This invention relates to safety razors and its object is to provide a device of this character having the advantages both of a safety razor and an ordinary straight razor, and which will have a long life due to the construction of the blade, and one in which new blades may be easily inserted.

A further object is to provide improved razor blades which will be inexpensive and yet effective.

Further general objects will become apparent from the description which follows:

Referring to the accompanying drawing which is made a part hereof and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts,

Figure 1 is an end view of my safety razor with all parts assembled,

Figure 2, a section on line 2—2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3, a view of the safety razor head reverse from that shown in Figure 1,

Figure 4, a view similar to Figure 1, but showing a one-piece razor blade,

Figure 5, a perspective view partly in section showing an edge of the razor, and

Figure 6, a detail showing an element for securing the handle to the shank of the razor.

In the drawing numeral 10 indicates a head portion having a screw threaded stud 11 which extends through a plate 12 to which razor blades 13 are secured. The head is provided with a pin 14 which seats in a socket in the plate 12. The head portion 10 and the plate 12 carrying the razor blades 13 are all preferably shaped in the form of an equilateral triangle on each side of which is provided a cutting edge for the razor. The blades 13 have holes 30 into which pins or lugs 16 on either the head 10 or the plate 12 seat to hold them in place. The blades are simple and inexpensive and may readily be replaced by new ones when dull. The edges of the plate 12 are provided with ribs or teeth 17 such as form the protecting edge for many forms of well known safety razors now in use. The plate 12 has two preferably straight edges whereas the third side has an inner curved edge as shown at 18. The straight edge 19 is hinged on a pin 20 to an edge of the plate 12. A coil spring 21 surrounds the pin and one end of the spring rests against an edge of the hinged portion 19 and the other end against the face of the plate 12. The purpose of the spring is to tend to hold the hinged side 19 in the plane of the plate 12. Rigidly secured to one side of the hinged portion 19 is a projecting lug or finger 22 which serves to rock the hinged portion 19 to lift it away from the edge of the razor blade. When so lifted it converts the adjacent razor blade 13 into an ordinary straight razor. In other words the protecting ribs or teeth on the edge of the plate 12 are lifted away from the cutting edge of the razor so that the razor cuts freely and operates in a manner similar to the ordinary straight razor. The stud 11 is screw threaded and on its end carries a sleeve 23 to which is secured an arm 24, the arm carrying a screw threaded pin 25 on its outer end. On its inner end the sleeve 23 carries a small pin 26 which is adapted to seat in any one of several holes 15 in the rear of the plate 12. The purpose of this pin and the holes is to provide means for holding the arm 24 in any one of several adjusted positions with respect to a side of the razor. The sleeve 23 carries a nut 32 which may be turned down to engage the finger 22 to hold the hinged side 19 away from the cutting edge of the blade. A handle 27 having screw threads on the interior of one end is threaded over the pin 25. Ordinarily the handle will be offset as indicated in Figure 5 so that in shaving, the razor blades will be moved at an angle to the beard and thus facilitate easy shaving. A screw cap 28 is provided for holding the sleeve 23 in place on the pin 11. If it is desired, however, the user may attach the handle 27 directly to pin 11 thus eliminating the sleeve 23 with its associated elements. The handle 27 has a threaded end which carries a nut 29. When using in this fashion the nut 29 may be screwed down upon the pin 11 as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 to engage the finger 22 and swings the side 19 away from the cutting edge of the razor blade. This provides an ordinary straight razor out of this side of the blade. The other two sides of the blade, however, still function as safety razor edges. In shaving, the edge 19 may operate as an ordinary straight razor simply by pressing against the hinged edge 19 to swing it away from the cutting edge of the razor or if the operator so desires the nuts 29 or 32 may run down to engage the finger 22 and permanently hold the edge 19 away from the cutting edge of the razor blade so that this edge of the razor will remain as a straight blade.

Instead of having each edge made in a separate piece the razor may be made in the form of a one-piece blade 31 as shown in Figure 4, this blade being provided with three cutting edges, thus insuring a relatively long cutting life as distinguished from safety razor blades as heretofore known which have only two cutting edges. One particular advantage secured by this razor over the ordinary safety razor is that the angular portions at the apexes of the triangle enable the user to position the razor about certain portions of the face not easily accessible by ordinary razors and thus operate more efficiently, particularly when shaving adjacent the nose and the lower lip.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in my device without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore I do not limit myself to what is shown in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as indicated by the appended claims.

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

1. A safety razor of the kind described comprising a head portion having a screw threaded stud thereon, a plate, a handle portion adapted to be secured on the screw threaded stud and to hold the plate between it and the head, a blade secured between the head and the plate, one edge of the plate being hinged to permit it to swing away from the cutting edge of the blade, a finger on the said hinged portion engageable by the handle to hold the hinged edge out of engagement with the cutting edge of the blade, substantially as set forth.

2. A safety razor of the kind described comprising a head portion having a screw threaded stud thereon, a plate, a handle portion adapted to be secured on the screw threaded stud and to hold the plate between it and the head, a blade secured between the head and the plate, one edge of the plate being hinged to permit it to swing away from the cutting edge of the blade, a finger on the said hinged portion engageable by the handle to hold the hinged edge out of engagement with the cutting edge of the blade, said finger engaging portion on the handle comprising a nut radially adjustable along a screw threaded portion of the handle, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 8th day of December, A. D. nineteen hundred and thirty-one.

GILES S. MOORE.