To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, James H. Flagg, a citizen of the United States; and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Safety-Razor, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in safety razors, and more particularly to that type of safety razor disclosed in my previous application, Serial No. 397,288, filed October 14, 1907.

The special objects of the present invention are to provide an improved form of handle, whereby the safety razor may be more firmly held in any desired position; to provide an improved form of lather retainer disposed adjacent the blade but spaced therefrom, and to provide an improved means for supporting the blade and holding it in place.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures, and in which—

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of razor constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section taken in a plane at right angles to the blade; Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3—3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section illustrating a modified form; and Fig. 5 is a front view, a portion thereof being shown in section on the line 5—5 of Fig. 4.

The main body of my razor is preferably formed of a single piece of sheet metal, as in the form shown in my prior application above referred to. The handle 10 is provided at its upper end with arms 11 integral therewith and also integral with the blade-supporting plate 12, which latter is bent at an angle to the general direction of the handle. Adjacent the intersection of the two side arms 11, the handle is provided with oppositely-disposed, laterally-extending extensions 13, which are roughened on their outer surfaces and curved around to form a gripping section or portion substantially cylindrical in cross section. The portion of the sheet metal disposed intermediate the two side arms 11 is left attached to the arms and the handle adjacent their intersection, and is bent outwardly and upwardly to form a lather-retaining plate 14, having a straight terminal edge of a length substantially equal to the length of the free edge of the blade-supporting plate 12. The free edge of the lather retainer is spaced from the edge of the plate 12 and is below the plane thereof, so that when the razor is in operation, the lather catcher or retainer 14 will not engage with the face but will receive the lather from the under surface of the blade.

A single or double-edged blade 15 may be employed, and means are provided for rigidly securing it to the plate 12. The free edge of the plate 12 is curved downwardly and is provided with a plurality of notches or recesses, serving to form a plurality of guard fingers 16. The two end fingers are preferably of slightly greater width than the intermediate ones and are provided with slight projections or lugs 17, which define the position of the blade and limit its forward movement. The rear edge of the blade preferably engages with lugs or projections 21, adjacent the rear edge of the plate 12. For securing the blade, to the supporting plate 12, I provide a retaining bar or plate 18, preferably having one end thereof provided with a lug 19, extending through an aperture in the end of the plate 12 and bent inwardly to engage with the under side of the blade and normally prevent the removal of the bar. The bar may be rotated in its own plane about the lug 19 as a center, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The opposite end of the bar is provided with a lug or catch 20, bent downwardly and inwardly and adapted to engage with the under surface of the plate 12 to securely hold the blade to the plate. By swinging the bar 18 through approximately one-half of a revolution, the lug 19 may be readily removed from the aperture and the bar separated from the remainder of the razor.

The specific form illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, is of somewhat cheaper construction and no lather retainer or guard is provided. The side extensions 13^a are bent to the same side of the handle as is the blade-supporting plate 12^a, whereas in the form shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the side extensions 13 are bent to the opposite side of the handle from the blade-supporting plate 12. The blade-supporting plate 12^a is integral with the handle 10^a, and the bar 18^a substantially identical with the bar 18, serves to hold the razor blade in place.

By means of the special gripping section or portion of the handle, the latter may be easily held in any desired position, either with the thumb and finger in engagement with the back and front of the gripping portion, or in engagement with the sides thereof, or with the flat terminal portion. The razor is very easily cleaned, and there are no parts which can get out of order.

The entire device is formed of but three pieces, one of which forms the handle, the blade support, the guard, and the lather retainer; another of which constitutes the blade proper, and the third of which constitutes the means for holding the blade to the first-mentioned part.

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

1. A safety razor, comprising a handle, a blade-supporting plate, arms connecting said handle with the end of said plate, and a lather retainer carried by said handle and extending from a point intermediate said arms and terminating substantially parallel with the edge of said blade-supporting plate, all of said parts being formed from a single piece of sheet metal.

2. A safety razor, comprising a handle, a blade support extending transversely thereof, arms adjacent the ends of said blade support and integral with said handle, and a lather retainer integral with said arms and formed from a portion stamped from between said arms.

3. A safety razor having a blade supporting plate and a handle integral therewith, said handle having the portion adjacent the blade supporting plate provided with oppositely-disposed roughened lateral extensions forming a substantially tubular gripping portion and said handle having a flat terminal portion.

4. In a safety razor, a blade supporting plate having am aperture therein adjacent one end, a blade adapted to be secured thereto, and a securing bar having one end thereof bent to form a lug or hook adapted to extend through said aperture and engage with the under surface of said plate and having the opposite end thereof bent to form a lug or catch adapted to engage beneath said blade supporting plate as the bar is swung laterally upon said first-mentioned lug as a pivot.

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

James H. Flagg.

Witnesses:

C. W. Fairbank,

John P. Davis.