US3393450A - Razor with adjustable blade and blade guard - Google Patents

Description

y 23, 1968 G. M. BAUMANN 3,393,450

RAZOR WITH ADJUSTABLE BLADE AND BLADE GUARD Filed June 14, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 zfepJmwa/fiw July 23, 1968 G. M. BAUMANN RAZOR WITH ADJUSTABLE BLADE AND BLADE GUARD Filed June 14, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 i i x Y July 23, 1968 G. M. BAUMANN 3,393,450

RAZOR WITH ADJUSTABLE BLADE AND BLADE GUARD Filed June 14, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet :5

All

I 1 29 fiwenfor" fiazuraznn/ July 23, 1968 G. M. BAUMANN RAZOR WITH ADJUSTABLE BLADE AND BLADE GUARD 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 14, 1967 5612 #6. 6611102112172; 55/ Xvi-Paul a United States Patent 3,393,450 RAZOR WITH ADJUSTABLE BLADE AND BLADE GUARD Gilbert M. Baumann, 22 W. 627 North Ave., Glen Ellyn, Ill. 60137 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 396,879, Sept. 16, 1964. This application June 14, 1967, Ser. No. 645,926

6 Claims. (Cl. 3072) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A safety razor of a type having a flexible blade supporting member and a cooperative flexible blade retaining member, and provision for applying variable tension to the razor and causing an arcuate flexing of the blade but continuing to grip the blade over substantially its full surface despite the degree of arcuate flexing.

This invention relates to a razor with adjustable blade and blade guard and is a continuation-in-part of my copending application on a razor with adjustable blade and blade guard filed Sept. 16, 1964 having Ser. No. 396,879 now abondoned.

The invention relates generally to safety razors and more particularly to a safety razor having means for effecting a blade adjustment and a method of constructing a safety razor.

The invention is directed to an adjustable razor structure which is extremely simple in construction having a minimum of parts, and at the same time provides a highly eflicient adjustment of the blade with respect to the effective blade clearance and cutting position, the adjustment varying not only the spacing between the blade edge and cooperable guard member but also the angle between the blade edge and the guard member as well as the actual shape of the guard member.

An important object of this invention is to provide a method of making a razor generally known as the safety type from a thin resilient stainless steel sheet bent along generally parallel lines to form a central flexible blade supporting portion and an integral handle from the original ends of the sheet.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of a method of constructing a safety razor having a flexible blade supporting structure and a flexible blade clamping member.

A further object of the invention is the production of such a razor which is extremely efficient in operation, providing an extremely smooth and painless shave in which the adjustment may be readily made by adjustment of the manually actuable member for securing the blade in the razor.

Another object of the invention is the production of a razor having such features which is so designed that it is substantially non-clogging, readily washable and which may be fabricated from suitable stainless and other materials to provide a very durable and long-lived razor structure.

A further object of the invention is the production of such a razor which has a novel and distinctive shape en- 3,393,450 Patented July 23, 1968 abling it to be readily and comfortably held in the hand, and when so held is self-aligning or orienting whereby no care is required to see that the mirror is picked up in the proper position or requiring the rotation of the razor after it has been picked up, and which thus also eliminates any possibility of the razor turning or slipping in the hand. The razor thus offers advantages in this respect not only as to personal use but in connection with shaves which may "be administered by nurses or other personnel.

A further object of the invention is the production of a razor having the above advantages which, due to its simplicity in construction, may be economically manufactured.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a razor embodying the present invention with portions thereof broken away to disclose details;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of a razor illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the razor illustrated in FIGURE 1 with a portion of the blade retaining member broken away;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 44 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a similar sectional view taken approximately on the line 55 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken approximately on the line 66 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the head structure of the razor, similar to that illustrated in FIGURE 6 illustrating the approximate position of the parts when the razor is adjusted for maximum spacing between the blade edge and guard, and illustrating in dotted lines the approximate positions of the parts when the razor is constructed for minimum blade clearance; and

FIGURE 8 is a front elevational view similar to FIG- URE 1 with portions of the handle structure broken away to show the details of a modified construction;

FIGURE 9 is a top plan view of a rectangular sheet of thin resilient stainless steel;

FIGURE 10 is a top plan view of the sheet of FIG- URE 9 after the first operation performed thereon in the making of a razor and showing the rectangular sheet blanked to the proper shape and punched with a plurality of holes and elongated slots;

