US2303764A - Packaging and dispensing razor blades - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 1, 1942. Q J. G. ROBERTS 2,303,764

PACKAGING AND DISPENSING RAZOR BLADES Filed Dec. 19, 1938 2 Sheets-Shet 1 INVENTOR Dec. l, 1942. J. G. ROBERTS 2,303,764

PACKAGING AND DISPENSING RAZOR BLADES Filed Dec. 19. 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet- 2 J a 7 U /6 23 'INVENTOR MRM Patented Dec. 1, 1942 PACKAGING AND DISPENSING RAZOR BLADES John G. Roberts, Dobbs Ferry, N. Y. 7

Application December 19, 1938, Serial No. 246,609

3 Claims.

This invention relates to dispensing packages for individually wrapped razor blades and is applicable to blades of generally rectangular contour having unsharpened end edges, at which they may be conveniently and safely handled, and at least one longitudinally extending sharp edge. The object of the invention, generally stated, is to provide for the simple, safe and rapid transfer of the blade by hand from its package free of its wrapper to the razor, all without any touching of the blade except edgewise at its unsharpened ends. In particular the object is to provide the blades with individual wrappers of sheet material and to hold them stacked in a container from which one blade after another may be withdrawn along with its wrapper and then, without necessity of any unfolding, be instantly engaged edgewise in the fingers at the blade ends, slipped out of the wrapper and without change of grip placed in the razor. This is accomplished by means of a single fold wrapper, the folded edge of which overlaps one of the longitudinal edges of the blade, preferably that edge which lies adjacent the dispensing opening of the container, the other three wrapper edges being open and that part of the wrapper adjacent the blade ends being restricted in flatwise coverage of the blade sufiiciently to permit such engagement.

An efiective packaging arrangement is one in which the blades are frictionally held in fixed position within their respective wrappers by pressure means exerted on the stack. Such means,

preferably a spring, is also the means for keeping one end of the stack in such position that there is always a blade available opposite the delivery opening. The wrapper may be waxed paper, Cellophane or other sheet material. It may be of rectangular shape substantially the same length as the blade but extending beyond the lateral cutting edges. Preferably the dimensions in length and width of the wrapper when folded are respectively substantially the same as, or slightly less than, the corresponding inside dimensions of the container.

The container may be made of any suitable material such as heavy cardboard, paper or sheet metal. A desirable metal container is one formed of two parts which fit and lock together. One of these parts, the floor section, may include the pressure means in the form of a pair of lifting springs struck up from the metal surface. The other or roof section may be provided with a finger hole for frictional engagement with the outermost blade to facilitate its removal through the delivery opening.

In order further to insure that each blade shall remain in fixed position within its wrapper, the container itself may be formed to limit the movement of the blades in one lateral direction and the wrapper may be shaped or formed to limit such movement in the opposite direction. Such a wrapper may be cut in various ways. Preferably it would have a pair of wing extensions bent at the corners to engage the blade shoulders. This bent condition may be maintained by cutting the wings with a slightly greater spread than the lengthwise dimension of the container.

The container may be one compartment of a two compartment box. In one of these compartments new blades'would preferably be vertically disposed. The other compartment would be suitable for used blades.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is an illustration indicating the manner inwhich the package is used; Fig. 2, an enlarged view of the package; Figs. 3 and 4 are mid-sectional views on lines 3-3 and 3-4, respectively, Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view from bottom showing a spring construction; Fig. 6, a view of a blade placed on its wrapper before folding; and. Figs. '7 to 12 are illustrations of an alternative construction, of which Fig. 7 is a general view of the package; Fig. 8, an enlarged sectional view on line 88, Fig. 9; Fig. 9, an enlarged sectional view on line 9-9, Fig. 8; Fig. 10, a view of a transparent wrapper with enclosed blade; Fig. 11, a view of such wrapper before folding; and Fig. 12, a sectional view on line l2-I2, Fig. 10.

A suitable packaging construction for the in-. vention may include a box comprising a roof section I and a floor section 2 fitting together and interlocking in a manner hereinafter explained in connection with the alternative construction. At the upper level of the box front 3 is a delivery opening 4 and the roof has a semi-circular opening 5 adjacent the delivery opening. Integral with the floor of the box are a pair of springs 6 struck out upwardly from the metal and pressing against a stack 1 of razor blades 8. The blades, each with its individual single-fold wrapper 9, substantially fill the space within the box above the springs. The springs maintain frictional, non-slipping contact between the blades and their wrappers and always keep one blade adjacent the delivery opening. As shown in Fig. 6 the wrapper in one dimension is substantially the same as the length of the blade and in the other dimension, when folded, a little wider than the blade. The folded wrapper thus extends slightly beyond both cutting edges. The blank for this wrapper is substantially rectangular. It may be scalloped slightly as shown at [0 to better expos the unsharpened ends ll of the blades. The edge I2, along which the wrapper is folded, is located adjacent the delivery opening, when the blades are stacked in the box.

