with the teeth of a large gear 74 on a sleeve 75 loosely mounted on the end of shaft 25 and provided with an angular end 76 protruding through a hole in plate 22, such end being intended and adapted to coperate with a detachable winding key 77. The gear 74 has a barrel 78 integral therewith and housing a coil expansion spring 79, one end of which is fixed to the barrel 78 by a rivet 0.1* otherwise at 80, the other end of the spring being fixed to the sleeve 7 5 on which the barrel and gear are freely rotatable. Sleeve in addition, as is shown in Fig.'12, is equipped withv a ratchet 80', co-acting with which is a stop pawl 8l pivoted on the plate 23 at 82 and having a lower weighted end 83.

In the device shown the handle 26 is ordinarily not employed, although `the appliance can be readily actuated by such a handle, the spring motor being omitted. When such motor is used, however, the handle 26 is ordinarily detached and unemployed. The spring 79 is wound up in the usual manner by the key 77 after the blade has been'applied to the holder, the stop paWl 81 preventing unwindin of the spring, the expansive force of which is employed through the gearing for the rotation of the two stropping elements. When the motor is thus used the friction and pressure of the blade on the Sharpeners or strops is used as a retarding means to replace the ordinary esc'apement, the sharpening or stropping of the two edges of the blade occurring in substantially the same manner as has been indicated above. lVith a device having such a spring motor the person shaving may be sharpening one blade while ein` ployin another, some persons requiring two shar blades for a single shave, or the blade for tIhe morrows use may be sharpening by such a Spring motor after having been used for the present day-s shaving operation.

Actual demonstration of this device indicates, however, that but a comparatively few seconds suffice to ut blades of this character in proper con ition for a smooth and pleasing shave.

Whereas I have hereinabove indicated that this improved appliance is especially ada ted for sharpening thin double-edged bla es, its employment is not limited to blades of' any particular character or to blades havin two cutting edges, since, as will be rea ily understood, sin le-edged blades can be readily and easily s arpened by such a device, and in Figs. 13 to 17, inclusive, I have indicated a modified form of holder suitable for use in sharpening two of such blades at the same time, although they may'be sharpened separately if desired. Referring to these figures, it will be noticed that the construction of the holder 84 is modied so as to accommodate and hold in place a air of blades 85, one of which is shown 1n perspective in Fig. 17, each of such blades having a single cutting edge 86 and a protruding ear 87 at each end. The main body 84 of the holder is cut away at its central part so as to provide a flat surface 88, and arising from the opposite ends of the same are the two enlargements 89 each having on its inner :tace a recess 90 adapted to accommodate two ears 87 of a pair of blades 85 oppositely disposed in the holder with their edges projecting in opposite directions, as is clearly indicated. The clamp member 91 of such a holder has av tongue 92 at each end to fit in the recesses 90 on to of the blades as is shown inFig. 15, the e emp being ieeieedin blade holding position by the removable locking-pin 54 which 'passes through alined holes 93 in the enlargements 89 and 94 in the clamp. A pair of or a single single-edged blade may be held in such a holder and have its edge properly sharpened by the stropping elements.

Although I have herein indicated-only two forms and styles of holders, those skilled in the art willhave no trouble-in constructing holders for all sorts of blades for asharpening device of this character.

It is to be particularly noted that this device will sharpen both edges of a doubleedged blade, or the two edges of a pair of single-edged blades, by action of the stropping elements on the op osite sides of each cutting edge, one side o each edge being acted upon by one strop er or sharpener, and the other Vside of t e same edge operated upon by the other or companion stropper or Sharpener, whereby I am enabled to secure that rapid alternate stropping eiect which is so desirable in the sharpenin of razor or other blades. I be lieve that simple and economical appliance which will am the first person to provide a produce such a result, and which will so strop or sharpen the blades as to produce universal satisfaction on the part of the users. It is to be noted furthermore that my improved and novel device requires no handling,y adjustment, replacing or manual shifting of the blade after it has once been secured in the holder, and that the complete sharpening action is secured by merely turning the handle or operating the device by the spring motor indicated or by any other suitable means. If for any reason the spring should break in the motor the detachable handle may be applied to carry on the sharpening operation. It is to be noted that the invention is not limited or restricted in any way as to what particular means shall be employed for operating the sharpening elements and the blade holder. As far as I am aware, I am the first person to employ mutilated cylindrical stropping or sharpening elements the cut-away parts of such elements being utilized for the reversal of the blade, whereby to secure the action of such stropping device alternately on both sides of both edges.

