To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Witmer J. Kendig, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lancaster, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Razors, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to safety-razors, and more particularly to that class which are provided with a razor-blade having a continuous cutting edge and also which is of such a construction that the razor can be moved upon any part of the skin in any direction, and in this way a much greater cutting edge is available than in any straight edged razor, as the blade being circular in form, one-half of its cutting edge is in use at the same time.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel construction of safety-razor and razor-blade therefor, which is simple of construction, contains few parts, is easily cleaned and may be honed without disassembling (which is a feature embodied in no other safety-razor) and which, owing to its circular form, which may be very small, it may be used to greater advantage than other, razors and still have a large cutting edge.

While I am aware that there have been safety-razors constructed having a circular blade, they are all made with an approximately flat blade, or with a blade which presents a convex surface to the face, or which has a convex cap that tends to force the blade away from the face-and forms a wrong cutting angle with the face, and in this connection it may be stated that it is a well known fact that the best cutting razors are those which present a concave surface to the face, and this I have accomplished in my device, as I employ a circular concavo-convex blade which, is retained in the holder with the concave side next to the face at the proper angle to present the finest cutting edge.

Another object of the invention is that as the blade is only sharpened upon the concave side, the blade may be honed while in the holder and thus no stropping device is required.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safety-razor of such a construction that the frame or holder affords a receptacle or receiver in which the lather is collected during the act of shaving, and which may be cleaned by holding it under a faucet, as there are no inclosed parts necessitating taking the razor apart to clean.

Still another object of my device is that by employing a circular concavo-convex blade a shearing cut or stroke is obtained while drawing the razor upon the skin.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in certain construction and combination of parts as will hereinafter be fully described and claimed in the annexed specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application, and in which like figures of reference refer to corresponding parts in all of the views; but it is fully understood that while I have described my invention as herewith shown, that I do not confine myself to the exact design as shown, as slight changes may be made in the construction and combination of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:—Figure 1, is a transverse vertical sectional view of the assembled device. Fig. 2, is a top plan view of the same, showing the guard comb and its concave top. Fig. 3, is a side elevation of the guard-case. Fig. 4, is a transverse vertical sectional view of the blade. Fig. 5, is a plan view of the concave side of the blade, showing the ground surface or cutting ring. Fig. 6, is a transverse vertical sectional view of the cap. Fig. 7, is a top plan view of the cap.

Referring to the drawings, the handle 1, which is preferably tubular in form to be more readily cleaned, is formed at the upper end to conform to the curve of the lower surface of the guard, and is provided with the internal screw-threaded portion 2, for the reception of the cap stud 11.

The guard-case which is of an inverted cup shape is formed with the top 3, of concavo-convex form, and its edge is cut away to form the comb-teeth 4; while the center of said top is provided with the orifice 5.

The blade 6, is here shown as composed of an even thickness of steel, concavo-convex in form, except where it is ground flat 7, near the edge on the concave side to form the cutting edge 8, and the blade is further provided with the central orifice 9.

The cap 10, constituting the fourth and last member of the device is of a circular concavo-convex form of slightly less diameter than the blade and is formed with the screw-threaded stud 11, depending from the center of the convex side thereof.

To assemble the device, the blade 6, is placed with its concave side next to the cap 10, the stud 11, extending through the orifice in the blade; the guard is next placed upon the stud 11, with its concave surface in contact with the convex surface of the blade 6, and the handle 1, is now screwed upon the stud 11, thus securing all of the members in place, and the device is now ready for use.

When it is desired to hone the razor, this may be done without taking out the blade, as it will be seen that by placing the razor concave side down upon the hone and giving it a circular rubbing motion that the ground surface or ring 7, is brought into the proper contact with the hone, and thus no special stropping device is required as is the case with all other safety-razors.

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

1. A safety-razor comprising an inverted cup-shaped guard or holder formed with a concave upper surface and provided with a central orifice, a concavo-convex circular blade formed with a central orifice in the body thereof, a circular concavo-convex cap provided with a screw-threaded stud depending from the convex side thereof and passing through the central orifices in said guard and said blade, and a tubular handle adapted to be screwed thereon with its end in contact with said guard.

2. A safety-razor comprising a circular concavo-convex holder formed with an orifice in the body thereof, a circular concavo-convex blade formed with an orifice in the body thereof and placed with its convex side in contact with the concave side of said holder, a circular concavo-convex cap formed with a depending stud from the convex surface thereof and placed with its convex surface in contact with the concave surface of said blade and with its depending stud extending through the orifices in said holder and said blade, and a handle screw-threaded upon said stud below said holder and retaining all of said members in place.

3. In a safety razor, a guard plate concavo-convex in cross-section and having a curved periphery provided with teeth, a blade concavo-convex in cross-section and having a cutting edge coöperating with the said guard teeth, and a cap plate concavo-convex in cross-section, together with means for rigidly holding the blade between the cap plate and the guard plate.

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

Witmer J. Kendig.

Witnesses:

Wm. J. Coulter,

Mabel L. Lefevre.