US2602220A - Self-sharpening safety razor - Google Patents

Description

y 3, 1952 B. M. EWING SELF-SHARPENING SAFETY RAZOR 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Aug. 13, 1948 July 8, 1952 a. M. EWING SELF-SHARPENING SAFETY RAZOR Filed Aug. 13, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Patented July 8, 1952 2,602,220 SELF-SHARPENING SAFETY RAZOR Benton Montgomery Ewing,

Self- Sharpening Razor Oomassignor to Ewing Farmingdal e, N. Y.,

pany, Pasadena, Calif., a'oorporation of California Application August 13, 1948, Serial No. 44,065

15 Claims.

This invention relates to razors and more particularly to a self-sharpening safety razor.

An object of the invention is to eliminate the need for constant replacement of blades in a device of the safety razor type by providing means whereby opposite faces of the blade edge may be sharpened at will and which, after the sharpening operationyrnay be positionedin such relationship to the edge of the blade as to function as a guard during the shaving operation."

A further object of the invention is to so arrange the sharpening means in conjunction with the blade that a uniform honing action across the entire face of each side of the blade is obtained during the sharpening operation. An important feature in conjunction with this phase of the invention resides in the manner in which the blade edge is urged yieldingly under uniform pressure against the surface of the honing or sharpening element during the sharpening operation, the pressure being equal during the sharpening of each side of the blade to thus insure uniformity of edge.

Still another important feature of the invention resides in the'manner in which the honing element is formed toprovide an even-wiping action against the surface of the blade as the honing surface moves across it longitudinally and transversely at a uniform speed, going from one side of the blade to the other consecutively as each face of the blade is sharpened. This precludes the possibility of uneven edging ofthe blade due to variations in the surface of the honing element contacting the blade edge.

Still another important object of the invention is to associate the various component elements of the composite razor in such manner that they may be easily assembled and disassembled, providing a minimumnumber of'parts and encompassing them all within a minimum space. 1

Still another object of the invention is to lengthen the life of the sharpening element or honing surface to the point where the same will provide an efficient and accurate blade contact surface for an indefinite period of time without any reduction in the effectiveness of its sharpening function.

Still another object of the invention is to so associate the honing element with the blade that movement of the elementacross the blade is at all times in a direction away from the blade edge and never toward the opposite edge of the blade along which the same is mounted in the-holder. This facilitates accurate ingof the edge as well as smooth operation of the sharpening device itself.

Various other objectshand meritorious features of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the and uniform sharpendrawings, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several figures, and wherein: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a front elevation; Fig. 4 is a section along 4-4 of Fig. 3; -Fig. 5 is a section along 5-5 of Fig. 1 illustrating .the action of the sharpening element;

Fig. 6 is a section through 6-45 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of a modified form;

Fig. 8' Ba side elevation of the form illustrated inFig.7; 1

Fig. 9 is a front elevation thereof, and i Fig. 10 is a section through Ill-l0 of Fig. 9. Referring'now to Figs. 1'-6' representing the preferred embodiment of the invention, the razor comprises a handle H! which may be corrugated or fluted as illustrated to facilitate manual gripping thereof, together with an arcuate throat por- 2 tion l2 terminating in a head broadly designated by the numeral l4 and consisting preferably of end walls [6 and I8 joined by an arcuate member 20 forming top, rear and bottom walls.

Pivoted between the end walls l6 and I8 by means of shaft 22 which is preferably press-fitted in openings provided in the end walls is a blade holder 24, between the lips 26 and 28 of which one edge of a blade 25 is secured. Securement of the blade between the lips of the holder may be by means of a friction fit, thus facilitating replacement of the blade in the event that such replacement became desirable, or the blade may be secured between 30.

The blade flatted as indicated at 32 intermediate its ends and against this flatted portion 32 of the holder one end 34 of a spring leaf 36 is adapted to'bear. The other end of spring leaf 36 is secured to the under'face of throat I2 by means of ascrewr38 passing through an opening in the spring'end' and threaded into the body of the throat. .The underside of the throat I2 is somewhat enlarged as indicated at 4|] in Fig. 4 for reception of the threaded end of screw 38 and to crum about which the spring 36 may rock. A coil spring 42 surrounds screw 38 and seats at one end against its head and at the other against the spring leaf 36, thus tending to maintain the spring in a normal or neutral position.

