To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, James C. Boyle, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Calgary, in the Province of Alberta and Dominion of Canada, have invented a new and Improved Safety-Razor, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to safety razors, and more particularly to safety razors employing removable blades.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple, strong and durable safety razor, by means of which the operation of shaving can be effected in a quick, comfortable and safe manner, and in which the blade is so controlled that a sliding cut can be effected therewith.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safety razor having a movable blade and means for actuating the blade so that the user, when drawing the blade in a direction transversely of its edge, can at the same time impart to the blade a lateral movement to produce a sliding cut, which is most effective in comfortably and thoroughly removing the beard.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the class described which obviates the straight dragging cut necessary in the operation of the ordinary safety razor, and in which the blade-carrying frame is adjustable, so that its position can be altered to conform to the part of the face which is being shaved.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and particularly set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which

Figure 1 is a partial longitudinal section of the safety razor; Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the blade-carrying frame and the upper end of the frame-holder; Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3—3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse section showing the blade-operating mechanism; Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse section showing the blade-carrying portions of the device; Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of the frame which carries the blade, showing the guard; and Fig. 7 is an enlarged plan view of the carrier mounted upon the frame and serving to support the blade.

Before proceeding to a more detailed explanation of my invention, it should be understood that the form and kind of the blades employed therewith, together with the type of guard for the blade, form no part of my invention. Moreover, many of the constructive details can be varied without departing from the underlying principles of the device.

Essentially, my invention consists in the provision of a movable blade, together with means for operating the blade so that it is given a lateral movement, or rather one at an angle with the direction of its length, and therefore as it is passed over the face of the person being shaved, the blade at the same time has a lateral movement which, together with the first movement, effects a sliding cut. This sliding cut, which is very difficult of accomplishment with the ordinary safety razor, is the most effectual mode of shaving the beard comfortably, rapidly, and with ease. With the ordinary unguarded razor it can be effected by the most skilful operators only, such for instance, as experienced barbers. With my safety razor, the sliding cut is automatically and positively effected and requires no skill or experience on the part of the user of the device. As the blade itself is movable to produce the sliding cut, it is unnecessary to manipulate the razor in some, peculiar manner to effect this. I have shown for example, a form of actuating mechanism which I have found convenient to employ, but I wish to disclaim any preference or this or any other particular type of operating mechanism. It will be seen that this mechanism, together with many of the details of construction, can be varied as desired or as found necessary. The mode of supporting the blade and the means for operatively connecting it with the actuating mechanism, as shown and described, can also be altered if necessary. The underlying principle of the invention consists in the movable arrangement of the blade in combination with operating means for the same.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I provide a holder or handle 1, which may be fashioned from any suitable material such as plated metal, and preferably is cylindrical or tubular in form. Near the lower end, the hollow handle is extended to form a casing 2 for the operating mechanism.

At the under side of the casing 2 is provided a ring 3 formed to receive a finger of the user of the device, to assist in holding the same. At one side, the casing 2 has a boss 4 in which is fashioned a slot 5 through which extends the end of a lever 6. The latter is movably mounted upon a pivot pin 7 within the boss. The end of the lever extends into the casing 2 and is formed with a toothed segment 8. A spindle 9 extends from one wall of the casing to the other, and has rigidly arranged thereupon a pinion 10 and a gear-wheel 11. A second spindle 13, carries a pinion 14 and a worm-wheel 15 rigid therewith. The pinion 9 is in mesh with the toothed segment 8, and the worm-wheel 15 is in mesh with a worm 16 rigid with a shaft 17, the lower end of which is journaled in a bearing 18, and which is arranged longitudinally within the hollow handle 1. Near the upper end the latter has a bearing 19, through which the shaft 17 passes and which holds the same centrally with respect to the handle. A V-shaped spring 20, is arranged between the handle and the lever 6 and is secured respectively thereto. The spring tends to expand and to force the lever into an initial position, shown for example, in Fig. 1.

A frame 21, has a neck 22 provided with a constricted portion 23, adapted to fit into the upper end of the handle and to be movably held therewithin. A set-screw 24 is provided to permit the frame to be locked in a plurality of positions with respect to the handle. At one side, the frame has an offset lip 25, the edge of which is serrated and formed into a blade-guard 26, which may be of any preferred or common form. The sides 27 of the frame have their upper edges curved or bent over to form guides 28, which are adapted to receive the flanges 30 of a cover 29, which can be forced into sliding engagement with the guides. The cover 29 has a back 31. The edge of the cover opposite the back 31, when the cover is forced home upon the frame, is positioned adjacent to and slightly separated from the lip 25, to permit the blade 32 to project therebetween. At the upper face, the cover has a groove 33, formed to receive a finger-nail to permit the user to remove the cover. The bottom of the frame is provided with openings 37, to permit lather and the like to escape therethrough when the device is in operation.

A blade-carrier 34, which like the other parts of the device, can be fashioned from any suitable material, such as metal, is movably arranged within the frame and is carried by set-screws 35. The latter extend through slotted openings 49 in the frame and are received by properly threaded openings 36 of the carrier. The carrier has a slot 38 formed to receive the end of the shaft 16 which is formed into a crank 39 and has a head 40. The carrier further has studs 41, arranged to be received by recesses in the under face of the blade 32, to hold the latter in position with respect to the carrier. When the blade is arranged upon the latter, it extends between the lip 25 and the adjacent edge of the frame cover and rests upon the guard, as is shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 3. The ends of the carrier rest upon shoulders 42 formed at the opposite sides of the frame.

