U.S. patent number 3,593,416 [Application Number 04/766,394] was granted by the patent office on 1971-07-20 for safety razor.
Invention is credited to Roger C. Edson.
United States Patent |
3,593,416 |
Edson |
July 20, 1971 |
SAFETY RAZOR
Abstract
Disclosure relates to a razor having a bifurcated yoke at one
end of a handle and on which a blade carrier is pivotally mounted
to rock. The blade carrier has surfaces for replaceably mounting a
pair of blades in an opposed inclined relationship with a space
between adjacent cutting edges. Each of the blades then acts as a
guide for the opposite blade as they are moved in opposite
directions and the carrier pivots to follow the contour of the
surface being shaved.
Inventors: |
Edson; Roger C. (Old Saybrook,
CT) |
Family
ID: |
25076308 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/766,394 |
Filed: |
October 10, 1968 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
30/50; 30/57;
D28/46; 30/67 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B26B
21/14 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B26B
21/14 (20060101); B26B 21/08 (20060101); B26b
021/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;30/50,57 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Simpson; Othell M.
Claims
I claim:
1. A safety razor comprising a handle, a shaving head pivotally
mounted on the handle freely rockable thereon and having spaced
surfaces inclined at an angle to each other, each inclined surface
having a cutting edge facing the cutting edge of the other surface
in spaced relation thereto so that, when the razor is applied to
the surface to be shaved and moved in either direction, one cutting
edge acts as a guide to hold the other cutting edge at a proper
cutting angle to shave hair from the skin in the space
therebetween.
2. A safety razor in accordance with claim 1 wherein said cutting
edges and at least a portion of said inclined surfaces are formed
from replaceable razor blades.
3. A safety razor in accordance with claim 1 further comprising
biasing means for positioning said head relative to said handle
while yieldably permitting pivoting of said head when in use.
4. A safety razor in accordance with claim 3 wherein said biasing
means is a loop strip of light spring metal mounted on said handle
and pressing on the underside of said head.
5. A safety razor in accordance with claim 1 wherein the space
between said cutting edges is unobstructed.
6. A safety razor in accordance with claim 2 further comprising
means for adjustably setting the spacing between the cutting edges
of said blades.
7. A safety razor comprising a handle having spaced arms at one
end, a blade carrier having oppositely inclined surfaces with a
space therebetween and pivot pins projecting from the ends of the
blade carrier in a medial plane between the surfaces, said pivot
pins projecting through holes in the spaced arms of the handle to
mount the blade carrier for free rocking movement thereon, the
pivot pins being located below the apex of the oppositely inclined
surfaces of the blade carrier, a blade for each surface, and means
for detachably mounting one blade on each surface with its cutting
edge facing the cutting edge of the blade on the oppositely
inclined surface, the edges of said blades being spaced from each
other so that the edges of the blades contact the skin and tilt the
blade carrier so as to position each blade at a proper cutting
position, and each blade guiding the edge of the other blade when
moved in either direction.
8. A safety razor in accordance with claim 2 in which the total
included angle between the blades is greater than 90.degree..
9. A safety razor in accordance with claim 8 wherein the space
between said cutting edges is about 0.03 inch and said blades are
set at an angle of about 130.degree. to each other.
10. A safety razor in accordance with claim 1 wherein said head is
pivoted on said handle about an axis parallel to said cutting edges
closely below the apex of the angle formed between said
surfaces.
11. A safety razor comprising a handle, a shaving head pivotally
mounted on the handle to rock freely thereon to follow the contour
of the surface of the body to be shaved, and said head having at
least one cutting edge and a guide cooperating with and so spaced
from the cutting edge as to hold the latter at a proper cutting
angle to the surface of the body to shave hair from the surface in
the space between it and the guide without cutting into the
surface.
12. A safety razor in accordance with claim 11 wherein said head is
pivoted on said handle about an axis parallel to and within an area
closely adjacent to said space between said cutting edge and said
guide.
13. A safety razor comprising a handle, a blade carrier mounted to
be freely rockable on the handle, means on said carrier to support
and position a plurality of replaceable blades, said blade carrier
constructed to mount said blades such that the shaving edges of a
pair of said blades face one another and are spaced apart
sufficiently for a ridge of skin to be pressed between the edges
and further to mount said blades at an angle relative to each other
such that when one blade is drawn flatly across the skin acting as
a guard and guide for the cutting edge of the other facing blade
the latter is positioned so as to produce the proper shaving angle
therefor.
Description
The present invention relates to razors and more particularly to a
safety razor having an improved construction and arrangement of
elements.
Conventional safety razors usually comprise a handle having a head
at one end on which replaceable blades are mounted and clamped in
position thereon. The head has a guard adjacent to but spaced from
the edge of the blade to provide a space therebetween for the hair
to be shaved and discharged. Also the clamp for the blade together
with the guard form guides which bear against the surface being
shaved at the opposite sides of the blade edge to aid in
positioning the edge of the blade at a proper shaving angle to cut
the hair. Safety razors, in general, are so satisfactory in use
that they have practically replaced the straight razors previously
used. However, the head of a safety razor can be moved in only one
direction to cut the beard and, like the straight razor, must be
continually manipulated manually to follow the contour of the face
or other part of the body being shaved.
