To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Leonard B. Gaylor, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newton Center, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Safety-Razors, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which—

Figure 1 illustrates an elevation of the razor. Fig. 2 illustrates a vertical sectional view thereof on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow, parts of the structure being shown in elevation and the alternative position of the blade-holding parts being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 3 illustrates a detail of the blade-holding parts shown in section. Fig. 4 illustrates a blade detached from the other parts.

The most perfected form of safety-razor as heretofore put upon the market has been found useful for the purpose intended. Nevertheless they embody certain defects which it is the purpose of this present invention to obviate. There are also certain additional features present not heretofore contemplated.

A shearing cut, as is well known, is as desirable in razors as in other cutting instruments. Also simplicity in construction, ease in cleansing, and ease in assembling the parts are desirable, and under this present invention I accomplish all of these desired results and in addition improve the appearance of the article and reduce its cost.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the handle, which is pivoted to a stud B, which projects from the back of the guard-plate C. The guard-plate is preferably made rhomboidal in shape, and the guard-teeth thereof project from one of the longer edges parallel with the shorter ends of the plate, so that in use the guard-teeth extend in line with the direction of movement of the blade. D is the exterior blade-confining plate, likewise preferably made in the form of a rhomboid, and it is provided with two centrally-located threaded studs E E, which pass through suitable openings in the guard-plate C and are provided with correspondingly-threaded thumb-nuts F.

G is a spindle provided with a cap H or other suitable terminal device, and this spindle is threaded on its ends, as seen at I, the threads engaging in corresponding threads made at the forward end of the handle, as at K.

L is a blade which, as shown, is in the form of a rhomboid and is perfectly flat, thus easily and inexpensively made, and it is provided with two holes M M, which fit over the threaded studs E E in the blade-holding plate D.

All of the parts are preferably made of metal, although other suitable material may be substituted, if desired. This is particularly true of the handle and terminal finishing device H. For the sake of lightness and appearance they may be made of hard rubber, ivory, celluloid, or the like.

In operation the apparatus will be used as follows: It will be seen upon considering the drawings that owing to the rhomboidal shape of the guard-plate, the back plate, a… blade and to the angling position of the stud B upon the guard-plate the handle is not only, owing to its pivotal connection with the stud, enabled to attain an angling position relative to the cutting part of the instrument, because of its rocking thereon, as indicated in full and in dotted lines in Fig. 2, but also that a shearing cut is attained when the instrument is in use, because when the handle is tilted upon its said pivotal connection the two edges of the guard-plate, which are provided with the guard-teeth, are not at right angles to the handle—on the contrary, lie at an oblique angle thereto. Consequently when the device is used in the manner that safety-razors are intended to be used the blade moves over the face of the user in an angled or inclined position, so that the shearing cut is secured. In order to adjust the blade-holding parts in a proper tipped position relative to the handle, as shown in Fig. 2, whereby ease and convenience in manipulating the device are secured, all that is necessary is to unscrew the spindle G somewhat by turning backwardly the cap H thereof and then rocking the blade-holding parts upon the pivotal connection a until the spindle G engages with the appropriate surface or angle b of the stud B and then screwing the spindle up again, thus locking the blade-holding parts in any desired position. If it is desired to utilize the other edge of the blade, all that is necessary is by an appropriate reversal of the operation to tilt the blade-holding parts into the opposite position, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. Thus the other edge of the blade will be properly adjusted for use. This is quite an important feature of my invention, because in the use of safety-razors it is often convenient to go over the face once with one edge of the blade and then to repeat the operation with the other and perhaps more keen edge for the sake of a clean smooth shave, and when there is no means of determining which is the primary and which the secondary edge the user frequently gets confused and uses the keener edge for the primary cutting and the more dulled one for the secondary or finishing shave, thus failing to accomplish the desired result. Under my construction, however, the position of the blade-holding parts will immediately determine which is the one which should be primarily shaved with and that for the secondary shave the position of the blade-holder should be shifted.

It will be noted that under my construction the blade is perfectly flat. Thus its primary cost is reduced to the minimum and more easily handled and transported than if curved, and there is also no possibility of its being cracked by reason of its having to be bent, as in some other safety-razors. Also the blade is held to the holding parts in a …le and efficient manner, and the removal of the blade and substitution of another are quickly and easily effected by simply manipulating the small thumb-screws F F. Also in order to change the angle of the blade relative to the handle it is necessary merely to run back the central spindle a few turns, rock the blade-holding parts upon the pivotal connection, and then screw up the spindle again. Thus no mechanical knowledge, skill, or experience is required. Any one capable of using the device at all can manipulate it with perfect effectiveness.

Having described my invention, I claim—

1. In a safety-razor a handle and a blade-holder pivotally connected together, whereby the holder may be tilted into different angled positions relative to the handle and means to clamp and positively hold the holder in an angled position relative to the handle, the cutting edge of the blade lying obliquely to the direction of movement of the device when in use.

2. In a safety-razor a handle and a guard-plate of rhomboidal form pivotally connected together, the guard-plate having guard-teeth parallel to its shorter sides and the axis of the pivot lying obliquely to the edges of the plate having the guard-teeth.

3. In a safety-razor a handle and a guard-plate pivotally connected together, a blade-confining plate and means to clamp the two plates together with the blade between them, a stud upon the guard-plate having angular surfaces and a threaded spindle within the handle adapted to engage with said surfaces for clamping the guard-plate relative to the handle.

4. In a safety-razor a handle, a guard-plate, a blade-confining plate and a blade all of rhomboidal form, means to clamp the two plates together with the blade between them, the guard-plate having guard-teeth parallel with its shorter sides, a stud upon the guard-plate, whereby the handle is pivotally connected therewith, means upon the stud and other means within the handle, whereby the guard-plate and handle may be clamped and positively held at any desired angle relative to each other.

5. In a safety-razor a blade-holder comprising a guard-plate provided with teeth lying parallel to its ends, a blade-confining plate and a blade all of rhomboidal form, a handle pivotally connected to the guard-plate, the axis of the pivot lying at an angle to the edges of the guard-plate having the guard-teeth, a threaded spindle within the handle and means upon or connected with the guard-plate which engage with the end of the spindle to clamp and hold the guard-plate in any desired position relative to the handle.

6. In a safety-razor a blade-holder embodying a guard-plate provided with teeth parallel to the line of movement of the device when in use, a blade-confining plate, threaded studs or pins upon the confining-plate which pass through openings made in the guard-plate, thumb-screws to engage with said threaded pins, a stud upon the back of the guard-plate having a pivot for the handle therein arranged at an angle relative to the cutting edge of the blade, a handle pivoted by said pivot to the guard-plate and means within the handle for clamping it relative to the guard-plate in any desired tilting position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Leonard B. Gaylor.

Witnesses:

Hollis E. Dennen,

Bertha M. Getchell.