Rotatably mounted between side walls l6 and I 8 by means of apin 44 extending through open ings therein in a sharpening element 46 comprising a solid roller composed entirely of aluminum slotted axially as indicated at 41 on one side of its axis of rotation about the pin 44. A ridge 48 one end of the spiral lying at one end of one side of vthe axial slot and the other end of the spiral the lips by means of rivets holder 24 mounted on shaft 22. is-

provide a ful-- acoaeo 3 lying at the'other end of the other'side' of slot, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3.-

The surface opening of slot 41 comprises but a small portion of the cylindrical surface of the roller. However, the base of the slotted portion is cut back arcuately under the surface of the the roller on each side of the axis of rotation as indicated at 50 and 52 for reasons which will be described more clearly hereinafter.

The fiatted surface 32 at the rear of blade holder 24 is such that it lies in a plane normal to the axis of rotation of roller 46 when the pivotally mounted blade lies in a plane which is substantially radial with reference to the axis 44 of roller rotation. The outer end 34 of leaf spring 35 which bears against this flatted surface tendsnormally to retain the blade in that position, but is yieldable on pivotal movement of the blade in either direction to permit such pivotal movement against the bias of the spring leaf.

At one end of roller 4t and adjacent the axial passage through which pin 44 extends is an opening 54 which forms a seat for'the extremity 56 of pin 44 which is offset or .reversely curved upon itself as indicated at 58. A manipulating'knob Si is soldered or otherwise secured to the opposite end of pin 44 and the axial play of the pin in side walls [6 and I8 is such that the offset or reversely turned end 56 maybe moved in and out of seat 54 in the end of the roller when such seat is in alignment with a correspondingly sized opening in wall [8 of the razor head.

Whenthe pin 44 has been'moved to one ex: tremity of its permissible movement, which is determined by the limiting stop formed by the knob Bathe offset end 56 of the pin does not engage the roller and the roller is free to rotate. On movement. of the pin to its other extreme of movement, after the roller has been set in a position to align the seat 54 with the opening in side Wall [8, the roller is held against, rotation.

The, seat 54 in roller 46 is so located that when pin44is moVed axially to seat the offset end 55 and hold the roller against rotation, the blade 25. is supported by the inner edge or lip of slot 47, the actual cutting edge of the blade extending slightlybeyond the margin of the lipas clearly indicated in Figs. 2, 4 and 5. Thus the lip of the roller slot functions as a seat for the blade and as a guide during the shaving operation. If desired the lip upon which the blade isjsupported in this position might be provided with a series of spaced protrusions across its entire margin to function as. a conventional guard against the possibility of cutting the skin during the shaving operation. 7

When the knob 6t ispushed in to movev the pin 44 in such manneryas to free the roller for rotation, the blade may be readily sharpened by running the roller back and forth across a flat surface suchas the hand a distance sufficient to cause several rotations of the roller in each direction. The sharpening action is most clearly illustrated in Fig. wherein thepositio'nthe blade assumes during? rotation in each direction is shown. In one direction of rotation one face of the blade edge is sharpened and in the other direction of rotation the other face 'of the blade edge is sharpened.

When the trailing edgeof slot 47 on either direction of rotation passes off the edge of the blade, the bias of spring 36 tends tosnap the blade back into radial position where itis' ready for contact with the leading edge of slot 41 on continued rotation of the sharpening roller. As

a matter of fact, the leading edge of the roller during rotation in either direction will catch the blade before it has had sufficient time to snap entirely b ack to its normal radial position. The tendency to normally assume a radial position, together with the arcuate roller cutbacks 5b and 552, permits a relationship between sharpening roller and razor blade such that the leading edge of the roller during sharpening never moves upwardly across the blade from the edge toward the .blade holder. On each contact of the leading edge of slot 47 during the sharpening operation the movement of such edge, on contact with the blade, is outwardly toward the edge of the blade being sharpened.v This greatly facilitates the sharpening action and insures against obtaining a feathered edge by virtue of a honing action in two directions along the blade during rotation of the sharpening roller in a single direction. 7 v

