To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, John Elmer Parkison, a citizen of the United States, residing at Colorado Springs, in the county of El Paso and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Razors; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in razors of the safety type in which a detachable blade is employed.

My object is to provide a device which shall be exceedingly simple in construction, economical in manufacture and the blade of which is so inexpensive that it may be discarded or thrown away when it becomes dull.

An exceedingly important feature of my improved device, consists in the fact that the guard is so located that there is a continuous slot immediately in front of the cutting edge of the blade or between this edge and the guard. By reason of this construction it is distinguished from razors of the safety type in which a toothed guard is overlapped by the blade which to a certain extent prevents the use of the device except when the blade occupies a position at right angles or approximately at right angles to the direction of travel or movement. If a razor having a toothed guard is moved when held with its blade at an oblique angle to the direction of movement, the teeth of the guard moving in front of the blade, press the beard downwardly and thus interfere with the action of the blade thereon. My object is to overcome this difficulty by leaving a continuous slot or uninterrupted space extending the entire length of the edge of the blade and in front of the same thus making it practicable to move the blade over the face when held at an oblique angle to the direction of movement, thus permitting a shearing drawing cut, which is exceedingly advantageous when any cutting instrument is employed as is well known. By leaving a clear space in front of the edge of the blade its entire length, the beard has an opportunity to assume an erect position in front of the edge of the blade after the guard has passed over it, thus allowing the blade to act thereon under the most favorable conditions, or in the same manner as the blade of an ordinary razor, not of the safety type. At the same time my construction is such that the user, by reason of the construction aid arrangement of the guard, has all the advantages which can be obtained from any safety type of razor so far as freedom from danger of cutting the face is concerned.

My improved construction of safety razor has still another advantage, since the handle, the guard and the backing, may all be formed or stamped from a single piece of sheet metal, thus making the device of exceedingly simple and economical construction as heretofore intimated.

Briefly stated the construction consists of a tubular handle, a backing plate bent to occupy a position at an oblique angle to the handle, a tubular guard bent below the backing plate and having its free extremity located a short distance in front of the backing plate; a thin blade placed upon the backing plate and having recessed extremities to receive lips formed on the backing plate whereby the blade is held in place; and a clasp pivoted at one extremity and adapted to pass over the blade and the backing plate, the said clasp engaging the blade on one side and the backing plate on the other, whereby the blade is held securely in place and with its cutting edge a short distance in the rear of the free edge of the guard.

Having briefly outlined my improved construction, its function and the advantages or objects sought to be obtained therefrom, I will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In this drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved device viewed from the front and with the pivoted clasp raised to uncover the blade which is shown in position on the backing plate. Fig. 2 is a similar view as seen from the rear, the clasp being in position to hold the blade in place. Fig. 3 illustrates the manner of making the blades from a single strip of sheet steel. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the razor with all the parts assembled and in position for use. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 6 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but with the pivoted clasp thrown outwardly to permit the removal of the blade. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the blank for the pivoted clasp, the folding line being dotted. Fig. 9 is a detail view of the blade. Fig. 10 is a view of the blank from which the handle, the guard and the backing plate are formed or stamped.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate the handle, 6 the backing plate and 7 the guard of my improved device. These reference characters will be employed not only to designate the said parts in the completed device, but also to designate the corresponding parts of the blank as shown in Fig. 10. The handle 5 in the completed device is tubular, being formed from the corresponding part of the blank by bending the longitudinal edges A of the part 5 of the blank together as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. The backing plate 6 in the complete device, is bent to occupy an oblique angle to the handle, the latter being cut out below the blade as shown at B to form a narrow neck between the body of the handle and the backing plate. In forming the device, the backing plate is bent on the dotted line C in Fig. 10. The guard 7 in the completed device, is tubular in shape and is formed by bending the blank on the dotted line D, Fig. 10. The guard extends rearwardly beneath the backing plate and occupies a position between the body of the handle and the said plate, its front or free edge occupying a position a short distance in front of the corresponding edge of the backing plate 6. The space between the backing plate and the free edge of the guard is designated E.

