To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, King C. Gillette, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brookline, county of Norfolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Razors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to safety razors, the objects being to provide a blade holder having few parts, simple in character, and readily assembled or separated, in which holder a rectangular blade is inserted and retained for shaving purposes.

The invention consists of the features and elements hereinafter described and pointed out or included in the claims hereof.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1, is a front elevation of a safety razor embodying the principle of the invention as applied to a blade having a single cutting edge. Fig. 2, is a side elevation of the same, and Fig. 3, is also a side elevation, partly in section, showing the interior parts. Fig. 4, is a top plan view of the safety razor as shown by the preceding figures, and Fig. 5, is a plan and end elevation of a blade having one cutting edge. Fig. 6, is a top plan view of a modification in which the principle of the invention is applied to a safety razor, the blade whereof has two cutting edges. Fig. 7, is a perspective view of the same, and Fig. 8, is a plan and end elevation of a double-edged blade adapted for use in the modified form of holder.

As shown by these drawings, the tube, A, is provided, at its upper end, with an outwardly curved guard, B, having a number of teeth, F, on its upper edge, and on each of its ends there is a lug, G, against which the extreme outer edges of the blade rest. The rod, C, extends upwardly through the tube A, and is shown as having an extension provided with a notch or recess, J, the sides or bearing surfaces of which serve as a jaw against which the upper edge of the blade rests while the lugs G, on the guard B, serve as the lower or opposing jaw. The lower end of the rod C, extends through the cap K, screwed into the lower end of the tube A, and in order to exert pressure on the blade H, so as to hold it in place, there is provided a spring D, located around the rod C, within the tube A, the upper end of the spring being made to rest against the head E′, while its lower end rests on the collar E, which is on the rod C. The spring D, exerts a downward pressure on the rod C, and holds the blade between the means for receiving its opposite edges.

It will be readily obvious, that to remove the blade, an upward push on the lower end of the rod C, will separate the opposing jaws or, means for receiving the opposite edges of the blade, which being thus released will drop out. To insert a blade, it is simply necessary to push up the lower end of the rod C, and place the outer lower edge of the blade against the lugs G, when, by releasing the pressure on the rod, the spring D will pull it down and bring the jaw formed by the recess J, into position against the upper edge of the blade, which will then be held in the holder ready for use.

The construction is such that the blade may be removed or replaced at will, while at the same time the parts are accessible for cleaning. By removing the cap K, all of the parts may be separated whenever desired and this is also true of the modified form for receiving blades which have two cutting edges.

In the modified form, as shown in Figs. 6, and 7, a two-edged cutting blade, h, may be placed in position without injury to the cutting edges. In this construction, the rod c′, is located within the tube a which is provided on its upper end with the guard b, having on its upper opposite ends two lugs g, against which the extreme lower ends of the blade rest. The extreme upper ends of the blade are engaged by arms c², which are branches of the rod c′, and the spring d′, operates to exert a downward pressure on the opposite upper ends of the blade h, thus holding it in position for use. It will be obvious that both edges of the blade can be used for shaving by reversing them.

The rectangular blade is always placed in a predetermined position ready for shaving and requires no adjustment, being held, in shaving position, and prevented from displacement in any direction by the means for receiving its edges which are movable toward and away from each other as already explained.

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

1. In a safety razor, the combination with a guard member having guard teeth at its edge and blade holding lugs adjacent the corners, of a normally acting spring pressed clamping jaw movable toward and from the said lugs and having provisions for supporting and securing the opposite edge of the blade and outwardly projecting means for moving the clamping jaw outward to release the blade and permit its removal and replacement without interference on the part of the said clamping jaw.

2. In a safety razor in combination a rectangular blade having one or more cutting edges, a guard or guards therefor, relatively movable spring actuated clamping jaws tending normally to close, means receiving the edges of the blade holding it fixed from displacement and substantially unobstructed on its upper face, a handle extending from the plane of its lower face and means projecting from one of the movable jaws whereby, holding the device in the hand, the clamping jaws may be operated to open and close, leaving the other hand free to remove or insert the blade.

3. In a blade holding device for a safety razor the combination of a blade having one or more cutting edges a guard or guards therefor, a handle projecting from the plane of the lower, face of the blade, a pair of jaws one movable and one fixed with respect to said handle, a spring normally actuating the movable jaw causing both jaws to close upon the edges of the blade holding it fixed from displacement and substantially unobstructed on its upper face, and means on the movable jaw, whereby holding the device in one hand the clamping jaws may be operated to open and close, leaving the other hand free to insert or remove the blade.

4. In a blade holding device for a safety razor, the combination of a pair of relatively movable clamping jaws, a spring normally actuating them to close, means on the movable jaws constituting a blade seat and guard adapted to receive a rectangular blade holding it flatwise and fixed from displacement, its upper surface being substantially unobstructed by the movable jaws opened or closed, and means whereby the device can be held in one hand and operated, the other hand being free to manipulate the blade.

