Razor Guard
Patent US315708
Invention Guard for Razor Blades
Filed Saturday, 15th March 1884
Published Tuesday, 14th April 1885
Inventor Alfred Victor Brokhahne
Language English
CPC Classification:For a full resolution version of the images click here
A PDF version of the original patent can be found here.
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To all whom it may concern:
Be it known that I, Alfred V. Brokhalme, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Attachment or Shaving-Guard for Razor-Blades, of which the following is a specification.
My invention aims to provide a simple attachment or fitting for the blades of ordinary razors, whereby persons who shave themselves, particularly novices in the practice, may be enabled to perform the operation with greater safety and accuracy, and with little or no danger of cutting themselves.
It is well known that the chief cause of cuts in shaving occurs from holding the blade at too obtuse an angle to the skin, whereas if the blade be held sufficiently flat to the skin or within certain limited angles of acuteness, cutting is almost impossible. The safe shaving angle is therefore about fifteen degrees, an inclination which the expert shaver has no difficulty in maintaining during the various strokes of shaving, but which the novice finds difficult to observe, and who, consequently, is in frequent danger of cuts from tilting the blade up in a steep angle in making the shaving-stroke. Particularly is this likely to occur when first applying the blade to the skin to commence a stroke, which, if not presented at a sufficiently flat or acute angle, cuts at once into the skin at the first advance. It is therefore obvious that if some means were provided whereby the action of the shaver would be guided in applying the blade to his skin so as to enable him to present the blade constantly at the proper angle, the chief danger would be obviated, and if in addition some further means were provided which would prevent the possibility of the edge penetrating the skin to any appreciable extent, even if the blade were inadvertently tilted too high out of the proper angle, the act of shaving would be rendered very safe, even by very inexpert novices. Now, my present invention provides these means, and it may, therefore, be briefly stated to consist in equipping the razor-blade with a protuberance extending longitudinally on the back of the blade and projecting laterally therefrom, forming a rest to fit against the skin and trail over the same behind the cutting-edge during the shaving-strokes, the said protuberance or rest being of such projection as to tilt the blade to the correct shaving angle, so that while the blade is held against the skin with the projecting rest in contact therewith the cutting-edge will always be presented at the safe and efficient angle for shaving.
Another feature of the invention lies in a guard or fender plate extending out on one side of the blade, running longitudinally thereon near to the cutting-edge, but terminating a very slight distance from the extreme cutting-edge and pressing against the edge of the blade so as to deflect or curve it slightly from the skin, which plate, as hereinafter shown, will prevent the possibility of any serious cuts, even if the razor be held at a very steep angle to the skin. These devices may be affixed permanently on the blade, but are preferably embodied in a removable slide-clasp or attachment adapted to slip on the razor-blade and to be reversible so as to be applied to either side of the blade according as the blade is used either on the right or left side of the face, as hereinafter fully set forth.
In the drawings annexed,
Referring to
It will be noted that in my device the fender-plate extends out on but one side of the blade and on that side only which is placed against the skin and that the edge of the fender-plate presses laterally against the very thin and flexible portion of the blade just at the cutting-edge. Hence the pressure of the fender-plate being on but one side of the blade and that on the under or working side, it will tend to slightly curve or deflect the thin edge of the blade upward or outward away from the skin. This is of great importance in shaving action, as it greatly tends to reduce the possibility of cuts, for the more the fender-plate is pressed against the skin the more tendency is there to curve or deflect the cutting-edge slightly from the skin, so that while the edge is kept sufficiently near to make a close shave it is presented more in an elastic yielding manner and kept in a position of close parallelism to the skin and not in a rigid obtuse position, as would be the case if the edge were not thus slightly curved or deflected from the skin.
I am aware that a shaving-guard has been applied to razor-blades with a fender-plate on each side between which the blade was embraced so that the cutting-edge projected between the two plates; but this is obviously distinct from my improvement in the respect above noted, that by reason of the edge being held between two embracing-plates the lateral deflection of the edge from the skin is prevented, and hence causes the edge to always be presented at a rigid angle to the skin and not in that condition of relaxation and close parallelism which my device secures, so that the device referred to cannot be said to reduce the liability of cuts, but only to prevent a cut being very deep or serious, whereas my device not only prevents the possibility of a serious cut being given, but also reduces the possibility of any cuts or scratches at all being given in comparatively careless movements.
It will be noted that each end of the fender-plate is beveled or rounded off at opposite inclines diverging toward the fender edge, the divergent angles being adapted to coincide with the two ends of the razor-blade, as seen in
In
What I claim is—
1. A razor having a rest, as
2. In combination with a razor-blade, a removable rest, as
3. A semi-tubular attachment adapted to be slid onto the back edge of a razor-blade, with a longitudinal protuberance projecting laterally therefrom to such an extent relative to the width of the blade that a line drawn from its apex to the edge of the blade will make an angle of fifteen degrees, or thereabout, with the plane of the blade, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4. In combination with a razor-blade, a fender plate or bar extending out on one side of the blade only, and running longitudinally thereon at a close approach to the extreme cutting-edge of the blade to deflect said edge outward, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
5. A reversible guard for razor-blades, consisting of the clasp or socket
6. A combined razor guard and rest consisting of a fender-plate constructed to approach close to the cutting-edge of the blade, and provided with a lateral extension to trail upon the skin and present the cutting-edge of the blade to its work at an angle of about fifteen degrees, as and for the purpose set forth.
Alfred V. Brokhalme.
Witnesses:.
Chas. M. Higgins,
Jno. E. Gavin.
Correction in Letters Patent No. 315,708.
It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 315,708, granted April 14, 1885, upon the application of Alfred V. Brokhahne, of New York, New York, for an improvement in “Guards for Razor Blades,” the name of the inventor was incorrectly written and printed “Alfred V. Brokhalme” instead of Alfred V. Brokhahne; and that the proper corrections have been made in the records of the case in the Patent Office, and should be read in the Letters Patent to make the same conform thereto.
Signed, countersigned, and sealed this 21st day of April, A. D., 1885.
H. L. Muldrow,
Acting Secretary of the Interior.
Countersigned:
M. V. Montgomery,
Commisioner of Patents.