To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Winfred H. Van Gorder and Christian E. A. Gronbech, citizens of the United States of America, residing, respectively at Brooklyn, county of Kings, State of ew York, and Woodhaven, Long Island, county of Queens, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Razors, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in safety razors.

Safety razors as ordinarily constructed include a handle which projects at right angles to the plane of the razor from the middle thereof and usually serves not only as a handle but also as means to secure the blade between a base plate and a clamping plate. A razor of this construction occupies considerable space, and one object of our invention is to provide a safety razor which can be folded into so small a compass that it maybe conveniently slipped into a vest pocket and carried about.

In safety razors in general use the sides or sharpened edges of the blade project beyond the clamping plate and these edges may readily come into contact with objects which damage or dull them. Another object of our invention is to so construct the razor that the parts which form the handle thereof may be folded when the razor is out of use to cover the sharp edges of the blade and protect the same against injury.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for retaining the blade in laterally adjusted position so that the cutting edge of the blade will be exposed to a greater or less extent in order to regulate the closeness of the shaving action.

Generally stated, the improved razor comprises a base plate and a clamping plate movably connected together, and handle members which are capable of being moved into a position to fold against the body of the razor and preferably cover the cutting edges of the blade.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which—

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of the improved razor;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof with the handles folded over the body of the razor;

Fig. 3 is an edge elevation showing one of the handle members turned at right angles to the body of the razor and the other handle member folded over the body of the razor;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing both handle members turned at right angles, or substantially so, to the body of the razor;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the several parts of the razor in extended position, with the blade on the base plate or comb; and

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view on the line 6—6 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, 10 denotes the base plate on which the blade 11 rests. As is usual in safety razors the opposite edges of the plate 10 are provided with spaced guard teeth 12. The base plate is substantially rectangular in form, and mounted in ears 13 at one of the shorter edges of this plate is a pintle 14 on which the clamping plate 15 pivots. The opposite shorter edge of the base plate is provided with an aperture 16, for a purpose to be presently described, and the walls 17 between which the aperture is formed may be slightly curved or bent upwardly beyond the plane of plate 10 to assist in retaining the blade on plate 10 when the clamping plate is not in clamping position.

Also mounted on the pintle 14 and capable of movement thereon independently of the clamping plate 15 is a handle member 18. The handle member 18 is preferably somewhat curved transversely or convexed in cross section, and is provided with an aperture 19 into which the ball of the finger or thumb of the user may engage during use of the device.

At the end of the clamping plate 15 opposite that which is pivoted to the base plate is pivotally mounted a handle member 20, which is complemental to the member 18 and is identical in construction therewith, having the aperture 21 corresponding to the aperture 19 of the member 18. The handle member 20 is pivoted on the pintle 14^a carried in ears 13^a which project from the edge of the clamping plate 15, these ears being spaced such a distance apart as to fit into the aperture 16 when the clamping plate rests on the base plate or on a blade on the latter.

Projecting through an opening at about the center of the base plate 10 is a stud 22 having a head 23 at one end which is adapted to rest on the blade 11, and the opposite end of which is threaded to receive a nut or set screw 24. The blade 11 may be of the standard construction with three aligned holes 25, 26 and 27, or it may be a special blade with only a central hole corresponding to 26. The stud 22 extends through the hole 26 with the head 23 resting on the upper face of the blade.

The width of the clamping plate 15 is approximately equal to the width of the base plate 10 not including the teeth 12, while the handle members 18 and 20 are fully as wide as the base plate 10 including the teeth 12 and preferably provided with the depending flanges 28 at opposite edges thereof.

The device may be manipulated as follows:—Assuming the parts to occupy the positions of Fig. 2 and that it be desired to use the razor for shaving, the clamping plate and the handle members which overlie it are raised as a unit, a blade is placed on the base plate if there be none there, and such blade is properly adjusted until the cutting edges are in the desired position, whereupon the set screw 24 is tightened to hold the blade in adjusted position. Then the clamping plate (and handle members) is moved down to lie against the blade, and the handle members are turned at right angles to the body of the razor, and the parts appear as shown in Fig. 4, the device then being ready for use. When the shaving operation is completed and the razor cleaned the handle members are folded down over the clamping plate with the flanges 28 covering the cutting edges of the blade, the device then appearing as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The entire device is about one-quarter of an inch thick and, as suggested above, may be conveniently slipped into a vest pocket without danger of cutting the latter or the fingers of the person carrying the razor, and without danger of the blade being injured by contact with an other articles which may be in the pocket.

During shaving the user will press more or less tightly against the handle members 18 and 20, tending to very slightly force these members toward each other. This action will result in holding the clamping plate 15 tight against the blade 11 so that the latter is firmly secured in position on the base plate 10 even though the adjusting and clamping stud 22, 23, 24 be omitted, as may readily be done.

The device has many advantages over existing types of safety razors as will readily appear from the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing. It is also to be noted that the outer face of the base plate 10 is entirely unobstructed, except for the small screw 24, and thus presents a substantial surface whereon a name, initials, or advertising matter may be placed.

It is to be understood that our invention is not limited to the details herein shown and described, as modifications will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:—

1. A safety razor comprising a base plate plate, movably interconnected and handle members movably mounted at opposite ends of the clamping plate and capable of being folded to overlie the body of the razor.

2. A safety razor comprising a base plate, a clamping plate pivoted to one end thereof, and a handle pivoted to said clamping plate and capable of being folded to overlie the body of the razor.

3. A safety razor comprising a base plate, a clamping plate pivoted to one end thereof, and like handle members pivotally mounted at opposite ends of the clamping plate, each of said handle members being adapted to be folded down over the clamping plate and cover approximately one half thereof.

4. A safety razor comprising a base plate, a pintle at one end thereof, a clamping plate mounted on said pintle, a handle member also mounted on said pintle, and a second handle member movably carried at the other end of said clamping plate.

5. A safety razor, employing a movable blade, comprising a base plate having a complemental clamping plate movably interconnected with one end of said base plate, handle members hinged at opposite ends of said clamping plate, and means whereby the cutting edge of said blade may be adjusted in relation to the base plate when the handles are extended, said means permitting the handles being folded to overlie the body of the razor when the latter is in closed position.

6. A safety razor, employing a flat blade, comprising a base plate and a clamping plate adapted to hold said blade between the upper surface of said base plate and the inner surface of said clamping plate, handle members movably mounted at opposite ends of the clamping plate, said handles having offset hinges adapted to provide a shoulder contacting with the under side of the base plate when in open position, thereby exerting a varying clamping action of the clamping plate, against the blade resting upon the base plate depending on convergence of the handles.

7. A safety razor comprising a base plate, a clamping plate pivoted to one end thereof, a flat flexible blade adapted to be adjustably held therebetween, like handle members having offset pivot hinge portions adapted to be pivotally mounted at opposite ends of the clamping plate, each of said handle members being adapted to be folded down over the clamping plate covering approximately half thereof when in closed position and compressing shoulders forming part of each offset hinge being adapted when extended to be folded against the back of said base plate drawing the clamping plate nearer to the base plate relative to the convergence of the handles.

In testimony whereof we have affixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

Winfred H. Van Gorder

Christian E. A. Gronbech

Witnesses:

Clarice Franck,

Sylvia Leopold.