1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to safety razors of the type in which two single edge blades are positioned with their cutting edges directed inwardly are spaced apart a short distance. More particularly, the present invention relates to a safety razor for supporting two inwardly directed single cutting edge blades wherein the blades are replaceable by use of a new blade magazine having an elongated key.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Safety razors having a pair of inwardly directed single edge blades are well known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,315,785 discloses a safety razor wherein a pair of inwardly directed signal edge blades are bonded in a replaceable cartridge. U.S. Pat. No. 2,361,921 provides for supporting a pair of inwardly directed single edge blades which are replaceable by hand. U.S. Pat. No. 3,488,764 also discloses inwardly directed single edge blades, but the blades are permanently bonded in a disposable razor or cartridge.

Each of the above-noted patents are not suitable for replacing blades by use of well known and commercially available single edge blade dispensers having an elongated key. The key of the well known dispenser is inserted in an expansible channel in the razor to relieve the razor clamping pressure on the blade, and a new blade is inserted in the razor by a mechanism which pushes the new blade and at the same time ejects the used blade. One such dispenser is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,549,046. Examples of commercially available razors for receiving blades from such dispensers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,911,713 and 2,911,714.

The present invention is directed to providing a safety razor for supporting inwardly directed single edge blades which are replaceable by use of well known single edge blade dispensers having an elongated key.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a safety razor for supporting two replaceable single cutting edge blades in converging planes with the cutting edges of the blades parallelly arranged and spaced apart a short distance. The razor of the present invention comprises a pair of opposing upwardly and inwardly sloped blade seats having stop means spaced between the blade seats for abutting engagement with opposite outer portions of the cutting edge of each one of the two blades. The razor also comprises a pair of resiliently yieldable means for clamping the two blades on the blade seats and for biasing the two blades into abutting engagement with the stop means.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a safety razor holder of a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the holder;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the holder with a portion broken away;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a blade seat of the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the blade seat;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the blade seat with a portion broken away;

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the blade seat;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the blade seat taken along Lines 8—8 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a blade clamping and biasing member;

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the blade clamping and biasing member with a portion broken away;

FIG. 11 is a side elevation view of the blade clamping and biasing member;

FIG. 12 is an end view of two blade clamping and biasing members positioned in an opposing manner;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a safety razor constructed in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention with a portion broken away;

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the safety razor taken along Lines 14—14 of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a top plan view of the safety razor showing an elongated key of a dispenser partially inserted in the safety razor;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a safety razor in accordance with the present invention with portions broken away;

FIG. 17 is a top plan view of the safety razor of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a side elevation view of the safety razor of FIG. 16;

FIG. 19 is a top plan view of the safety razor of FIG. 16 showing a dispenser releasably engaged therewith; and

FIG. 20 is a side elevation view of FIG. 19.

With reference to FIGS. 1 - 3, there is shown a safety razor holder or handle 10 of one embodiment of the present invention. The holder 10 has a base portion 12 and a pair of shoulders 14, 16 extending upwardly from opposite ends of the base portion 12. Each of the shoulders 14, 16 has a horizontally elongated boss 18, 20 on opposing sides thereof. An elongated shaving debris passage 22 extends between the shoulders 14, 16 and downwardly through the base portion 12 to a flared opening 24 at the bottom of the base portion 12.

FIGS. 4 - 8 show a blade seat member 30 for the first embodiment of the present invention. The blade seat member 30 has a pair of opposing upwardly sloped blade seats 32, 34 on the top end thereof. A pair of spaced stops 36, 38 are positioned on the top of the blade seat member 30 between the blade seats 32, 34. Each of the stops 36, 38 are rigidly secured to the blaee: blade seat member 30 by downwardly extending posts 36′, 38′.

The blade seat member 30 has bifurcated downwardly extending side members 40, 42. Each one of the downwardly extending side members 40, 42 has a first elongated slot 44, 46 extending inwardly from a respective end of the blade seat member 30. A second elongated slot 48, 50 extends further along each of the side members 40, 42 from a respective one of the first elongated slots 44, 46. Each one of the second elongated slots is narrower and shallower than the first elongated slots 44, 46.