One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an
improved safety razor in which the blade pivots to follow the
contour of the area being shaved and automatically adjusts the
angle of the blade relative to the skin to produce optimum shaving
results at all times.
Another object is to provide a razor of the type indicated having a
blade arrangement which will shave hair from the skin by movement
of the razor in opposite directions.
Still another object is to provide a safety razor of the type
indicated having a simple and compact construction adapted for
economical manufacture and one which shaves a beard efficiently and
at a fast rate with a minimum of concentration, skill or
dexterity.
These and other objects will become more apparent from the
following description and drawings, in which like reference
characters denote like parts throughout the several views. It is to
be expressly understood, however, that the drawing is for the
purpose of illustration only and is not a definition of the limits
of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the
appended claims.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a side view of a razor incorporating the novel features
of the present invention and shown applied to the face of a
user;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the razor illustrated in
FIG. 1 and showing the blade carrier pivotally mounted to rock on
the handle and the inclined blades mounted on the carrier at an
angle to each other;
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the blade carrier showing the edges of the
opposed pairs of blades arranged in spaced relationship to each
other;
FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the head of the razor showing
the blade carrier mounted for rocking movement and the studs for
clamping a blade on the carrier;
FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of the razor and showing a light
spring for yieldingly limiting the rocking movement of the blade
carrier;
FIG. 6 is a plan view of a blade carrier of modified construction
having a structure to facilitate the adjustment of the blades
toward and away from each other and quick releasable clamps to
facilitate the changing of blades; and
FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 6
to show the springs for yieldingly holding the clamps in a
blade-engaging position or a blade-releasing position.
Referring now to the drawings, a razor incorporating the novel
features of the present invention is shown as comprising a handle
10 having a blade-mounting carrier 11 at one end. The handle 10 has
a bifurcated yoke 12 at said end on which the blade carrier 11 is
pivotally mounted for free rocking movement and the carrier, in
turn, mounts a plurality of blades 13 and 14. Yoke 12 comprises a
sheet metal plate 15 attached to the end of handle 10 to extend at
right angles thereto. The ends of the plate 15 are tapered and
folded upwardly to provide spaced arms 16 and 17. Arms 16 and 17
have holes adjacent their ends to provide journal bearings for
mounting the blade carrier 11 for rocking movement.
The blade carrier 11 is in the form of a plate having oppositely
inclined flat surfaces 18 and 19 arranged at acute angles to a
medial plane. The blade carrier 12 has a slot 20 at the apex of the
oppositely inclined flat surfaces 18 and 19 which terminates short
of the side edges of the carrier. Pins 21 and 22 project outwardly
from the opposite ends of the carrier through the bearing holes in
the spaced arms 16 and 17 to mount the carrier for rocking
movement.
Each of the blades 13 and 14 is mounted on one of the oppositely
inclined flat surfaces 18 and 19 with its cutting edge 13a or 14a
facing the other and overlying the slot 20 in the carrier. In the
embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 2 through 5 the
blades have spaced horizontal slots 23 and 24 through which the
threaded shanks of bolts 25 and 26 extend and on which nuts 27 and
28 are screwed to detachably mount the blades on the surfaces. As
shown in FIG. 3, the blade carrier has slots 29 and 30 to adapt
each blade to be adjusted toward and away from the opposite
blade.
In addition, the pivot points for the blade carrier 11 are located
at or below the apex of the dihedral angle between the flat
surfaces 18 and 19 so that the carrier will rock freely in the
spaced arms 16 and 17. Such pivotal movement of the blade carrier
11 is initially limited by a very light loop spring 31 attached to
the plate 15 of yoke 12 which will be engaged by the undersides of
the oppositely inclined sections of the carrier, but the spring
yields easily to permit additional rocking movement as required.
One form of the invention having now been described in detail, the
mode of operation is now explained.
With the face properly lathered, the razor is applied to the face
in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1, which will permit the blade
carrier 11 to rock relative to the handle 10 until the beveled
edges of both blades 13 and 14 engage the face. The spaced edges
13a and 14a of the blades 13 and 14 provide a seat for the blade
carrier 11 so as to position the blades at equal angles to the
surface of the skin to be shaved. After the edges 13a and 14a of
the blade have engaged the surface to be shaved the handle may be
rocked relatively to the blade carrier 11 without changing the
position of the carrier. At the time the razor is to be applied to
the surface to be shaved the spring 31 initially holds the carrier
in a fixed position relative to the handle until the edges of the
blades 13 and 14 are engaged with said surface.
After the blades have engaged the surface to be shaved the razor
may be moved in either of two opposite directions to shave a beard
or hair from other parts of the body. If the razor is moved
downwardly from the position illustrated in FIG. 1 the edge 13a of
the blade 13 provides a guard spaced from the edge 14a of the blade
14 so that the latter will cut the whiskers of the beard during
such movement without cutting into the skin. Vice versa, if the
blade is moved upwardly on the face, the edge 14a of the blade 14
forms a guard for the edge 13a of the blade 13 which then cuts the
whiskers of the beard. In either case, the leading edge or guard of
one blade 13 or 14 maintains the opposite blade at a proper shaving
angle to prevent it from digging in and cutting the skin.
