To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Frederick H. Arnold, a citizen of the United States, residing at Reading, in the county of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, 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 of the class in which the cutting-blade is arranged to lie on the same plane and in line with the handle.

The object of the present device is to provide a razor of simple and cheap construction, one that may be used with either hand, being capable of cutting from either side even though a single-edge blade is used.

The invention consists of a single-piece holder, comprising a handle and guard and a journaled blade capable of being turned, so that its cutting edge will lie along either edge of the guard.

The invention is more fully described in the following specification and clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which—

Figure 1 is a plan view of my razor, and Fig. 2 a side view of the same. Fig. 3 shows the blade in detail. Fig. 4 is a detail view in section of the locking-sleeve. Fig. 5 is a front or face view of the locking-sleeve.

The numeral 1 designates the handle, and 2 the guard. The handle is formed with a hollow space 4 in its inner end, and a locking-sleeve 3 fits loosely over this end of the handle. This locking-sleeve is intended to hold the blade in either position, and it is formed with a central stem 5, around which a coiled spring 6 loosely fits. This spring is seated in the hollow space 4 of the handle. The sleeve is also formed with three slots in its face, one from the top and one from each side, all terminating in a central opening or journal-bearing 12.

The numeral 8 designates the razor-blade. This blade has a single cutting edge and has a journal 9 at either end.

The guard is formed with a journal-bearing 10 at its extremity, about-midway of its width, and one of the journals on the blade enters and rests in this bearing. The other journal of the blade is entered in the top slot in the face of the locking-sleeve after it has been pressed back, and the journal reaches the central opening 12, where it is securely held after the sleeve is released. The side slots 13 and 14 in, the face of the sleeve are adapted to engage the ends of the blade and hold it against the guard in proper position.

It is evident that the blade may be swung around on its bearings to bring the cutting edge to either side of the guard by merely pressing back the sleeve 3 until the edge of the blade is free from the slot 13 or 14 and turning the blade, when the sleeve is released and the blade engaged by the slot at the opposite side of the sleeve. The blade may also be reversed, as both journal-bearings are of uniform size.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is—

In a safety-razor a holder having a guard portion, a journal-bearing formed on said guard, a hollow locking-sleeve having three slots formed in its inner face, loosely mounted on said holder in combination with a single-edge blade having journals formed on its extremities adapted to enter the bearings on the guard and in the locking-sleeve.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Frederick H. Arnold.

Witnesses:

M. C. Kreider,

Ed. A. Kelly.