Each one of the inner surfaces 60, 62 of the side members 40, 42 has an elongated recess 52, 54 at diametrically opposite ends thereof. Each one of the inner surfaces 60, 62 also has an inwardly projecting boss 56, 58 located centrally thereof. The inner surfaces 60, 62 are shaped to provide a close fit over the shoulders 14, 16 of the shoulder 10 with the elongated bosses 18, 20 in locking engagement with the elongated recesses 54, 52, respectively. The blade seat member 30 also has an elongated shaving debris passage 64 extending between the stops 36, 38 and downwardly to the space between the inner surfaces 60, 62.

FIGS. 9 - 11 show a blade clamping and biasing member 70. The clamping and biasing member 70 has a cap 72 projecting inwardly from a transverse step portion 76. A transverse flat section 74 extends downwardly from a step portion 76 to an inwardly stepped lower end 78. A flange 80 projects upwardly from the lower end 78, and has a slot or notch 82 centrally located at the upper end thereof. As shown in FIG. 12, the specific embodiments of the present invention include two blade clamping and biasing members 70, 70′ positioned in an opposing manner. The primed numerals of FIG. 12 signify corresponding blade clamping and biasing elements described with reference to FIGS. 9 - 11.

The razor is assembled by positioning the two blade clamping and biasing members 70, 70′ on the blade seat member 30 in the orientation shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, When thus positioned on the blade seat member 30, the bosses 58, 56 on the inner surfaces 62, 60 are positioned in the slots 82, 82′ of the upwardly projecting flanges 80, 80′, respectively, to prevent transverse movement of the blade clamping and biasing members 70, 70′. The blade seat member 30 is then positioned on the holder 10 with the elongated bosses 18, 20 on the holder shoulders 14, 16 in locking engagement with the elongated recesses 52, 54 of the blade seat member 30.

It should be noted that the width of the upwardly projecting flanges 80, 80′ of the blade clamping and biasing members 70, 70′ have width dimensions less than the distance between the holder shoulders 14, 16. The blade clamping and biasing members 70, 70′ are also spaced a slight distance above the holder base portion 12. As shown in FIG. 14, spaces 90, 92 are provided between the inner surfaces of the upwardly projecting flanges 80, 80′ and the side members 40, 42. The spaces 90, 92 also extend about the bottoms of the side members 40, 42.

FIG. 15 shows a dispenser 94 having a key partially inserted in a space 106 (FIG. 14) between the inner surface of the transverse flat section 74 and the outer surface of the downwardly extending side member 40. The key 96 has a first elongated cam or raised surface 98 which in the position shown in FIG. 15 initially rides along the first elongated slot 44 to wedge the blade clamping and biasing member 70 from the position shown in FIG. 14. The first cam surface 98 then enters the second elongated slot 48 while a second cam or raised surface 100 on the key 96 enters the first elongated slot 44 to still further wedge the blade clamping and biasing member 70 from the position shown in FIG. 14.

The wedging action of the key 96 in the space 106 (FIG. 14) acts to close the space 90 between the inner surface of the upwardly projecting flange 80 and the inner surface of the downwardly extending side member 40. In an embodiment wherein the blade clamping and biasing members 70, 70′ were composed of a brass alloy having 70 percent copper and 30 percent zinc, the juncture of the lower transverse end 78 and the flange 80 is slightly resiliently yieldable under the wedging action of the key 96 to move the transverse step portion 76 out of abutting engagement with the rear surface of the single edge blade 102. It is preferred that the cap 72 remain in contact with the upper surface of the blade 102 during the wedging operation to minimize the possibility of movement of the blade 102 on the blade seat surface 32 prior to insertion of a new blade.

