US3473220A - Quick-action plastics safety razors - Google Patents

Description

J. P. PAUL QUICKACTION PLASTICS SAFETY RAZORS Oct. 21, i969 Original Filed Oct. l5, 1965 7 5 3 2 4 3 w///\Mwz a/...u G. @www 3 ...H wm m Il d 4 5w f W E l 2 5 1 .A ,I x f 1 are 00 3 w yl/Man@n .,191 756% 65 7.

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OC. 21, P. PAUL QUICXACTION PLASTICS SAFETY RAZORS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Oct. l5, 1965 INVENTOIFL .fe-FF P. P41/z.

BY k/U ATTORNEY- 3,473,220 QUICK-ACTION PLASTICS SAFETY RAZORS .Ie P. Paul, 3174 29th St., Long Island City, N.Y. 11106 Continuation of application Ser. No. 510,421, Oct. 15, 1965. This application Oct. 30, 1967, Ser. No. 679,267 Int. Cl. B261) 2]/08 US. Cl. 30-67 5 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A safety razor having a removable cap with a dependent flange having hooks and adapted to receive and position a blade, a sliding member having resilient arms with longitudinal slots, and a handle portion having inwardly-extending lugs engageable with the slots, the hooks also being engageable therewith upon movement of the sliding member toward the cap against the force of a coil spring, the lugs having cam surfaces to cause release of the hooks from the arms upon additional relatively minimal movement of the sliding member in one direction toward the cap by direct manual action.

This is a continuation of my application Ser. No. 510,- 421, tiled Oct. 15, 1965 and now abandoned.

This invention relates to safety razors, and more particularly to razors using conventional-type, double-edge blades and having means to releasably clamp the blade between a cap and a guard.

An object of this invention is to provide a safety razor of the character described, with new and improved means for installing and removing a blade with minimal ease and despatch. The razor comprises a body having means to releasably mount a cap thereon, with the blade interposed between the cap and body, the necessity of screwing or unscrewing, or other tedious and time-consuming actions, being eliminated in a completely practical way.

Another object of this invention is to provide a safety razor of the character described which is adaptable to manufacture entirely, or almost entirely, from plastics, whereby it may be simply and economically manufactured, will be of light weight while at the same time, for greater convenience in shaving, will comprise a handle which is longer than the handles of safety razors currently in use. The relatively light weight of the razor reduces the tendency of the razor to slide edgewise and operate with a hacking effect on the users skin, thereby reducing the effect of two of the chief causes of accidental cutting during shaving, while, at the same time, tending further to make shaving a more carefree and less onerous chore.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a safety razor of the character herein described, wherein the cap, with a blade mounted on the cap flange, may be assembled or disassembled, quickly, eiciently, and securely on the handle guard unit by means of a simple, quick, push-button-like pressure on a sliding member which penetrates the hollow handle, requiring the use of only one hand of the user, thereby resulting in a boon for partially disabled people.

To attain the objective of this invention, my embodiment of a safety razor of the character described comprises a two-part assembly composed of a handle-guard unit and a cap, wherein the handle-guard unit includes a body comprising a hollow-handle member and a blade guard at the upper end thereof, and the cap comprises a plate having a downwardly projecting central longitudinal flange on the undersurface thereof, said ange being adapted to cooperate with the top surface of the guard, the blade, the handle, and the said sliding member, to secure and position the blade interposed between said undersurface of said top portion of the cap and said top portion mired States Patent O 3,473,220 Patented Oct. 21, 1969 lCe of said guard. At the end of the body opposite the guard a projecting sliding member is mounted within the hollow handle of the body and comprises a pair of resilient slotted arms, upwardly directed. The said cap flange which lits snugly but loosely inside the registering slots of a blade and of the guard, is formed with hooks, means being provided to engage the cap and blade with the guard, and to disengage them therefrom by a simple pressure action in the same direction for both functions. The handle member is provided with a pair of control lugs cooperable with the resilient arms and the slots therein, and with said capilange hooks, to move the arms transversely of the motion of the sliding member to instantly disassemble the cap and blade from the guard.

The lugs have a further function of positioning the sliding member, both longitudinally and rotatively, and of securing it in relatively permanent assembly in the body.

