N° 11,224 A.D. 1912

Date of Application, 11th May, 1912—Accepted, 14th Nov., 1912 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION. Improvements in Safey Razors

We, William Wallis Twigg, of Harpers Hill Works, Northwood Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, and Charles Neville Loeb, of 10, New Union Street, Moorfields, in the City of London, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—

This invention relates to improvements in safety razors.

Heretofore it has been generally assumed that to make thin safety razor blades operative for shaving, it was necessary to clamp them firmly between two surfaces, one the guard and the other a top plate, in such a manner that the blade was supported near its edge. We have found that a very much smaller amount of support and derived without flat or curved clamping plates suffices for making the thinnest blades used, operative for shaving.

In safety razors comprising a comb plate on which stops are provided to determine the position of the edge of the blade, various arrangements of springs have been proposed for pressing the blade against the said stops, for example, it has been proposed to hold the blade between jaws one of which forms the guard or comb provided with stops against which the front edge of the blade is pressed by the other jaw which engages the back of the blade, the said jaws being resiliently or pivotally connected together.

According to the present invention, in a safety razor of the kind comprising a comb plate with stops determining the position of the blade edge and means for pressing the blade against the stops, the said blade is pressed against the stops by a member comprising two or more spring arms passing through slots in the comb plate to which the said member is secured.

In the accompanying drawing, which shows how our said invention may be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a safety razor constructed according to our invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the safety razor with a part thereof turned back.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, with parts in section, also with the part turned back as in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detail view of a member hereinafter referred to.

As shown in this drawing, a is a handle supporting a comb plate b on which hooks c are formed for holding in position the front or cutting edge of a blade d, and lugs e are also formed on the said plate to hold the said blade in position laterally.

A member f, shown separately in Figure 4, is constructed with arms f¹ extending through slots g in the plate b, the said arms acting to press the blade d towards the hooks c. These arms are bent round at their ends as shown at f² to catch over the back of the blade and prevent the same from lifting from the plate b whilst the razor is in use.

In the particular construction herein described, a flap h is pivotally mounted on the plate b at or near the rear end thereof, and is provided with a heel-piece h¹ which drags over the plate b, thus furnishing means for pressing the front or outer edge of the flap on to the upper surface of the blade to assist in holding the latter in position against the hooks c and between the lugs e. This flap is not essential to the improved construction and may be dispensed with. Its use however in addition to ensuring the holding of the blade as required, also prevents soap from accumulating on the blade. A blade holder d¹ is shown in the drawing but may be dispensed with without altering the construction.

To insert a blade, the flap is turned to the position shown in Figures 2 and 3. The back of the blade is then pressed by hand against the arms f¹ forcing these rearwardly until the edge of the blade, properly, positioned between the lugs e, can be brought into engagement under the hooks c, after which the blade is released and is thereupon held between the arms f¹, the hooks c and the lugs e. The flap h can then be turned into the position in which it is shown in Figure 1 and is held in this position by the heel piece h¹ engaging the surface of the plate b.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is:—

1. A safety razor of the kind comprising a comb plate with stops determining the position of the blade edge and means for pressing the blade against the stops, wherein the said blade is pressed against the stops by a member. comprising two or more spring arms passing through slots in the comb plate to which the said member is secured, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the razor claimed in Claim 1, of a pivoted flap further ensuring the blade from being raised away from the comb plate.

3. A safety razor constructed as hereinabove described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Dated this 11th day of May, 1912.