To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Eugene G. Mergenthaler, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Razors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to safety razors and more particularly to improvements in the safety razor construction shown in Patent No, 973,533, granted to me October 25, 1910. One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved clamp for the working portion of the razor tape so that the clamp may be readily manipulated when the working portion of the blade is to be changed and so that the clamp may be securely held in place when the razor is used in shaving.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple adjustment guard member for the blade.

Another object is to form a blade magazine in the frame and integral therewith.

The above and other objects and the novel features of my invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal sectional view of a razor embodying my invention, the handle portion thereof being shown in elevation;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the razor, portions thereof being broken away and the clamping member being shown in unclamped position;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3—3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of a modified form of locking means employed to secure the clamping member in position ;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view on a smaller scale, of the handle construction shown in Fig. 4 on the line 5—5; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a roll of the razor tape used in the razor herein described, which in use is contained in a removable metal water-tight capsule.

Referring to the drawing, the frame of the razor comprises a hollow triangular member having the inclined sides 10 and 11 joined at the top by a top side 12, the upper surface 13 of which is flat and constitutes the surface for supporting the working portion of the razor blade 14. The inclined side members 10 and 11 converge downwardly and are joined at their lower ends by a part the other side of which forms a curved surface 15 and constitutes a part of the side wall of the cavity 16 for the capsule or magazine which contains a coil of razor tape 141. The upper portion 17 of the side wall of the cavity extends between the side members 10 and 11 of the frame and is joined thereto and to the bottom wall 18 of the cavity.

The tape is put on the market in capsules or magazines one of which is shown in place in the cavity of the supporting frame. The magazine comprises two separable cup-like members 19 and 20, the cylindrical walls of which are adapted to telescope one into the other and also have registering slots 21 which form an outlet for the razor tape. The slots 21 register with the slot 23 in the cavity wall.

The inside section 19 of the capsule or magazine has a flange 191 substantially the same diameter as the cavity 16 and the cylindrical wall of the capsule is thereby spaced from the wall of the cavity leaving an air space 161 to receive and drain off any water which passes through the slot 23, whereby the tape in the capsule will not be liable to rust. The cover part 20 of the capsule has a flanged portion 201 which fits flush with the face of the frame. There is a lug 202 on the cylindrical part of the cover 20 which fits a slot in the bottom part of the capsule and a groove 203 in the wall of the cavity whereby the parts of the capsule are locked together and in place in the cavity. If desired the capsule may be dispensed with and then the cavity becomes the blade magazine.

The cavity 16 has an outlet 23 in its side wall of sufficient size to permit the withdrawal of the razor blade 14 from the interior of the magazine. The outlet 23 is located in such a position that it registers with a groove 24 in the outer side of the side member 10, the said groove serving as a guide for the blade 14 and being closed by a plate 25 which is locked in place on the side member 10 by the under-cut edges 26 of the groove which receive the tapering edges 27 on the plate 25. The plate 25 extends down below the outlet of the opening 23 in the cavity 16 and engages against a shoulder 28 on the wall 15. The lip 29 at the opening 23 fits close to the surface of the blade 14 and serves to prevent water from following down the blade and entering the cavity. 16, the lip tending to divert the water on the outside thereof into the space between it and the end of the plate 25.

The outside of the other side member 11 is substantially similar in construction to the outer side of the wall 10 being provided with a similar groove 241 to receive the end of the razor blade and the under-cut edges 261 which receive the tapering edges 271 on the plate 251. There is, of course, no slot in the side 11 to communicate with the interior of the magazine 16. The construction of the side 11 is simply provided to clamp the end of the tape 14 which may be longer than the top side 12, so that it will not project beyond the outlines of the frame, although it will not be required as a guard when the razor blade is broken off and terminates at the end of the clamping plate. Both the plates 25 and 251 are curved at their upper ends as at 252 to provide a rounded corner and to guide the blade 14 onto the blade supporting surface 13, the upper ends of the edges of the slots 24 and 241 being correspondingly curved to guide the blade and conform to the shape of the ends 252.

The clamping member for holding the blade 14 firmly in position on the blade supporting surface 13 comprises a T-shaped member provided with a clamping plate 30 having a flat under side which engages the top surface of the blade. The upper surface of the plate 30 is tapering and the rear edge of the plate has a stem 31 integrally connected thereto, which stem projects through and slides in a hollow guide-way 32 extending from the surface 13 down the rear side of the frame to a stem 33 integrally connected to the frame on the under side of the wall 15 of the magazine. The lower end of the stem 31 projects below the lower end of the hollow guide-way 32 and the projecting end of the stem has a lug 34 thereon which extends into a cam groove or thread 35 at the upper end of the handle member 36. The stud 34 provides a shoulder which engages the edge of the thread or cam groove 35 and by a slight turn of the handle 36, which is knurled as at 37, the clamping plate 30 may be clamped in place. The handle section 36 is detachable from the frame and the projection 33 on the frame has a socket 38 to receive the end 39 of the handle when the parts are locked together.

