US2201349A - Electric razor - Google Patents

Description

May 21,1940. SCRUGGS 2,201,349

ELECTRIG RAZOR Filed latch 20. 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A INV/:wrom ./.oYD .ScRuGGS wwf ATTORNEY L. SCRUGGSv vELECTRIC RAZOR May 2rl, 1940.

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through said gaps, into engagement with the upper side of a stationary cutter that excludes the skin, thus causing the hair or whiskers to be severed at the surface of the skin instead of at a point away from the skin corresponding to vthethickness of the skin-contacting portion of the razor; and (3) the top cutter or movable cutter of the razor, instead of being .formed by a slotted member provided on its underside with square-edged cutting teeth that coact with similar teeth on the opposed cutting member, is composed of a group or series of bevel-edged cutting blades or substantially inclined edged vcutting blades that arel separated vby gaps or spaces of suicient width or size to insure the skin entering said spaces and thus cause the hairs or whiskers to be so located that they will be severed rapidly, ush with the surface of the skin. v

Obviously, such a razor will produce as close a shave as can be obtained with a manually operated razor of either the straight blade type or the safety type, because-there is no portion which holds the coactin'g cutting edges of the razor `spaced away from the skin a distance equal to the thickness of the skin-contacting portion of the razor. In addition to producing a close shave, my improved razorproduces a rapid shave because the relatively large holes, openings or gaps in the movable cutter make it possible for the hairs or whiskers to easily assume the-correct position to be acted upon by the coacting cutting edges `,of the razor, and permit a relatively great number of hairs or whiskers to be positioned in each of said openings or gaps at` the same time, with the result that many whiskers, instead of only one or two whiskers, will be severed by each cutting blade at each stroke or movement of same. In addition to the above noted differences 1n construction and principle of operation, my improved razor is preferably provided with one or more closed chambers arranged so as to receive and hold the whiskers or hair removed from the skin during the shaving operation, and said chambers are preferably constructed in such a way that the collectedk hair or whiskers therein can be quickly and easily ejected therefrom, simply by opening up the chamber and'blowing into same.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side elevational view of my improved electric razor.

Figure 2 is an elevational view taken at right angles to Figure 1i.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the razor.

Figure 4 is a Avertical longitudinal sectional view taken on the line l--lof Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view. Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the cutters and the clamping or retaining device partially disassembled so as to illustrateV the construction of same.

Figure 7 is an venlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating the action of the razor on the skin during the shaving operation, the right hand portion of said ligure showing how the skin protrudes throughthe gaps in the movable cutter and contacts with the stationarycutter, and the left hand portion of said ligure showing one of .the blades on the movable cutter in section.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 8--8 of Figure 7 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary top plan View 0n an enlarged scale, illustrating a portion of' the movable cutter and a portion of the stationary cutter; and Figures 10, 11 and 12 are top plan views illustrating other forms of my invention.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the preferred form and several modifications of my invention, A designates the handle portion of the razorn which may be of any preferred design and size, but which is preferably shaped so as to be capable of being held conveniently in the hand of the user and constructed so as to serve as a housing for an electric motor,

vibrator or equivalent element (not shown) that operates an actuating device B which imparts reciprocating movement to a movable cutter that cooperates with a stationary cutter, the said handle -portion A being provided with a switchv or starting device C of any suitable kind for starting or controlling the operation of the motor or other means that constitutes the source of power for the movable cutter of the razor. The stationary cutter of the razor is designated as an entirety by the reference `character D and is herein illustrated as being formed, by a member AVhaving two horizontally disposed portions l provided with numerous parallel open-ended slots 2 separated from each other by bar-like portions 3 whose top sides have sharp edges that constitute stationary cutting teeth 4, the slotted parts i of the stationary cutter D being arranged in spaced relationship and each of the slots 2 being of suchl width as to be capable of receiving a hair or Whisker on the skin but not wide enough to permit the skin to substantially enter or project into the slot to such an extent thatit will be cut; pinched or nicked by the movable cutter.

As shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8, the outer ends or whiskers `when the movable cutter E is reciprocated by the actuating device B. As previously stated, the movable cutter is adapted to bear directly against the skin or contact directly with the skin from which hair or whiskers are being removed and said movable cutter is provided with holes, gaps or openings :I: of such size as to definitely cause-the skin to enter said openings and thus insure the individual hairs or whiskers being severed or cut off at the surface of the skin. In order to attain this result, the cutting blades 5 are made flat on their under-sides so 'that they will bear squarely or evenly on the top side of the bar-like portions 3 cf the stationary cutter which constitute the stationary cutting" teeth 4, and the top surface of each cutting blade 5 is shaped or formed so as to produce 'beveled cutting edges 5a, or substantiallyincllned cutting edges, that form portions of the edges of the openings, gaps or spaces :1: in the movable cutter into which the skin protrudes during the 'shaving operation. In using the razor the handle A is held in such a position that the top side of the movable cutter E will remain in contact with and press against the skin, the pressure of said cutter against the skin causing the skin to protrude into the gaps a: in said movable cutter and spons press against the slotted portions i of the stationary cutter, without, however, entering the slots 2 in the portions I. This causes the hairs or whiskers to be located in the slots l and hence the reciprocating movement of the movable cutter E causes the hairs or whiskers to be cut E ilush with the surface oi.' the skin. Due to the fact that the beveled top sides of the lblades oi the movable cutter are presented to the skin, the inclined portions of said blades which slope upwardly from the cutting edges of said blades. guide the skin yprogressively into and out of the gaps :c and make itv possible for the movable cutter totravelover the skin without liability of cutting the same and without chances ci abrading the skin or subjectingit to a shock. In fact, the wave-like surface of the movable cutter E that is pressed against the skin, tends to produce a gentle massaging action on the skin that is beneficial and soothing to the skin.

In the Iormof my invention illustrated in Figure 6, the cutting blades 5 on the movable cutter are pointed or of substantially wedgeshape in general outline so that the two cutting edges of each blade will be disposed at an angle to the cutting teeth of the stationary cutter with P which they cooperate. The outer ends of the V-shaped gaps or open spaces between the blades of each group of blades oi the movable cutter, may vary in dimensions, but it is highly practicable' to make the open ends of said gaps approximately .125v of an inch in widthl due to the fact that in the shaving operation the cutting blades t are rmly supported by the slotted portions i of the stationary cutter. Moreover, as the am exerts pressure on vthe cutting blades i in adirectiop tending to force said blades tightly against the stationary cutting teeth with which they coact, the ilat undersides of the blades 5 oi the movablecutter willbe sure to coact with the teeth of the stationary. cutter to sever the hairs or whiskers at the surface ci the skin. during the shaving operation.

, From the foregoing it will be seen'that in my improved razor the movable cutter, 'instead of being provided with a skin-contacting portion varying from .004 to .010 of an inch in thickness that holds the coacting cutting edges spaced .away from the skin a distance equal to the thickness o! said skin-contacting portion, is so constructedthat portions of the skin` will contact' with or pres'sdirectly against the slotted portion 'of the stationary cutter that constitutes the stationary cutting edges, thereby causing the hairs or whiskers to be severed ush with the V)surface of the skin bythe beveled edges 5a of the cutting blades 5 of the movable cutter which press upon or bear against'the skin and force portions of the skin inwardly through the gaps or openings .1: in the movable cutter. Obviously, such a razor will produce as close aI shave as it is possible to obtain with a, conventional manually operated razor of either the straight blade type' or the safety type, `and such a razor will produce a quick or rapid shave because the gaps or openings a: between the blades 5 are each large enough to receive a plurality of hairs or whiskers at the same time, and the angular arrangement of the cutting edgesof the blades 5 with relation to the stationary cutting teeth d, insures the cutting edge of each blade coacting with a plurality of stationary cutting teeth during each stroke or movement of the blade.