When the key 96 is fully inserted in the space 106, a pusher 110 on the dispenser 94 is moved in the direction of the razor to slide a new blade between the cap 72 and the blade seat surface 32. The movement of the new blade between the cap 72 and the blade seat surface 32 ejects the blade 102 from the far side of the razor. After the blade 102 is ejected from the razor, the key is removed from the space 106 to permit the blade clamping and baising member 70 to return to the position shown in FIG. 14. As the blade clamping and biasing member returns to the position shown in FIG. 14, the transverse step portion 76 abuts the rear edge of the new blade to bias the outer portions of the cutting edges of the new blade into abutting engagement with the stops 36, 38. Simultaneously, the clamping pressure exerted by the cap 72 on the top surface of the new blade will increase to rigidly maintain the new blade in shaving position.

The blade 104 is replaced in the same manner described above by inserting the key cams 98, 100 in the slots 50, 46, respectively, and operating the pusher 110 of the dispenser 94 to insert a new blade between the cap 72′ and the blade seat surface 34 while simultaneously ejecting the blade 104.

The stops 36, 38 should be a metal such as brass or other material which will not wear as a result of repeated abutting engagement with the cutting edges of the blades. The holder or handle 10 and the blade seat member 30 can be suitably composed of molded plastic or other material such as metal. As noted above, one embodiment of the invention provided brass blade clamping and biasing members 70, 70′. However, the blade clamping and biasing members 70, 70′ can be suitably composed of other materials such as metals or plastic so long as the blade clamping and biasing members 70, 70′ are resiliently yieldable upon insertion of a dispenser key, and exert sufficient clamping and biasing pressure on a blade to maintain it in proper shaving position.

FIGS. 17 - 20 show another embodiment of a safety razor 200 in accordance with the present invention. The razor 200 functions in the same manner as that described hereinabove. However, the razor 200 has blade clamping and biasing members 210, 212 transversely offset to provide stepped recesses 202, 204 as clearly shown in FIG. 17. The stepped recesses 202, 204 are formed by beveled surfaces 206, 208 provided at both ends of a holder or handle 220 and a blade seat member 222. The stepped recesses 202, 204 are provided to accommodate a forward left ear 230 formed on a pusher 228 of a well known and commercially available dispenser 226. FIGS. 19 and 20 show the dispenser 226 with its cammed key (not shown) in wedging position with the clamping and biasing member 210. The left forward ear 230 moves into the recess 202 as the pusher 228 slides a new blade 232 beneath the blade clamping and biasing member 210. FIG. 19 also shows the new blade 232 ejecting a used blade 234 from the far end of the razor 200.

What is claimed is:

1. A safety razor for supporting two replaceable single cutting edge blades in upwardly converging planes with the cutting edges of said two blades parallelly arranged and spaced apart a short distance, said razor comprising:

a blade seat member including a pair of oppositely inwardly and upwardly sloped blade seats, and a pair of spaced and downwardly extending side members;

spaced stop means between said blade seats for abutting engagement with opposite outer portions of the cutting edge of each one of said two blades;

a substantially rigid frame member on each one of opposite sides of said blade seat member, each one of the frame members including (1) an inwardly projecting cap at an upper end thereof for clamping one of said two blades on one of said blade seats, (2) an upper portion adapted for biasing said one blade into abutting engagement with said stop means, and (3) an upwardly and inwardly extending flange at a lower end thereof for abutting engagement with an inner surface of one of said side members; and

means including an elongated recess on each one of said opposite sides of said blade seat member for guiding an elongated key of a blade dispenser between said blade seat member and a respective one of the frame members to wedge the respective frame member outwardly from said blade seat member.

2. The razor of claim 1 wherein an upper portion of each one of the flanges is in abutting engagement with the inner surface of a respective one of said side members, and wherein a transverse lower portion of each one of the flanges is spaced from the respective inner surface, whereby the caps are biased to clamp said two blades on said blade seats and the upper portions of the frames are biased to bias said two blades into abutting engagement with said stop means.

3. The razor of claim 2 wherein each one of the inner surfaces of said side members comprises a boss, and wherein each one of the flanges has a slot for receiving a respection one of the bosses therein to prevent transverse movement of the frame members with respect to said blade seat member.

4. The razor of claim 1 further comprising a holder having spaced shoulders connected to said blade seat member between said side members and outwardly of the flanges.

5. The razor of claim 4 further comprising means for passage of shaving debris from between the cutting edges and through said blade seat member and said holder.