This invention relates to a razor, and more particularly to a razor of the so-called straight razor type, but which is adapted for use with injector razor blades.

Straight razors, which generally comprise a handle and pivotally attached blade, have been in use for many years. The so-called safety razors are also well known. Safety razors utilize a single or double-edged blade firmly held in a housing having a handle with only the cutting edge or edges of the blade exposed. Various proposals have been made for hybrid type razors which are like the conventional straight razor except that they have a blade holder portion which carries a removable blade. This invention relates to such a straight razor adapted to be used with commercially available injector blades.

The injection of blades from presently available injector cartridges into the razor of this invention presents a problem, since the cartridges are constructed so as to eject blades in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the cartridge stem or key. To inject blades from such a cartridge into the blade holder of this invention necessitates that the cartridge eject the blades in a plane parallel to or coplanar with the plane of the cartridge key. This problem is solved by a new cartridge or cartridge adapter as illustrated generally in FIG. 3, and which is the subject of a separate patent application filed simultaneously herewith.

In one form, a razor according to this invention has a handle connected to a blade holder portion. Adjacent one of its ends, the blade holder portion has two closely spaced blade shields and an opening which is adjacent to but spaced from the blade shields. That opening is adapted to receive a key of a blade injector cartridge with an interference fit therebetween. The areas adjacent to the ends of the blade shields are unobstructed. The razor may receive injector blades directly from their cartridge.

Apparatus in accordance with this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a straight razor adapted for use with injector blades;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the razor in the closed or collapsed position;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the components of the blade holder assembly;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the razor showing an injector cartridge adapted for use therewith; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 5—5 of FIG. 4.

The razor 10 has a handle 12, a shank 14, and a blade holder portion 16. Shank 14 and blade holder 16 fit together to form a blade holder assembly. Handle 12, shank 14 and blade holder portion 16 are pivotally interconnected as by a pivot pin 18. Handle 12 has sides 20 which are spaced apart and held together, as by spacer 21 and fastener 23, so as to permit the shank and blade holder to fit partially between sides 20 when the razor is in the closed position illustrated in FIG. 2.

As best seen in FIG. 3, the blade holder portion 16 has spaced apart legs 22 with aligned openings 24 therein adjacent one end. Adjacent the opposite or blade carrying end, the holder 16 has a bottom 26, two upwardly extending side walls 28 with inwardly sloped portions 30 which are formed into two closely spaced vertically extending blade shields 32. When shank 14 is fitted between the legs 22, an opening 25 in shank 14 is aligned with openings 24. The end of shank 14 opposite opening 25 has a narrow end portion 27. The pivot pin 18 passes through each of the openings 24 and 25 and through openings in sides 20 of handle 12 to interconnect the handle 12, shank 14, and blade holder 16. The pin 18 is secured as by a fastener 29. As best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, an opening 34 in holder 16, spaced below shields 32, is defined by the bottom 26, side walls 28, and the narrow end portion 27 of shank 14. The depth of opening 34 is determined by the length of the end portion 27. Opening 34 is adapted to receive a stem or key of a blade injector cartridge. Blade shields 32 are sufficiently close together and of sufficient rigidity to securely hold an injector razor blade 36 therebetween, yet sufficiently flexible to be moved slightly farther apart when a stem or key 38 of a blade injector cartridge 40 is inserted in the opening 34. An interference fit between key 38 and opening 34 is provided for this purpose. The blade inject area 50 adjacent the key receiving end of the blade holder is free of obstructions so as to provide an unobstructed blade injection area.

One of the shields 32 is provided with a pair of inwardly projecting bosses 42 aligned and spaced apart so as to snap into the elongated holes 43 which are formed in standard injector blades. The shields 32 and bosses 42 along with the holes 43 in the blade, serve to position and securely hold the blade 36 in proper position for use. When a change of blades is desired, a key 38 of cartridge 40 is inserted into opening 34. The interference fit between the key and the opening causes the blade shields 32 to spread apart slightly. By operating the blade loader or cartridge slide 44 in the usual manner a new blade is pushed into the space between blade shields 32 forcing the old blade out at the end 46. The ejection end 46 is free of obstructions so as to provide an unobstructed blade ejection area 48. When the key is removed from opening 34, the blade shields 32 and bosses 42, together with holes 43 in the blade, again serve to hold the new blade firmly in the proper position for use.

I claim:

1. A razor of the straight razor type comprising a handle connected to a blade holder portion, a shank having a narrow end portion, said shank being inter-fitted with said blade holder portion to form a blade holder assembly, said blade holder assembly having adjacent one end thereof two closely spaced blade shields parallel to one another and extending vertically from said assembly and an opening adjacent to but spaced from said shields, said opening being adapted to receive with an interference fit a key of a blade injector cartridge, and said blade shields having unobstructed blade inject and blade eject areas adjacent their ends.

2. The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said blade holder portion has a pair of spaced, parallel legs adjacent one end thereof and has adjacent the other end thereof, a bottom, side walls extending upwardly from said bottom and spaced apart a sufficient distance to receive the narrow end portion of said shank, and inwardly sloped portions integral with said side walls, said blade shields being integral with and extending upwardly from said sloped portions.

3. The invention set forth in claim 2 wherein said opening for a key of a blade injector cartridge is defined by said blade holder bottom and side walls and the narrow end portion of said shank.