The mode of operation is indicated in Fig. 1. With the package held in the fingers of one hand, the outermost blade is thumbed out and held momentarily, as there shown, in the other hand. As the wrapper is open on three sides, the blade may then be grasped with the fingers of the first hand at the end extensions II and slid outwardly through the third open side [3, after which, without changing the grip on the blade or otherwise at any time touching the blade, it may be placed immediately in the razor holder. This arrangement thus provides a wrapper individual to each blade, which fully covers and protects the blade, while in the package and on removal therefrom, from moisture and mechanical damage, and yet requires no unwrapping to get hold of it in the correct manner for safe and accurate placement in the holder.

In the alternative construction the blades 8a, here shown of different contour from that of the blades 8 (Fig. 6), are similarly protected by a single-fold wrapper 9a but these wrappers are of special configuration as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. Here the blades are interlocked with their wrappers by wing extensions l4, M which spread outwardly a distance somewhat greater than the longitudinal dimension of the box. Thus when stacked and assembled in the box, as best shown in Figs. 8 and 12, these wings bend inwardly, and interlock with the shoulders of the blades. This insures against any possible slippage of the blades towards the folded edge l2. This special wrapper is also reduced in size at the open corners I5 to expose the shoulders [6 of the blades and the box construction is such that the stack of blades thus wrapped is supported at these shoulders, thus insuring against slippage of the blades within their wrappers in the opposite direction, i. e.,' towards the open lateral edges of the L wrappers. In the construction here shown, the box is enlarged to provide for a used-blade compartment. A partition I! separates the new-blade and used-blade compartments. A similar spring construction to that previously described may be provided by forming the springs 6a'of struck out portions of the partition. The delivery opening 4a is enlarged at the corners l8 to accommodate the bent over wing portions of the wrappers when the blades are being withdrawn. In order to support the blade stack at the shoulders IS, the box is constructed with shelves l9. These shelves may be part of the floor section of the box as is also the partition H. The floor section interlocks with the roof section by means of struck out nobs 20 that engage openings 2| along the lower edge of the roof section. An entrance opening 22 is provided along the upper rear edge of the box for the admission of blades into the used-blade compartment 23.

I claim:

1. A dispensing package comprising a stack of safety razor blades of generally rectangular contour, each having unsharpened end edges and at least one longitudinally extending sharpened edge, a conforming container for the stack with means for advancing one blade after another to a dispensing position therein, said container having an opening at said position of sufficient expanse to permit the blades to be withdrawn edgewise in a direction transverse to the longitudinal edges thereof, and a single fold wrapper for each blade substantially covering the flat surfaces of the blade and having its folded edge overlapping a longitudinal edge thereof, said wrapper being open at the other longitudinal blade edge and restricted in its coverage at the blade ends sufficiently to permit edgewise finger engagement thereat when the blade is withdrawn from the-container and sliding it out through the open longitudinal edge of the wrapper under the control of such engagement.

2. A dispensing package comprising a stack of safety razor blades of generally rectangular contour, each having unsharpened end edges and at least one longitudinally extending sharpened edge, a conforming container for the stack with means for advancing one blade after another to a dispensing position therein, said container having an opening at said position of sulficient expanse to permit the blades to b withdrawn edgewise in a direction transverse to the longitudinal edges thereof, said blades being stacked in the container with sharpened edges thereof adjacent said dispensing opening, and a single fold wrapper for each blade substantially covering the fiat surfaces of the blade and having its folded edge overlapping the sharpened edge adjacent the opening, said wrapper being open at the other longitudinal blade edge and restricted in its coverage at the blade ends sufficiently to permit edgewise finger engagement thereat when the blade is withdrawn from the container and sliding it out through the open longitudinal edge of the wrapper under the control of such engagement.

3. The package according to claim 2, characterized by blades of a type having reentrant cuts at the corners thereof and by a wrapper having wing portions at the two ends of its folded edge bent to engage the edges of the blade at said reentrant cuts.

JOHN G. ROBERTS.

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