To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Charles F. Smith, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Britain, Hartford county, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Razors, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to razors, and particularly to safety-razors.

Among the objects of my invention are simplicity of form and economy of manufacture.

Another object of my invention is to so connect the operating-handle to the blade-support that the blade may be employed after the manner of the ordinary razor-blade, which permits the use of the desirable “draw-stroke.”

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are plan views of detached details.

1 is a base having securely connected thereto at one end edge a handle 6. This handle 6 is arranged in a plane parallel to the plane of the base 1, but is preferably elevated above the same. To that end I have provided an upturned connecting-piece 1^b at one end edge of said base. The opposite end of the base 1 may also be raised, as at 1^a, to provide a rounded end. Between these raised portions 1^a and 1^b is located a blade 3, which preferably has clearance recesses or notches in the ends thereof to permit the blade to be of the greatest possible length relatively to the base 1. The blade 3 may be sharpened at one or both edges and overstands the adjacent edges of the base 1. 4 is a spring arranged to rest on top of the blade. 5 is a backing member resting above the spring 4. The length of the backing member preferably corresponds to the length of the blade 3. Mounted on the base 1 is a stump 2, screw-threaded and provided with a thumb-nut 2^a. The blade 3, spring 4, and backing-plate 5 should obviously be perforated to permit the passage of the stump 2. The opposite edges of the backing member 5, which lie adjacent to the sharpened edge or edges of the blade 3, are notched or recessed to form tongues 5^a. These tongues project beyond the edge or edges of the blade 3 to act as guards. The blade 3 rests upon the base 1, and the latter is immovable relatively thereto when the parts are assembled. The backing member 5, however, may be raised or lowered to any desired extent, so that the guards 5^a will stand nearer to or farther from the cutting edge or edges of the blade, whereby the operative cutting angle of the blade relatively to the face of the user may be varied at will. The spring 4 performs the double function of holding the blade 3 firmly down to its seat on the base 1 and of holding the backing member 5 firmly up against the under side of the adjusting thumb-nut 2^a in its various positions of adjustment. To prevent displacement of the parts, the lower side of the backing member 5 may be recessed to a width corresponding to the width of the spring 4, as best seen in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. When the spring stands in this recess, its longitudinal alinement with the backing member is preserved. This also permits the backing member to be moved down into closer proximity to the blade 3.

In the foregoing it will be seen that the user may grasp the handle 6, and the latter being elevated relatively to the base 1, will afford sufficient space between said handle and the face to prevent the fingers of the user from interfering with the free action of the instrument.

By means of the foregoing arrangement the user may readily remove the blade for the purpose of honing or for the purpose of permitting another blade to be substituted. By having the handle arranged longitudinally of the base and by having the blade two-edged the instrument may be used with either hand with equal facility.

I am aware, of course, that two-edged blades have been known for many years, and therefore make no claim of novelty to this feature broadly. By using a two-edged blade in a safety-razor provided with my new handle a new and useful combination results. The instrument may be used with either hand, and the work is necessarily divided equally between the two sharpened edges, whereby one edge will not become dulled unduly in advance of the other.

The base 1 has on its lower side a smooth and unbroken bearing-surface with the edges and ends rounded, so that the instrument may be applied to the face at any angle without danger of injury thereto.

What I claim is—

1. A safety-razor comprising a base member having a smooth bearing area with substantially parallel edges, a handle rigidly secured to said base member extending longitudinally thereof and in a line substantially parallel with the edges of said base member, a detachable backing member having guard-teeth on its opposite edges, and having a central perforation and a screw stump or post passing through said perforation and secured to said base member, and provided with an adjusting-nut, the axis of said stump being substantially at right angles to the axis of the handle.

2. In a device of the character described, a supporting-base having a smooth unbroken contact or bearing surface on its lower side, a blade supported on the upper-side thereof, one edge of said blade projecting beyond one side edge of said supporting-base, means for holding said blade in place comprising an independently-movable backing member arranged above said blade and a spring arranged between said backing member and said blade, and a handle connected to one end edge of said base and projecting longitudinally thereof.

3. In a device of the character described, a base having a smooth unbroken bearing or contact surface on its lower side, a blade supported on the upper side of said base, one edge of said blade projecting beyond one side edge of said base, a backing member arranged above said blade, a spring arranged between said backing member and said blade, means for adjusting said backing member relatively to said blade, guard-tongues carried by said backing member at one edge thereof and overstanding the sharpened edge of the blade, and a handle secured to said base at one end edge thereof and arranged to project longitudinally of said base.

4. In a device of the character described, a base having a smooth rounded bearing or contact surface on its lower side, a blade supported upon the upper side, the opposite edges of said blade being sharpened and projecting beyond the side edges of said base, an adjustable backing member arranged above said blade, a spring arranged between said blade and said backing member, guard-tongues arranged at each edge of said backing member and overstanding both edges of said blade and a handle secured to one end edge of said base and projecting longitudinally thereof.

5. In a safety-razor, a base, a blade, a detachable backing member, a stump passing through said blade and backing member, a clamp-nut therefor, an upturned portion at one end of said base, a handle secured to said upturned portion, the axis of the handle extending longitudinally of the base and in a plane above the base and said blade.

6. In a safety-razor, a base, a blade, a detachable backing member, a stump passing through said blade and backing member, a clamp-nut therefor, an upturned portion at one end of said base, a handle connected thereto, the axis of said handle being arranged in a plane above said base and blade and parallel thereto.

7. A safety-razor comprising a base member having a smooth bearing area and substantially parallel opposite edges, a handle member secured rigidly to one end of said base member, and extending longitudinally therefrom, with its axis substantially parallel to the edges of said base member, a blade centered and supported on said base member having oppositely-disposed cutting edges, a detachable backing member having oppositely-disposed guard-teeth arranged along its edges and adjustable means independent of the handle for clamping said backing member to said base member.

8. In a safety-razor, a base, an upwardly-projecting handle connection at one end edge thereof, a handle attached thereto, a removable blade supported by said base and means to hold the same in place and guard the edge thereof, said means including a spring member independent of the blade.

9. A safety-razor comprising a base member having a smooth bearing area and substantially parallel opposite edges, a handle member secured rigidly to one end of said base member, and extending longitudinally therefrom, with its axis substantially parallel to the edges of said base member, a blade centered and supported on said base member having oppositely-disposed cutting edges, a detachable backing member having oppositely-disposed guard-teeth arranged along its edges and means independent of the handle for clamping said backing member to said base member.

10. A safety-razor, comprising a backing member, a toothed guard member, a handle rigidly secured to the end of one of said members and extending in a direction substantially parallel therewith, a blade detachably secured between said backing and guard members, and a post independent of said handle passing through said blade, and a clamp-nut for clamping said blade between said backing and guard members.

11. A safety-razor, comprising backing and guard members having substantially parallel opposite edges, a handle rigidly secured to one of said members between the edges and extending substantially parallel with the edges, a double-edged blade, and means independent of said handle for clamping said blade between said guard and backing members.

12. In a safety-razor, a base member, a backing member, a blade between said members, an upturned portion at one end of one of said first and second members, a handle secured to said upturned portion and having its axis extending longitudinally of said members in a plane above both of them, a screw-stump passing through one of said members and secured to the other, and a clamp-nut therefor whereby the blade may be clamped between said members.

Charles F. Smith.

Witnesses:

Frank T. Punderson,

Oliver N. Judd.