To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Albert Grah, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Razors, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to maintain the razor blade and handle in such relation to each other that the blade will remain in any position to which it may be moved for the purpose of holding the blade central of the handle slot, thereby protecting the edge from striking either side of the handle and preventing the blade from moving or dropping from one position to another relative to the handle whereby injury to the user or to the blade might result.

My invention consists in providing constant frictional, yielding or spring contact between the handle and shank of the blade, in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts and in the same as an article of manufacture as herein set forth.

In the drawing which serves to illustrate my invention: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a razor embodying my invention, showing the blade in the act of being closed in‘the handle slot. Fig. 2 is a top or edge view of Fig. 1 showing the edge of the blade entering the handle centrally of the slot. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view showing the shank end of the blade and the normal position of the bifurcated shank before it is secured in position in the handle. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a razor embodying my invention with the handle held in upright position, the blade being held at right angles thereto by means of my invention.

The construction of my invention is preferably substantially as follows: The shank 1 of an ordinary razor blade 2 is bifurcated to form a slot 3 and branches 4 and 5 which normally stand or spring apart as shown in Fig. 3. The shank 1 is provided with the usual pivot bearing 6 and is secured in an ordinary handle 7 by means of pivot 8, the branches 4 and 5 being compressed from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 2 whereby a constant spring or frictional contact or engagement between the shank 1 and handle 7 is maintained. This frictional engagement permits the blade to be easily moved upon the pivot in any position whether open or closed and at the same time insures the blade being held by such frictional engagement in any position to which it may be moved, as for instance, that shown in Fig. 4 in which the blade is shown as being held from dropping when the handle is in upright position. There is sufficient spring or tension between the handle and shank to compensate for any ordinary wear between the parts.

The split or bifurcated spring shank allows the razor to be easily opened or closed to the desired positions without permitting the edge of the blade to strike against either side of the handle because the frictional engagement between the handle and shank will always hold the edge of the blade in a position centrally of the slot 9 in the razor handle 7. It also prevents sudden closing of the razor blade in the handle and holds the blade in any position either open or closed to which it may be moved. Further it prevents the danger of the blade falling and cutting the hand of the user or injuring the edge of the blade and will under all circumstances be tight enough to hold the blade in the center and prevent the blade from being injured by the handle.

I claim:

As an article of manufacture, a razor comprising a slotted handle 7, a razor blade 2 provided with a shank 1 having a slot 3 from its back to its front on a plane coincident with a line passing centrally through the razor blade from the back to the cutting edge whereby spring branches 4 and 5 are formed and adapted to normally exert spring pressure against the adjacent inner walls of the handle 7 to hold said razor blade in any position to which it may be moved and centrally of the slot and a pivot 8 passing through both of said branches adapted to secure said blade and handle together, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

Albert Grah.

Witnesses:

James N. Ramsey,

Ada Burnett.