Furthermore, the blade carrier 11 and blades 13 and 14 thereon rock
relative to handle 10 to follow the contour of the surface being
shaved while automatically maintaining the blades at a proper
shaving angle. The razor is moved back and forth over the surface
to be shaved and cuts the beard when moved in either direction
without digging into the skin. Upon completion of the shaving
operation the razor may be easily and quickly cleaned by merely
rinsing it with water, because all of its surfaces are exposed.
The proper angle of the blades 13 and 14 to cut the hair from the
surface being shaved without cutting into the skin will vary with
the width of the slot 20 and the fold of skin which may project
between the blades. For example, it has been found that the angle
between the blades should always be greater than 90.degree. and
that good results are obtained when the spacing between the edges
13a and 14a of the blades 13 and 14 is 0.03 inch and the blades are
at an angle of 130.degree. to each other. If the angle of the
handle 10 relative to the blade carrier 11 is too great, the light
spring 31 will engage the underside of the carrier to limit its
movement before engaging the face, but then yields to adapt it to
rock freely relative to the handle. This prevents the razor head 11
from flopping about randomly and positions it loosely for ease of
alignment in initially applying the head 11 to the surface to be
cut.
When it becomes necessary to change the blade, the bolts 25 and 26
are removed to release the blade and a new blade substituted, after
which the bolts are replaced and tightened. It will be understood
that the bolted construction is shown merely to illustrate a first
form of construction made to test the razor.
FIGS. 6 and 7 disclose a razor of modified construction having the
same handle 10 and a blade carrier 111 of modified construction for
adjusting the position of the blades 113 and 114 relative to each
other, and for releasing the blades for removal and replacement. In
this modified construction each surface 118 and 119 of the blade
carrier 111 has centrally positioned studs 131 and 132 rotatable in
the oppositely inclined surfaces 118 and 119 with each stud having
an eccentric 133 or 134 at its end. Located at opposite sides of
each eccentric 133 or 134 and in spaced relation thereto are spaced
pairs of pins 135 and 136. Each blade 113 or 114, in turn, has a
horizontal slot 138 or 139 into which the eccentric 133 or 134
projects for engaging the flat edges at opposite sides, and
right-angular slots 140 and 141 into which the pins 135 and 136
project. Thus, by turning a stud 131 or 132, blade 113 or 114 may
be adjusted toward or away from the opposing blade.
In addition, the blade 113 or 114 is clamped in position on its
surface 118 or 119 by pivoted clamping plates 142 or 143. The plate
142, for example, has ears 144 and 145 overlying the edges of the
blade carrier 111 and the clamping plate is pivotally mounted
thereon by means of pins 146 and 147 projecting outwardly from the
carrier through holes in the ears. Clamping plate 142 also has a
tailpiece 148, see FIG. 7, extending around the pivotal axis and
having opposed angularly related surfaces 149 and 150. A spring 151
has one end attached to the underside of the blade carrier 111 and
a free end which bears against one or the other of the angularly
related surfaces 149 and 150. Preferably, the clamping plate 142
has lugs 152 and 153 projecting outwardly beyond the edges of the
carrier 111 for manual engagement between the forefinger and thumb
to rock the clamping plate on its pivoted pins 146 and 147 from the
position shown in full lines to that shown in dotted lines in FIG.
7. Clamping plate 143 has a construction identical with 142
described above for operation in the same way.
With the clamping plates 142 and 143 in the position shown in full
lines in FIG. 7 the springs 151 acting on the flat surfaces 149
hold the plates firmly against the blades 113 and 114, but when
either plate 142 and 143 is rocked to the position shown in dotted
lines in FIG. 7, the spring then holds its respective clamping
plate in a releasing position to permit the blades to be removed.
The spacing between the edges of the blades 142 and 143 may be
easily and quickly adjusted by merely turning the eccentric 133 or
134 before its clamping plate 142 or 143 is rocked to a clamping
position.
It will now be observed that the present invention provides an
improved safety razor which automatically adjusts itself to follow
the contour of the face and maintain a proper shaving angle
regardless of the position in which the razor is held. It will be
further observed that the present invention provides a razor which
will shave a beard when moved in each of two opposite directions.
It will be further observed that the present invention provides an
improved razor of simple and compact construction to adapt it for
economical manufacture and one which will shave a beard at a fast
rate with a minimum of skill, concentration or dexterity.
While two embodiments of the invention are herein illustrated and
described, it will be understood that further modifications may be
made in the construction and arrangement of elements without
departure from the spirit or scope of the invention. For example,
replaceable carriers may be detachably mounted on the handle, with
said carriers each having cutting edges ground on the upper edge of
its inclined, preferably, flat surfaces so that the cutting edges
constitute an integral part of the carrier instead of on separate
detachable blades mounted on the carrier. Therefore, without
limitation in this respect, the invention is defined by the
following claims.
* * * * *