To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Floyd D. Jones, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Razors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to safety razors of that class susceptible for use like an ordinary razor, or a “hoe” razor, and my object is to produce a razor of the character indicated of economical, strong, durable and ornamental construction, which can be stored in a case sufficiently small to be easily carried in one of the small pockets of a waist coat.

With this general object in view, the invention consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and organization as hereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fully understood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which—

Figure 1, is a rear view, full size, of a razor with a handle arranged substantially parallel with the length of the blade so that the razor in use will be manipulated like an ordinary razor. Fig. 2, is an enlarged vertical section on the line II—II of Fig. 1, with the handle projecting rearwardly from the blade so that the razor may be used as a “hoe.” Fig. 3, is an enlarged horizontal section on the line III—III of Fig. 1. Fig. 4, is an enlarged vertical section on the line IV—IV of Fig. 1. Fig. 5, is an enlarged end view of a razor with the handle arranged as in Fig. 1. Fig. 6, is a front view of the razor with the clamp plate raised to expose the blade. Fig. 7, is an enlarged view of one end of the razor with the parts in the position shown by Fig. 6.

In the said drawings, 1 indicates a flat plate constituting the frame of the razor and said frame is provided at one end with a forwardly-projecting inwardly-opening hook 2, a pair of forwardly projecting pins 3 and a threaded opening 4, the pins being preferably disposed near the opposite ends and the threaded opening near the upper edge of the frame midway its length.

At suitable distances from its ends the frame is provided by preference, in its rear side with upright channels 5 and with an upright channel 6, the latter being at the opposite end of the frame from hook 2, the base of said channel sloping upwardly and forwardly so that the channeled portion of the frame shall constitute an upwardly tapering wedge as shown most clearly in Fig. 7. Frame 1 is also provided midway its length with a semi-circular ear 7, which projects downwardly and rearwardly from its upper edge, and said ear is provided axially of its curved edge with an opening 8. Pivoted on a pin or bolt 9 engaging threaded opening 4 and retained thereon by the headed end of the pin is a clamping plate 10, the same being provided in its front side and at one end with a recess 11 which increases in depth toward its upper end so that the recessed part of said plate shall constitute an upwardly tapering wedge to fit tightly between the frame and the hook 2, thereof, as shown clearly in Fig. 3, and at its opposite end the clamp plate is provided with a rearwardly-projecting and inwardly-opening hook 12 for the reception of the wedge-shaped end of the frame, hereinbefore described, as shown clearly in Fig. 3, it being noted by reference to Figs. 2, 4, 5, and 7 that the clamp plate is spaced sufficiently forward of the frame to clear the front ends of the pins 3, so that said clamp plate may be swung from the operative position shown clearly in Fig. 2, to the inoperative position shown most clearly in Figs. 6 and 7.

13 is a perforated cutting blade interposed between the frame and the pivoted clamp, the pins 3 of the frame engaging the perforations to retain the blade in operative position until the same is clamped rigidly in position by the adjustment of the clamp plate from the position shown in Figs. 6 and 7 to the position shown in the remaining figures.

14 indicates a guard or comb of thin metal fitting against the rear face and at the lower edge of the frame, and 15 indicates the teeth of the comb, the same being preferably bowed forwardly as shown. Near its ends the comb is provided with thin resilient upwardly-projecting arms 16, fitting flatly against the rear side of the frame and secured thereto by screws 17 or in any other suitable manner, the inner edges of the arms 16 overlapping the recesses 5 for a slight distance, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3.

18 indicates a pair of slidable wedges fitting in recesses 5 and bearing against the inner walls of said recesses and the inner edges of the resilient arms of the comb and provided with outwardly projecting lateral extensions 19 underlapping the arms of the comb so that the latter shall prevent any possible chance of dislocation of the wedges, and the latter are provided at their upper ends with outwardly projecting flanges 20, whereby they may be readily slid upward or downward for the purpose of springing the toothed edge of the comb away from or permitting it to spring toward the cutting edge of the blade. The distance between the toothed edge of the comb and the blade determines whether the shave will be an ordinary one or a close one.

