US2266561A - Hair comb - Google Patents

Description

HAIR COMB Filed, Nov. 28, 1940 INVENTOR LOUIS MARICK BYMyW ATTORNEY hair with which the comb contacts.

Patented Dec. 16, 1941 HAIR COMB Louis Marick, Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich., as-

signor to United States Rubber Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 28, 1940, Serial No. 367,505

2 Claims.

This invention relates to hair combs and, in particular, it relates to rubber hair combs having electrically conducting characteristics.

Most combs in present day use are formed of plastic materials such as a rubber composition or the like. Rubber compositions are well adapted to the manufacture of combs because of their provide a component of rubber composition having electrically conducting characteristics for disability to be molded into various shapes and in various degrees of hardness in combination with the desired amount of resiliency.

One of the principal objections to plastic or rubber composition combs lies in their peculiar reaction to static electricity. Ordinary rubber compositions are good electrical insulators and are usually readily electrified when rubbed with dry materials. For example, combs conventionally in use today show static electrical effects when used'in combing dry hair. Hard rubber combs are especially prone to this behavior. Both the comb and the hair receive a charge of electricity in the combing process which are of opposite kind, usually positive in the hair and negative on the comb. Since the hair as well as the comb is a non-conductor, the charges reside on the outer surfaces of both and attract each other. In successive combing strokes the hair is attracted to the comb, resulting in an annoying condition and defeating the purpose of the combing operation. Instead of the hair lying smoothly in place, repeated combing causes the individual hairs to become electrified with charges of the same kind, causing them to repel each other so that they separate and stand apart from each other. In some cases the hair becomes so electrified that it falls forward and clings to the forehead of the individual. These conditions are more pronounced when the hair is dry and the relative humidity is low.

According to my invention, a rubber composition comb having electrically conducting properties provides for the discharge of static and prevents its accumulation on the comb or the A generous portion of the comb is usually grasped by the operator's hand, thus completing a circuit through which the static charge is grounded or dissipated.

It is recognized that these static characteristies are not associated with metallic combs, such as aluminum combs; however, metallic combs are objectionable for many reasons, as, for ex ample, they cannot be molded so readily as plas tic combs and do not present the pleasing surface texture characterized by the plastic combs. Among the obiazts at my invention are to sipating static charges; to provide an electrically conducting comb which may be readily molded; to provide a rubber composition comb which may be manufactured efiiciently and economically; and to-provide a comb which will permit hair dressers and barbers to render excellent and efflcient service.

The invention may be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawing,

which: I

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a comb embodying the composition of my invention; and

Fig. 2 is a transverse view thereof, in section, taken along lines IIII of Fig. 1.

With reference to the drawing, I show a comb of conventional type comprising essentially a body portion 1 from which a plurality of teeth 2 project. The purpose of the illustration is to show that the comb may be formed in any desired conventional shape consistent with conventional methods of molding. Immaterial composition the comb consists essentially of a rubber composition but contains an electrically conducting medium in the form of an electrically conducting carbon black. Such a carbon black is best exemplified by acetylene carbon black. An example of a preferred composition is as followsr Parts by weight Rubber 100 Acetylene carbon black 80 Cotton seed oil Z Carnauba wax 4 Accelerator 1.50 Sulfur The use of such a composition permits the formation of a comb having all of the advantages of conventional rubber or plastic combs yet including the special advantage of its electrically conducting properties. While I have illustrated a compound containing parts of acetylene carbon black to parts of rubber, good results can be obtained by incorporating lesser amounts of the conducting black. For example, 20 parts of the conducting black may be used with efin the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus shown and described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A comb comprising a longitudinal body portion and spaced teeth extending transversely therefrom and formed ofa rubber composition containing suflicient electrically conductive carbon black to dissipate a static electric charge upon the comb.

2. A comb comprising a longitudinal body portion and spaced teeth extending transversely therefrom and formed of a rubber composition containing suflicient electrically conductive acetylene carbon black to conduct away a static electric charge upon the comb.

LOUIS MARICK.

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