The cap-flange hooks, which are in vertical alignment with said lugs, are provided with inwardly and upwardly slanting surfaces for controlling the arms of the sliding members for installation of a cap and blade, these slanting surfaces having the exclusive function of engaging the ends of the resilient arms for instant installation of a cap and blade, performing this function in a manner similar to that by means of which the said lugs engage the said ends of the resilient arms in the process of assembling the sliding member into the handle-guard unit, the said lugs remaining of necessity completely within the encompassing sides of the resilient-arm slots during the process of installing a cap and blade. It is therefore clear that it is unnecessary to press the sliding member as deeply within the hollow body for assembling a cap and blade as is required for disassembly, since, in releasing the cap and blade the lugs operate against the resilient arms at the bottom ends of the resilient-arm slots.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of invention will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown an illustrative embodiment of this invention,

FIG. l is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through a safety razor embodying the invention with the cap mounted thereon and with a blade in position;

FIG. 2 is a slightly enlarged view similar to a portion of FIG. 1, showing the sliding member raised, and the cap released in preparation for its disassembly from the body;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional View taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional View taken on line 4 4 of FIG. l;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the cap on the body with a portion of the cap broken away;

FIG. 6 is an end view of the cap on the body;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIG. l;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on line `8 8 of FIG. l; and

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 9 9 of FIG. 1.

'Referring now in detail to the drawing, a safety razor 10 embodying the invention comprises a handle 80 having a body member 11 and a cap member 112.

Body member 1 1 comprises a bottom body portion 13 which is of cylindrical, tubular configuration. Portion 13 comprises a bottom end annular surface 14. The top of tubular body portion 13, at the outside surface thereof, comprises a thickened portion 15. At the top end of body portion 13, body member 11 comprises a top portion 16 which is of hollow, square cross section. Internally, the cross-section changes from circular to square at a level indicated at 17, the internal side dimension of the square top portion 16 being equal to the inside diameter of the cylindrical body portion 13. Top portion 16 comprises a pair of opposed side walls 1S, 18 and front and rear opposed walls 19, 19. Each side wall 18 is formed with a central slot 20 which extends from the top open end 75 of portion 16 and terminates at a point spaced from portion Integral with body member 11, and located at the top end of top portion 16, is a blade guard portion 25. Guard 25 comprises a pair of end plates 26, 26 interconnected by a pair of outer guard flanges 27, 27, the upper outer corners of which are curved as at 28 to aid in the shaving process in the usual manner. A pair of short cross members 29, 29 interconnect the inside surface of each end member 26 with the outer surface of the adjacent side lwall 18 of top portion 16 on either side of said slots 20, which form an L shape extending up the handle and then longitudinally of the guard and terminating at the inner ysurface of end plate 26. Each pair of cross members 29 are symmetrical about slot 20. Each cross member 29 comprises a vertical flat flange portion 30, the upper end 30a of lwhich is tapered or curved inwardly as at 31. Curve or taper 31 extends to the inner surfaces of side walls 18. Extending upwardly and outwardly from the lower end of flange portion 30, is an inclined flange portion 32, the outer edge 33 of which terminates substantially flush with wall 19. Flanges 30 and 32 form an apex edge 3017. Edge 33 and the upper surfaces of walls 19 are co-planar and form the outward rest for a blade when pressed into position by the outer edges of the cap. Curved or tapered ends 31 guide insertion of the cap flange 56 into the body as will be explained in the operation description below.

Interconnecting the center portion of flanges 27 with the center portions of walls 19 are a pair of bridging portions 34.

The entire body member 11 thus far described may be molded in one piece, and preferably of plastic material. The blade guard portion 25 will include many spaces between the various portions thereof, such as slots 76 (FIG. to allow passage of water therethrough for cleaning purposes, passage of lather and the like. The slanted outer surface of each cross member 29 serves to reduce weight and to collect hairs and lather during the shaving process Iwhich enters thereon under blade B through slots 76. The triangular shape of Cross members 29 thus provides lightness and increased strength, while at the same time providing increased space for collection of lather and hairs.

Slidably mounted on body member 11 is a sliding member 36. Member 36 comprises a thickened, circular bottom wall portion 37 having a bottom surface 37a and a central stud 38 extends upwardly from wall 37. Stud 38 may be hollowed out, as at 38a, to reduce weight. The outer diameter of stud 38 is slightly less than the inside diameter of body portion 13 so as to slidingly fit therein. An annular wall 39 extends upwardly from the outer edge portions of wall 37. The inside diameter of wall 39 is slightly larger than the outside diameter of ybody portion 13 so as to slidingly fit thereover. Thus, an open annular chamber 40 is formed between stud 38, wall 39 and wall 37 to receive body portion 13. A coil compression spring 41 is located in chamber 40, having one end bearing against end annular surface 14, and its other end bearing against Wall 37, and tending to urge stud 38 out of body portion 13. Spring 41 may be made of plastic, stainless steel, or any other suitable material.