Pivotally secured to the ear 7 by means of a screw bolt 21 extending rotatably through opening 8, is a handle consisting of a tubular shank 22 bifurcated at its front end to receive the ear 7, and externally screw threaded at its rear end, and a preferably hollow grip 23 internally threaded at its front end and receiving the threaded portion of the shank, and said grip is provided with an internal shoulder 24 for engagement with the rear end of the plunger 25 fitting slidingly in shank 22 and diametrically reduced at its rear end at 26, to receive the inturned end 27 of the shank so that while the plunger is free to reciprocate within the shank, it is incapable of dislocation or withdrawal from the shank, and in this connection it will be noticed the plunger is of such length that it is engaged by the shoulder 24 of the grip before the latter is wholly screwed upon shank 22 and pushed endwise against the periphery or rounded edge of ear 7 with sufficient force to prevent accidental pivotal movement of the handle.

To adjust the handle pivotally after being set in any particular position, the grip is given a backward turn of a fraction of a revolution to relax the pressure of the flange on the ear 7. The handle is then swung to the position desired, that is to say, it may occupy the position shown in Fig. 1, which is for shaving with the left hand or it may occupy a reverse position or any position intermediate the two extremes referred to, being handled as a hoe when the handle occupies the position shown in Fig. 2.

As the function of the various parts has been explained in connection with the detailed reference to the parts a recapitulation of the method of assembling the parts and handling the razor is deemed unnecessary, it being understood that I reserve the right to make such changes as properly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A safety razor, comprising a flat frame having an ear projecting downwardly and outwardly from its upper edge, a clamp-plate secured to the frame at its opposite side from said ear, a blade clamped against the frame by said clamp-plate, with its cutting edge disposed beyond the lower edge of the frame, a flat guard fitting flatly against the opposite side of the frame from the clamp-plate and blade, and extending below the frame and bowed at its extended edge toward the cutting edge of the blade, means for springing the lower edge of the guard away from the blade, and a handle pivoted to the ear for movement parallel with the plane of the face thereof.

2. A safety razor, comprising a flat frame having an ear projecting downwardly and outwardly from its upper edge, a clamp-plate secured to the frame at its opposite side from said ear, a blade clamped against the frame by said clamp-plate, with its cutting edge disposed beyond the lower edge of the frame, a flat guard fitting flatly against the opposite side of the frame from the clamp-plate and blade, and extending below the frame and bowed at its extended edge toward the cutting edge of the blade, a wedge fitting between the guard and frame to spring the lower edge of the former away from the cutting edge of the blade.

3. A safety razor, comprising a frame, a comb and a clamp plate at opposite sides of the frame, a blade between the frame and clamp plate, a wedge interposed between the frame and the clamp plate and retained in position by the latter and adapted for springing the lower edge of the comb away from the blade, and a handle secured to the frame.

4. A safety razor, comprising a frame, a clamp plate at the front side of the frame, a cutting blade interposed between the clamp plate and frame and depending below the latter, a comb fitting against and depending below the frame at the opposite side of the same from the blade and provided with a pair of upwardly projecting spring arms secured against the rear side of the frame, a pair of wedges interposed between the frame and comb and each overlapped by one of the spring arms, and a handle secured to the frame.

5. A safety razor, comprising a substantially flat frame provided with upright recesses in its rear side, a comb fitting against the rear side of the frame and provided with upwardly projecting spring arms each overlapping the outer portion of one of said recesses and secured to the frame, slidable wedges fitting in said recesses and prevented from moving outward by the adjacent spring arms of the comb and provided with laterally projecting portions interposed between said arms and the frame, a cutting blade fitting against the front face of the frame, a clamp plate holding said blade in place, and a handle secured to the frame.

6. A safety razor, comprising a substantially flat frame provided at one end with a forwardly-projecting inwardly-opening hook and at the other end and opposite side recessed to form an upwardly tapering wedge portion, a clamp plate pivoted to the frame and provided at one end with a rearwardly projecting inwardly-opening hook, and at the other end recessed to provide an upwardly tapering wedge portion, the hook of the frame being adapted to receive the wedge portion of the clamp and the hook of the latter to receive the wedge portion of the frame, a cutting blade clamped between the frame and clamp plate, a comb secured to the rear side of the frame and depending below the same, and a handle secured to the frame.

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

Floyd D. Jones.

Witnesses:

Helen C. Rodgers,

G. Y. Thorpe.