' Even though one or more embodiments of this invention have been described and illustrated in detail, I do not wish to have it understood that the invention is in any way limited and restricted to the precise and exact structural features set forth, because these may be modified within considerably wide limlts without departure from the substance of the invention and without the loss of any of its benefits andladvantages. For example, the number of teeth on the sector need not be exactly one-half those of the blade holder pinion and the blade need not be rotated exactly 180 at each actuation,

since the stroppers themselves when engaging the blade act to :right the same to secure the proper. and correct sharpening action by the mutilated cylinders.

I claim: f

1. In a razor blade Sharpener or the like, the combination of a pair of sharpening elements, a blade-holder rotatable intermittently. in one direction and adapted to swing the 'blade alternately from one element `to the other, and operating means for said elevments and holder, whereby one side of the cuttin edge of the blade is acted upon by one o said elements and the other side of the blade edge acted upon by the other element, substantiallv as described.

2. In a razor blade Sharpener or the like, the combination of a pair of rotary sharpenin elements, a blade-holder rotatable interfmttently in one direction and adapted to swing the blade alternately from one element to the other, and o eratng means to rotate said elements an holder, whereby one side of the cutting edge of the blade is acted upon by one of said elements and the other side of the blade edge acted upon `by the other element, substantially as described.

` 3. In a razor blade Sharpener or the like, the combinationof a pair of sharpening elements, a blade-holder, means acting on said holder to yieldably maint-ain the blade in operative engagement with both of said elements atthe same time, and means actuated in one direction only to operate said elements and holder, whereby one side of the cutting edge of the blade is acted upon by one of said elements and the other side of its edge acted upon by the other element, substantially as described.

4. In a razor blade Sharpener or the like, the combination of a pair of rotary mutilated cylindrical sharpening elements, an intermittently movable blade holder, and operating means to rotate said elements and intermittently actuate said holder, whereby the opposite sides of the cutting edge of the blade are acted upon alternately by said elei ments, the mutilated portions of said elements pernlitting the intermittent actua-tion 'of said holder and blade, substantially as described.

5. In a razor blade Sharpener or the like, the coi'nbination of a pair of rotary mutilated cylindrical sharpening elements, an intermittently rotatable blade-holder, ,and means actuated in one direction only to rotate said elements and holder, whereby the opposite .sides ot the cutting edge of the blade are acted .upon alternately by said elements, the mutilated portions of said elements permitting the intermittent rotation of the holder and blade, substantially as del scribed.

G. In a razor blade Sharpener or the like, the combination of sharpening means, a holder for cutting means having two cutting edges, and operating means adapted to be actuated in one direction only, whereby one side of both edges are simultaneously acted upon by said lsharpening means, 'substantially as described. l

7. In a razor blade Sharpener or the like, the combination of sharpening means, a holder for cutting means having two cutting edges, and operating means for said sharpening means and holder, whereby during actuation of said operating means in one direc- -ton said sharpening means, act alternately ou one side of said edges simultaneously and ou the opposite sides of said edges simultaneously, substantially as described.

8. In a razor blade Sharpener or the like, the combination of a pair of sharpening elements, an intermittently movable holder for cutting means having two cutting edges, and operating means forsaid elements and holder, whereby during actuation of said operating means in one direction one side of one edge 1s acted upon by one of said elements while one side of the othery edge is Aacted upon by the other element,l substantially as described.

