US3052979A - Safety razor - Google Patents

Description

F. GRASSAU SAFETY RAZOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 livre-Nro? ,ff/,wz GRASS/20 QW u i111: llllllllll 11 [llllllllllnllilll'lllll I fa 111111 l l l i l l l l i l l I I l 11 .1 1, .111.1 1111111111:.11 1H 1MM/,wwwa

sept. 11, 1962 Filed April l5, 1959 Sept. 11, 1962 F. GRAssAu 3,052,979

SAFETY RAZOR Filed April 15, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet-2 fan 22 f;a

/Z 9 JP3 United States Patent ffice 3,652,979 Patented Sept. 11, 1962 3,052,979 SAFETY RAZOR Franz Grassau, Solingen, Germany, assignor to Firma Rud. Osberghaus, Solingen, Germany Filed Apr. 15, 1959, Ser. No. 806,667 Claims priority, application Germany May 17, 1958 3 Claims. (Cl. 30-67) The present invention relates to razors in general, and more particularly to a safety razor which is formed with a fully detachable clamping plate.

Certain previously proposed safety razors of this general character comprise a handle which is either threadedly connectable with the one or both bllade holders or is releasably iixed thereto by a bayonet lock or the like. The separation and reassembly of so connected component parts of known razors frequently require rather lengthy manipulation by the user and do not always insure proper retention of a blade between the holders.

According to another prior proposal, the clamping plate of the safety razor is formed with a shaft which is insertable into the handle to be engaged and releasably retained by one or more hooks pivotably or otherwise installed in the hollow body of the handle. A serious drawback of such razors is in that the shaft is subjected to lateral forces tending to incline it with respect to the longitudinal axis of the handle and to thus prevent proper retention of a razor blade. In addition, such prior razors always require that the clamping plate and its shaft be bodily separated from the handle and that the vblade be removed wherever the razor is to be cleaned regardless of whether or not the razor blade requires replacement.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an improved safety razor whose clamping plate is releasably held in the handle by two flat springs which subject the clamping plate to symmetrically distributed forces and thus maintain the bllade in proper position with respect to its back support and the clamping plate.

Another object of the invention is to provide a safety razor of the above outlined characteristics which is so constructed that the clamping or blade retaining plate is instantaneously separable from the handle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safety razor which is so constructed that a blade held therein need not be bodily removed if a mere rinsing or cleaning but no replacement thereof is desired.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved safety razor which is so constructed that the clamping plate is automatically movable away from the back support to expose both sides of the razor blade.

A yet further object of the invention is to provide a safety razor which embodies resilient means for automatically moving the clamping plate a given distance away from the back support and thus facilitates rinsing of the blade Without requiring complete separation of the clamping plate from the handle.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a safety razor of the type as above set forth which is so constructed as to prevent rotation of the blade when the razor is in position ready for cleaning of the blade.

A concomitant object of the present invention is to provide a safety razor which may be conveniently manufactured of readily available metallic or plastic materials, which is reliable in use in that it can hold the blade in a single fixed position in which it is ready for application to the skin, which is of very simple construction, which can accommodate different types of razor blades, and which may be assembled or separated into its component parts within extremely short periods of time.

The above and certain other objects of `the invention are attained by the provision of a safety razor which comprises essentially a handle preferably consisting of two releasably joined shells which define an elongated bore therebetween and each of which is formed with a lather bar, these bars constituting a back support for the razor blade and the bore in the handle having an open forward end; a clamping plate for the blade preferably formed With a shaft extendable through the blade and into the open end of the bore to be longitudinally slidably received in the handle; two at springs the rst of which is connected to and is mounted in the handle, and the second of which is connected to the shaft or directly to the clamping plate and is adapted to be releasably engaged by the first spring to maintain the clamping plate in such position with respect to the back support that a razor blade is properly retained therebetween; and means for separating the springs to permit complete or only partial withdrawal of the second spring whereby the razor blade can be replaced if the second spring member is fully withdrawn, or rinsed if the second spring is only partially withdrawn from the handle. One spring is formed with a pair of symmetrically arranged prongs Whose claw-like extensions are movable toward and away from each other, and the other spring is formed with a preferably lance head shaped end which constitutes retaining means receivable between the extensions of aforementioned prongs to in such manner maintain the clamping plate in blade retaining position. Both springs are deformable from a neutral position in which they are preferably coplanar in directions substantially at right angles to each other, i.e. the spring which is formed with the lance head shaped end can be deflected in directions at right angles to the plane of aforementioned prongs, and the releasing or separating means preferably comprises an Vactuating element in the form of a V spring biased push-button whose stem is movable into me interior of the hollow handle substantially at right angles to the latters longitudinal axis to deform the one or the other sp-ring and to thus separate the lance head shaped end from the extensions of prongs on the other spring. When the pronged spring is connected to the shaft of or directly to the clamping plate, the distant end of the other spring may but need not extend all the way to the rear end of the handle. On the other hand, when the pronged spring is permanently held in the handle, the handle may be formed with a bridge-like retaining portion at a point intermediate its ends to hold the pronged spring in requisite position in which the extensions of its prongs engage in tong-like fashion with the lance head shaped end of the other spring which is then fixed to the shaft of or directly to the clamping plate and thus maintains the clamping plate in blade retaining position adjacent to the back support.