FIGURE 11 is a top plan view of the blanked sheet of FIGURE 10 after its first bend-forming operation;

FIGURE 12 is a side view of the formed sheet of FIGURE 11;

FIGURE 13 is a top plan view of the formed blank of FIGURES 11 and 12 having the next succeeding bendforming step;

FIGURE 14 is a side view of the formed sheet of FIGURE 13;

FIGURE 15 is a top plan view of the formed blank of 3 FIGURES 13 and 14 having the next succeeding bend forming step;

FIGURE 16 is a side view of the formed sheet of FIGURE 15;

FIGURE 17 is a top plan view of the formed blank of FIGURES 15 and 16 having the next succeeding bendforming step preliminary to final razor assembly as shown in FIGURES l and 2;

FIGURE 18 is a side view of the formed sheet of FIG- URE 17.

The present invention contemplates the production of a razor having a handle structure from which extends at one end a blade-supporting structure including a bladesupporting member and a blade-retaining member between which the blade is adapted to be operatively clamped with the blade-supporting member being fabricated from a sheet of very thin metal, preferably stainless steel or the like, which is bent along generally parallel lines to form a blade-supporting portion of generally arcuate transverse cross-section from which extend oppositely disposed, converging portions which are connected at their free ends to the handle structure. The juncture of the side portions with the blade-supporting portion is curved and provided with elongated generally parallel slots which extend transversely to the juncture of such portions with the slots extending into both the bladesupporting portion and the side portion forming a comblike guard adjacent the blade edge. The blade is adapted to be retained in operative position on the blade-supporting member by means of a cooperable blade-retaining member between which members the blade is operatively clamped, such clamping force-s being provided by suitable means disposed in the handle structure and cooperable with means carried by the retaining member, whereby the latter may be drawn toward the handle structure. The construction preferably is such that following sufiicient movement of the retaining member to operatively hold the blade in desired position, further adjustment of the blade may be elfected by additional movement of the blade-retaining member toward the handle member thereby flexing the blade-supporting member and the side portions and with it the comb guard to thereby vary the clearance between the blade edge and the guard elements as well as the angles between the blade edges and the adjacent portions of the guard member, thereby providing optimum relationships between the blade and guard for all adjustments of the razor.

I have found that superior results are obtained in adjustable razors Where, in addition to the clearance between the blade and guard member, the relative angles between such members are likewise varied, whereby the blade edge and adjacent portion of the guard member extend in relatively diverging relations for maximum blade clearance and approach a more parallel or even converging relation at minimum blade clearance.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to FIGURES 1 to 6, the reference numeral 1 indicates generally a handle member which includes as a filler or sandwiched member, for example, a molded member from plastic or other suitable material and which is of generally rectangular frame-like configuration having a top portion 2, a bottom portion 3, and spaced side portions 4.

Carried by the handle member 1 is a blade-supporting member indicated generally by the numeral 5, constructed of relatively thin resilient sheet metal, for example, stainless steel or the like, and bent to provide a generally arcuate blade-receiving member 6. I have found that a thickness on the order of .005" to .025" is suitable to provide the desired results. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, constructed from the same sheet of material are respective side plates 7, which, as illustrated in FIGURE 6 are disposed in substantially parallel planes and secured to the handle member 1 by suitable means as, for example, rivets 8 or the like, whereby such side plates form closure means for the open sides of the handle member 1. The side plates 7 are integrally connected with the blade-receiving portion 6 by connecting portions 9, the juncture of the latter with the portion 6 being rounded as clearly illustrated in FIG- URE 6 and provided with a plurality of elongated slots 11 formed therein, which slots extend into the portion 6 as well a the portions 9 to form comb-like guards for the edges of a blade disposed on the portion 6, with the connecting portions 9 extending from the portion 6 in substantially converging planes.

The retaining member, indicated generally by the numeral 12, for a razor blade B disposed on the bladereceiving portion 6, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated, comprises a plurality of sheets of thin, semiresilient metal, utilizing three such sheets 13, 14 and 15. As clearly illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 6 such sheets decrease in transverse width from the inner to the outer, and are secured in operative position by two stem members 16 which are provided adjacent their outer ends with portions 17 of reduced thickness which extend through aligned apertures in the respective strips 13, 14 and 15, and provided at their respective free ends with suitable rivet heads 18.

