This invention relates to improvements in safety razors.

It is a primary object of the invention to provide a razor frame rendering more convenient the introduction or removal of the blade to or from the frame.

It is a further object to avoid all possible contact of the fingers of the user with the blade-holding parts wherever possible.

A still further object is in the provision of an improved blade for facilitating its adaptation to the present invention without sacrificing any feature of holding the blade stationary when in use.

These and other objects will appear more fully when considered in connection with the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing one form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts moved to blade-removing position.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a slight modification of my invention.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the parts moved to blade-removing position.

Fig. 5 is a detail view showing a modified form of blade and supporting elements.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the blade employed herein.

The above features are provided in the present construction by forming a shank 8 of hollow internal section and formed with a bearing portion 9 for slidably receiving the plate-holding stem 10. The guard 12 may be formed rigidly on the shank 8 either by making the same integral or swaging or flanging the parts together as shown. The outer face of the plate 12 is provided with projecting studs 13 for receiving the apertured blade 11 and the apertured plate referred to below.

The outer plate 14 is pivotally connected to the stem 10 as by means of the pivot 15. It is preferred to maintain the plate 14 in either transverse or longitudinal relation with respect to the stem 10 so as to maintain these parts in any set position. This may be accomplished by providing a slidable plunger 15 for engagement with the inner squared shoulder 16 formed on the projecting pivot-forming portion of the plate 14. Plunger 15 and compression spring 20 may be mounted in a suitable recess within the interior of the stem 10.

In the preferred form of the invention the outer surface of the guard 12 and inner surface of the plate 14 are curved transversely to flex the blade 11 into its shaving position.

The stem 10 is formed with the screw-threaded portion 22 for receiving an engagement collar 24 held in place on the stem as by means of the securing nuts shown. The screw-threaded portion 22 projects outwardly beyond the collar 24 for engagement with the inner screw-threaded portion 25 of the operating member 26. This operating member has a cylindrical portion 27 snugly fitted within the outer shank 8 and loosely receiving the stem 10 so as to permit relative sliding movement between the stem, operating member and shank. The inner surface of the cylindrical portion 27 is formed with a cone-shaped portion 28 formed adjacent the upper end of the same and engageable by the collar 24 when the operating member 26 is moved outwardly.

The outer face of the guard 12 and the plate 14 are formed with co-acting studs and apertures for supporting the blade during the use of the same, the studs serving to place the blade during the assembly of the same onto the razor.

If preferred the collar 24 may be made of resilient material to facilitate the gripping between the cylindrical portion of t operating member and this collar during the operation of the parts as described below.

When it is desired to introduce a blade onto the razor frame disclosed, the operating member 26 is unscrewed from the threaded portion 22 of the stem 10. The operating member is then moved downwardly to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1 until the tapered portion 28 engages and grips the collar 24. The operating member is then thrust upwardly into the razor thus pushing the plate 14 outwardly away from the guard 12. At the same time the operating member 26 may be turned to place the plate 14 transverse to the guard 12 as shown in Fig. 2. The plate 14 may then be turned into its vertical position and the blade passed over the same into position on the securing studs, after which the plate will be tilted into substantially the plane of the guard 12 and will be turned to permit the apertures thereon to engage over the securing studs. The operating member may then be screwed onto the stem 10 and the razor is ready for use.

In the modified form of my invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the construction and operation is substantially the same except that an additional spring member 30 of rust-proof steel is attached to the stem 10 and is always engaged with the inner surface of the cylindrical portion of the operating member 26a. With this form of the invention a better control for the outer plate 14a is obtained since the constant frictional engagement between the member carried on the stem 10 and the inner surface of the operating member 26a permits the operating member to be unscrewed from the stem 10 and moved outwardly after which pressure upon the operating member moves the stem 10 and plate 14a correspondingly.

If desired the spring-pressed member may be formed by separating a thin piece of the metal from the stem 10 instead of forming the friction spring as a separate element.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a slightly different form of outer guard and plate wherein a rigid blade may be employed. In this view the guard 12b and plate 14b are formed with co-acting straight or plane surfaces for receiving a rigid balance blade 11b.

The parts illustrated in Fig. 5 are illustrated to show that either the first, or second form of my invention described above is adaptable for use with a rigid blade.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a preferred form of blade for use in this razor. As stated above it is intended to pass the blade over the longitudinally extended plate and onto the anchoring lugs of the guard. It is desirable however to remove as small a portion of the metal of the blade as possible to accomplish this function. Furthermore the blade when introduced onto the studs of the guard should be accurately positioned to hold the same in shaving position.

These features are provided for in the blade shown in Fig. 6 wherein the blade 11 is formed with a central slotted portion 32 having elongated arcuate side portions of substantially the same contour, as the transverse curvature of the outer face of the plate 14. These curves are preferably the same on both sides of the median line of the blade so that the blade may be turned with either side of blade positioned adjacent the down-turned plate. The slot 32 is incompleted adjacent the end portions of the same and terminates in circular slots 34 of slightly less than a complete circle. It is preferred that the periphery of the openings 34 occupy substantially more than semi-circles in order to securely anchor the blade with respect to the guard and both securing studs on the same.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. In a safety razor, a rigid guard and shank, an outer plate, an attachment stem pivotally connected to said plate and slidably mounted within said shank, an operating member mounted for bodily and rotational movement with respect to said shank, and releasable means for causing said stem and plate to move with said operating member.