Extending upwardly from the upper end of stud 38, is a reduced diameter stud portion 42. Extending upwardly from opposite sides of stud 42 are a pair of resilient arms `43, 43, which are formed so as to be normally biased, due to their own resiliency, away from each other and towards side walls 18. The outer corners of each arm 43 are rounded as at 43a over most of the length of the arms to facilitate assembly and operation of the razor 10. Each arm 43 has an upper end edge 43b. Each arm 43, adjacent its upper end, is Iformed with a rectangular slot 44, defined by a bottom surface 45, a top surface 46, and a pair of side surfaces 47 interconnecting the top and bottom surfaces. The operation of sliding member 36 will be explained hereinafter. Sliding member 36 may be molded entirely in one piece, preferably of plastic material, and spring 41 added when the razor 10 is assembled.

Cap 12 comprises a top, blade retaining portion 48 which comprises a top flat horizontal surface 49 and a pair of inclined surfaces 50 extending downwardly and outwardly from the ends thereof. Extending outwardly and more steeply downwardly from the outer end of each surface 50 is a surface 51, which has an end edge 52. Extending upwardly and inwardly from each edge 52 is a concave downwardly curved blade biasing surface 53. Short connecting surfaces 54, sloped inwardly and more steeply upwardly than biasing surfaces 53, connect the inner ends of biasing surfaces 53 with the outer ends of recessed bottom wall 55. Extending downwardly from the center of bottom wall 55 is a flange 56, which is bifurcated into a pair of arms 57, 57, each having a hook 58 at its lower end, having a point 58a. Each hook 58 has a top outwardly and downwardly curved surface 59, extending from point 58a, and a bottom more steeply downwardly and outwardly curved cam surface 59a extending from point 58a. Cam surfaces 59a terminate at a point spaced outwardly of the inside lsurfaces of walls 18. The outer sides of the arms 57 are curved inwardly as at 60. Curves 60 end opposite hooks 58. The outer sides of the arms 57, 57 are provided with outwardly extending bumps 61. The juncture of curves 60 and bumps 61 form hollows 62. The lower ends of hollows 62 are joined to the lower ends of `surfaces 59a by surfaces 59b. The length of flange 56 is slightly less than the distance between the inner surfaces of end plates 26, so that the flange 56 may fit snugly therebetween, as shown in the drawing.

OPERATION To disassemble the cap and blade from the body, the arms 43, 43 are pushed into the FIG. 2 position, and the cap may be removed or dropped out of the body and guard assembly. Pushing on surface 37a to fully compress spring 41 causes the bottom surfaces 45 of the slots 44 to ride up cam surfaces 22 of lugs 21 to urge the arms 43 towards each other to the position shown in FIG. 2. The arms 43 may not move inwardly beyond the FIG. 2 position, because the spring 41 is substantially at its solid, compressed length. The space between the ends of the lugs 21 is less than the space between the outer surfaces of arms 43 facing the said lugs above surfaces 46 when in the position shown in FIG. 2 so that carn surfaces 22 can push arms 43 at their upper ends sufficiently close together to clear hooks 58 so that the cap can be dropped out or withdrawn.

From this FIG. 2 position the sliding member 36 may be removed from body 11, if desired to clean the sliding member or replace spring 41, or for any other reason. This is done by inserting a pair of tweezers, needle-nose pliers or the like instrument into the square, central opening 75 in the guard member, and using such instrument to hold the upper ends of the arms together until such upper ends pass between lugs 21, whereupon the sliding member will simply fall out. To re-assemble the sliding member into the body, the ends of the arms 43 are slightly squeezed together and inserted into the body. The sliding member is then orientated until the planes of arms 43 are perpendicular to the plane's of lugs 21. Then the member 36 is thrust into the body. The ends 43b of arms 43 ride up surfaces 22 and over the inner ends 24 of lugs 21 to position lugs 21 within each slot 44, respectively. Release of sliding member 36 allows spring 41 to move it outwardly of the body, but this motion is arrested by cooperation of the top end surface 46 with surfaces 23 of lugs 21 to hold the member 36 in the body for relatively permanent assembly. The resiliency of arms 43 biasing said arms outwardly insures this cooperation.

The length of the slots 44 and the length of spring 41 are such that when end edges 46 are in contact with surfaces 23 of the lugs, the spring 41 is somewhat compressed from its free or no-load length, so that it has sufficient pull to hold the sliding member firmly in engagement with the lugs 21. This compression of spring 41 also serves to move the held-together ends of arms 43 past and between lugs 21 to facilitate removal of the sliding member 36 from body 11, described above. When the cap and blade are in position as described below the spring is compressed to approximately half its free length but less than its solid length, and being somewhat compressed, the force of the spring pulls the cap 12 down, to bring biasing surfaces 53 into contact with blade B, to bend or bow said blade so that the cutting edges thereof form a proper shaving angle with upper edges 28 as shown in FIG. 3.