Sharpening rollers per se are not novel, but the roller constituting a portion of my invention is considerably improved in a number of respects. In the first place, I utilize the known self-oxidizing action of aluminum and take advantage of the fact that the oxidized surface of aluminum constitutes a highly effective. abrasive by providing a solid roller composed entirely of aluminum and having a spiral ridge 48'which is adapted to sweep across the cutting edge of the blade during rotation of the roller, the direction of sweep depending upon the direction of roller rotation. Inasmuch as only the width of the spiral ridge 48 is in contact with the blade edge during the sharpening action, the sharpening action is uniform across the entire width of the bladej There is no possibility of lack of uniformity in the honing action by reason of any accidental off set of the roller in its bearings or in the surface of the roller itself. The contact of thespiral ridge at each and every point of the blade edge is" side walls 68 and 70, the arms andsupported side walls constituting the head of the razor. A sharpening roller 12 like that already described is journaled betweengthe side walls of the head upon a pin similar to pin 44 and means simi lar to that already described is provided for looking the roller in shaving position or permitting free rotation thereof for sharpening purposes.

In this form the blade holder 15 is seated upon a pin 78 which projects beyond the end of the holder at each end, the protruding ends of the pin being adapted to seat in transversely aligned semi-circularbearings or notches 80 at the rear margins of the side walls and held in seated po sition therein by means of the bias of a spring 82, the flat end of which bearsagainst a flatted portion 84 on the rear face of blade holder 16. This fiatted portion maybe obtained by cutting away aportion of therear face of the blade holder centrally thereof. The end of spring ,82 which bears against the fiatted portion ,of the blade holder is provided with an elongated opening 83 through whicha pin 85 extendingaway from the fiatted or hearing portion of the'blade holder extends, thus limiting pivotal movement cate the spring and blade holder accurately with spring 82 and at 'flatted surface 84 of the blade holder and in this position locate the blade normally in a position substantially radial with reference to the roller, as described in conjunction with the otherembodiment.

By reasonof the spiral ridge on the surface of the sharpening roller, the abrasive moves-both transversely and longitudinally of the razor edge during honing or sharpening, the two components being in about a 50-50 ratio. The peripheral speed of the abrasive is increased, an important factor where a desirably light contact pressure is exerted on the blade.

The oxide abrasive film of the aluminum is constantly renewing itself after breaking down during the honing operation, an advantage inherent in the use of aluminum as an abrasive.

Arcuate cutbacks 50 and 52 in the roller provide clearance for the edge of the blade during its ivotal movement caused by rotation of the roller.

The slot 41 for that reason need not be so wide as if the walls thereof were radial of the roller. This feature permits use of a maximum of the cylindrical surface of the roller for sharpening purposes.

While I have described certain preferred embodiments of the invention, various modifications may be apparent to those skilled in the art and for that-reason I wish to be limited only within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A self-sharpening safety razor comprising a handle, a head, a blade holder pivotally mounted in the head and containing a blade, a shaft slidably mounted in said head and a sharpening roller rotatably journaled I thereon, said roller being longitudinally slotted for reception of the cutting edge ofthe blade, and yieldable means positioning said blade for sliding movement of the edge over the roller surface on rotation of the latter,

means on said shaft cooperating with said roller whereby sliding movement of the shaft locks the roller against rotation in one position and frees it for rotation in the other.

2. A self-sharpening safety razor comprising a handle, a head, a blade holder pivotally mounted in the head and containing a blade, a sharpening roller rotatably mounted in the head, said roller being longitudinally slotted for reception of the cutting edge of the blade, yieldable means normally positioning the blade in a plane substantially radial with respect to the roller when the blade lies freely within the slot, adjustable means secured to said head and cooperating with said yieldable means to position the same and vary its bias upon the blade holder, and releasable means for securing the roller against rotation to locate the blade edge in shaving position against the tension of said yieldable means.

