The object of the present invention is to provide an improved safety razor of very small dimensions which is of very small thickness when folded and the blade of which when mounted in place has the required inclination for shaving and maintains a certain resiliency.

The safety razor according to the invention is of the kind in which the blade is held between a toothed guard and a cover plate and supported between a pair of resilient arms on the end of the handle, trunnions on the cover plate and guard engaging in holes in the said arm the arrangement being such that the blade is not at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the handle.

In safety razors of this kind it has previously been proposed to form cruciform slots in each arm into which lead the said trunnion holes, the arrangement being such that when the blade arrangement is turned about the trunnion axis and brought into line with one pair of slots the resilient arms snap in and hold the blade rigidly at each end in the said slots either in the shaving position or in the closed position according to which slots engage.

According to the present invention the razor comprises a pair of resilient arms each formed with a single slot and a single transverse hole leading into the said slot, the slot in one arm extending in the longitudinal direction of the arm and the slot in the other arm being inclined relatively to the longitudinal direction of the arm, a toothed guard plate, a cover plate, a blade removably placed between said plates and trunnions on the guard plate and cover plate corresponding with the longitudinal axis of the blade and adapted to engage in the respective holes in the arms, the arrangement being such that the guard plate, cover plate and blade are adapted to be turned about the trunnion axis by resilient yielding of the arms until one end edge of the guard plate and cover plate comes into line with one of said slots and snaps into the same so that the blade is then rigidly held at one end and freely pivoted at the other thus providing for a certain resilience of the blade.

The accompanying drawing illustrates this razor by way of example.

Fig. 1 is a front view of the razor when it is folded, that is to say with its blade turned down between the branches of the blade carrier.

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the razor with the blade in operating position.

Fig. 4 is a corresponding side view thereof.

Figs. 5 and 6 are inside views of the left hand and right-hand branches of the blade carrying yoke.

Fig. 7 shows separately: the comb, the blade and the counter-plate.

Fig. 8 shows the blade mounted in the yoke for permitting the grinding or sharpening of the said blade.

As illustrated in the drawing, this safety razor is composed of a metal yoke the branches 1, 2 of which are of unequal length and act as springs; on this yoke is mounted a small member 3 which serves for holding the razor and replaces the usual handle. This member which is held between the thumb and the first finger, is jointed with hard friction on to the yoke and can pivot about its securing pin 4; in this way the member 3 can be placed in the most suitable position relatively to the yoke for shaving purposes.

Each branch of the yoke is provided near its upper part with a small hole 5, 6 adapted to receive the studs 7, 8 and 7′, 8′ carried by the comb 9 and the counter-plate 10.

The blade 11 is placed between the comb and the counter-plate; the comb carries bosses 12 upon which are placed the corresponding holes 13 of the blade 11 and the holes 14 of the counter-plate 10; moreover, the teeth of the comb are slightly inclined as illustrated in the drawing.

The blade, its comb and its counter-plate are placed in the yoke, the studs 7, 7′ entering the hole 5 and the studs 8, 8′ entering the hole 6.

The branch 1 of the yoke is provided on the inner side with a groove or slot 15 passing through the hole 5; this groove or slot serves to hold the blade and the members associated therewith in the plane of the branches of the yoke, when in the position of rest (Figs. 1 and 2).

The other branch 2 is provided with an inclined slot 16 passing through the hole 6; by causing the blade and the members associated therewith to pivot, by exerting a slight pressure on the whole of the latter, they are released from the slot 15, their studs still remaining engaged in the holes 5 and 6 when they have been brought to the inclination of the slot 16, they enter this slot and the razor is in the operating position (Figs. 3 and 4).

It will be noted that in this position, the blade is not only inclined from the rear to the front but also from right to left and, in this way, the blade is perfectly placed for shaving well; moreover, on account of the method of securing the blade, the position of the latter relatively to the comb and to the counter-plate, the said blade maintains a certain resiliency which allows it to vibrate in the same way as English razors which hum while shaving.

An operation reverse to that indicated above brings back the blade into the position of rest.

This system of safety razor also permits the blades to be sharpened.

It will be noted that the holes 14 of the counterplate are nearer one of the edges than to the other.

In the position shown in Fig. 7 and in Figs. 1 to 6, the blade is exposed or uncovered on the side of the teeth of the comb in order to enable one to shave oneself, and covered on the opposite side; if the counter plate 10 is turned over about its longitudinal axis, the blade will be uncovered or exposed on the side opposite the teeth of the comb and by bringing the whole in the plane of the branches of the yoke (Fig. 3) the blade can be easily sharpened.

The safety razor thus constructed therefore presents the blade in the position necessary for shaving well and owing to the jointing of the holding member the razor can always be arranged in the correct position even for persons whose wrist is not supple; finally once the blade has been brought back to the position of rest the whole of the razor presents only a very small thickness and may, for instance, be easily placed in a waistcoat pocket.

The forms, details, dimensions and materials used may of course be varied without departing on that account from the principle of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A folding safety razor of the kind set forth comprising a pair of resilient arms each formed with a single slot and a single transverse hole leading into the said slot, the slot in one arm extending in the longitudinal direction of the arm and the slot in the other arm being inclined relatively to the longitudinal direction of the arm, a toothed guard plate, a cover plate, a blade removably placed between said plates and trunnions on the guard plate and cover plate corresponding with the longitudinal axis of the blade and adapted to engage in the respective holes in the arms, the arrangement being such that the guard plate, cover plate and blade are adapted to be turned about the trunnion axis by resilient yielding of the arms until one end edge of the guard plate and cover plate comes into line with one of the said slots and snaps into the same so that the blade is then rigidly held at one end and freely pivoted at the other thus providing for a certain resilience of the blade.

2. A folding safety razor as claimed in claim 1, the handle being connected to the yoke by a longitudinal pivot joint about which the said handle can be turned relatively to the said yoke.

3. A safety razor according to claim 1, the comb teeth being slightly inclined to the surface of the comb.

4. A safety razor according to claim 1, further comprising a holding member on said yoke.

5. A safety razor according to claim 1 further comprising a holding member mounted on the yoke and adapted to be turned to have a desired orientation relatively to the plane of said yoke.

6. A safety razor according to claim 1, the comb comprising studs on its surface and the counter plate and blade having holes, said studs being adapted to engage in said holes for securing the blade between said comb and counter plate, the studs on said comb and counter plate being so disposed relatively to the longitudinal edges of said comb and counter plate that by placing the blade on the comb with a cutting edge to be sharpened away from the teeth and reversing the position of the counterplate by turning it over about its longitudinal axis, and replacing it in position again, the cutting edge of the blade is exposed at the side opposite the teeth and can be sharpened.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

Georges Valet.