With the cap member 12 removed, a double edged blade B of the usual construction is placed over arms 57 and flange S6 to rest against biasing surfaces 53. Member 12 is preferably in the inverted position for this operation. If the user obtains blades in the commonly used blade dispenser packages, one hollow 62 on an arm 57 may be placed at the end of the slot in the blade to draw the blade from the package. The blade will thereafter slide down the curves 60 to automatically position itself around the flange 56 which secures and positions the blade laterally and longitudinally on the cap. Member 12 may be conveniently placed on any flat surface on its surface 49 with the arms 57 extending upwardly, with the blade B in position. So placing the cap with blade allows for its assembly with the body-and-guard assembly with only one hand of the user. Of course, the cap with blade can be held in the users hand if the user so desires, and then both hands will be needed. The bumps 61 penetrate the blade slot deeply and assure against dropping the blade while loading.

After assembling the blade on the cap and placing the cap with the blade thereon on its surface 49, the user using only one hand positions the handle-guard assembly on the cap and blade. Holding the body portion 13 in one hand with the fingers and thumb around the handle to guide the handle, and with the end 37a of the sliding member bearing against the palm of that same hand, the user pushes on the bottom surface 37a to move sliding member 36 inwardly against spring 41. The upper end surfaces 43b of the arms 43 ride over the bottom cam surfaces 59a of the hooks. When the sliding member is pushed in sufficiently so that points 58a are clear of the end surfaces 46 of the slots 44, the arms 43 will spring apart due to their own resiliency, the user releases the pressure on the sliding member, and spring 41 moves the assembly to the FIG. 1 position, the pressure of the cap holding the blade tightly against the upper edges 33 and 30a, respectively, of anges 32 and 30, the latter extending higher than the former, and thereby bowing the blade under tension for proper shaving as described above.

rIhus it can be seen that the sliding member is moved in one direction to the FIG. 2 position for disassembly of the cap, and through a shorter distance in the same direction for assembly by a snap-on action, eliminating screwing and unscrewing actions.

It will thus be seen that there is provided an apparatus and article in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical manufacture and use.

I claim:

1. A safety razor comprising a handle having a hollow body portion provided with a guard, said guard and body portion being formed with openings, a cap member having means receivable in said openings in said guard and body portion and said cap member being adapted to secure a blade in position against said guard for shaving, a sliding member holdably mounted within said body portion, means to bias said sliding member away from said guard, manually operable means to move said sliding member toward said guard against the force of said biasing means, and means on said sliding member cooperable with said means on said cap member to releasably retain said cap member on said guard, said releasably retaining means comprising a pair of elongated arms resiliently positioned horizontally on said sliding member received within said body portion, each of said arms having an upper-end edge, said upper-end edges of said arms terminating short of the upper extremity of said hollow body, each of said arms being formed with an elongated slot having an upper end and a lower end, said means on said cap comprising hooks, a pair of lugs on said body portion projecting into said slots, said upper-end edges of said arms being engageable with means on said hooks when said sliding member towards said guard against the force of said biasing means to move said arms toward each other, to permit said arms to snap outwardly over said hooks to releasably assemble said cap to said body portion, said lugs being engageable with the lower ends of said slots when said sliding member is moved towards said guard against the force of said biasing means, to thereby move said arms toward each other to permit withdrawal of said cap member from said body portion, and the lower ends of said slots and the upper ends of said arms s0 located that said upper-end edges of said arms will be moved together by said means on said hooks before said lugs engage the lower ends of said slots.

2. In combination, a handle comprising an elongated hollow body portion having a guard on one end; a sliding member comprising a bottom wall portion, a central stud portion extending from said bottom wall portion and being slidably received in said body, said stud portion having a pair of resilient arms provided with slots, said sliding member further comprising an annular wall portion extending from said bottom wall portion in spaced, concentric relation to said central stud; automatically engageable means to limit movement of said sliding member away from said guard, a coil compression spring interposed between said annular wall and said central stud to project said sliding member away from said one end of said body, the lower end of said body being telescoped between said central stud and annular wall, said spring having one end bearing against a lower edge of said body; a cap member having longitudinal flange means depending therefrom, said guard and the adjacent portion of said body being formed with openings to receive said flange means, said ange means being provided with hooks releasably engageable with said slots by snap-on action, on movement of said sliding member in one direction against the force of said resilient means to secure said cap in position on said guard; and cam surface means pertaining to said sliding member and said body to divert the path of said resilient arms a relatively minimal distance off the vertical, relative to said body, on movement of said sliding member a relatively minimal distance in said one direction toward said guard, to release said cap from said sliding member, said cam sur- 7 face means -being spaced from said ange hooks toward the other end of said body.