The opposite ends of the plate are cut from their free edges inwardly to form blade-holding lips, the said lips being bent upwardly to occupy a position perpendicular to the body of the plate, the said lips being intact at their inner extremities.

The blade 8 may be formed of a thin narrow strip of sheet steel sharpened on one edge as shown at F. The manner of forming this blade is illustrated in Fig. 3 in which the dotted lines G designate the blade divisions or the lines of cut during the act of removing the blades from the sheet of steel after the same has been properly stamped. The opposite extremities of each blade are provided with small recesses H open at the outer edges of the blade. These recesses are engaged by the retaining lips I of the backing plate, whereby the blade is retained in place on the said plate. In forming the blades from the strip of steel illustrated in Fig. 3, openings H′ are formed in the strip intermediate its extremities, of sufficient size to form two recesses one in each end of the blade. In cutting the blades from the strip, the line of division is midway between the extremities of this recess H′, as indicated at G.

The clasp 9 is pivotally connected with the backing plate 6 at one of its lower corners, being the lower right hand corner referring to Figs. 6 and 7. This clasp is double being bent at J to form parallel members. One of these members designated J′ occupies a position in front of the blade when the device is in position for use; while the other member consisting of two end parts J², occupies a position in the rear of the backing plate. As shown in the drawing there is a space J³ between the parts J² and directly in the rear of the body part of the member J′. As shown in the drawing the member J′ is cut away at its extremities as shown at J⁴. The clasp pivot is designated J⁵.

From the foregoing description the manner of assembling the parts of my improved device will be readily understood. Assuming that the blank shown in Fig. 10, has been stamped to form the parts 5, 6 and 7 of the completed device and that the lips I of the backing plate have been bent to the proper position as heretofore explained; and also that the clasp has been pivotally connected with the backing plate, the blade may be placed in position on the backing plate with the lips J of the latter engaging the recesses H. In order to place the blade in position it will be understood that the clasp 9 must be thrown to the position shown in Fig. 7. As soon as the blade is in place on the backing plate, the clasp should be thrown toward the left referring to Fig. 7, until it assumes the position shown in Fig. 6, whereby its two members engage the blade and the backing plate on opposite sides. The device is then in position for use, and it will be observed that there is an open space or slot E in front, of the cutting edge of the blade and extending the entire distance thereof, the said space or slot being between the cutting edge of the blade and the free edge of the guard. This free edge of the guard it will be observed is of a length fully equal to or a little longer than the blade. The guard is preferably cut away at its ends as shown at 10.

From the foregoing description it will be readily understood that my improved device by virtue of the slot E in front of the blade or between the cutting edge of the latter and the guard, may be held in any position during use, that is to say in a position with the cutting edge of the guard at oblique angles to the direction of travel of the device or at right angles thereto as may be desired. In other words by reason of the slot E or clear space in front of the edge of the blade, the device may be held in position to give the shearing cut so desirable in all instruments of this class as will be readily understood without further explanation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A razor having a handle, a backing plate supported by and extending transversely across one end of the handle, means for connecting a razor blade to said plate with its cutting edge projecting beyond the same, a guard with a straight edge, and means for supporting the guard with said edge parallel to but wholly separated at all points from the edge of the razor blade.

2. A razor comprising a handle, a backing plate occupying a position transversely of the handle, a guard having a straight edge wholly separated at all points from the backing plate, and means for supporting the razor blade on the backing plate with its cutting edge forward of the latter and parallel to but at all points away from the edge of the guard.

3. A razor comprising a handle, a backing plate provided with end lips formed integral with the plate and extending outwardly therefrom on one side, a blade having end recesses which the lips engage, the recesses being open at the ends of the blade and means for holding the blade in place on the plate.

4. A razor comprising a handle, a backing plate, a blade mounted on the plate, a clasp for holding the blade in place, the clasp being pivotally connected at one end of the backing plate and composed of two separated parallel members adapted to swing over and straddle the rear edge of the backing plate and blade whereby it is made to engage both ends of the latter.