A clamp plate 43 serves to hold the blade in position upon the carrier and is adapted to be forced under the end flanges 44 of the carrier. The plate is beveled toward the forward edge and the flanges 44 are correspondingly formed to receive it. A spring catch 45 is riveted or otherwise secured upon the plate 43, and has a finger 46 extending toward the carrier and adapted to be inserted in an opening 47 of the same. The catch has a button 48, by which it can be easily operated manually. The blade 32, which may be single or double-edged, is arranged in such position that a cutting edge is positioned adjacent to the guard 26.

When the lever 6, the end 50 of which is formed so that it can be easily engaged by the thumb of the user, is forced toward the handle 1, the toothed segment 8 swings about the pivot 7 and drives the pinion 10. This in turn actuates the gear-wheel 11 and the latter, through the pinion 14, the worm-wheel 15 and the worm 16, rotates the shaft 17. As the latter turns, it actuates the crank 39 and this, through its engagement with the slot 38, moves the blade-carrier laterally. The actual movement of the carrier is at an angle with the direction of its length and in a direction intermediate the direction of its length, and a direction transversely of its length. It will be understood that the actual movement of the carrier, and consequently of the blade, can be altered by changing the shape of the slot 38. For example, the latter may be arranged in the arc of a circle or at an angle differing from that shown in the accompanying drawings. The actual angular direction of movement of the blade is of no great importance; it is merely necessary that a sliding lateral movement be imparted thereto. As the carrier moves from the position shown in dotted outline in Fig. 3 to that shown in full lines, it effects a sliding cut when it is drawn over the face of the person being shaved, in the customary manner. When the lever 6 is released, the spring 20 automatically returns it to its initial position, and in this way, the operating parts and the carrier with its blade are also returned to their initial positions and the device is ready for another sliding cut. The user of the razor grasps the handle 1 with preferably the little finger inserted in the ring 3 and with the thumb engaging the lever 6. In order to accommodate the razor to the different parts of the face the frame is movable with respect to the handle and can be arranged in a plurality of positions. If so desired, it can be locked in any particular position by means of the set screw 24. The parts are easily removable to enable the device to be thoroughly cleansed. The cover can be withdrawn from the frame, and by releasing the catch 45 the clamping plate and the blade can be separated from the carrier. At the same time, the frame can be removed from the handle and the shaft 17 withdrawn from the same.

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

1. In a safety razor, a frame having a guard, a carrier movably mounted upon said frame and adapted to support a blade, means for guiding said carrier to move in the direction of its length and at an angle therewith, means for manually moving said carrier in one direction, and means for automatically returning said carrier to an initial position.

2. In a safety razor, a holder, a frame adjustably carried by said holder and having a guard, a carrier movably mounted upon said frame, a blade removably secured upon said carrier, means for guiding said carrier to move in the direction of the length of said blade and at an angle therewith, means for operating said carrier, and means for returning said carrier to an initial position.

3. In a safety razor, a holder, a frame adjustably carried by said holder and having a guard, a carrier movably mounted upon said frame, a blade removably mounted upon said carrier and extending toward said guard, clamping means for holding said blade upon said carrier, a cover for said frame extending partly over said blade, operating means for said blade controllable by the user of the razor, means for returning said operating means to an initial position, and means for guiding said carrier to move in a direction whereby a sliding cut is effected.

4. In a safety razor, a holder, a frame adjustably carried by said holder and having a guard, a movable member carried by said holder, means for actuating said member, means for returning said actuating means to an initial position, a carrier within said frame and engaging said member, said frame and said carrier being formed to coöperate so that said carrier is guided in a predetermined direction, a blade mounted upon said carrier and extending toward said guard, and means for clamping said blade in position upon said carrier.

5. In a safety razor, a holder, a frame adjustably carried by said holder and having a guard and a removable cover, a rotatable member within said holder and extending into said frame, means for actuating said member, means for returning said actuating means automatically into an initial position, said carrier having a slot adapted to receive said rotatable member, said frame having slots, said carrier having studs arranged to move within said slots of said frame, said carrier further having flanges, a blade arranged upon said carrier and projecting toward said guard, and a clamping member adapted to be held in position by said flanges to secure said blade upon said carrier, said clamping member having a catch formed to engage said carrier to hold said clamping member in position.

6. In a safety razor, a holder, a frame adjustably carried by said holder and having a guard, a movable member mounted upon said holder and adapted to be actuated by the user, a movable carrier upon said frame, means for operatively connecting said member and said carrier, means for returning said member automatically into an initial position, said frame and said carrier being formed to coöperate, whereby said carrier is guided in a predetermined direction when said carrier is operated, said frame having a guard, a shoulder formed slidably to support said carrier near the ends thereof, and a clamping member adapted to lock said blade in position upon said carrier.

7. In a safety razor, a holder, a frame adjustably carried by said holder and having a guard and a removable cover, a shaft within said holder and extending into said frame, an actuated member carried by said holder, means for operatively connecting said member and said shaft, means for automatically returning said member into an initial position, said shaft having a crank, said carrier having a slot formed to receive said crank, said frame having slots, said cover having adjustable studs arranged to move within said slots of sail frame, said carrier having flanges and further studs, a blade removably arranged upon said carrier and engaging said further studs, said blade projecting toward said guards, and a clamping plate adapted to be held in position by said flanges to secure said blade upon said carrier, said clamping plate having a catch formed to engage said carrier to hold said clamping member in position.

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

James C. Boyle.

Witnesses:

Rudolph Lindstrom,

E. S. Hotchkiss.