That spring which is connected to the shaft of, or directly to the clamping plate may be automatically at least partially ejected from the hol'low handle by so forming the extensions of both prongs that, while disengaged by the push-button from the lance head shaped end of .the other spring and while moving toward each other owing to their innate resiliency, they slide along the stem of the push-button to impart an outwardlyl directed impetus to the spring connected with the clamping plate which impetus is suiiicient to move the clamping plate away from the back support and to permit rinsing of both sides but no actual removal of the razor blade. The handle may ybe formed with suitable internal stops engaging with that spring which is connected to the shaft of or directly to the clamping plate in order to prevent complete automatic ejection of the clamping plate. Full withdrawal of the shaft of the clamping plate and/or of the spring connected thereto from the handle is possible by simply overcoming the frictional retaining force of the last mentioned spring whereupon a dull blade may be replaeed by a new one.

If the at spring which is formed with the lance head shaped end is connected to the shaft of or directly to the clamping plate, a'resilient member, e.g. a small leaf spring, may be riveted'or otherwise connected at least to one major surfaeeozf'thxe tiat spring and so disposed as to operate between a pair of stops and a pair of shoulders provided in the bore of the handle, the shoulders deforming and thus storing energy in the resilient members when the safety razor is fully assembled, and the stops engaging with the resilient members upon depression ofthe push-button and subsequent movement of the clamping plate in a direction away from the handle due to the release of energy stored in the deformed resilient members.

lf the'clamping plate comprises a distinct shaft, the shaft is preferably `of such configuration as to prevent rotation ofthe lrazor blade thereon and also to be nonrotat-ably but longitudinally slidably receivable in the open endY of the bore formed in the hollow handle in order to Amove the iiat spring connected thereto into proper engagement with the other flat spring.

` The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as toits construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of two specic embodiments when read in connection withv the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG.` l is a part front elevational and part sectional view of a safety razor constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the razor being shown in fullyl assembled position ready for use;

VFIG. 2 is aV side elevational View of the safety razor with the upper half shown in longitudinal section taken substantially at right angles to the section of FIG. l;

f FIG. 3 is a transverse section taken on line III-III of PIG. 1, as seen in the direction of arrows;

FIG. 4 illustratesV a modified safety razor in part front elevational and part sectional view similar to that of PIG. 1;

l FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the modiiied safety razor with the upper part thereof in longitudinal section taken substantially at right angles to the section of PIG.

Y4; and

FIG. 6 is a transverse section taken on line VI-VI of lFIG. 4, as seen in the direction of arrows.

Referring now in lgreater detail Vto the illustrated embodiments, and rst to that shown in FIGS. and 2, there is illustrated a safety razor which comprises a hollow handle or handgrip means 1 consisting of two halves or shells 1a, 1b assembled in mirror reverse and releasabily joinedby threaded bolts 1c, A1d and 1e.

Each of shells 1a, 1b is connected to or integrally formed with a guard member. err-lather bar 2a, 2b, respectively, the lather bars 2a, 2b constituting a composite back ysupport 2.fror the non-represented rarzor blade and being held together by aforementioned bolts 1c, 'ld'. This back support is located at the open forward end of the handle 1. bolt 1e releasably joins the rear ends of shellsv and 1b. A conventional razor blade may be pressed.r against the, exposed surface of composite back supportV 2 by cover or clamping plate 3 of customary design whichr is. integrally formed with or rigidly connected to a com. paratively short shaft 4, preferably, of non-circular cross-Y sectional contour, which projects into the hollow handle 1.