3. A self-sharpening safety razor comprising a handle, a head, a blade holder pivotally mounted in the head and containing a blade, an aluminum roller rotatably mounted in the head, said roller being longitudinally slotted for reception of the roller rotatably mounted I tudinally slotted for reception of the cutting edge cutting edge of the blade, yieldable means nor-w mally positioning the blade in a plane substan tially radial with respect to the roller when the blade lies freely within the slot, adjustable means secured to said head and cooperating with said yieldable means to position the same and vary its bias upon the blade holder, and releasable means for securing the roller against rotation to locate the blade edge in shaving position against the tension of .said yieldable means.

4. A self-sharpening safety razor comprising a handle, a head, a blade holder pivotally mounted in the head and containing a blade, a sharpening in the head and longiof the blade, said roller having a spiral surface ridge extending from one end of oneslot margin to the other end of the opposite slot margin, yieldable means normally positioning the blade in a plane substantially radial with respect to the roller when the blade lies freely within the slot; adjustable means secured to said head and cooperating With saidyieldable means to position the same and vary its bias upon the blade holder, and releasable means for securing the roller against rotation to locate theblade edge in shaving position against the tension of said yieldable means. I

5. A self-sharpening safety razor comprising a handle, a head, a blade holder pivotally mounted in the head and containing a blade, a shaft slidably mounted in said head, a sharpening roller rotatably journaled on the shaft and longitudinally slotted for reception of the cutting edge of the blade, means on said shaft cooperating with said roller whereby sliding movement of the shaft locks the roller against rotation in one position and frees it for rotation in the other, yieldable means normally positioning the blade in a plane substantially radial with respect to the rollerwhen the blade lies freely within the slot, adjustable means secured to said head and cooperating with said yieldable means to position the same and vary itsbias upon the blade holder, and releasable means for securing the roller against rotation to locate the blade edge in shaving position against the tension of said yieldable means.

-6. A self-sharpening safety razor comprising a handle, a head, a blade holder pivotally mounted in the head and containing a blade, a sharpene ing roller rotatably mounted in the head and longitudinally slotted for reception of the cutting edge of the blade, the base portion of said slot being cut back arcuately on each side, yieldable means normally positioning the blade in a plane substantially radial with respect to the roller when the blade lies freely within the slot, adjustable means secured to said head and cooperatingwith said yieldable means to position the same and vary its bias upon the blade holder, and releasable means for securing the roller against rotation to locate the blade edge in shaving position against the tension of said yieldable means.

7. A self-sharpening safety razor comprising a handle, a head, a blade holder pivotally mounted in the head and containing a blade, a sharpening roller rotatably mounted'in the head, said roller being longitudinally slotted for reception of the cutting edgeof the blade, yieldable means normally positioning the blade in a plane substantially radial with respect to the the same and vary its bias upon the blade holder, releasable means mounted in said head and cooperating with the rollerto secure the same agai st rotation and locatefthe blade edge in shaving position against the tension of said yieldable 'ineans, and means for adjusting the tension of the yield'able blade positioning means.

'8. A self-sharpening safety razor comprising a handle, a head, a blade holder pivotally mounted in the head and containing a blade, 9; sharpening roller rotatably mounted in the head, said roller being longitudinally slotted fdr reception of the'cutting edge of the blade, yieldable means normally positioning the blade in a plane substantially radial with respect to theroller when theblade lies freely within the slot, adjustable rheans secured to said head and cooperating with said yieldable means to pds'ition the same and ary its bias upon the blade holder, releasable means for securing the roller against rotationto locate the blade edge in shaving position against the tension of said yieldable n'ieans, and yieldable means arranged to retain the blade holder firmly journaled in its pivotal bearing.