The bottom of the magazine 16 is part of one wall of the hollow guide-way 32, the other part 40 of the same wall of the guide-way extends between the top wall 17 of the magazine and the top part 12 of the frame. The wall 41 closes the guide-way 32 on its rear side.

The front face of the portion 40 of the wall of the guide-way has a projection 42 which is pointed and adapted to engage any one of a series of notches 43 on the under side of a curved resilient tail part 44 of a guard bar 45. The guard bar 45 has lugs 46 at its ends whereby it is pivoted at 47 on and between the side members 10 and 11 and beneath the top member 12. The guard teeth 48 on the guard plate 45 extend upwardly and beyond the front edge of the blade supporting surface 13, the blade 14 also projecting a slight distance beyond the front edge of said surface and within the front edges of the guard teeth. The tail piece 44 of the guard bar 45 is curved around the pivotal axis through the pivots 47 and springs outwardly so that y manipulating the guard bar the adjustment of the same may be varied so as to change the cut of the razor. It may be even desirable to omit the notches as the friction between the tail 44 and the projection 42 will be sufficient to hold the guard bar in any adjusted position.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6 the coil of razor tape 141 is composed of a narrow band of thin flexible steel having a cutting edge 142 co-extensive therewith and is wound so that the coil will have a hollow center whereby it will fit around the stud 19 and tend to spring against the side wall of the magazine. It will be seen that the tape is perforated at intervals in its length, which perforations 143 have a two-fold function. They weaken the blade at intervals so that when the used part is withdrawn to be snapped off and thrown away it will break at the weakened portions, that is, at a point where the blade is perforated and therefore it is but necessary to bend the blade upwardly at a perforated section to break it off. In withdrawing the blade the perforated parts provide a grip whereby the perforated blade may be more readily withdrawn than a smooth one. The perforations may in fact be utilized to receive a pin or hook of some kind, whereby the blade may be drawn out of the magazine over the blade supporting surface, without danger of cutting the fingers.

When it is desired to obtain a new cutting edge the plate 251 is removed if the end of the blade 14 is clamped thereunder, and by simply twisting the handle 36 the clamping plate 30 is loosened and springs into the position it occupies in Fig. 2. The right hand end of the blade is then pulled until sufficient length of blade has been drawn outwardly to provide a new cutting edge. Then the clamping member is locked in place by the handle 36 and the used section of the blade may be snapped off and thrown away and the plate 251 replaced.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have illustrated a modified form of connection between the stem of the clamping member and the handle of the razor. In those figures the end of the stem 311 also has a lug 341 provided with an inclined shoulder 342 to interfit with a reversely inclined shoulder 351 on the handle 361. The handle portion 361 is hollow and open at its upper end to receive the stem 331 on the lower part of the razor frame, the remaining parts of the razor being of substantially the same construction as those shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The part of the handle 361 adjacent its hollow end is cut away as at 362 to receive the end of the stem 311 and part of the cut-away portion 362 has the under-cut shoulder 351 thereon with which the shoulder 342 on the stem 311 coöperates. A spiral spring 364 is disposed within the hollow handle 361, one end thereof bearing against the bottom of the handle and the other end bearing against the lower end of the stem 331 when the parts are locked together.

In order to lock the clamping member in position the handle member 36 is positioned so as to receive the end of the stem 311 in the cut-away portion 362 thereof and by a longitudinal movement against the tension of the spring 364 the narrow portion 312 and the lug 341 are brought into position so that by a slight rotary motion of the handle the under-cut shoulder 351 will interfit with the under-cut shoulder 352 when the handle is released, the handle 361 being held in the position shown in. Fig. 4 by the spring 364. When it is desired to release the clamping member it is only necessary to give the handle member 361 a sufficient movement longitudinally so that the under-cut shoulders 351 and 342 may pass upon rotary movement of the handle.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the blade is firmly clamped in position and may be readily unclamped by a simple manipulation of the handle part of the device. Furthermore, the fact that the handle member is readily detachable has the added advantage that it may be put in a case and it will require a much smaller case than a razor with a permanently attached handle.

While I have shown and described the device in detail I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction herein disclosed as it is apparent that numerous changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a safety razor, the combination of a frame having a guideway at the rear thereof and a blade support at the upper end of the guideway, a blade magazine located below said support and in front of said guideway, a clamping member having a stem fitting said guideway and a part disposed adjacent the blade support and capable of clamping a blade against said support, and a handle member for said frame having a part adapted to interlock with the lower end of said stem, a partial turn of said handle member being adapted to actuate said clamping member to clump the blade against the support.

2. In a safety razor, the combination of a frame, a blade support thereon, a blade magazine on the frame, and means for retaining a blade in cutting position on said support comprising a blade engaging member and a handle member capable of releasably locking said blade engaging member in place, said blade magazine being disposed between the blade support and said releasable handle member.

