To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Egon Lothar Schmitz, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Razors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in safety-razors; and it is the special object of my invention to provide a novel and improved safety-razor in which the blades can be replaced without taking off the handle. The frame further is provided with blade-retaining lugs pivoted to the sides of the main frame and capable of moving backward for the purpose of allowing the blade-supporting plate to swing downward and out of the same. There are, further, two small set-screws on the blade-supporting plate to enable a finer adjustment of the blade in the frame.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which—

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete safety-razor. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of Fig. 1, the handle being removed. Fig. 3 is a side view showing the hinged front plate and pivoted lug turned up, and Fig. 4 illustrates a modification of the blade-retaining lugs.

Similar letters of reference denote like parts in all the drawings.

The improved safety-razor consists, essentially, of the blade-supporting frame A, the blade B, the handle C, novel means and devices for adjusting and retaining the blade, and a blade-securing screw permitting an exchange of blades without removing the handle. The frame A is constructed of a stationary main portion A′ and a hinged swinging front portion A², against which rests the blade, preferably called the “blade-supporting plate.” The sides A³ of the main frame are provided with blade-retaining lugs L, pivoted thereto, Figs. 1 and 3. A small incision a³ on the sides A³ arrests these lugs, which, however, can be turned down when the blade is removed, (See Fig. 3.) The blade-supporting plate A² has a flange a², extending downward, through which passes the principal adjusting-screw S. The main portion of the frame A′ has in the rear a neck N, adapted to receive the hollow portion c of the handle C. Through neck N passes a screw S′, which may be screwed up, so as to bear against the flange a², thereby pressing the blade-supporting plate against the blade-retaining lugs L. From the above it is plainly understood that the handle has to be removed when it is desired to replace or exchange the blade and it is desirable to insert another blade for the clean or finishing shave. In order to accomplish this without trouble, I may dispense with the use of screw S′, (see Fig. 2,) and I have provided a screw S² in the rear portion of the main frame, which bears against the flange a² while the razor is being used. If it is now desired to exchange blades, then this screw S² is loosened, permitting the blade-supporting plate to move backward, whereby the shaver is enabled to remove the blade used for taking off the bulk of the beard and to insert a just-sharpened blade for the finish without being obliged to remove the handle. Both screws S′ and S² may be provided; but it is clearly seen that the screw S² alone is sufficient for the successful operation of the razor.

In case the blade should not stand exactly rectangular to the center line of the handle and fine adjustment is desired this may be effected by two small set-screws s, Fig. 3. The screws s are provided in the blade-supporting plate, one in each top corner of the same. The ends of the screws s are even with the front surface of the blade-supporting plate when not being used. Should the blade be adjusted so as not to be exactly rectangular with the center line of the handle, then one or the other screw s simply is drawn a little closer, pushing the blade on that side a little forward, thereby effecting the desired adjustment.

A modification of the blade-retaining lugs is shown in Fig. 4. Each side A³ of the frame has a slot I, in which slides the movable and curved lug L′. If moved down on the incision a³, then the lug will retain the blade. If moved up in the slot, then the blade is released and can be removed.

With the described improvements I have succeeded in producing a safety-razor which is perfect in every detail, insuring exact adjustment and great convenience and reliability.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent—

1. In a safety-razor, a frame composed of a stationary main portion with incisions in the front edges of the sides of said frame, and blade-retaining lugs pivoted on the sides, said lugs in operation being arrested by the incisions and capable of being turned down, in combination with a hinged swinging blade-supporting front plate, substantially as described.

2. In a safety-razor, a frame composed of a stationary main portion with incisions in the front edges of the sides of said frame, and blade-retaining lugs pivoted on the sides, said lugs in operation being arrested by the incisions and capable of being turned down, and in the rear top center of said frame a blade-securing screw in combination with a hinged swinging blade-supporting front plate provided with a downward flange on which these securing-screw acts, substantially as described.

3. In a safety-razor, a frame composed of a stationary main portion with incisions in the front edges of the sides of said frame, and blade-retaining lugs pivoted on the sides, said lugs in operation being arrested by the incisions and capable of being turned down, and in the rear top center of said frame a blade-securing screw in combination with a hinged swinging blade-supporting front plate provided with a downward flange, and two small set-screws in the top corners, substantially as described.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 28th day of February, A. D. 1898.

Egon Lothar Schmitz.

Witnesses:

A. J. Farnandez,

Lothar von Koppen.