' isadapted to be passed through a razor blade and supports a lforked at spring l4:1Which is formedwith two arms orY prongs 5 and 6. These prongs are symmetrically arranged with respect to the longitudinal axis A of the composite handle 1. Of course, the spring 4a may be conneeted directly to the clamping plate 3 andthe shaft 4 omitted. Also, shaft, 4 may be formed integrally with prongs 5, 6, if desired. The spring 4a is received in a longitudinal slot formed in the free `end of shaft 4 and is retained therein by a pin 7. Prongs 5, 6 extend from the shaft `4 in a direction away from the clamping plate 3 and are movable toward and away from eachother when subjected to deforming iforces substantially at right angles to the axis A.Y A

The free ends of prongs S, 6 are formed with inwardly oriented hookor clawlike extensions 8, 9 respectively,

Vwhich latter normally engage with suitably inclined surfaces 1de, 1% of a retaining means 10. This retaining means preferably assumes the shape of a lance head and constitutes the free end of a second flat spring 11 which is located in the bore formed between shells 1a, 1b of the handle =1 and is retained therein by the aforementioned bolt 1e. Flat spring v11 is coplanar With the spring 4a and hence with the prongs 5, 6 so that its lance head shaped end 10 automatically enters between and its inclined surfaces ltla, 1Gb are engaged by the extensions 8, 9 when the clamping plate 3 is adjacent to back support 2.

Adjacent to the lather bars 2a, 2b, the shells 1a, 1b are formed with aligned internal concave recesses 12, 13 whose configuration is complementary t0 that of convex outer surfaces 14, 1S, respectively on resilient prongs `5, 6. The walls surrounding the recesses 12, -13 constitute two stops and are in the path of the prongs 5, 6 and, by coming into frictional engagement with the latters outer surfaces 1'4, 15, the walls of recesses 12, 13 normally prevent complete withdrawal of the clamping plate 3 and of lits shaft 4 from the hand-le 1, though such co-mplete withdrawal is possible if the expanding force of prongs 5, 6 is overcome by pulling the clamping plate 3 in the ldirection of axis A and away from handle 1, i.e. if the prongs 5, 6 are caused to move toward each other suiciently to permit their withdrawal lfrom the recesses 12, 13 and through the open end of the bore formed between shells 1a, 1b.

The resilient yconnection between prongs 5, 6 and the lance head shaped end 10 may be released by a pushbutton like actuating element :16 which is constantly biased by -a coil spring 16a received in an external recess 1a? formed in shell 1a and bearing against the inner side of push-button '16 on the one hand, and against an annular flange 1a, of shell 1a on the other hand. The extent to which the push-button 16V may be displaced in outward direction by the coil spring 16a is controlled by a disk 16h which is fixed to the stem y17 of the push-button 16. The free end of stem "17 is adjacent to the lance head shaped end 10 or to that portion of the ii-at spring 11 which is adjacent to the lance head shaped end 10. Though the ilat spring 11 is normally located in a plane passing through the axis A` of the handle 1, it can be displaced by stem 17 to move the lance head shaped end 10 out of engagement with the extensions 8, 9 of prongs 5, 6 respectively. The extensions 8, 9 are `formed with inclined cam surfaces 18, 19, respectively, which latter, by sliding along the preferably Icircular periphery of stem17,impartA any outwardly Vdirected impetus to the shaft 4 and to the clamping platey 3 toremove the clamping plate from con- 'tact with the razor blade. Thus, the prongs 5, 6, whose resilient force normally urges their extensions 8, `9 toward each other, bring about retention of the clampingV plate 3 in the position of FIGS. l and, 2 when the pushfbutton, 16 is held in one extreme position, by its spring 16a andthe, Claws S., 9 engage with the lance head Shaped. end 1 0, and the` prongs also Cause mpvements ofthe clamping Plaie 3.0UtWafd1Y and aWfY imm, COIDPOSQ back SUPRQE 2 when the push-.button 16 is depressed into another en?. treme. position against the force of spring16a and the in. clined clam surfaces `18, 19 slide along the periphery. ofl

the stem 17. As before mentioned, the extent to whichVV the clamping plate 3 is movable away from composite back support 2 is normally limited by the stops constituted bythe walls ofthe concave recesses 112., 13l which receive the convex outer surfaces y14, 15 of prongs 5, 6, respectively.

In such position of the safety razor, the blade and parts 2, 3 may be conveniently rinsed or otherwise cleaned after each use of the razor. It is preferred to impart to shaft 4 a configuration which prevents a blade from rotating thereabout when the razor is about to be rinsed.