5. In a blade holding device for a safety razor a combination of a rectangular blade having one or more cutting edges a guard or guards therefor, a handle projecting from the plane of the lower face of the blade, a pair of jaws one movable and one fixed with respect to said handle, the movable jaw being normally spring actuated to close upon the edges of the blade holding it fixed from displacement, and means constituting a projection from the movable jaw whereby, holding the device in one hand the clamping jaws may be operated to open and close, leaving the other hand free to remove or insert the blade.

6. In a safety razor, a blade rectangular in shape and provided with one or more cutting edges, a blade holder comprising a guard for the cutting edge or edges, means for receiving the opposite edges of the blade comprising jaws movable toward and away from each other, a spring tending normally to force them together, a handle upon the blade holder, means extending longitudinally therethrough for positively controlling the movement of the jaws and spring.

7. In a safety razor, a blade rectangular in shape and provided with one or more cutting edges, a blade holder therefor having means for receiving the opposite edges of the blade holding it from displacement in any direction which are movable toward and away from each other, a spring which tends to normally force the blade receiving means, toward each other and upon the blade, a handle mounted upon said blade, holding means and means located upon said handle for positively controlling said blade receiving means.

8. In a safety razor, a blade rectangular in shape and provided with one or more cutting edges, a blade holder, a handle therefor, means upon said holder for receiving opposite edges of the blade, the said means being upon one side fixed and upon the other side movable with respect to the handle of the blade holder and normally held upon the blade by a spring, a guard for the cutting edge in use, an extension from the movable blade receiving means slidably mounted upon the handle of the blade holder whereby the movable blade receiving means are positively controlled.

9. In a safety razor, the combination of a flat rectangular blade having one or more cutting edges, a blade holding device therefor comprising a pair of relatively movable clamping jaws, a spring normally actuating them; a blade seat on said clamping jaws comprising a guard for the cutting edge or edges, and means receiving and overhanging opposite edges of the blade holding it flatwise on the blade seat and fixed from displacement in any direction, a centrally disposed handle on the under side of the blade seat, and means on said blade holding device whereby the normal action of said spring may be positively opposed and overcome to effect the insertion and removal of the blade.

10. In a safety razor, the combination of a flat rectangular blade having one or more cutting edges; a blade holding device therefor comprising a pair of clamping jaws, one fixed and one movable thereon, a spring normally actuating the movable clamping jaw, a blade seat on said clamping jaws comprising a guard for the cutting edge or edges, and means receiving and overhanging opposite edges of the blades holding it flatwise on the blade seat and fixed from displacement in any direction, a centrally disposed handle on the under side of the blade seat, ind means on said blade holding device whereby the normal action of said spring may be positively opposed and overcome to effect the insertion and removal of the blade.

11. In a safety razor, the combination of a flat rectangular blade having one or more cutting edges, a blade holding device therefor comprising a pair of relatively movable clamping jaws, a spring normally actuating them, a blade seat on said clamping jaws comprising a guard for the cutting edge or edges, and means receiving and overhanging opposite edges of the blade holding it flatwise on the blade seat and fixed from displacement in any direction, a centrally disposed handle on the under side of the blade seat, and means on said blade holding device arranged lengthwise of the handle whereby the normal action cf the spring is opposed and overcome to effect the insertion and removal of the blade.

12. In a safety razor, the combination of a flat rectangular blade having one or more cutting edges, a blade holding device therefor comprising a pair of clamping jaws, one fixed and one movable thereon, a spring normally actuating the movable clamping jaw, a blade seat on said clamping jaws comprising a guard for the cutting edge or edges, and means receiving and overhanging opposite edges of the blade holding it flatwise on the blade seat and fixed from displacement in any direction, a centrally disposed handle on the under side of the blade seat, and means on said blade holding device arranged lengthwise of the handle whereby the normal action of the spring is opposed and overcome to effect the insertion and removal of the blade.

13. In a safety razor, the combination of a flat rectangular blade having one or more cutting edges, a blade holding device therefor comprising a pair of clamping jaws, one fixed and one slidably movable thereon, a spring normally actuating the movable clamping jaw, a blade seat on said clamping jaws comprising a guard for the cutting edge or edges, and means receiving and overhanging opposite edges of the blade holding it flatwise on the blade seat and fixed from displacement in any direction, a centrally disposed handle on the under side of the blade seat, and means on said blade holding device constituting an extension of the movable clamping jaw whereby the normal action of the said spring may be positively opposed and overcome to effect the insertion and removal of the blade.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this ninth day of January A. D. 1905.

King C. Gillette.

Witnesses:

A. L. Messer,

A. R. Larrabee.