This invention relates to improvements in safety razors of that type in which the cutting element is provided by a flexible strip-like blade of considerable length. This blade is coiled in the holder and an end is drawn from the coil to be clamped between the guards for shaving purposes. When the clamped section becomes dulled a new section is drawn from the coiled blade and clamped in place between the guards to provide a sharp cutting element.

An object of the invention is to provide a strip-like blade with one or more ribs extending in longitudinal direction. Further objects of the invention are to provide a strip-like blade with cross-cut slots in at least one rib; to provide a strip-like blade which can be guided in a simple and efficient way, while a considerable stiffness is obtained in a direction perpendicular to the edge. Owing to this feature the blade can be made very thin, if desired, so that the holder can contain an extensive blade-length. By providing the cap and the bridge, between which the part of the blade ready for use is mounted, with a guide-way, fitting in or on one or more ribs of the part of the blade, this blade is clamped in a simple way, without the drawbacks of known constructions.

The guidance, which fits in or on one or more ribs, has the advantage that the edge of the blade can be brought to the place where it is to be used, without losing its sharpness.

The various features of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which—

Figure 1 shows a partly longitudinal section and partly a front view.

Figure 2 shows a partly section along the vertical axial line Z—Z, drawn in Fig. 1 and a partly side view.

Figure 3 shows a side view of the solid part with removed cover.

Figure 4 shows a horizontal section along the horizontal axis Y—Y, indicated in Fig. 1.

Figure 5 shows a front view of the strip-like blade which in Figure 6 is shown in section together with some other embodiments which are provided with a number of ribs.

Figure 7 shows on an enlarged scale a section of the bridge piece along which the blade is guided, which section is also to be seen on a smaller scale in Fig. 2. In the various figures the corresponding parts are indicated by the same reference numbers.

In Fig. 1 the strip-like blade 1 is shown as being coiled in a circular recess 30 as a supply-coil 2. Therein a spring 6 has been mounted which, tending to expand, keeps the supply-coil pressed against the wall of the recess and causes the longitudinal rib of the blade to engage the annular guiding groove 31 which is circularly provided in the wall of the circular recess. From the supply-coil 2 the blade 1 is guided along a guideway 4 over the bridge piece 8, where the blade is ready for use between the points 26, when the cover 15 is moved over the solid part 14, so that the cap 16 clamps the blade against the bridge piece 8. The rib 22 fits in the slot 24 in the cap 16, while the mating hollow part 32 of the rib of the blade fits over rib 23 of the bridge piece 8. As the edges of the cap 16 are inclined the edge 25 of the blade is bent to the desired angle, as is clearly shown in Fig. 7. The clamping of the cap 16 on the bridge piece 8 is effected by the cover 15, which is held in its position on the solid part 14 by spring-studs in the cover which engage the cavities of the solid part 14.

Before using the apparatus, the cover 15 is removed from the flat body part 14, by holding the cover 15 and pulling on the ribbed studs 17, which are clearly shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The removal of the cover 15 frees the solid part 14, which is shown in side view in Fig. 3. The spring-studs of the cover 15, which engage the cavities 5 in the flat body part 14, loosen, when the flat body part is pulled from the cover.

The supply-coil 2 with spring 6 is mounted in the circular recess of the solid part 14. Then the end of the blade is pulled through the left slit 27, shown in Fig. 1, and guided over the bridgepiece 8 and subsequently put through slit 13 to the reel member or disc 11 mounted in a second recess or chamber 33. By turning the disk 11, on which are the studs 12, the latter engage the blade at the openings 10. By further turning the disk 11 the blade is guided through the lowest left slot 28, which is to be seen in Figs. 1 and 3 and in which is the broken end 18 of the blade. The cover 15 is now moved over the solid part 14 and the whole is ready for use. A watertight packing is formed by studs 34 of the cap which closely fit in the openings 3 of the comblike part of the rib 8. The distance between the openings 3 corresponds to the distance between the openings 10 in the strip-like blade, measured in longitudinal direction. The part of the blade between the points 26 can be used for shaving.

When shaving, the teeth 7 of the comb of the bridgepiece give the necessary protection, while the lather can flow down in the opening 9.

In order to obtain a new blade-edge the cover 15 need not wholly be removed, but withdrawing the solid part 14 halfway will do. The blade is freed and the whole top part can easily be cleaned. By turning the disk 11 a new part of the blade comes between the openings 3 on the bridge piece 8 and the whole is pushed together. The remaining used part of the striplike blade is broken away at slot 28.

Figure 5 shows a top view of the blade. The rib 22 is provided with cross-cuttings 21.

