To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Julius Bueno de Mesquita, a subject of the King of England, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Razors; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in safety razors of the type employing wafer blades, and among the objects in view is the provision of means for firmly and efficiently retaining the blade in position during operation.

With this and further objects in view, as will in part be hereinafter stated and in part become obvious, the invention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts as herein set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing,—Figure 1 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the cap catch detached. Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical sections taken transversely through the razor frame, the cap being seen in its closed position in Fig. 2, and in its open position in Fig. 3. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation. Fig. 5 is an inverted plan view. Fig. 6 is a vertical section on a plane at right angles to the plane of section in Figs. 2 and 3, the section being taken on the plane indicated by line 6—6 of Fig. 5.

This application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 531,199, filed December 3, 1909.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, 1 indicates the main or guard plate having at its front edge the usual guard teeth 2 which may be of any preferred construction, said plate having at each end an upstanding flange 3. Each flange 3 at its upper edge is provided with an overhanging ear 4. The plate 1, at each front corner, that is, at each end of the guard 2, is provided with a hook 5, and the blade 6 is adapted to be introduced between the flanges 3 and lying on plate 1 and extending beneath the ears 4, the front corners of the blade engaging the hooks 5. It may be noted that the hooks 5 may, instead of being formed as hooks, be constructed as upstanding shoulders, their function being to prevent the blade 6 from moving forwardly. A plate 7 is fixed to plate 1, as by rivets 7′, and is arranged beneath the same, and formed at each end with a forwardly extending arm 8 terminating in laterally projecting journals 9, 9, said journals being disposed substantially in line with and spaced beneath the cutting edge of blade 6 when said blade is in operative position.

A cap 10 is arranged and adapted in operation to cover the blade, said cap comprising a top plate terminating in a back wall 11 and side walls 12, 12, said back and side walls being dimensioned to snugly inclose the edges of plate 7 when the cap is closed, and the side walls terminating at the front of the cap in a pair of forwardly extending arms 13, each apertured and pivotally mounted on the respective journal 9, said journals 9 extending through said apertures, and the arms 8 bearing against the inner surfaces of arms 13, and thus preventing lateral play of the cap. The top plate of cap 10 is provided with a forwardly depressed spring portion 14 positioned, when the cap is closed, to rest firmly against blade 6 and pressing the same firmly against plate 1. The back or rear depending wall 11 is spaced from the rear edge of plate 6 and is provided with a spring 15 which extends longitudinally of said rear wall and may be fixed thereto at an intermediate point by any suitable means as by welding, the ends of the spring being bent inwardly or forwardly so as to rest against and exert spring pressure upon the rear edge of blade 6 when the cap is closed. The said ends of spring 15 are rounded inwardly, that is shaped transversely into arcuate form, as at 16, so as to strike the rear edge of blade 6 on the rounded portions as the cap is being closed, the spring flattening out slightly longitudinally as the cap is brought to closed position, and the ends of said spring thus in tending to straighten exert a forward pressure on the blade 6. At the intermediate point or point of engagement of spring 15 with rear wall 11, the spring is formed with a depending upwardly opening hook 17 adapted to interlock with a corresponding hook 18 carried by a spring 19. Said spring 19 may be of various forms, but preferably consists of a strip of spring material bent into a suitable fold and extending upwardly at the opposite end from the hook 18 and forming a plate 20, which with the handle receiving plate 21 is secured by rivets 22 or otherwise to the plate 1. An operating button 23 may be fixed to the exposed portion of spring 19 for facilitating manual depression thereof for releasing engagement of hook 18 with hook 17. The spring pressure of portion 14 against blade 6 is usually sufficient for causing the cap 10 to snap open instantly upon being released by pressure on button 23.

An internally threaded sleeve 24 is preferably formed integral with plate 21 and depends therefrom for receiving the upper threaded end of handle 25. Said handle may therefore be readily attached and detached.

The operation, after the parts are assembled, is precisely the same as with any of the various types of safety razors and the assemblage of the blades with the holder is materially simplified while the firm, rigid retention is insured. When the cap is in the open position, as seen in Fig. 3, blade 6 may be readily slid into place or out of place, and to secure the same it is only necessary to close the cap, which latter remains locked firmly in its closed position until released by the simple operation of pressing the button 23.

What I claim is:—

1. In a safety razor, the combination with a blade support, of a cap pivoted thereto and having a catch hook, and a plate fixed to the support and having a spring strip bent into a depending fold, the outer free end portion of said strip extending upwardly and being formed with a catch hook adapted to coöperate with the hook of the cap for detachably locking the cap in a closed position.

2. In a safety razor, the combination with a blade support, of a cap pivoted thereto and formed with a catch hook, a handle depending from said support, and a spring fixed at one end to the support and depending in a fold in rear of said handle and having its free end portion extending upwardly and formed with a catch hook adapted to coöperate with the hook of the cap for detachably locking the cap in a closed position.

3. A cap retaining spring for a safety razor frame, comprising an anchoring plate and a spring strip bent at an angle to the plate of substantially ninety degrees, the strip being bent back upon itself to form a fold, the return portion being bent into sinuous form and terminating in a hook.

4. In a safety razor, the combination, with a frame and a cap hinged to the frame and having a catch, of a plate anchored in the frame and tapered to form a spring strip, the strip being bent into a depending fold with the members of the fold spaced apart, the free end of the strip being formed with a catch disposed and adapted to interlock with the catch of cap, that lap of the fold having the catch being exposed for access for manual depression and formed with means to facilitate such depression.

5. In a safety razor, the combination, of a plate, a cap hinged thereto and having a catch, a plate fixed to the first-mentioned plate and having a recess, a plate in the recess and fixed to the first-mentioned plate, and a folded spring strip carried by the third mentioned plate and extending downwardly past a portion of the second-mentioned plate and then upwardly to a position beneath the cap, said strip terminating in a catch disposed and adapted to engage the first-mentioned catch for detachably locking the cap in its closed position.

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

Julius B. de Mesquita.

Witnesses:

A. E. Gross,

F. M. Crossman.