9. Ina razor blade Sharpener or the like, the combination of a pair of sharpening elements, a movable holder for cutting means having two cutting edges, and operatin means for said elements and holder adapte to be actuated in one direction to secure 4the alternate action of said sharpening elements first simultaneously on one side of both of said edges and then simultaneously on the opposite side of both of said edges, substantially as described.

l10. In a razor blade shar ener or the like, the combination of a pair ot rotary sharpening elements, a holder for cutting means having two cutting edges intermittently rotatable in one direction, and operating meansl to rotate said elements and holder, whereby to secure an alternate action of said sharpening elements first simultaneously on one side of both of said edges and then4 simultaneously on the opposite sidesof sai-done direction only to rotatev said elements and holder, whereby to secure the alternate action of said sharpening elements Iirst simultaneously on one side of both of said edges and then simultaneously on the opposite sides of said edges, substantially as described.

12. In a razor blade Sharpener or the like, the combination of a pair of movable sharp- @ning elements, an intermittently movable holder for cutting means having two cutting edges, said sharpening elements having mutilated or cut-away portions adapted to match to permit actuationof said cutting means, and means to operate said elements and holder, whereby to securethe alternate action of said elements first simultaneously on one side of both of said edges and then simultaneously on the opposite sides ofi'both of said edges, substantially as described.

13. In a razor blade Sharpener or the like, the combination of a pair of cylindrical sharpening elements, an intermittentlyrotatable holder `for'cutting means having two cuttingedges, said sharpening elements having mutilated'or cut-away portions adapted to match lto permit turning of said cutting means, and means 'to operate said elements and holder, whereby to secure the alternate action of said elements first simultaneously on one side of both ofsaid edges and then simultaneously on the opposite sides of both of said edges, substantially as described. 14. In a razor blade Sharpener or the like, the combination of a pair of rotary cy1indrical sharpening elements, a holder` for cutting means adapted to apply said cutting means to said elements, means to apply pressure to said holder to concave said cutting means when in operative relation with said sharpening elements, and means to rotate said elements, substantially as described.

15. In a razor blade Sharpener or the like, the combination of a parir of rotary cylindrical sharpening elements,I an intermittently actuated holder for cutting means adapted to apply said cutting means to both of said elements at the same time, means to apply pressure to said holder to concave said cutting means when in operative relation With said sharpening elements, and means to rotate said elements and actuate said holder, substantially as described.

16. In a razor blade Sharpener or the like, the combination of a pair of rotary sharpening elements, a blade-holder intermittently rotatable in one direction and adapted to apply the edge of the blade to said elements, and means to operate said elements and holder, substantially as described.

17 In a razor blade shar ener or the like,l the combination of a pair ci) rotary sharpen` ing elements geared together, means to rotate said elements, an intermittently rotatable blade-holder, a pinion fixed to said holder, and a toothed sector rotatable with one of said elements and ada ted to engage said pinion at intervals to eect the intermittent rotation of said holder, substantially as described.

18. In a razor blade Sharpener or the like, the combination of a pair of rotary Sharpening elements geared together, means to rotate said elements, an intermittently rotatable blade-holder, a pinion ixed to said holder, a toothed sector rotatable with one of said elements and adapted to engage said pinion at intervals to effect the intermittent rotation of said holder, and means acting on said holder to maintain it in proper position for the engagement of the teeth of such sector with those of said pinion, substantially as described. c

19. In a razor blade Sharpener or the like, the combination of a pair of sharpening elements, a holder adapted to receive cutting means having a pair of cutting edges, and means to effect the alternate sharpening action of said elements simultaneously on the same side of both edges and then simultaneously on the opposite sides of both edges,

substantially as described.

GEORGE G. FLOYD.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. LAMoN'r, EDWIN B. SHERZBR.

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