It is immaterial, so far as my broad idea is concerned, how the stationary cutter is mounted on the handle portion A o! the razor, and it is immaterial how the movable cutter is guided and combined with the stationary cutter, but I prefer to provide the stationary cutter D with a part that acts as a guide-way for the movable cutter E, and holds the cutting blades l of the movable cutter in yielding engagement with the cutting teeth oi the stationary cutter by a re. taining or clamping member F that laps over the lustrated, the movable cutter E is formed by a' stationary U-shaped member reciprocatingly f1li mounted in a guide-way portion of the stationary cutter that lmay be of various forms, and the cutting blades l project laterally in opposite directions from the vertical legs or side flanges of said AlJ-shaped'inember as shown in Figure 8. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the actuating device B prjects upwardly through an elongated slot in the member that constitutes the stationary cutter, and is connected in any suitableway with the member that constitutes the movable cutter. The clamping or retaining member F previously referred to, that holds the movable .cutter in operative relationship with the stathe clamping member F isattached, so long as r said clamping member is held in' such relationship with the stationary cutter D that the spring G will press the movable cutter lil-downwardly into engagement` with the stationary cutter. In

the form oi my invention herein illustrated the depending legs or end ilanges z of said inverted U-shaped lclamping member F are provided at their lower ends with holes 8 that are adapted to be snapped intmengagem'entwith stationaryv retaining pins 1 on thehandle portion A of the razor as shown in Figures 2 and 4. By constructing the razor in the manner above described, I obtain yarazor having a wide skin-contacting portion, made up of the movable blades 5 and the stationary part y of the clamping memberlkthe area of said skin-contacting portion being so great that practically no skill on the part of the luser is required to hold the razor in a position Thisvis advantageous in that it makes it unnecessary for the to produce efiicient shaving.

Y is of such construction that the hairs or whiskers removed during the shaving operation will not i fall downwardly onto the clothes of the user. `I accomplish thishighly desirable result byforming' the slots 2 in the stationary cutter so that they are open` on their bottom sides and arranged directly over one or more chambers disposed so that the hair or whiskers removed by the coacting cutters will be sure to passdownwardly through said slots and enter said chamber'or chambers and be confined therein. In the razor herein il-v lustrated,y the' chamber or chambers above referred to, are preferably formed by coacting portions of the handle A, ofthe stationary cutter D and of the` clamping member F, but I wish it to be understood that my broad idea contemplates simply a. closed space or chamber arranged so as to receive and `hold the, hair or whiskers removed from the skingand constructed so that it can be easily opened to permitY the col lected substance in same to be discharged therefrom. Inl instances where the razor is equipped with a movable cuttefprovided with two'groups of cutting blades that coact with two` groups of cutting teeth on the stationary cutter. each slottedk portion I of the stationary cutter` is provided with two depending parallel parts 8 and 8a that coact with the terminal end of the handle portion A of the razor to form a hollow space or chamber 9 located directly underneath said slotted portion I as shown in Figure 5. The end walls of the two chambers 9 may be formed by laterally projecting wings I0 on the clamping member F that bear against the ends of the stationary cutter Dewhen the clamping member F is arranged in operative position. -To dislodge the hair or whiskers from the chambers 9 itis only necessary .to release the clamping member Fand move said member upwardly into a position where the user can blow through ythe chambers 9 to dislodge the hair that has accumulated in same, The parts of the stationary cutter that form the inner walls of the collection chambers `9/project downwardly into a recess or depression in the terminal end of the handle portion A of the razor, and the parts 8a that form the outer walls of said chambers, are proportioned so that n could, if desired, be provided with straight cutting blades I5 having beveled cutting edges I5a, disposed at right angles to the axis of movement of the movable cutter as shown in Figure 10, the spaces, gaps or Yopenings between the blades I5 of each group being of suiiicient size to cause the skin to project into same and contact with the slotted portion or portions of the stationary cut-p iter. as previously explained. Figure 11 illustrates a razor equipped with a movable cutterV of the kind shown in Figure 10, but provided with stationary cutting teeth Ida disposed at an angle to the beveled cutting edges'of theblades I5 of the movable cutter. Inv Figure 12 I have illustrated still another form of my invention which differs from the forms previously described in that the spaces or gaps in the movable cutter through which the skin projects during the shaving operation, are formed by round holes :r1 in a movable cutter El, the top face or' side of said movable cutter being shaped so `as to form substantially beveled or inclined cutting edges I6 that surround the holes :111, and which coact with the cutting teeth of the stationary cutter to sever the hairs orwhiskers flush with the surface of the skin. l t

I am aware of the fact that U. S. Patent No.

2,031,519, dated February 18,' 1936, to D. M.