2. In a safety razor, a frame including a guard and a shank, an outer blade-engaging plate, a stem pivotally supporting said plate and movably mounted within said shank and a manual operating member for moving said stem and plate outwardly of said shank and rotating the same.

3. In a safety razor, a frame including a guard and a shank, an outer blade-engaging plate, a stem pivotally supporting said plate and movably mounted within said shank, a manual operating member for moving said stem and plate outwardly of said shank and rotating the same and spring means for maintaining said plate in longitudinal or transverse position with respect to said stem and shank.

4. In a safety razor, a frame including a shank and guard, an outer blade-engaging plate, an attachment stem pivotally supporting said plate and slidably and rotatably arranged with respect to said frame for permitting said plate to be moved outwardly from said guard and rotated and tilted substantially ninety degrees each, and a blade formed with a central slotted portion for being passed over said plate.

5. In a safety razor, a frame including a shank and guard, an outer blade-engaging plate, an attachment stem pivotally supporting said plate and slidably and rotatably arranged with respect to said frame for permitting said plate to be moved outwardly from said guard and rotated and tilted substantially ninety degrees each, co-acting studs and slots formed on said guard and plate for positioning said blade and plate with respect to said guard, and a blade formed with end openings for receiving said studs and with a central slotted opening proportioned to be passed over said outer plate when the latter is tilted to endwise position.

6. In a safety razor, a frame including a guard and a shank, an outer blade-engaging plate, means for clamping said blade between said guard and plate when the latter are in shaving relation, a stem pivotally supporting said plate and movably mounted within said shank, and a manual operating member for moving said stem and plate outwardly of said shank and rotating the same.

7. In a safety razor, a handle, a head supported thereon and comprising a guard, a support, means for attaching said support to said handle for sliding movement with respect thereto, a keeper pivotally mounted on said support and guiding lugs on said guard and a razor blade adapted to be positioned between said keeper and guard and to be guided by said lugs, said blade including a longitudinally extending slot of a length sufficient to permit said blade to be passed outwardly over said keeper.

8. A razor including, in combination, a head, a handle for said head, said head comprising a guard, a clamping plate, means slidable within said handle and substantially permanently attached to said guard and said clamping plate for drawing said last named elements towards each other, and a blade to be positioned between said elements and formed with an opening for the passage of one of the same.

9. A razor including, in combination, a head, a handle for said head, said head comprising a guard, a clamping plate, means substantially permanently attached to said guard and said clamping plate for drawing said elements toward each other, a blade to be positioned between said elements and formed with an opening for the passage of one of the same, and means whereby such element may be brought to a position extending at an angle to the other element during its passage through the blade opening.

10. A razor including, in combination, a head, a handle associated with said: head, said head comprising a guard, a clamping plate, means slidable within said handle for drawing said plate towards said guard and substantially permanently attached to both of said elements, and means associated with said last named means and said clamping plate whereby the latter may be rocked to assume a position extending angularly with respect to said guard.

11. A razor including, in combination, a head, a handle associated with said head, said head comprising a guard, a clamping plate, means for drawing said plate towards said guard and substantially permanently attached to both of said elements, means associated with said last named means and said clamping plate whereby the latter may be rocked to assume a position extending angularly with respect to said guard, and a blade formed with an opening for the passage of said clamping plate when the latter is in such position.

12. A razor including, in combination, a guard, a handle extending from said guard, a clamping plate, means within said handle and substantially permanently associated therewith to extend beyond said guard, means for pivotally and substantially permanently mounting said clamping plate upon said last named means, and a blade to rest upon said guard and formed with an opening of an area sufficient to permit of the passage of said clamping plate therethrough when the latter is rocked around its pivot and to extend at an angle with respect to said guard.

13. In a safety razor a handle, a guard attached to said handle, guiding lugs on said guard projecting outwardly therefrom, a keeper provided with recesses for receiving said lugs, a support for said keeper slidable within said handle and pivotal means for attaching said support centrally of said keeper.

14. In combination, a safety razor including a guard, a handle, a rod slidable within said handle, a clamping plate swingingly mounted on said guard and adapted to maintain a position substantially parallel to that of said guard when in contact therewith but to maintain a position at right angles of said guard when remote therefrom and a blade formed with an opening therein through which said clamping plate can pass when the latter is at right angles to said guard in order that the plate may be assembled in the razor.

15. In a safety razor, a combined guard and shank, a supporting stem, an outer blade engaging plate pivotally secured to said stem, and means for moving said stem and plate outwardly with respect to said shank and guard and for simultaneously rotating the stem and plate with respect to the shank and guard.

16. In a safety razor, a shank, a guard attached thereto, a supporting stem slidably arranged with respect to said shank, a blade engaging plate pivotally attached to said stem and means for rotating said stem about its own axis as said stem moves outwardly of said shank.

17. In a safety razor, a shank, a guard attached thereto, a supporting stem slidably arranged with respect to said shank, a blade engaging plate pivotally secured to said stem, means for rotating said stem about its own axis as said stem moves outwardly of said shank and manual means exposed adjacent one end of said shank for moving said stem with respect to said shank.

18. In a safety razor, a frame including a handle and a guard, a shank mounted for longitudinal movement within said handle, a stem mounted for longitudinal movement within said shank and handle, a plate pivotally attached to one end of said stem, said shank being adapted for moving said plate and stem outwardly on said frame and means forming a part of said shank for securing said stem against movement with respect to said frame.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 23rd day of January, A. D. 1929.

Hyman R. Segal.