The stems 16 extend through bores 16' formed in the top portion 2 of the handle member into the interior of the latter and are provided with oppositely directed transversely extending slots 19 formed therein. Rotatably supported in the top and bottom portions 2 and 3 of the handle member 1 is a screw 21 which is disposed between the stem members 16 on an axis extending parallel to the axis of the latter. In the embodiment illustrated, the screw 21 is provided at its upper end with a cylindrical bearing portion 22 disposed in a cooperable bore in the upper portion 2 with the screw extending through the lower portion 3 and rigidly attached to a generally cylindrical knob or handle 23. Axial movement of the screw 21 relative to the handle member is prevented by a nut 24 threaded on the screw 21 and firmly seated on a sleeve 26 fixed at its opposite end to the knob 23, the sleeve 26 functioning as a spacer and having a length which is slightly greater than the corresponding thickness of the bottom portion 3 of the handle member.

Threaded on the screw 21 is an actuating or latch member 25 which, in the embodiment illustrated, is of generally diamond-shaped configuration having its oppositely disposed ends arranged for reception in the slots 19 of the stems. Disposed between the nut 24 and the latch member 25 in co-axial relation with the screw 21 is a coiled compression spring 27, and also encircling the screw 21 is a tubular sleeve member 28 which is adapted to engage the lat-ch member 25 at the extreme lower end of its travel, thereby providing a limit to such movement of the latch member, while the spring 27 provides a frictional connection between the screw 21 and the latch member 25, whereby the latter will normally tend to rotate with the screw.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the side plates 7 are bent along their vertical edges to Wrap around the side edges of the handle member 1 as indicated at 29 leaving a space therebetween through which portions of the handle member extend, such portions, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated, being provided with semi-circular ribs 31 or the like forming nonslip, hand engageable elements.

In operation, the blade-retaining member 12 may be readily removed from the handle member 1 and bladesupporting structure 5 by rotating the knob 23 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the bottom end of the handle structure, or in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 4. The friction between the screw 21 and the latch member 25, resulting from the action of the spring 27, will cause the latch member 25 to rotate with the screw 21 during initial rotation of the latter until the latch member reaches the approximate position illustrated in dotted lines in FIGURE 4 with further rota tional movement of the latch member being restricted by the side plates 7, and thus move the latch member out of engagement with the stems 16, following which the blade-retaining member 12 and stems 16 may be withdrawn and separated from the remainder of the razor structure.

Following the disconnection of the blade-retaining member 5, the razor blade may be assembled on the retaining member with the stems 16 extending through apertures in the blade, following which the retaining member may be reassembled with the remainder of the razor, extending the stems 16 through the openings in the blade-receiving portion 6 and through the top portion 2 of the handle member 1, whereby the notches will be disposed in position to receive the adjacent ends of the latch member 25. Upon initial rotation of the knob 23 in a clockwise direction as viewed from the bottom of the handle structure, or a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 4, initial rotation of the screw 21 will result in the latch member 25 also being rotated in a counterclockwise direction to dispose the end portions thereof in the respective notches 19 of the stems 16. Continued rotation of the screw 21 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 4 will draw the latch member 25 downwardly on the screw and through engagement of the latch member with the adjacent portions of the stems 16, draw the blade retaining member 12 downwardly therewith. When the blade-retaining member 12 has been drawn down a sufficient distance to firmly clamp the blade in operating position, the parts will assume a position substantially as illustrated in solid lines in FIGURE 7. In this position, maximum clearance is provided between the edge of the blade and the adjacent comb-like guard member disposed adjacent the juncture of the blade-receiving portion 6 and the connecting portions 9.

By additional rotation of the knob 23 in a clockwise direction, the blade-retaining member 12 may be drawn down to the position illustrated in dotted lines in FIG- URE 7 which indicates the limit of such travel, resulting from the engagement of the latch member 25 with the tubular sleeve member 28, thereby preventing further movement of the latch member along the screw 21. It will be noted that in this position the blade edge has a minimum clearance and at the same time the angular relationship of the edge portion of the blade with respect to the guard portion has been varied from an open or diverging relationship to a closed and parallel or even converging relationship, this being produced by a flexing of the blade-supporting structure 5 and connecting portions 9. At the same time the members 13, 14 and of the blade-retaining portion 12, due to the increased pressure thereon resulting from the described movement, will flex slightly thereby changing the angle of the blade edge with respect to a plane passing through the axis of the stems 16, the convexity of the blade being reduced slightly and thus tending to bring the edge portions of the blade in a more nearly fiat position.

