To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Frank Patak, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Razors; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to improvements in razors.

It is especially designed to provide a means for conveniently separating and locking an independent and removable blade into the permanent back to which it is fitted, so that the blade can be at any time removed and replaced.

It consists, essentially, of a channeled back having a permanent latching device at the outer end and a transversely-fulcrumed latching-lever at the inner end, in combination with a blade having corresponding engaging devices formed upon it.

It also consists in details of construction, which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which—

Figure 1 is a view of a razor, a portion of the back being broken away. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the back and connections. Fig. 3 is a detail of the end locking devices.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved means for locking a removable razor-blade to the permanent back.

Where a razor-blade is formed with or permanently secured to the back the wear upon the thin edge of the blade is somewhat rapid by constant use, and as the back always remains of essentially the same thickness the bevel or angle of the edge of the razor becomes more obtuse by wear and frequent sharpening until the work done by it is unsatisfactory and the razor must be cast aside.

My invention is designed to save the backs and handles and enable the operator to use any number of blades with a single handle.

In my device the back A is pivoted to the handle B in the usual manner for connecting these parts in razors.

The back A has a longitudinal groove or channel made upon its front edge, of a width which will just admit the thickness of the back of the blade C and a depth sufficient to receive enough of the blade to hold it perfectly rigid between the sides of the channel in the back. The outer end of the blade has a projection C′ with a tongue c extending approximately parallel with the back of the razor and at a little-distance therefrom, so as to leave a groove or channel between the tongue and the razor-back. The outer end of the handle has a slot made in it corresponding in length with the length of the lug C′, and at the inner end of the slot the channel is extended along the back far enough to allow the tongue c to pass into the channel, when a corresponding projection within the back enters the slot between the tongue and the back edge of the blade. This locks the outer end of the blade firmly and permanently to the back A. The inner end of the blade has an extension D at the rear portion, and this is adapted to slip into a slot made therefor in the back A, so that this extension enters the slot when the tongue c has engaged with the latching device at the outer end. Through the extension at the inner end of the blade is made a hole d, extending at right angles with the blade.

The back A extends a sufficient distance to the point where it is pivoted to the handle B, and a depressed chamber is made in the side of this intervening portion of the back to receive a bar E and a head or button E′, which is formed with the bar. This bar is pivoted within the channel or depression in which it lies by a pin passing through it and through the back A, so that the bar may be tilted about this pin, moving transversely of the razor-blade. The outer end of the bar E has a projecting lug e, which enters the slot d in the rear end of the razor-blade, Beneath the button E′ is a spring F, of any suitable or well-known form, the tendency of which is to press the button outward and correspondingly press the lug at the other end of the bar E inwardly.

When the blade of the razor is to be attached to the back, it is slipped into the channel in the back and pushed along, until the lug c′ is engaged and locked at the outer end, and the inner extension passes beneath the lug e upon the bar E until the lug drops into the hole d in this extension of the blade. Both ends of the blade are thus firmly locked to the back A, and the blade can only be removed by depressing the button E′ until the lug e is lifted out of its engagement with the hole d of the inner end of the blade. When this is done, the blade can be slipped outwardly and the outer lug c simultaneously disengaged from the holding device at that point.

The value of this construction lies especially in the transverse movement of the locking-arm E and the fact that it and the button by which it is operated lie upon the side of the part A instead of upon either the front or back, and being sunk into the depression in the part A they are essentially flush with its surface and not liable to be pressed open, so as to accidentally disengage the blade.

In using the razor the user ordinarily presses the finger upon the corrugated depression at the inner end of the part which holds the blade and just behind the blade, and if the button were placed at this point it would always be in danger of being disengaged, so as to allow the blade to slip out. The construction which I have shown, however, prevents this, and as it is behind the blade it is not subjected to any accidental pressure when the razor is being honed or strapped.

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

An improved razor consisting of a longitudinally grooved or channeled back and a pivoted handle, a removable cutting-blade fitted to said back and having a rear extension fitting endwise a corresponding slot in the back, said extension having an opening made through it at right angles with the blade and said back having a depression made in its side, a bar mounted within said depression so that its outer face is substantially flush with the side of the back said bar having a lug at one end adapted to engage the opening in the blade, and having at its opposite end an operating finger-piece, and a spring in said depression and, between the wall of the latter and the inner side of the bar.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

Frank Patak.

Witnesses:

S. H. Nourse,

Jessie C. Brodie.