3. A safety razor comprising a handle portion having a hollow body portion provided with a guard, said guard and body portion being formed with openings, a cap member adapted to secure a blade against said guard for shaving and having means receivable in said openings in said guard and body portion, a sliding member slidably mounted upon said body portion, means to bias said sliding member away from said guard, means on said sliding member cooperable with means on said cap member to releasa-bly retain said cap member on said guard; said releasably retaining means comprising a pair of elongated arms resiliently positioned on said sliding member received within said body portion, each of said arms having an upper-end edge, said upper-end edges of said arms terminating short of the upper extremity of said hollow body, each of said arms being formed with an elongated slot having an upper and a lower end, said means on said cap comprising hooks, said upper-end edges of said arms being engageable with means on said hooks when said sliding member is moved toward said guard against the force of said biasing means so that said upper-end edges will snap transversely relative to said body, over said hooks, to releasably secure said cap to said body portion, cooperating lugs and slots pertaining to said sliding member and said body, said lugs having cam surfaces, to move the path of said sliding member a relatively minimal distance transversely relative to said body, to permit withdrawal of said cap from said body, upon movement of said sliding member a relatively minimal distance toward said guard, and the upper ends of said arms will be moved, transversely relative to said body, a minimal distance required, by said means on said hooks, before the cam surfaces of said lugs are brought into engagement with the corresponding ends of said slot, to permit said snap-on engagement, and manually operable means to cause said movement of said sliding member toward said guard.

4. A safety razor comprising an elongated hollow body portion formed with a pair of diametrically opposed, inwardly extending lugs and with a radially symmetrical guard spaced above said lugs and adapted to receive a blade thereon for shaving, said body being formed with diametrically opposed longitudinal openings aligned with said lugs and extending from points beyond said lugs to said guard being formed with longitudinal openings registering with said openings in said body, a cap having longitudinal flange means adapted to conveniently receive and automatically position a blade for securing on said guard, said flange means extending downwardly from said cap and passing through the said openings in said body and having engagement hooks, a member slidably mounted within said body member and having a pair of arms resiliently positioned transversely relative to said body and formed with longitudinal opposed slots, said slots being relea-sably engageable with said hooks by snap-on action upon movement of said sliding member in one direction toward said guard, the edges of said slots Simultaneously encompassing said lugs during said engagement action, said lugs having cam surfaces on their lower inner edges, said cam surfaces being engageable with the lower edges of said slots upon movement of said sliding member in said one direction, to press the upper ends of said arms together and thereby release Said hooks from said sliding member, resilient means to project said sliding member away from said guard, means to limit movement of said sliding member in said direction relative to said guard, and manually operable means to move said sliding member 'in said one direction toward said guard.

5. A safety razor comprising a handle having an elongated hollow body portion provided with a guard on one end thereof, said body and guard being provided with opening means, a cap member adapted to secure a blade against said guard for shaving, said cap being formed with a dependent arm receivable in said opening means and said arm being provided with an engagement hook, a sliding member slidably mounted upon said body, resilient means to project said sliding member away from said guard, means to limit said movement of said sliding member in said direction away from said guard, said sliding member having a slot positioned in vertical alignment with said hook, cam surface means relative to said sliding member and said hook to move said sliding member transversely relative to said body to permit said slot to vertically encompass said hook by snap-on action, upon movement of said sliding member in one direction toward said guard, for releasable engagement of said sliding member with said cap, said vertical encompassment obviating transverse movement of said sliding member and said hook relative to said body and thereby providing for relatively minimal friction therebetween during the engagement action, cam surface means to again move said slot transversely relative to said body after said snap-on action and thereby cause disengagement of said sliding member from said cap, upon movement of said sliding member in said one direction toward said guard, said cam surface means for said disengagement action being relative to said sliding member and said body at a point beyond said hook from said guard, the longitudinal locus of said slot being entirely within said hollow body, and manually operable means to cause said movement of said sliding member in said one direction toward said guard.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,296,080 3/1919 Holt 30-68 1,572,572 2/ 1926 Straka 30-73 1,847,701 3/1932 Testi 30-68 3,052,979 9/1962 Grassau 30-67 3,229,367 l/l966 Lewis 30-72 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,325,812 3/1963 France.

312,659 6/1919 German.

596,696 5/1934 German.

MYRON C. KRUSE, Primary Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 30-41, 84, 85

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