It will be apparent from a reference to FIGURES 6 and 7, that the blade-receiving portion 6 is provided with a pair of longitudinally extending blade engaging surfaces 32 adjacent the edges of the blade and adjacent the olfsets 33 of the blade-supporting member so that the blade initially sets upon such spaced portions 32, whereby the edge portions of the blade will always firmly bear thereon. Obviously by a lesser rotation of the knob 23, any adjustment between the two positions illustrated in FIG- URE 7 may be obtained.

It will be appreciated that the construction of the razor head is such that maximum flow of lather through the slots 11 is provided, eliminating any possibility of clogging of the razor structure and at the same time permitting the same to be readily disposed under a water faucet and flushed through to remove all lather within the razor head.

It will also be noted that the construction is very simple, having only two separable parts, namely, the blade-retaining member 12 and associated stems 16 on the one part and the remainder of the razor structure on the other.

Likewise due to the construction of the actuating mechanism, it is impossible to separate the actuating elements or otherwise render the device inoperative. If by chance the razor is tampered with as, for example, the knob 23 is turned to its extreme clockwise position when the retaining member 12 is removed therefrom thereby preventing proper engagement of the latch member 25, it is necessary only to rotate the knob 23 to its opposite limit, thereby raising the latch member 25 and insuring proper engagement thereof with the notches 19 the respective stem members.

If desired, the means for limiting the downward movement of the latch member 25 may be integrally formed as a part of the handle member 1, thereby permitting the elimination of the sleeve 28. Such a construction is illustrated in FIGURE 8, wherein the handle member 1 is provided with intergrally formed shoulders 34 against which the latch member 25 may abut at its extreme limit of downward movement, illustrated in FIGURE 8. Likewise, while I have illustrated the use of a compression spring 27 for operativel-y connecting the latch member 25 with the screw 21, any other suitable friction-forming means may be employed as, for example, a spring fastener such as the so-called Tinnerman fasteners which would bear upon the latch member 25, being suitably formed whereby it cannot rotate relative to the latch member and is placed under compression at the time the parts are assembled so that it will exert an axial force on the latch member relative to the screw 21 and thereby provide the desired frictional engagement between the respective members.

It will be noted from the above description that I provided a razor construction of novel shape and operation utilizing merely two separable structure which are adapted to be secured in operative relation by means of a rotatable knob or the like, such knob preferably also forming the means for effecting adjustment of the relation of the edges of the razor blade with respect to the associated guard members. However, it will be appreciated that the novel adjusting structure discolsed could be utilized with a separate normally adjusting element.

It will further be noted that I have provided a novel razor structure in which the blade-supporting elements and the guard member is formed from extremely thin, flexible sheet metal, whereby the entire blade-supporting structure may flex to effect an adjustment in the opera tive angle of the blade edges.

In order to clearly set forth the method of fabricating the basic one-piece flexible blade supporting structure and handle, a series of figures, 9 through 18, have been included in the drawings to show the successive blanking, piercing, cutting and bending operations. The blade supporting member 5, the handle shell or side plates 7, and the connecting portions 9 are formed from a single strip of thin flexible resilient stainless steel 40 as shown in FIGURE 9. It is this one element and the steps in its final formation that makes the razor of this invention so desirable.

FIGURE 10 shows the strip of FIGURE 9 after cornpleting the first step in its fabrication. I shall hereafter describe the various operations performed on the onepiece strip. However, it should be understood that all of the operations at each step of the fabrication are preferably performed simultaneously although that it is not essential to a practice of this invention. A plurality of spaced apart holes 41 are preferably punched in the oppositely disposed handle portions 7. The arrangement of the holes is the same for both ends 7 so that when the ends are ultimately brought together as in FIGURES 2 and 6 the holes are aligned to receive connecting rivets 8. The device as shown in FIGURE 10 might be said to have been blanked. In addition to the punching or drilling of the holes 41 the rectangular strip has notches 42 cut inwardly at the side thereof adjacent the outer side edges of the connecting portions 9. Spaced apart aligned holes 43 are punched or otherwise cut in the center portion 6 of the blade supporting portion 5. These holes 43 are arranged and constructed to receive passage of the spaced apart stern members 16. Arcuate or circularly shaped opposed notches 44 are cut in the outer side edges of the central portion 6 of the blade supporting portion 5.

