US1958308A - Device for resharpening razor blades - Google Patents

Description

May 8, 1934. LAWRENCE 1,958,308

DEVICE FOR RESHARPENING RAZOR BLADES Filed Jan. 12, 1933 Patented May 8, 1934 PATENT GFFICE DEVICE FOR RESHARPENING RAZOR BLADES George Frederick Lawrence, London, England Application January 12,

1933, Serial No. 651,407

In Great Britain January 20, 1932 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for resharpening safety razor blades, more particularly blades of the double edge type with greater efficiency.

According to the invention the device consists of one or more units, each unit comprising a pair of parallel or substantially parallel honing surfaces and a blade carrier mounted for sliding movement between the hones. Each unit may comprise a frame or the like adapted to support the pair of hones at an inclination.

Other features are hereinafter particularly described and set forth in the claims.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, the same will now be more fully described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the device drawn to an enlarged scale, a razor blade being suggested in dot-dash lines;

Figure 2 is a cross section taken on the line A-A of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end view of the device; Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of a pair of blade carriers in dissociated relation, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view, drawn to a reduced scale, of one of the frame members formed from a single piece of material.

Referring to the drawing, the sharpener is shown as consisting of a pair of units arranged back to back and each comprising a frame 1 formed from a rectangular piece of sheet metal which is shaped or formed to provide a pair of substantially parallel sides or walls 2 and a sunken or channel portion 3 which extends the whole length of the frame 1 between the sides 2. The sides 2, as shown, are bent or folded back to provide spring clips 4 for holding hones 5 which are in the form of narrow rectangular 4o strips of glass, stone, metal, fibre, leather or the like, certain or all of which may be coated, impregnated or otherwise treated to aiford a fine abrasive surface. The spring clips 4 hold the hones 5 flat against the under surfaces of the sides 2 of the frame 1, which sides are open since they are provided with slots 6 so as to expose the operating surface of the hones. The portions of the sides 2 surrounding the slots 6 cover the marginal edges of the hones, and, in conjunction with the clips 4, hold the hones in position. As shown, the sides 2 of the frame 1 are disposed at an outward inclination or slightly divergent with respect to each other, so that the entire length of the cutting edges of a razor blade '7 of the double edge type will rest on, or be supported by a pair of hones 5. A substantially trough-shaped blade carrier 8 for each unit is slidably mounted within each channel or sunken portion 3, which carriers, as shown in the drawing, each comprise a body part provided with upstanding longitudinally extending Walls or flange portions 10 the longitudinal edges of which project slightly beyond the longitudinal edges of the channel portions 3, so as to be engaged by the blade 7 when the blade is flexed, due to pressure exerted by a finger of the user against same, in the operation of re-sharpening so as to limit the flexing of the blade, see Figure 2. The blade carriers 8 are connected together by means such as a rivet 11 passing through slots 9 in the bases of the channels 3. The said body part is also provided with means to engage the blade to insure that the blade will travel with the carrier during the I re-sharpening operation. In the example shown, the said means consist of an upstanding portion, lug, pin or the like 12, at each end of the slidable carriers 8 to enter or occupy the holes usually provided in the double edge type of safety razor blade. Each end of the frames 1 may be closed by means of a shaped cap or end cover 13 provided with a marginal flange 14, or a bent over portion or portions, to engage over the ends of the frames, said caps or covers 13 being held in place by any convenient or known means, such as lugs 15 or the like on the ends of the frames 1 extending through slots in the caps or covers 13 and upset or turned over as shown in Figure 3. This arrangement forms a convenient means for retaining the units in position. If desired the caps or covers 13 may be provided with legs or supporting members. The inclination of the sides 2 is such that the hones 5 will be disposed at an appropriate angle with respect to that of the cutting edges of the blade.

Although reference is made herein to a sharpener having four hones, for example, a pair of abrasive hones and a pair of finishing hones, ar ranged back to back, it will be understood that only one pair of hones may be employed.

If desirable, the blade carriers 8 may, in addition to being arranged for longitudinal sliding movement, be given an oscillating or sideways movement, one or more of such movements being effected during each to and fro stroke, by pro viding a curved or sinuous runway or slot at 9 engaging suitable lugs or projections on the blade carrier.

In the operation of resharpening a double edge blade provided with holes, as above referred to, the

blade is placed on the carrier 8 with the lugs or the like 12 occupying the holes and the user, by pressing lightly on the top of the blade, will flex the same against portions 10, see dotted lines in Figure 2, so that the edges of the blade, throughout their entire length, are in positive contact with the respective hones 5. Now, by moving the carrier 8 to and fro within the runway or channel 3 the blade 7 will be moved therewith in a direction substantially parallel with the hones, the edges of the blade, due to the flexing, being held in rubbing contact with the bones and effectively re-sharpened, the opposite side of the cutting edges being re-sharpened by merely reversing the blade on the carrier. The slot 9 is of such length as to prevent the possibility of the cutting edges of the blade contacting with the metal at the ends of the sides or walls 2.

The invention may be adapted for use with single edge razor blades by pivotally mounting a blade holder on the carrier, the blade being engaged in the holder which is moved with the carrier, the blade being moved from one hone to the other by swinging over the holder to re-sharpen the edge on both sides.

What I do claim as my invention and desire to obtain by Letters Patent is:-

1. A razor blade sharpener comprising two frames, each frame having a pair of open walls in diverging relation and a channel member connecting the walls; means securing the frames together with the bases of the channel members facing each other, registering longitudinal slots in said bases, a blade carrier reciprocable in each channel, means extending through said slots connecting said blade carriers, hones, means securing said hones against the inner surfaces of said walls, means on each carrier to position a blade with the cutting edges thereof in contact with the adjacent hones through the open walls, and said carriers being arranged to limit depression of adjacent blades to correctly angularly dispose the cutting edges during sharpening.

2. A razor blade sharpener comprising two frames, each frame being in a single piece and having a pair of open walls in diverging relation, a channel member connecting the walls and clasp portions extending from the outer edges of the walls and between the frames; end members, separable connections between the end members and Walls, hones secured against the inner surfaces of said walls by said clasp portions, a blade carrier reciprocable in each channel member, the bases of the channel members facing each other and provided with registering slots, means extending through said slots connecting said blade carriers, lugs on each carrier to enter openings in the blades to position the blades with the cutting edges thereof in contact with the adjacent hones through the open Walls, said carriers serving to limit depression of adjacent blades to correctly angularly dispose the cutting edges during sharpening.

GEORGE FREDERICK LAWRENCE.

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