5. A razor comprising a handle, a backing plate connected with the handle and extending at an angle thereto, the plate having end lips, a blade having end recesses engaged by the lips of the plate, a clasp composed of two parallel members pivoted to the plate to swing over the rear edges of the plate and blade, the clasp members being separated to engage said parts and hold them in operative relation, and a guard below and in front of the cutting edge of the blade.

6. A razor comprising a handle, a backing plate connected with the handle and provided with end lips, a blade having recesses engaged by said lips, a clasp pivotally connected with the plate at one end to swing over the rear edge of the backing plate and blade to hold the latter in place, and a guard connected with the backing plate, the said guard comprising a tubular member located below the cutting edge of the blade and having a longitudinal opening adjacent the edge of the blade forming an uninterrupted space between the edges of the blade and guard.

7. A razor comprising a handle, a backing late, a tubular guard between the plate and handle, the said guard being connected with the backing plate and extending downwardly below the cutting edge of the blade, the guard having an edge located remote from the backing plate and occupying a position directly in front of the cutting edge of the blade, and a clasp pivotally connected with one end of the backing plate and adapted to swing over the rear edge of the backing plate and blade whereby the two parts are connected in operative relation.

8. A razor having a handle, a backing plate, and a guard formed from an integral piece of sheet metal, a blade detachably connected with the backing plate, and a clasp pivotally connected with the backing plate at one end and composed of two separated parallel parts to swing over and straddle the rear edge of the backing plate and blade for holding the blade in place.

9. A razor comprising a tubular handle, a backing plate extending on both sides of the handle and occupying a position at a suitable angle thereto, a tubular guard connected with the backing plate and occupying a position below the latter, the handle adjacent the backing plate being cut away to make room for the guard, the latter having a smooth edge located directly in front of the cutting edge of the blade, the edges of the blade an guard being separated by an uninterrupted space.

10. A razor comprising a handle, a backing plate, a guard, a blade engaging the backing plate, and a clasp composed of two separate parallel members, the clasp being pivoted to one end of the backing plate to swing over and straddle the rear edges of the plate and blade to hold the blade in place.

11. A razor comprising a handle, a backing plate, a guard mounted on the backing plate, and a clasp composed of two separated parallel parts, said clasp being pivoted at one of the lower front corners of the backing plate to swing over and straddle the rear edges of the said plate and blade whereby the latter is locked securely in place.

12. In a razor, the combination of a handle, a backing plate connected with the handle, projections on the backing plate, a blade provided with end recesses which the projections of the backing plate engage, and a clasp provided with two separated parallel parts for holding the blade in place, the said clasp being pivotally connected with one end of the backing plate to swing over and straddle the rear edges of the backing plate and blade, the clasp engaging the blade and plate on opposite sides whereby the blade is held securely in place on the plate.

13. A razor comprising a tubular handle, a backing plate connected with the handle, the latter being cut away adjacent said backing plate, a tubular guard arranged adjacent said cut away portion of the handle and having a smooth edge directly in front of the backing plate, said edge being separated throughout its length from the backing plate, and a blade mounted on the backing plate and having its cutting edge projecting into the space between said plate and guard, said cutting edge being out of contact throughout its length with the smooth edge of the guard.

14. A razor comprising a handle, a backing plate, a guard occupying a position between the backing plate and the handle, the handle, backing plate and guard being formed from an integral piece of sheet metal, a blade mounted on the backing plate and having end recesses, the backing plate having lips engaging the recesses of the blade, and a clasp for holding the blade in place on the backing plate, the said clasp being pivoted to one end of the backing plate and composed of two separated parallel members which swing over and straddle the rear edges of the backing plate and blade, the clasp being constructed to engage the plate and blade on opposite sides whereby the blade is held securely in place.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

John Elmer Parkison.

Witnesses:

Dena Nelson,

A. J. O'Brien.