The next step taken in the method of forming the razor of this invention is to bend the strip on a plurality of parallel bend lines as shown in FIGURES 11 and 12. These bends are symmetrically made about a longitudinal center of the strip 40. The strip is bent upwardly about the transverse bend line 45, thence angularly upwardly and inwardly about the transverse bend line 46 and thence in a straight longitudinal direction about the transverse bend line 47. These bends constitute one-half of the central bends of the razor of this invention. Thereafter the strip is bent angularly downwardly and outwardly about the transverse bend line 48, then bent generally vertically downwardly about bend line 49, and thence bent in a straight longitudinal direction about the transverse bend line 50. Again it is stated that the bends as described in this step or station may all be made simultaneously or separately as desired.

The next step taken in the method of forming the razor of this invention is to further bend the previously blanked and bent strip as shown in FIGURES l3 and 14. The strip is bent about the transverse bend line 51 to define one handle end portion 7 and preferably simultaneously bent about a parallel transverse bend line 52 to define the other handle end portion 7. Also at this step or station there is accomplished the bending of the handle flanges 29. The handle side plates 7 are bent downwardly about longitudinal bend lines 53, 54, 55 and 56 along the marginal edges thereof to form downwardly extending flanges 29.

The next step taken in the fabrication of the main body of the razor is shown in FIGURES 15 and 16. Here the device of FIGURES l3 and 14 has been roll formed at 57 and 58 along transversely extending parallel side edges of the blade supporting portion 5.

The final step in the fabrication of the razor shell is shown in FIGURES 17 and 18. At this point the handle portions 7 are swung about the roll bends 57 and 58 until they are disposed at an angle of approximately 60 or each approximately 30 from a center or median line of the symmetrically formed razor base. With this bending or further rolling of the roll bends 57 and 58 the converging connecting portions 9 of the razor are clearly defined and positioned between the razor supporting portion and the handle side portions 7. In this position the angles of the connecting portions 9 with the center line of the formed razor member are both approximately 30". At this point the elongated slots 11 have their longitudinal extent rolled alon the roll bends 57 and 58 so that a portion thereof extends into the flexible blade supporting portion 5 and so that the balance thereof extends down into the flexible connecting portions 9 on both sides of the blade support. The rolled elongated slots act as a comb for the razor blade used in this device.

The blade supporting portion 5 of this one-piece razor member is vital to the success of the subject safety razor. In addition to the central strip 6 which contains the stem receiving holes 43 and is defined by the parallel bend lines 47 and 48 the blade support comprises other important elements. Immediately outwardly of and flanking the central strip 6 on both sides thereof are narrow strips 32. These narrow strips 32 are inclined slightly downwardly and away from the central strip 6 and are defined by the parallel bend lines 46 and 47 and 48 and 49 respectively. Immediately outwardly of each of the narrow inclined strips 32 are substantially vertically disposed strips 33. These vertical strips 33 are defined by the bend lines and 46 and 49 and 50 respectively. Immediately outwardly of the vertical strips are generally flat strips located between the bend lines 45 and 50 and the rolled bends 57 and 58 on their respective sides. The resilient flexible blade support 5 cooperates as previously described to support the blade B and give it resilient support substantially throughout its extent. The blade B bears against the spaced apart blade bearing surfaces 32 to cause a depression or spreading of the flexible blade support and including the integral converging connecting portions 9. Also, the cutting blade edges are located relative to the oflsets or substantially vertical strips 33 in a manner to variably expose more or less of the blade and also to effect an angular change of the cutting edges of the blade relative to the flexible support of the subject device.

As shown in FIGURE 18 the final bending and forming of the one-piece member leaves the handle members 7 substantially far apart. This is done to give the assembly an automatic pre-tensioning when the handle members are brought together and riveted by rivets 8 to the handle filler. The pre-tensioning fills out the flexible blade supporting member 5 and its adjoining connecting members 9 so that it gives ideal backing for use of a conventional safety razor blade in the act of shaving.