When it is desired to exchange the blade, a user simply extracts the shaft 4 against the retaining force of prongs 5 and 6 whose outer surfaces 14, 15 are thus withdrawn from their respective recesses 12, 13 in a direction away from the lance head shaped end and through the open forward end of the lbore in the handle 1. After a new blade has been placed against the inner side of the clamping plate 3 or onto the outer side of the back support 2, the shaft 4 and the resilient prongs 5, 6 are reinserted into the hollow handle 1 and are moved in the latter until the extensions 3, 9 again engage with the inclined cam surfaces 100, 10b of the lance head shaped end 10.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 differs from that of FIGS. l and 2 in that the mounting of the dat spring which is formed with the lance head shaped end and of the other spring which is formed with clawed resilient prongs is reversed. As in the first described embodiment, the modied safety razor compr-ism a hollow handle 101 consisting of two shells 101zz, 101b, these shells forming a bore and comprising lather bars 10241, 102b, respectively, these lather bars constituting the back support 102 for the razor blade when the shells 101a, 101b are joined by threaded bolts 101C, 101d and 101e. The back support 102 is adapted to cooperate with a clamping plate 103 for retention of a non-represented razor blade therebetween.

A at spring 120, corresponding in function to the flat spring 11 of FIGS. l and 2, is connected to the shaft 104 of the clamping plate 103 by retaining pins 121 and 122, and extends into the hollow handle 101 when the safety razor is in assembled position and ready for use. The free end of the spring 120 constitutes a retaining means and is formed as a lance head 123 similar to the end 10 of the spring 11 shown in FIGS. l and 2.

Intermediate their forward and rear ends, shells 101a, 101b are formed with internal webs 124a, 12417, respectively, these webs forming a bridge for one end of a pronged dat spring 125 which is received between the adjacent faces of webs 124a, 124b and is xed thereto by a transversely inserted screw or pin 126. The spring 125 is formed with a pair of prongs 127, 128 which extend toward the back support 102 and comprise clawor hooklike extensions 129, 130, respectively. The extensions 129, 130 normally cooperate in tong fashion with one set of oppositely inclined cam surfaces 123a, 123b on the lance head shaped end 123 to retain the clamping plate D 103 in the position of FIGS. 4 and 5 when the safety razor is in actual use.

The construction and function of push-button like actuating element 116, of its stem 117, and of the coil spring 116a is identical with that of the parts 16, 17 and 16a described in connection with FIGS. l and 2. When the push-button 116 is depressed substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the handle 101 (corresponding to the axis A of the handle 1 shown in FIG. l) and against the force of constantly acting spring 116:1, the free end of its stem 117 engages the lance head shaped end 123 or the adjacent reduced neck portion of the at spring 120 and disconnects the latter from extensions 129, 130 to permit withdrawal of the clamping plate 103 in a direction away from the back support 102. Such withdrawal of the clamping plate 103 and of its shaft 104 is assisted to a certain extent by pronigs 127, 12S Whose extensions 129, 130 then slide along the periphery of stem 117 and bring about a certain upward movement of flat spring 120 due to the tendency of prongs 127, 128 to move further toward each other when in fully unstressed condition. Thus, the function of stem 117 is to deform the flat spring 120 lby moving it out of the plane of prongs 127, 128 which latter are movable toward and 6 away from each other in directions at right angles .to those in which the spring 120 is deformable.

An additional impetus in upward direction may be imparted to the assembly of parts 103, 104, 120 and 123 by a pair of comparatively small resilient members here shown as leaf springs 131, 132 (shown in FIG. 5) which are iixed to the at spring 120 `by a rivet 133 or the like. The inner surfaces of shells 101a, 101b in the bore of handle 101 are formed with symmetrically disposed shoulders 134, 135, respectively, which subject the resilient members 131, 132 to a certain tension and thus store energy therein when the shaft 104 is fully inserted into the handle 101 and the lance head shaped end 123 is retained by extensions 129, 130 of respective resilient prongs 127, 128. As soon as the stem 117 releases the lance head shaped end 123, the energy stored in the resilient members 131, 132 causes movement of the clamping plate 103 away from the back support 102. The extent of outward movement of shaft 104 and of the at spring 120 is preferably limited by the conave walls of two aligned recesses 136, 137 formed in shells 101a, 101b, respectively, these walls constituting two stops against which the resilient members 131, 132 abut when the razor blade is freely accessible for rinsing, i.e. when clamping plate 103 has been moved a requisite distance away from the back support 102. The exchange of a razor blade can occur upon complete withdrawal of shaft 104 and of flat spring 120 from the bore of handle 101, such withdrawal being possible by merely overcoming the force with which the resilient members 131, 132 bear against the stops represented by the walls of recesses 136, 137, respectively.