9. A self-sharpening safety razor comprising a handle, a head, a blade holder pivotally mounted in the head and containing a blade, a sharpen ing roller rotatably mounted in the head, said roller being longitudinally slotted for reception of the cuttingedge of the blade, yieldable means engageable with said holder, on opposite sides of and at points substantially equidistant from its pivotal axis, said yieldable means being operable to position the blade when not in contact with the roller ina plane passing within the com fines of the outer surface of said roller. I

lO The arrangement described in claim 9 wherein the sharpening roller has a spiral surface ridge extending from end of one slot inargin to the other end of the opposite slot margin.

11. A self-sharpening safety razor comprising a handle, a head, a blade holder pivoted on said head and containing a blade having a shaving edge, a sharpening roller jo'urnaled in said head and. longitudinally slotted for reception of the shaving edge of said blade, combined tensioning and positioning means engaging a portion on said blade holder on opposite sides of and at points substantially equidistant from its pivotal axis, said combined means being yieldable and operable to position the blade when not in con-'- tact with the roller in a plane passing within the confines of the outer surface of said roller and to offer substantially equal resistance to, deflection of said blade holder to either side of said plane, said means being untensioned when the blade lies iii-said plane 1 2. A self -sharpening safety razor conipris'ing'a handle, a head, a'blade holder pivotally mounted in the head'andcontaining a blade, a sharpening roller rotatably mounted in the head, said roller being longitudinally slotted for reception of the cutting edge of the blade, yieldable means normany positioning the blade in a plane substantially ra'dial with respect to the roller when the blade lies freely within the slot, said yieldable means being so correlated with the blade holder as to oiiers'ubs'tantially equal resistance to swinging movement of the blade in either direction away from said radial plane, and releasable means for "securing the roller against 'rotatibn to locate the blade edge in shaving position against the tension of said yieldable means.

13. A self-sharpening safety razor comprising a handle, a head, a blade holder pivotally mounted in'the head and containing a blade, an aluminum roller rotatably mounted in the head; said roller being longitudinally slotted for reception of the cutting edge of the blade, yieldable means normally positioning the blade in a plane substantially radial with respect to the roller when the blade lies freely within the slot, said yieldable means being so correlated with the blade holder as to offer substantially equal resistance to swinging movement of the blade in either direction away from said radial plane, and releasable means for securing the roller against rotation to locate the blade edge in shaving position against the tensich of said yieldable means.

14-. A self-sharpening safety razor comprising a handle, a head, a blade holder pivotally mount.- ed in the head and containing a blade, a sharpening roller rotatably mounted in the head and longitudinally slotted for reception of the cutting edge of the blade, said roller having a spiral suriace ridge extending from one end of one slot margin to the other end of the opposite slot margin, yieldable means normally positioning the blade in a planesubstantially radial with respect to the roller when the blade lies freely Within the slot, said yieldable means being so correlated with the blade holder as to ofier substantially-equal resistanceto swinging movement of the blade in either direc jon away from said radial plane, and releasable means for securing the roller against rotation to locate the blade edge in shaving position against the tension of said yieldable nieans.

15 A self-sharpening safety razor comprising a handle, a head, a blade holder pivotally mounted in the head and containing a blade, a substantially cylindricalsharpening roller composed entirely of aluminum rotatably mounted in the he ad and longitudinally slotted for receptionv of the cutting edge of the blade, the base portion of said slot being out back arcuately on each side, yieldable'r'neans normally positioningthe blade in a plane substantially radial with respect to the roller when the blade lies freely within the slot, said yieldable means being so correlated with the blade holder. as to offer substantially equal resistance to swinging movement of the blade in either direction away from said radial plane, and

releasable means for securing the roller against rotation to locate the blade edge in shaving position against the tensionofsaid yieldable means.

BENTON MONTGOMERY EWING. 7 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS lilumber,

h t t Name ;;Date 801,768 Cole l Oct. 10,1905 814,671 Gould Dec. 24, 1907 1,96 ,426 flronson July 17, 1934 1,978,933 Cook Oct. 30, 1934 2,032,739 De Haven Mar. 3, 1936 2,112,042 Muller Mar. 22, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 27,145 Great Britain Feb. 18, 1904-

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