Not only does the present invention encompass an article, but it also encompasses a method of making a one-piece fabricated base shell for a safety razor. The method employs the successive steps of blanking a thin flexible sheet with a particular shape, bending the blanked shape about transversely parallel bend lines, making transversely parallel roll bends, and finally shaping the member to provide for automatic pre-tensioning upon assembly into a safety razor.

The razor of this invention forms a hollow enclosure within the blade supporting portion 5 and the converging connecting portions 9 to make the device truly a nonclogging razor. The hollow enclosure has the plural side comb-like openings 11 to admit shaving lather and the cut hair. The outer ends of the hollow opening are both open to permit ready flushing by a stream of water.

Having thus described my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosures herein given that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, combination or arrangement of parts herein shown and described.

What is claimed is:

1. A safety razor comprising a handle structure, a blade-supporting member operatively supported by the handle structure, of a size to receive and support a razor blade in operative position, a guard member connected to said supporting member disposed in operative position adjacent a cutting edge of such a razor blade, said supporting and guard members being formed from a single thin resilient sheet of material, said single sheet of material being extended from the outer edge of said guard member to the handle structure and forming the connections of said supporting member to said handle structure, a flexible blade-retaining member cooperable with said resilient blade-supporting member to retain such blade thereon, and means for flexing said guard member, said flexible blade retaining member and such a blade to vary the operative clearance between said guard member and such a cutting edge, and simultaneously flex said guard member relative to such blade to vary the effective angle between the latter and said guard member.

2. A safety razor comprising a handle structure, a blade-supporting member operatively supported by the handle structure, of a size to receive and support a razor blade in operative position, a guard member connected to said supporting member disposed in operative position adjacent a cutting edge of such a razor blade, said sup porting and guard members being formed from a single thin resilient sheet of material, said single sheet of material being extended from the outer edge of said guard member to the handle structure and forming the connections of said supporting member to said handle structure, a blade-retaining member cooperable with said bladesupporting member to retain such blade thereon, and means for flexing said guard member, and such a blade to vary the operative clearance between said guard member and such a cutting edge, and simultaneously flex said guard member relative to such blade to vary the effective angle between the latter and said guard member, said blade-retaining member formed from a plurality of superimposed semi-resilient metal sheets, operative to flex slightly during adjustment of the structure and thereby vary the flexing of a blade disposed between said bladesupporting and retaining members.

3. A safety razor comprising a hollow handle member, a blade-supporting member for-med from a very thin sheet of resilient metal, said sheet being formed to provide a blade-supporting portion and oppositely disposed connecting portions connected thereto, said intermediate portion having a generally convex blade-supporting face, with said connecting portions being integrally connected to said blade-supporting face along the longitudinally extending edges thereof, the juncture thereof being formed by respective portions of arcuate cross-sectional shape, having slots therein extending transverse to such juncture and extending at opposite ends into the adjacent bladesupporting and connecting portions to form flexible comblike blade guards, said connecting portions being secured to said handle member, a blade retaining member of arcuate transverse cross-section formed from a plurality of relatively thin, superposed semi-resilient metal sheets, a pair of spaced, parallel attaching stems extending transverse to said blade-retaining member from the convex side thereof in symmetrical relation with respect to the arcuate cross-sectional configuration thereof, and forming means for securing the sheets of said retaining member in assembled relation, said handle member having bores formed therein to detachably receive said stems which may extend therethrough into the interior of said handle member, a rotatable scre'w supported in said handle member in axially fixed relation relative thereto with the axis thereof disposed between and in parallel relation to the axes of said stems, an elongated latch member extending transversely to and threaded upon said screw, with the free ends of said latch member extending laterally beyond the paths of said stem members, the latter each having a transversely extending slot in the periphery thereof of a size and disposed to receive a corresponding free end of said latch member, rotation of said screw being operative, through engagement of said latch member with said stems, to draw said bladeretaining member toward said blade-supporting member and clamp a razor blade therebetween, spring means providing a frictional connection between such latch member and screw whereby the latch member will normally tend to rotate with the screw for rotating said latch member into or out of operative engagement with said stems, the slots in said stems being so disposed that rotation of said screw in a direction to move said latch member away from the top portion of said handle member will tend to rotate the latch member in a direction to effect engagement thereof with said slots, and rotation in the opposite direction will tend to move said latch member in a disengaging direction relative to said slots, said screw extending through the bottom portion of said handle member, and a manually engageable member rigidly carried by the proiecting end of said screw.