The shells 1a, 1b or 101a, 1011; of handle 1 or 101, as well as the back support 2 or 102 may be manufactured of any of a great variety of metallic or synthetic plastic materials, while the clamping plate 3 or 103 preferably, but not necessarily, consists of a metallic material. It will be understood that the resilient retention of the clamping plate 3 or 103 in razor blade holding position with respect to the back support 2 or 102 can be effected by an assembly utilizing cam-shaped means somewhat diiferent from the lance head shaped end 10 or 123, and also that the safety razor may be manufactured in many dilerent colors, sizes and in many different congurations to enhance its appearance and to thus increase its sales appeal. Moreover, it is also possible to install the pushbutton 16 or 116 in a position to act against the prongs 5, 6 or 127, 128 instead of deforming that spring which carries the lance head shaped end.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A safety razor comprising an elongated hollow handle having an open end and a back support at said open end; a clamping plate; a rst flat spring connected to said clamping plate and insertable into said handle; a second flat spring mounted in, xed to, and extending toward the open end of said handle, one of said springs comprising a pair of resilient prongs tending to move toward each other, each prong having an inclined cam surface, said springs coplanar when the rst spring is inserted into said handle, the other spring comprising a substantially lance right angles to the plane of said prongs; and la spring biased push button carried by and comprising a rounded stem adjacent to, said lance head shaped end and extendable into the interior of said handle for deforming said `other spring sufficiently to disengage said lance head shaped end from said prongs whereupon the cam surfaces of said prongs slide along said stem while the prongs move toward each other to automatically displace the clamping plate in a direction away from said back support.

2. A safety razor comprising an elongated handle having a bore with an open end, a back support for a razor blade adjacent to said open end, and at least 4one stop provided in said bore, adjacent to said open end; a clamping plate having a shaft longitudinally slidably insertable into the open end of said handle; a rst flat spring connected to and having a pair of symmetrically disposed prongs extending from said shaft in a direction away from said clampingr plate, said spring received in said bore when the shaft is inserted into said open end and each prong having inwardly facing extension and an outer surface, said prongs beingY deformable in directions to move said extensions toward and away from each other; a at spring mounted in, fixed to, and having a'lance head shaped end, said springs coplanar and said lance head shaped end having a pair `of oppositely inclined surfaces engaging with saidv extensions to hold the irst spring in the handle when the clamping plate is adjacent to said support for retaining with the latter a razor blade therebetween, said second spring deformable in directions at n'ght 'angles to those inV whichY said prongs are deformable; means comprising a spring biased push-button carried by and extendable into the bore of said handle for deflecting the second spring sufficiently to disengage said lance head shaped end from said extensions whereupon the shaft is freely slidable. in said bore in a direction away from said lance head; Shaped end until the outer surface of one of said prongs comes into abutment with said stop, the shaft being adapted to be fully withdrawn from said bore by deforming said one prong suiciently to move the same along and beyond said stop; and means provided on said pushbutton for automatically moving the rst spring into abutment with said stop. Y

3. A safety razor comprising in combination, a hollow handle having an open end, a back support for a razor blade at said open end, and an internal bridge spaced from said back support; a clamping plate; a rst flat spring connected to and extending from said clamping plate and insertable through the open end of and into said handle; a second at spring mounted in said handle and xed to said internal bridge thereof, said second spring extending toward said open end and both said springs having means for releasably engaging each other to hold the irst spring in the handle when the clamping plate is adjacent to said back support; means including an yactuating element carried by and extendable into the interior of said handle for defiecting one of said springs suciently to disengage said springs, whereupon the first spring may be withdrawn from said handle to move the clamping plate away from said back support; and means for automatically moving the clamping plate away from the back support when the springs 4are disengaged from each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,879,900 Hofmann Sept. 27, 1932 1,980,202 Hofmann Nov. 13, 1934 2,023,564 Winn Dec. 10, 1935 v 2,046,006 Taylor June 30, 1936 [2,052,395 Geissler Aug. 25,1936

FOREIGN PATENTS 807,922 France Oct. 26, 1936 827,460 Germany Ian. 10, 1952

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