" Winans, discloses an electrickk razorin which the movable cutter is arranged so as to come in direct contact with the skinfrom which the hair Yortvhiskers are being removed, but in the said are spaced away from the skin a distance equal `to the thickness of the movable top cutter and hence in the shaving operation there will be left on the skin sections of whiskers of the same length as the thickness of the movable top cutter.` My improved razor is designed to operate von an entirely different theory than the Winans razor and, as previously explained, is provided with a movable, top cutter-which has openings, spaces or gaps in same, that are large enough to cause the skin to project into said openings and come in contact with the'stationary cutter, thereby causing the whiskersto be Lsevered ush with the surface ofthe skininstead of severed at a `point beyond the surface of the skin. Another distinction between the preferred form of my invention and the Winans razor, is that the cutting edges on the movable blade of my razor are formed by beveled or inclined edged elements whose cutting edges exert pressure on the skin in such a way as 'to force the skin inwardly through the gaps between said elements, thus loeatingI the cutting edges of said elements flush with the surface of the skin. It will be noted that in the Winans razory the cutting` elements on the movable cutter'are substantially square in transverse cross-section, and are so designed thatthecutting edges of same are located some distance away from the skin. Still another distinction between my improved razor and the razor of the Winanspatent is that my razor is provided with a clamping member or retaining member F for the movable cutter that laps `over the same, and which performs the additional function o f reducing the surface area of the reciprocating or removable part of the razor that bears upon the skin, this being advantageous in that less power is required to actuate the movable cutter because only the parts 5 of the mov- .able cutter contact with the skin;

'Ihe term bevel-edged or inclined-edge as herein used, is intended to refer tothe crosssectional shape of the cutting blades and not to the shape or outline of said blades which, in the preferred form of my invention, are substantially pointed so as to cause the cutting edges of same to be disposed at an angle to the cutting teeth o f the stationary cutter.

The width of the slots in the stationary cutter may vary, but I have found that if said slots are from approximately .004 to .010 of an inchin width, that the razor will .operate satisfactorily.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim `as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1 A razor of the dry shaver type, comprising I a handle portion, a member on said handle that constitutes a stationary cutter having a slotted portion,A said member having parts that coact -with the terminal end of said handle portion to form a collection chamber arranged directly underneath the slotted portion ofthe stationary cutter, and a movable cutter arranged in superimposed relationship with said stationary cutter.

. s v e 2,201,349 2. A razor of the kind describedni claim 1,'

provided with a clamping member arranged `in overlapping relationship with the movable cutter and provided with partsthat constitutev the end'walls of said collection chamber.

3. A razor of the kind described in claim 1, comprising a clamping member arranged in overlapping relationship with the movable cutter and provided with a means that holds the 'movable cutter in -yielding engagement with the stationary cutter.

4. A razor of the dry shaver type, comprising a handle, a stationary cutter mounted on saidV handle and provided with two spa ".ed slotted portions that constitute stationary cntting teeth, a movable cutter provided with two groups of spaced cutting teeth arranged in overlapping relationship with said stationary cutting teeth and l adapted to simultaneously bear against arid exert pressure on the skin during the shaving operation, a retaining means forholdng said cutting teeth in yielding engagement with said stationary cutting teeth and provided with a stationary Y skin-contacting portion disposed between' the lgroups of cutting teeth on the-movable cutter, and chambers arranged under the slotted portions of the stationary cutter for-receiving the g is hairs or whiskers remaved from the skin during the .shaving operation. i

5. 'A razor of the dry shaver type, comprising a stationary cutter provided .with two groups of' cutting blades arranged-in spaced relationship, e a movable top cutter arranged above said stationary cutter and provided with two groups of spaced cutting blades whose topsurfaces lie in ysubstantially the same horizontal plane, thereby causingthe hair on the skin to be severed by the simultaneous co-action of the groups of cutting blades of the movable and stationary cutters, the cutting `blades of thetop cutter being connected by a portion of said top cutter disposed in a .horizontal plane below the top surfacesv of said cutting blades, and a retaining member for 'said movable top cutter arranged in overlapping -relationshipwith the same and disposed entirely `in the space between the two groups of cutting; blades of said movable top cutter.

6. A razor` of the kind described in claimv 5, in` which the said retaining member is provided with a stationary skin contacting portion that lies in substantially the same horizontal plane as the skin contacting surfaces of the cutting blades of the movable top cutter. Y f

v LOYD SCRUGGS.

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