4. A safety razor comprising a hollow handle member, a blade-supporting member formed from a sheet of resilient metal, said sheet being formed to provide an intermediate blade-supporting portion and oppositely disposed connecting portions connected thereto, said intermediate portion having a generally convex blade-supporting face, with said connecting portion being integrally connected to said blade-supporting face along the longitudinally extending edges thereof, the juncture thereof being formed by respective portions of arcuate cross-sectional shape, having slots therein extending transverse to such juncture and extending at opposite ends into the adjacent blade-supporting and connecting portions to form flexible comb-like blade guards, said connecting portions being secured to said handle member, a blade-retaining member, parallel attaching stems extending transverse from said blade-retaining member, said handle member having bores formed therein to detachably receive said stems which may extend therethrough into the interior of said handle member, a rotatable screw supported in said handle member in axially fixed relation relative thereto with the axis thereof disposed between and in parallel relation to the axes of said stems, a latch member extending transversely to and threaded upon said screw, with the free ends of said latch member extending laterally beyond the paths of said stem members, the latter each having a transversely extending slot in the periphery thereof of a size and disposed to receive a corresponding free end of said latch member, rotation of said screw being operative, through engagement of said latch member with said stems, to draw said bladeretaining member toward said blade-supporting member and clamp a razor blade therebetween, means providing a frictional connection between such latch member and screw whereby the latch member will normally tend to rotate with the screw for rotating said latch member into or out of operative engagement with said stems, the slots in said stems being so disposed that rotation of said screw in a direction to move said latch member away from the top portion of said handle member will tend to rotate the latch member in a direction to effect engagement thereof with said slots, and rotation in the opposite direction will tend to move said latch member in a disengaging direction relative to said slots, said screw extending from said handle member, and a manually engageable member rigidly carried by the projecting end of said screw.

5. A blade-supporting structure for a safety razor comprising a flexible blade-supporting member and a flexible blade-retaining member for operatively clamping a blade therebetween, said flexible blade-supporting member fabricated from a thin resilient stainless steel generally rectangular sheet, said generally rectangular sheet symmetrically bent about a longitudinal center along a plurality of generally transverse parallel lines to form a bladereceiving central generally flat strip, outwardly and downwardly inclined symmetrical adjoining strips, and generally vertically downwardly extending symmetrical strips adjoining the outer ends of each of said outwardly and downwardly inclined symmetrical strips, and further outwardly extending generally symmetrical flat strips, said sheet further bent at the outer ends of said fiat strips to form oppositely disposed converging symmetrical side portions, the juncture of each of said side portions with the flat strips being symmetrically curved, said symmetrically curved junctures provided with elongated generally parallel slots which extend into the flat strips of the blade supporting portion and the side portions, said slotted curved junctures forming a comb-like guard for disposition adjacent the cutting edges of a blade, said sheet further bent at the outer ends of said converging symmetrical side portions to form diverging sysmmetrical handle portions, said diverging symmetrical handle portions brought together in a substantially parallel relationship to pre-tension and fill out the flexible blade-supporting member of said central strip and the symmetrical side strips including the convering side portions, and said converging side portions with'the central portion forming a hollow enclosure.

6. A device as set forth in claim 5 in which the flexi- 1 1 1 2 ble blade-retaining member comprises a laminate of 21 1,022,623 4/1912 Dunn 3051 plurality of thin sheets of resilient metal. 1,416,199 5/1922 Hasselquist 3084 X 1,432,949 10/1922 Behrman 3084 X References Cited 1,591,146 7/1926 Stewart 30-71 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 2,046,006 1936 Taylor 30-68 843,148 2/1907 Jackson 2,046,709 7/1936 Taylor 30-85 2,298,944 10/1942 Hyatt 30-85 X 890,350 6/1908 Fowler 30-85 X 2,471,620 5/1949 Harrls 3047 938,396 10/1909 Nahm et al. 30-71 1 2,551,256 5/1951 Foltls 3047 952,837 3/1910 Nahemow 30-77 X 2 699 602 1/1955 Finley 30 47 977,919 12/1910 Yeaton 30 74.1 10 "f" 985,494 2/1911 Atkins 3071 MYRON C. KRUSE, Primary Examiner.

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