To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Martin V. Kingsbury, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dover, in the county of Kent and State of Delaware, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mustache-Guards; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to toilet articles, and more particularly to the sub-class known as mustache guards.

The object of the invention is to produce a new and useful article of the class referred to, for covering or protecting the mustache, while eating, so that food or the like cannot come in contact with the mustache while being passed into the mouth.

With these objects in view, the invention resides essentially in a guard composed of steel, hard rubber, bone, or the like, provided with a cover portion, having a groove in its rear face, a flat spring containing teeth resting in said groove, operating to close or open the teeth, and suitable means for retaining the spring in the groove, as hereinafter more fully described and set forth.

The construction and operation of the invention may more readily be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, and in which—

Figure 1 is a view showing the manner of applying my invention, the guard being shown in operative position. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same, showing the spring in proper position and the retaining means for keeping the spring in the groove. Fig. 3 is an inside view, showing the ends of the teeth open, the position they will assume when pressure is brought to bear on the ends of the spring. Fig. 4 is a similar view, with pressure released from the spring, the teeth being closed, that is in their normal condition. Figure 5 is a cross section of the guard.

In the drawings A represents the guard which may be of any suitable material, though I prefer to form it of hard rubber. This guard is formed with an L-shaped projection on its lower end which forms a groove for the reception of a flat steel spring C. This spring is provided with a series of teeth B mounted therein, by riveting, or in any other suitable manner, and has its ends preferably formed in the shape of balls c, c². Set screws D are also provided which pass through the outer face of the guard and rest upon the upper surface of the L-shaped extension, confining the spring within the groove, the teeth being omitted for sufficient length on each end of the spring in order to allow it to operate as hereinafter described.

When it is desired to attach the guard, the ends c c² of the spring C are pressed together, causing the spring to buckle at its center, and while in this position, the outer ends of the teeth will be forced apart, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and the guard is placed over the mustache. Pressure on the ends of the spring being relieved, the outer ends of the teeth will close, (as seen in Fig. 4,) thus firmly holding the mustache, and preventing its coming in contact with food or the like.

When it is desired to remove the guard, the ends of the spring are again pressed together, causing the ends of the teeth to separate, as above described, and the guard may be readily removed. The form of this guard is preferably semi-circular, about a half-inch or five-eighths of an inch in width by four and a half inches in length, with the L-shaped projection forming a groove, extending along its rear lower face, as above described.

I am aware that it is not broadly new to provide a mustache guard which may be attached to and disengaged from a mustache; but, by my construction a much simpler, more compact and neater article is produced, and the number of parts reduced, there being only two parts to my device, the spring and the guard proper, and though I have particularly described and illustrated the preferred form of embodiment of the invention, it will of course be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise form described as manifestly the same may be changed in some particulars without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is—

A mustache guard consisting of a cover, a groove in the lower portion thereof, a spring having teeth mounted therein, said spring resting in said groove, means for retaining the spring in the groove, and means for operating the spring to cause the ends of the teeth to be moved toward or from each other, as set forth and described.

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

Martin V. Kingsbury.

Witnesses:

Joseph George,

J. R. Frazier.