In Fig. 6 three different forms of the razor strip are diagrammatically shown. In one form the strip 1 has a grooved rib 22 extending longitudinally of the strip. In another form the strip 19 has two ribs 35 extending longitudinally of its upper face, and a single rib 37 extending along its lower face between the ribs 35. These ribs 35 and 37 are solid with the strip 19. A guideway 36 is indicated as having sufficient cross-area to accommodate the three ribs 35 and 37. In a third form the strip 20 has three grooved ribs 22 extending longitudinally of its upper face. The ribs of these several forms are notched transversely to facilitate the bending and coiling of the strips.

Various other modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a safety razor, a flexible blade strip in combination with a mounting comprising a flat body part and a casing adapted to fit over the body part; said body part having a bridge piece extending across its upper end and having in its intermediate part a circular recess open at one side of the body part, said body part having a guide-way communicating with the recess and leading around the bridge piece and through the body part to a discharge outlet; said flexible blade strip being coiled and placed within the circular recess to expand therein, and said blade strip having an end part leading along the guideway of the body part to the discharge outlet; and said casing being slidable onto the body part to clamp the blade strip against the bridge piece.

2. In a safety razor as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that an expansible spring is compressed within the coiled blade strip to augment the expansion of said blade strip against the circular wall of the recess in the body part.

3. In a safety razor as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that a disk is rotatably mounted in the lower part of the body part to engage at its periphery the blade strip so that rotation of the disk draws the blade strip from the coil and forces the free end of the blade strip through the discharge outlet of the body part.

4. In a safety razor as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that both the body part and the casing have in their upper parts transverse openings that coincide when the casing is closed onto the body part, the coinciding openings providing a lather receptacle adjacent to the toothed bridge piece of the body part.

5. In a safety razor as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the bridge piece of the body part has a ridge extending longitudinally of the same, and the strip blade has a longitudinal groove to engage the ridge of the bridge piece.

6. A safety razor as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that at least one of the clamping members provided by the bridge piece and the opposing casing part and the blade strip have mutually engaging ridge and groove parts to position the blade strip between the clamped parts.

7. A safety razor as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that a disk is rotatably mounted in the lower part of the body part and the blade strip is provided with notches along its edges, said disk having lugs projecting from its periphery to engage the notches of the blade strip to move the latter as the disk is rotated.

8. In a safety razor, a flexible blade strip adapted to be coiled and having a groove extending longitudinally of the same, with the grooved part notched transversely to facilitate the coiling of the same.

9. In a safety razor, a flexible blade strip adapted to be coiled and having a rib extending longitudinally of the same, said rib being notched transversely to amplify the flexibility of the strip to facilitate the coiling of the same.

10. In a safety razor, a continuous flexible razor strip in combination with a mounting comprising a substantially flat body part and a casing adapted to fit over the body part, said body part having a bridge piece extending across its upper end and also having in its intermediate part a substantially cylindrical chamber, said body part being further provided with a guideway communicating with the chamber and leading over the bridge piece and through the body part to a discharge opening, said strip being provided through its full length with guiding means consisting of a longitudinal rib on its one face and a mating groove on its other face, the guideway having guiding means cooperating with said guiding means on the strip, said strip being coiled and placed within the chamber and having an end part leading along the guide way of the body part to the discharge opening; and said casing being slidable onto the body part to clamp the strip against the bridge piece.

11. A safety razor as claimed in claim 10, characterized by the fact that a spring is compressed within the coiled razor strip to expand said strip against the wall of said chamber.

12. A safety razor as claimed in claim 10, characterized by the fact that a reel member is rotatably mounted in the lower part of the body part to engage at its periphery the strip passing to the discharge opening, so that rotation of the reel member draws the strip from the coil.

13. A safety razor as claimed in claim 10, characterized by the fact that both the body part and the casing have in their upper parts transverse openings that coincide when the casing is closed onto the body part, the coinciding opening providing a lather receptacle adjacent to the bridge piece of the body part.

14. A safety razor as claimed in claim 10, characterized by the fact that the bridge piece of the body part and the razor strip are in engagement with one another through a rib and a groove extending longitudinally of the razor strip and bridge piece.

15. A safety razor as claimed in claim 10, characterized by the fact that at least one of the clamping members and the razor strip have mutually engaging rib and groove parts to position said strip between the clamping members.

16. In combination with a holder having a substantially cylindrical chamber, a coiled continuous razor strip provided with guiding means comprising a longitudinally extending groove on its one face and a mating ridge on its other face, said ridge being interrupted by a series of longitudinally spaced depressions extending substantially across the same, the inner wall of said chamber having guiding means cooperating with the guiding means on the outer face of the coil.

17. In combination with a holder having a substantially cylindrical chamber, a coiled continuous razor strip provided with guiding means comprising a longitudinally extending groove on its one face and a mating ridge on its other face, said ridge being interrupted by a series of longitudinally spaced apertures extending substantially across the same, the inner wall of said chamber having guiding means cooperating with the guiding means on the outer face of the coil.

Robert Ern.