3. In a safety razor, the combination of a frame having a supporting surface for a razor blade, a guard located beneath said surface and adjustable with respect thereto, a clamping member coöperating with the upper side of said surface to hold a blade in place thereon, and a cylindrical handle part for said frame having means interfitting with a part of said frame and other means for engaging and securing said clamping member in its clamping position.

4. In a safety razor, the combination of a frame comprising side members and a top member, said top member comprising the blade supporting part, a guard pivoted between the side members, a clamping member coöperating with the blade supporting part, and a handle having means for releasably securing said clamping member in position.

5. In a safety razor, the combination with a frame provided with a blade supporting surface and a guard, of a blade magazine carried by said frame, a blade having a part coiled in said magazine and a part on said supporting surface, a blade clamping member capable of engaging said blade to clamp it against said surface, and a handle for said frame, said handle and frame having portions interfitting telescopically, and said handle and clamping member being provided with readily engageable and disengageable interlocking parts to secure the clamping member in clamped position, and also to secure said handle and frame together with said portions thereof in telescopic relation.

6. In a safety razor, a blade support, a clamping member coöperating with said blade support, a guard member pivoted beneath the blade support and having a depending member, and a device carried by said blade support and capable of engaging said depending member on the guard to hold said guard in any one of a number of adjusted positions.

7. In a safety razor, the combination of a frame having a top member provided with a blade supporting surface on the upper side thereof and a hollow, vertical guide-way extending from near the bottom of said frame to the top thereof and terminating at the rear of said blade supporting surface, a guard below said supporting surface, a blade clamping member having a part coöperating with said top member and a stem fitting said hollow guide-way, and means coöperating with said stem to lock the clamping member in clamped position.

8. In a safety razor, the combination with a blade supporting member and a guard, of a clamping device having a stem fitting a vertical guide-way in the rear portion of the blade supporting member, said stem having a shoulder thereon, and a detachable handle having a part telescopically fitting a part of said blade supporting member and having a shoulder coöperating with said shoulder on said stem to secure said handle to said blade supporting member and also to secure the clamping bar in clamped position, said shoulders being engageable and disengageable to clamp and unclamp said parts by only a partial turn of the handle.

9. In a safety razor, a frame, a guard member pivoted to the frame and having a curved tongue at the rear thereof and a projection on the frame capable of engaging the convex surface of said tongue to retain the guard member in any one of a number of adjusted positions.

10. In a safety razor, the combination with a frame of a guard member pivoted thereon, said guard member having a notched tongue thereon, and a projection on said frame coöperating with the notched tongue to retain the guard member in an adjusted position.

11. In a safety razor, the combination of a frame having side members and a top member, the top member constituting a blade support, said side members converging downwardly, a stem on said frame at the lower ends of said side members, a clamping member coöperating with said top member and having a stem the end of which is located adjacent the stem on the frame, and a handle fitting the stem on the frame and engaging the stem on the clamping member.

12. In a safety razor, the combination with a blade support of a clamping member coöperating with said blade support, said clamping member having a stem provided with a lug, and a detachable handle for said blade support having a cam groove capable of engaging said lug to lock said clamping member in clamping position.

13. In a safety razor, the combination of a blade support, a clamping member coöperating therewith, a stem attached to said clamping member and having a lug thereon provided with an under-cut edge, and a detachable handle member for said blade support having an under-cut edge coöperating with the under-cut edge on the lug of said stem to lock said handle and stem together, and yieldable means for holding said under-cut edges in their locked relation.

14. In a safety razor, the combination with a blade holder having a cavity, of a blade magazine fitting said cavity, and means for spacing part of said magazine from the wall of said cavity for the purpose described.

15. A capsule for razor tape having an outlet slot in its side wall and flanges at opposite ends for the purpose set forth.

16. In a safety razor, the combination of a blade holder having a cavity provided with a slot in one wall, a blade magazine fitting said cavity and having a slot in its side wall registering with said slot in the wall of the cavity, means for locking the magazine in place in the cavity, and means for holding the magazine apart from the wall of the cavity for the purpose set forth.

17. As a new article of manufacture a blade for safety razors comprising a strip of thin flexible material adapted to be wound into a coil and having a cutting edge, substantially coextensive with its length, said bade being provided with spaced perforations whereby it may be engaged by a pin to withdraw successive sections from the coil in which it is wound, said perforations also acting to weaken the connection between such sections for the purpose specified.

18. In a safety razor, the combination of a frame substantially triangular in outline and having one side provided with a blade supporting surface and a handle stem connected to the junction of the other two sides, a blade magazine within the triangular frame in the angle formed by the junction of said other two sides, means for guiding a blade from said blade magazine along one of said other two sides onto the blade supporting surface, a clamping member having a part adapted to engage the blade to clamp it against said supporting surface and having a stem, and a handle member fitting the handle stem and adapted to releasably engage the stem of the clamping member to clamp the blade.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Eugene G. Mergenthaler.

Witnesses:

H. D. Stonestreet,

S. M. Blome.